Charles Dennis (born December 16, 1946) is a Canadian actor, playwright, journalist, author, director, and screenwriter.
Background
Dennis is the third son of Sam and Sade Dennis. He attended Cedarvale Public School, Vaughan Road Collegiate, and University College at the University of Toronto, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1968. He is on the Great Alumni List for the University of Toronto. He is a member of the Playwrights/Directors Unit of The Actors Studio, and married to producer and publisher Ulrika Vingsbo-Dennis.
He was Artistic Director of the University College Players Guild from 1967 to 1968, and received the McAndrew Award for his contributions to campus drama (which included his own adaptation of Joseph Heller's Catch-22 and the Canadian premiere of Arthur Miller's Incident at Vichy).
Career
Radio
Dennis made his acting debut at 8 years old in 1954 on Marjorie Purvey's radio series, Peter and the Dwarf and performed on the series for five years. He has written a number of radio plays for BBC, and CBC, including Leslie and Lajos (CBC) (1982), Long Time Ago (BBC) (1974), and To an Early Grave (BBC) (1972). In 2009 his play, The Alchemist of Cecil Street, starring Ron Orbach, Bryan Cranston and Ed Asner was produced by The Famous Radio Ranch. In 2010 The Famous Radio Ranch followed up with a production of Dennis's play "Tolstoy Was Never There" starring Kevin Dunn, Ross Benjamin, Ron Orbach, Rose Abdoo, Ed Begley, Jr., John O'Hurley, Leila Birch, Kim Eveleth, Becky Bonar. Patrick Pinney and Ethne Bliss.
Theatre
In 1963, Dennis made his professional stage debut at the Red Barn Theatre in Jackson's Point, Ontario playing Dr. Einstein in Arsenic and Old Lace and Simon Bliss in Hay Fever. Later that year he adapted, directed and played Holden Caulfield in J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye at the Coach House Theatre in Toronto. While attending the University of Toronto he appeared in Hart House productions of "Heartbreak House", "Ondine", and "The Devils". In 1968, he wrote and appeared in his play, "Everyone Except Mr. Fontana", at the Colonnade Theatre in Toronto. In 1971, he traveled to England, where he directed the Walter Scharf-Don Black- Lionel Chetwynd musical Maybe That's Your Problem at the Roundhouse Theatre in London.
Returning to Canadian stage in 1980, he played Sidney Bruhl in Deathtrap opposite Anna Russell at London's Grand Theatre. His play, Altman's Last Stand, was produced at the National Arts Center in Ottawa in 1982. In 1985, he wrote and directed the play Significant Others at the Beverly Hills Playhouse in Los Angeles.
In 1989, he co-starred with Gwendolyn Humble in his play, Going On, directed by Edward Hardwicke at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
In 1990, Dennis recreated the role of Alfred in Going On opposite Maria O'Brien at the Callboard Theatre in Los Angeles, and in 1997 wrote and starred in the play SoHo Duo, directed by Kenneth Welsh at the West Bank Theatre in New York.
In 2003, Dennis created the role of Fred Ross in the Ed Begley, Jr. musical Cesar and Ruben at the El Portal Theater in Los Angeles, and in 2005, played George Sanders in his play High Class Heel, at The National Arts Club in New York.
In 2011, he returned to the boards playing Gregory Wagner for the Open Fist Theater Company in their production of Room Service by Murray and Boretz, which the Los Angeles Times described as a "superb revival". Later that year he played Carlton Fitzgerald opposite Catherine Hicks in Moss Hart's Light Up the Sky at the JRTN in Las Vegas.
In 2016, Dennis revised his play Altman's Last Stand. It was directed by Charles Haid and produced by Racquel Lehrman at the Zephyr Theater in Los Angeles with Michael Laskin as Franz Altman. The production received great critical acclaim.
In 2022, Dennis rewrote Altman's Last Stand and retitled it King Solomon's Treasure. He also added a second character, Miss Carmichael, a writer for People Magazine. Dennis played the role of Franz Altman and Stevie Jean Placek played Miss Carmichael.The play was produced by Ulrika Vingsbo and presented at the Whitefire Theatre in Sharman Oaks, California. The play was filmed during its six week run. The film had its world premiere later in the year at the Studio City Film Festival and Dennis won the award for Best Actor in a Feature Film.
Plays
2022 King Solomon's Treasure (author/actor) 2016 Altman's Last Stand (author) 2005, High Class Heel (author/actor) 1997, SoHo Duo (author/actor) 1989, Going On (author/actor) 1985, Significant Others (author/director) 1982, Altman's Last Stand (author) 1974, Crazy Joan (book/lyrics) 1968, Everyone Except Mr. Fontana (author/actor)