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Joy Coghill

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Joy Coghill
Born(1926-05-13)May 13, 1926
Findlater, Saskatchewan, Canada
DiedJanuary 20, 2017(2017-01-20) (aged 90)
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Other namesJoy Coghill Thorne
EducationUniversity of British Columbia (BA)
Art Institute of Chicago (MFA)
Occupation(s)Actress, director, writer
Years active1950–2003
SpouseJohn Thorne
Children3
Websitewww.joycoghill.com

Joy Dorothy Coghill-Thorne, CM, (May 13, 1926 – January 20, 2017) was a Canadian actress, director, and writer.[1] Her obituary in The Vancouver Sun described her as having had "a seven-decade run at the top of the Vancouver theatre world."[2]

Early life and education

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Coghill was born in Findlater, Saskatchewan, Canada on May 13, 1926,[3] the daughter of J.G. Coghill and Dorothy Pollard Coghill.[4] Her father was a Presbyterian minister.[2] She was educated at King's Park Secondary School and Queen's Park Secondary School in Glasgow, Scotland.[5] After returning to Canada, she attended Kitsilano Secondary School and began performing in school theatre productions.[2] She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia in 1949 and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Art Institute of Chicago in 1951.[4]

Career

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Coghill and Myra Benson founded Canada's first professional touring children's theatre, Holiday Theatre in 1953.[6] From 1967 to 1969, Coghill was the artistic director of the Vancouver Playhouse. She was the first woman to hold that position.[7] In 1994, Coghill founded Western Gold, a theatre company for senior professional actors in Vancouver. She also served as a director for the National Theatre School's English drama section in 1960.[5][8] She held honorary degrees from Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia.[9]

Her best-known work is Song of This Place, a play about the Canadian artist Emily Carr. In addition to her writing, Coghill has made guest appearances on Da Vinci's Inquest as Portia Da Vinci and as the dying human host Saroosh/Selmak on the Stargate SG-1 episode "The Tok'ra, Part 1 & 2".[10]

Joy Coghill in 2010

Coghill received four Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards for her theatrical accomplishments in Vancouver, British Columbia: Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance Award (1988–1989),[11] Community Recognition Award (1989–1990),[12] Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (1990–1991),[13] and Unique Mandate and Contribution to the Theatre Community (1998–1999).[14]

Other awards include a Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, the Gemini Humanitarian Award,[6] the Dominion Drama Festival acting award and a Canadian drama award.[4] On October 25, 1990, she was made a member of the Order of Canada and cited as "a champion of Canadian talent and quality and as "a continuing inspiration to her colleagues in theatre throughout the country."[15]

Personal life

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Coghill was married to John Thorne, a producer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.[2] On January 20, 2017, Coghill died of massive heart failure at St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She was 90. She was survived by three children and two grandchildren.[16]

Plays

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  • Song of This Place[7]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1975 Shivers Mona Wheatley
1978 Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang Mistress Fowl
1984 Change of Heart Edna
1987 Blue Monkey Dede Wilkens
1994 Andre Betsy
1998 The Sleep Room Mrs. Olson
1999 Double Jeopardy Neighbor In Garden
2000 A Day in a Life Dorthy

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1955 General Motors Theatre Sally Episode: "Never Say No"
1959 Studio Pacific Alice Episode: "Anyone for Alice"
1980, 1985 The Beachcombers Gertie 2 episodes
1986 Nobody's Child Patient #1 Television film
1986 Red Serge Ruby Burris Episode: "Apron Springs"
1987 Airwolf Reverend Mother Episode: "Flowers of the Mountain"
1987 Christmas Comes to Willow Creek Charlotte Television film
1989 Unsub Mrs. Gleason Episode: "White Bone Demon"
1991 21 Jump Street Mrs. Dixon Episode: "Coppin' Out"
1991 Omen IV: The Awakening Sister Francesca Television film
1991 Street Justice Rosemary Lyttle Episode: "Sanctuary"
1991 My Son Johnny Anna Cortino Television film
1993 Miracle on Interstate 880 Sister Mary
1993 Sherlock Holmes Returns Ms. Baker
1993 Whose Child Is This? The War for Baby Jessica Earlen
1994 Snowbound: The Jim and Jennifer Stolpa Story Dr. Jorgenson
1994 The Commish Mrs. Dawson Episode: "Revenge"
1995 The X-Files Linda Thibedeaux Episode: "Aubrey"
1995 The Other Mother: A Moment of Truth Movie Sister Vincent Television film
1995 Sliders Mrs. Ezra Tweak Episode: "Summer of Love"
1995 My Life as a Dog Auntie Auntie / Astrid Árnesson 6 episodes
1996 Color Me Perfect Jennifer Television film
1996, 1997 Poltergeist: The Legacy Elizabeth Baker / Mrs. Blake 2 episodes
1997 Viper Mother Grace Episode: "Echo of Murder"
1998 The Outer Limits Jean Episode: "The Vaccine"
1998 Stargate SG-1 Saroosh / Selmak 2 episodes
1998 The Crow: Stairway to Heaven Laura Stansbury Episode: "Before I Wake"
1998–2003 Da Vinci's Inquest Portia Da Vinci 6 episodes
1999 Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy Violet Hutchison Episode: "Deja Vu All Over Again"
2000 The Christmas Secret Old Woman Television film
2002 Living with the Dead Mrs. Ziff
2003 Betrayed Mabel Stewart

References

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  1. ^ "Queen of Vancouver theatre, Joy Coghill, dead at age 90". 24 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d Mackie, John (January 24, 2017). "Queen of Vancouver theatre, Joy Coghill, dead at age 90". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  3. ^ "Acclaimed actor, director and playwright Joy Coghill-Thorne dead at 90". Calgary Herald. 2017-01-25. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  4. ^ a b c Creative Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-century Creative and Performing Artists. University of Toronto Press. 1972. ISBN 9781442637849. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  5. ^ a b Creative Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-century Creative and Performing Artists. Vol. 2. University of Toronto Press. 1972. ISBN 9781442637849. Retrieved 2022-12-01 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ a b Smith, Charlie (January 22, 2017). "Director, actor, producer, and humanitarian Joy Coghill dies". The Georgia Straight. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Acclaimed actor, director and playwright Joy Coghill-Thorne dead at 90". Global News. 2017-01-25. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  8. ^ Robert, Veronique (1986-03-10). "Putting a generation on the stage". MacLeans. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  9. ^ "Joy Coghill biography". Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  10. ^ Approaching the Possible: The World of Stargate SG-1 p.185, Jo Storm
  11. ^ "The 7th Annual Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards". The Jessies. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  12. ^ "The 8th Annual Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards". The Jessies. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  13. ^ "The 9th Annual Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards". The Jessies. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  14. ^ "The 17th Annual Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards". The Jessies. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  15. ^ "(award citation)". The Governor General of Canada His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  16. ^ "Acclaimed actor, director and playwright Joy Coghill-Thorne dies at 90". The Globe and Mail. The Canadian Press. January 24, 2017. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
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