Donald Sutherland Birthday July 17

Donald McNicol Sutherland, OC (born 17 July 1935) is a Canadian character actor with a film career spanning nearly 50 years. Some of Sutherland’s more notable movie roles included offbeat warriors in such war movies as The Dirty Dozen, in 1967, and MASH and Kelly’s Heroes in 1970, as well as in such popular films as Klute, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Ordinary People. He recently starred in the American television series Dirty Sexy Money.

Trivia

Grew up in the town of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, where he also graduated from high school.

His first part-time job was as a news correspondent for local radio station, CKBW.

Graduated from University of Toronto.

Was a member of “UC Follies” comedy troupe in Toronto.

[29 February 2000] Radio interview with Michael Enright on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s “This Morning”.

Turned down starring in The Sweet Hereafter (1997) because the salary was too low. His role eventually went to Ian Holm.

Dubbed (uncredited) the part taken by English actor William Devlin in Blood Island (1967).

In addition to an on-screen bit part as a computer scientist in Billion Dollar Brain (1967), he also provided the mechanical voice for the eponymous “brain”.

Has three sons with Francine Racette: Roeg Sutherland (b. 1974); Rossif Sutherland (b. 1978) and Angus Sutherland (b. 1979).

He was featured in the computer game Conspiracy (digitised video and sound).

Both Sutherland and Alan Alda, who took up the role of Hawkeye in the TV version of “M*A*S*H” (1972) suffered from polio as children.

Former son-in-law of Tommy Douglas.

In 2003, twice played a character who dies who was the father of a young woman, in Cold Mountain (2003) and The Italian Job (2003). Both actresses (Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron) were nominated for Best Actress (although Theron was nominated for Monster (2003) and not her role in The Italian Job (2003).

Father, with Shirley Douglas, of Kiefer Sutherland and Rachel Sutherland.

Even though he receives top billing in The Day of the Locust (1975), he doesn’t appear in the film for the first 42 minutes.

Appears throughout MASH (1970) wearing glasses and a fishing bucket hat. This look was later mirrored by his son, Kiefer Sutherland, in Article 99 (1992).

By the time he was 14, he had become a radio DJ.

Appeared in The Day of the Locust (1975) as a character named Homer Simpson, and then later made a guest appearance on “The Simpsons” (1989).

He and MASH (1970) co-star Elliott Gould both own apartments in the same Manhattan high-rise luxury building.

Being very tall, Sutherland has long since had a habit of slouching over so he could meet other actors eye to eye.

As with son Kiefer Sutherland, named after director Lorenzo Sabatini, he named his other son, Roeg Sutherland, Kiefer Sutherland’s half-brother, after Don’t Look Now (1973) director Nicolas Roeg.

He was originally cast as Franklyn Madson in Dead Again (1991), but was eventually replaced by Derek Jacobi.

Has two roles in common with Alan Alda. Sutherland played Flan in Six Degrees of Separation (1993), the role Alda played in an audio-book publication. Sutherland also played Hawkeye Pierce in MASH (1970), the role Alda played in “M*A*S*H” (1972).

Made two guest appearances on “The Saint” (1962), playing two different characters.

He was awarded an O.C. (Officer of the Order of Canada) on December 18, 1978 for his services to drama.

Had a near-death experience in 1979 when he was ill with meningitis. Doctors told him he had died for a time, and he claims to have had an out-of-body experience.

Grandfather of Sarah Sutherland, father of Kiefer Sutherland and Camelia Kath.

Starred in the TV series “Commander in Chief” (2005) with Leslie Hope. During the first season of “24″ (2001), Leslie Hope played the wife of his son, Kiefer Sutherland.

Played together with his son Kiefer Sutherland in two movies: Max Dugan Returns (1983) and A Time to Kill (1996) where they play enemies.

He and Alan Alda both play Republicans with Presidential aspirations on television. Alda appears on The “The West Wing” (1999), Sutherland on “Commander in Chief” (2005).

Between 1958 and 1960, he went to England and studied acting at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA).

He and Kiefer Sutherland are both Emmy winners. He won in 1996 for Citizen X (1995) (TV), and ten years later, Kiefer won for “24″ (2001).

His great-grandmother through male line was a third cousin of President Rutherford Birchard Hayes.

Is distantly related to the former Governor of Vermont, Howard Dean.

Is a huge fan of his son Kiefer’s TV show “24″ (2001). He never misses an episode.

Was so shocked by his own performance as the sadistic, perverse fascist leader in 1900, that he was unable to watch the film for years.

Originally wanted to be a sculptor, but decided to be an actor after witnessing people praise a drawing of Churchill that he thought was awful (he realized he couldn’t make art to please other people). He had never attended a theater performance, and still hadn’t when he received his first role. Thus he was behind the proscenium arch before ever having been in front of it.

Prefers to shoot the opening scenes of a movie last in order to better set the tone of the movie to the audience.

Although several sources list that he and Francine Racette were married in 1974, Donald stated in a May 2000 London Daily Mail article that they did not marry until August 1990. They met in 1974 and lived together for 16 years.

Achieved cinematic fame in two completely different and contrasting war films. One was the cynical, edgy, sarcastic Korean War comedy MASH (1970), and the other was the gritty, action packed, violent World War II action film The Dirty Dozen (1967).

Is a fan of “24″ (2001), and never misses an episode. He declined an offer to play Jack’s father, Philip, in the show’s sixth season.

Lives in Santa Monica, California.

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