Nicholas Campbell

Nicholas Campbell (born 24 March 1952) is a Canadian actor and filmmaker. He is a four-time Gemini Award winner, a three-time Genie Award nominee, and a Canadian Screen Award nominee. He is known for his portrayal of the eponymous character, coroner Dominic Da Vinci, on the crime drama television series Da Vinci's Inquest (1998-2005) and its spin-off Da Vinci's City Hall (2005-2006).

Nicholas Campbell
Campbell in November 2010
Born (1952-03-24) 24 March 1952
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Other namesNick Campbell
Alma mater
Occupations
  • Actor
  • Director
  • Producer
  • Screenwriter
Years active1970-present

In film, Campbell is known for his collaborations with director David Cronenberg, starring in Fast Company (1979), The Brood (1979), The Dead Zone (1983), and Naked Lunch (1991). He has also notably appeared in A Bridge Too Far (1977), The Boys Club (1996), New Waterford Girl (1999), Prozac Nation (2001), Turning Paige (also 2001), Cinderella Man (2005), and Goon (2011). As a director, he made the acclaimed music documentary Stepping Razor: Red X.

Early life

Campbell was born in Toronto and raised in Montreal. He went to Toronto's Upper Canada College and Kingston's Queen's University where he originally studied Political Studies but later switched to English and Drama. He continued his studies in England studying five years at Drama Studio London and at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).[1]

Career

Campbell started his acting career in the United Kingdom. He spent 40 weeks touring the country with the York Theatre Royal Repertory Company.

His debut film role was in The Omen, released in 1976.[1] He subsequently played small roles in The Eagle Has Landed (1976)[2], the James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me (1977),[3] and the World War II epic A Bridge Too Far (1977).[2] His co-starred in the 1977 ITV televised play Come Back, Little Sheba, opposite Laurence Olivier, Joanne Woodward and Carrie Fisher. He returned to Canada in 1979.

His starring film and television credits include series leads on Diamonds[2] and The Hitchhiker.[2] Campbell was third-billed in the 1985 movie Certain Fury. Playing Billy Quinn in CBC's Major Crime (1997) he won a Gemini Award for best actor for his work.[4] His television credits also include the role of Bobby Kennedy in Hoover vs. The Kennedys (Gemini nominee for best actor in a miniseries), Going Home (nominated for BAFTA Award), and The Valour and the Horror.[1] Other works include The Sleep Room, Diana Kilmury: Teamster (Gemini nomination for best supporting actor in a drama) and The Diary of Evelyn Lau.[1]

Campbell has also worked extensively with David Cronenberg, appearing in such films as Naked Lunch, The Dead Zone, Fast Company, and The Brood. Campbell has made guest appearances on TV shows including Space: 1999, Airwolf, Blue Murder, (Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Guest Role Dramatic Series in 2001)[4] A Nero Wolfe Mystery, Street Legal, Republic of Doyle, and Highlander: The Series.[1]

In addition to his acting career, Campbell is also an accomplished filmmaker. He wrote and directed the 1992 documentary film Stepping Razor: Red X,[5] which received a Genie Award nomination for Best Feature Length Documentary at the 14th Genie Awards.[6]

Da Vinci's Inquest

Campbell's role as coroner Dominic Da Vinci in Da Vinci's Inquest brought him critical acclaim. Da Vinci's Inquest was nominated for many Gemini Awards. Of the 11 Geminis the show won, it received three for best writing in a dramatic series and three for best dramatic series. Campbell received the Gemini Award for best performance in a continuing leading dramatic role for his work on the series.[4] Campbell also directed a number of episodes of Da Vinci’s Inquest, being nominated in 2003, for the Directors Guild of Canada team drama award.[1]

Personal life

Controversy

In October 2022, Campbell was suspended from the CBC television series Coroner, after an incident where he referred to Black grip technician by the n-word on a different production.[7] The grip, Andre Mike, stated he was clearing stones for Campbell's path, he heard the actor say, "You winter niggers are used to this kind of weather." When the director of photography asked for clarification, Campbell said, "Well, you know, you northern niggers are used to it."

Campbell apologized in a statement to CBC News, but claimed he did not say any slurs, and was repeating a story secondhand. "That word should never be spoken aloud, certainly not by the likes of me, a white guy who is old enough to know better. It doesn't matter the context in which it was said. It doesn't matter that I was retelling a story, or that I was actually quoting someone else's usage of that word. That horrible and divisive word should never come out of my mouth. And it never will again." Mike stated he didn't accept Campbell's apology. After Mike complained to the producers, CBC announced they would suspend Campbell from the show.[7]

Filmography

Films
Year Title Role Notes
1976The OmenEmbassy guard
1977A Bridge Too FarCaptain Glass
The Spy Who Loved MeUSS Wayne Crewman
1979Fast CompanyBilly 'The Kid' Brooker
H. G. Wells' The Shape of Things to ComeJason Caball
The BroodChris
1980Day of ResurrectionRadio Operator - Palmer Station
1981YesterdayTony
Dirty TricksBill Darcy
The AmateurSchraeger
1982TrappedRoger Michaels
Killing 'em SoftlyClifford
LoveDannysegment: "For Life"
1983The Dead ZoneDeputy Frank Dodd
1985Certain FurySniffer
Terminal ChoiceHenderson
1986Knights of the CityJoey
1987The Pink ChiquitasCast Member of Zombie Beach Party III
RampageAlbert Morse
1991The Big SliceNick Papadopoulos
Naked LunchHank
1992Shadow of the WolfScott
1992Bordertown CaféDon
Stepping Razor: Red X Documentary; as director
1993Champagne For TwoVincent
1994BoozecanAs director
1995Butterbox BabiesClayton Oliver
No ContestVic
JunglegroundRobert Neilson
1996The Boys ClubKyle's Dad
1998The Sleep RoomLucas
A Cool, Dry PlaceFrankie Gooland
1999New Waterford GirlFrances Pottie[3]
2000New Year's DayOllie
Saint JudeDad
We All Fall DownBruce
2001Prozac NationDonald
Turning PaigeRoss Fleming
2004SiblingsDad
2005Cinderella ManSporty Lewis
200714 Days in ParadiseAl Johnson
2008InconceivableJonathan Banks
2009The Cry of the OwlMr. Wyncoop
Love and SavagerySenior Tinker
A WakeGabor Zazlov
2010UnrivaledRaphael
2011GoonRollie Hortense
I'm YoursFather
2012AntiviralDorian
2013AlgonquinLeif Roulette
Cubicle WarriorsHoward Ramsey
2014BackcountryRanger
2015The Rainbow KidBill
UnearthingSid Smith
2016The AdditionMax Wrathburn
UnlessThe Stranger
2017Awakening the ZodiacRay
Never Steady, Never StillEd
The SoundTaxi Driver #1
2018RabbitBobby
2020Books of BloodSam
Sugar DaddyJim
2021Defining MomentsFoddy
Hands That BindMac Longridge
2023 The Performance Harold
Last County Sheriff Bill McLean

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1976 Space: 1999 Eddie Collins Episode: "A Matter of Balance"
1977 Come Back, Little Sheba Turk TV movie
1980 A Population of One Mike Television film
1983 The Hitchhiker The Hitchhiker Season 1
1986 The Insiders Nick Fox
1987 Airwolf Jason 'Doc' Gifford
Diamonds Mike Devitt
Hoover vs. The Kennedys Robert F. Kennedy Miniseries
1995 Highlander: The Series Kit O'Brady
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Graham Corrigan Episode: "Eye Witness"
Dancing in the Dark Mark Forbes TV movie
Due South Nigel Ellis Episode: "The Deal"
1998–2005 Da Vinci's Inquest Dominic Da Vinci Lead role
1999 Happy Face Murders Rusty Zuvic TV movie
2003 Human Cargo Jerry Fischer
2005 Da Vinci's City Hall Dominic Da Vinci Lead role
2008 The Quality of Life Dominic Da Vinci TV movie
The Englishman's Boy Shorty McAdoo
Flashpoint George Orsten
The Border Dougie Jackson
2009 Murdoch Mysteries Buffalo Bill
2010–14 Republic of Doyle Martin Poole Recurring role
2010 Haven Garland Wournos
2012 Less Than Kind Jim Sheridan Recurring role
2014 Rookie Blue Jay Swarek
2016 Shoot the Messenger Henry Channing
Heartland Will Vernon Episode: "Here and Now"
2017 Black Mirror Russ Sambrell Episode: "Arkangel"
Bad Blood Lonnie Gardiner Episode: "You Can Never Hold Back Spring"
Tin Star Wallace Lyle Episodes: "Fun and (S)Laughter", "Jack"
2018 Private Eyes Frank Garrison Episode: "The Devil's Playground"
2019–22 Coroner Gordon Cooper Recurring role

References
  1. Marc Glassman (17 September 2015). "Playback Canadian Film & TV Hall of Fame: Nicholas Campbell". playbackonline.ca.
  2. Hal Erickson (2015). "Nicholas Campbell". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 5 August 2015.
  3. Scott, A. O. (26 July 2000). "New Waterford Girl (1999) FILM REVIEW; Clueless And Angry In a Small 70's Town". The New York Times.
  4. Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television official site Archived 19 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 5 February 2008
  5. Craig MacInnis, "Campbell walks the Razor's edge". Toronto Star, 18 September 1992.
  6. "The Lotus Eaters strong contender at Genies". The Globe and Mail. 11 December 1993.
  7. Glasner, Eli (29 October 2021). "Coroner actor Nicholas Campbell off the show after using N-word on movie set". CBC News.
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