Behrens, Bernard

Bernard Behrens

Bernard Behrens was born on September 28, 1926 in London, England, UK. He was a child evacuee during WWII and was forced to live with a foster family which stuck with him (negatively) for the rest of his life. At 7 years old he wanted to be a Hollywood actor.

On June 14, 1948 (he was 21) Behrens left England for Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on the ship Aquitania.

Behrens was an avid reader and did not enjoy going to see movies at the theatre as an adult (preferring to not be bombarded with the noises associated with the movie theatres), but he did enjoy seeing films and regards himself as a big film fan, he saw over 400 movies a year. As a child he would sneak into the movie theatres to see films.
Behrens spent a solid thirty years on the stage, and then after an eleven year break from the stage (while doing TV and film work) he returned.  

He was known affectionately as Bunny Behrens and was married to Canadian actress Deborah Cass, for nearly 50 years, until her death in 2004. Behrens and his wife had three sons: Mark, Matthew, and Adam.

In 2008 Behrens was diagnosed with dementia and spent a few years in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario then the last year in Perth, Ontario. He suffered a stroke a month before he died.

Bernard Behrens died on September 19, 2012 in Perth, Ontario, Canada. 

Film
Waking the Dead~2000 - Father Stanton
Life Before This, The~1999 - Monsieur Farrin
Top of the Food Chain~1999 - Mayor Claire, Exceptional Vista
Mother Night~1996 - Rev. Dr. Lionel Jones
Trapped in Paradise~1994 - Doc Milgrom
Zero Patience~1993 - Dr. Placebo
Double or Nothing: The Rise and Fall of Robert Campeau~1992
Beautiful Dreamers~1990 - Dr. Winslow
Another Chance~1989 - St. Peter
Nest of Singing Birds, A~1987 - Eddie Weibe
Taking Care~1987
Turning to Stone~1985 - Professor Campbell
Unfaithfully Yours~1984 - Bill Lawrence
What's Up, Hideous Sun Demon~1983 (voice)
Man with Two Brains, The~1983 - Gladstone
Firefox~1982 - William Saltonstall

Galaxy of Terror~1981 - Ilvar
Resurrection~1980 - Dr. Fisher
Loving Couples~1980 - Elegant Doctor
Changeling, The~1980 - Prof. Robert Lingstrom
Un autre homme, une autre chance~1977 - Springfield
Swashbuckler~1976 - Sir James Barnet
Shattered Silence, The~1966
Alexander Galt: The Stubborn Idealist~1962 - Reform Party Member

TV
Living in Your Car~2010 - Mr. Hannigan in Series 1 Episode 9
Murdoch Mysteries~2010 - New Pathologist in The Tesla Effect

Anne of Green Gables~2008 - Gabriel
Puppets Who Kill~2006 - Mr. Twinkly in Bill & the Berkowitz's

This is Wonderful~2005 - in #2.6 and #2.7
Day Reagan Was Shot, The~2001 - Atty. Gen. Smith
Once a Thief~1998- in  The Director Files
Silver Surfer, The~1998 - voice of Nietre
Defenders: Taking the First, The~1998 - Milton Lewis
Evidence of Blood~1998 - Dr. Vernon Stark
Black Harbour~1997 - Howie Sutherland in:
    The Legacy
    The Wall
I'll Be Home for Christmas~1997
Christmas in My Hometown~1996 - Gosling
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues~1996 - George in A Shaolin Treasure
Hostile Advances: The Kerry Ellison Story~1996 - Judge Gaffney
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story~1996
Remember Me~1995 - Henry Sprague
Hiroshima~1995 - John McCloy
Possession of Michael D., The~1995 - Dr. Jerry
Forever Knight~1995 - Charles Du Champs in  Blood Money
Mighty Jungle, The~1994 - Dr. Forrester in  Heart's Desire
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues~1993 - M. Desjardin in  The Possessed
Incident in a Small Town~1994 -   Judge Greeves
Coming of Age~1993 -   Arthur Stone
Ghost Mom~1993 -   Dr. Mallory
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues~1993 -  Andrei in Sunday at the Hotel with George
Class of '96~1993 - in  Breaking up Is Hard to Overdue
Town Torn Apart, A~1992 - Angus MacLean
Little Piece of Heaven, A~1991 -  Cecil Loomis (Will's Father)
Katts and Dog~1991 -  Eli Strasson in Relatively Speaking
War of the Worlds~1990 -  Jennings in Path of Lies
Katts and Dog~1990 -  Harry in Over the Hill Gang
Dracula: The Series~1990 - Gustav Helsing

Murder Times Seven~1990 - Judge Harry Rhoades
Love and Hate: The Story of Colin and Joanne Thatcher~1989 - Judge MacPherson
Sorry, Wrong Number~1989 - Dr. Fisher
Alfred Hitchcock Presents~1989 - Houseman in South By Southeast
War of the Worlds~1989 - Psychiatrist in Vengeance Is Mine
Friday the 13th~1988-1989
    General Lee in  Eye of Death
    Barney in  The Pirates Promise
    Inquisitor Holmes in The Quilt of Hathor
Diamonds~1988- in Where There's a Will
Alfred Hitchcock Presents~1988 - Dr. Heller in  A Stolen Heart
Ramona~1988 - Grandpa Day
Shades of Love: Little White Lies~1988 - Leland Reynolds
Glory Enough for All~1988
Covert Action~1987 - Vickers
Diamonds~1987- in Here Comes the Bride
Alfred Hitchcock Presents~1987 - Dr. Parks in The Mole
Street Legal~1987-  Phillipe in Lost and Lonely Hearts
Prescription for Murder~1987 - Dr. O'Donnell
Haunted by Her Past~1987 - Karen's Father
Christmas Eve~1986 - Dean
Deadly Business, A~1986 - Purchasing agent
Twilight Zone, The~1985 - Salesman in  Wordplay
Remington Steele~1985 - Dr. Romsen in  Now You Steele It, Now You Don't
Highway to Heaven~1985 - Dr. Sheaffer in As Difficult as ABC
In Defense of Kids~1983 - Dempsey
Special Bulletin~1983
Mama's Family~1983 - Webster Van Courtland in Family Feud
Cagney & Lacey~1983 - Guiltry in The Grandest Jewel Thief of Them All
Open All Night~1982 - Judge in The Chicken Suit
CHiPs~1982 - Park in  Head Over Heels
St. Elsewhere~1982-  George Rogers in Cora and Arnie (see Actor Connections - TV)
Hill Street Blues~1982 - in Stan the Man
Dallas~1981-1982 - Harold Haskell in:
    Barbecue Two
    The Split
Smurfs, The~1981 -  Voices
Knots Landing~1981 - Michael Maddox in A State of Mind
Born to be Sold~1981 -
Greatest American Hero, The~1981 - Dr. Springfield in  Don't Mess Around with Jim
Bosom Buddies~1980 - Father Michaelson in Loathe Thy Neighbor
Quincy M.E.~1980 - Dr. Warren in No Way to Treat a Patient
Friendly Fire~1979 - Dietrich
Columbo: The Conspirators~1978 - George O'Connell (see Actor Connections - TV)
Greatest Heroes of the Bible~1978 - in The Story of Moses: Parts 1 and 2
Question of Guilt, A~1978 - D.A. Koch
Baretta~1978 - in The Dream
Starsky and Hutch~1978 - Gavin Haley in The Heavyweight
Meeting of Minds~1977 - Sir Thomas More n Marie Antoinette/Sir Thomas More/Karl Marx/Ulysses S. Grant: Part 1
Kojak~1977 - Marshall Tyler in Letters of Death
Bionic Woman, The~1977 - Major Petrov in Motorcycle Boogie
Little House on the Prairie~1977 - Bailey Farrell in The Creeper of Walnut Grove
Bionic Woman, The~1977 - Beaumont in The Dijon Caper
McCloud~1977 - John Keaton in London Bridges
Baretta~1977 - in Everybody Pays the Fare
Marcus Welby, M.D.~1975 - Dr. Nils Brigg in The Tidal Wave
Great Performances~1975 - Sir Peter Teazle in The School for Scandal
Captains and the Kings~1976 - Gentleman in Chapters I, II, III, IV
Henry V~1966
Seaway~1965 - Rafferty in Mutiny
Forest Rangers, The~1965 - Owen in White Hunter
Festival~1962 - in The Queen and the Rebels
Macbeth~1961  Lennox

Theatre
The Crucible~2006 - Giles Corey (Shaw Festival, Festival Theatre, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, CAN)
Belle Moral~2005 - Young Farleigh (Shaw Festival, Festival Theatre, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, CAN)
Harlequinade~2004 - George Chudleigh (Shaw Festival, Royal George Theatre, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, CAN)
Importance of Being Earnest, The~2004 - Reverend Canon Frederick Chasuble, D.D.(Shaw Festival, Royal George Theatre, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, CAN)

Return of the Prodigal~2002 - Mr. Samuel Jackson Father of Eustice (Court House Theatre, Ontario, CAN)
Candida~2002 - Mr. Burgess (National Arts Centre English Theatre, Ontario, CAN)

Prodigal Son, The~2001 - (Shaw Festival, Ontario, CAN)
Doctor's Dilemma~2000 - Sir Patrick Cullen (Festival Theatre, Ontario, CAN)
A Woman of No Importance~2000 - Archdeacon Daubeny, DD (Court House Theatre, Ontario, CAN)
You Can't Take It With You~1999 - Martin Vanderfhof (Festival Theatre, Ontario, CAN)
Wrong Turn at Lungfish~1997 -
Major Barbara~1981/2 - (Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle, WA)
The Three Musketeers~1968 - Bonacieux/Mr. O'Reilly/Innkeeper at the Red Dovecot (Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
A Midsummer Night's Dream~1968 - Quince (Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
Romeo and Juliet~1968 - Friar Laurence (Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
Antony and Cleopatra~1967 - Aemilius Lepidus (Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
The Merry Wives of Windsor~1967 - Sir Hugh Evans (Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
The Government Inspector~1967 - Osip (Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
Richard III~1967  Sir James Tyrrel (Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
Henry VI~1966 - Somerset (Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
Henry V~1966 - Captain Fluellen (Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
Cyrano de Bergerac~1962 - Cadet (Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
The Tempest~1962 - Boatswain (Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
The Taming of the Shrew~1962 - Tranio (Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
Henry VIII~1961 - Sir Henry Guildford (Stratford Shakespearean Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
Mary, Mary~1961 -  (Neptune Theatre, Canada)
Coriolanus~1961 - Sicinius Velutus (Stratford Shakespearean Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
A Midsummer Night's Dream~1960 - Snug (Stratford Shakespearean Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
King John~1960 - Prince Henry/Robert Faulconbridge (Stratford Shakespearean Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
As You Like It~1959 - Ensemble (Stratford Shakespearean Festival, Festival Theatre, STatford, Ontario, CAN)
Othello~1959 - Messenger/Gentleman of Cyprus (Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, CAN)
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves~1957 - (Theatre Royal, Bristol, UK)
Pulcinella~1956 - Fourbo (Theatre Royal, Bristol, UK)

Radio
Star Wars: A New Hope Radio Drama~1983 - voice of Obi Wan Kenobi
Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama~1983 - voice of Obi Wan Kenobi
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Radio Drama~1996 - voice of Obi Wan Kenobi


Awards, Honors and Nominations
Gemini Awards:
Rec'd 1995 Best Supporting Actor for Coming of Age
Rec'd 1992 Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for Saying Goodbye:
Nom 1985 Best Performance by a Supporting Actor for Turning to Stone

Miscellany
Spent five years at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, MN

Behrens and his wife were founding members of Halifax's Neptune