- Hutt, William Ian deWitt
-
▪ 2008Canadian theatrical actor and directorborn May 2, 1920, Toronto, Ont.died June 27, 2007, Stratford, Ont.became a member of the Stratford Festival of Canada during its inaugural season (1953) and used his commanding stage presence to earn national acclaim in the title roles of such Shakespearean tragedies as King Lear, Titus Andronicus, Macbeth, and Richard II. Hutt, who appeared in more than 60 Stratford Shakespearean productions, also starred as Prospero in The Tempest, and he showcased his comedic talents in the roles of Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor and Jaques in As You Like It. Hutt's 1975 interpretation of Lady Bracknell in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest was a showstopper at Stratford. In the U.S., besides touring with the Canadian Players and appearing briefly with Noël Coward's Sail Away (1961), Hutt created on Broadway the role of the lawyer in the premiere of Edward Albee's Tiny Alice (1964), portrayed James Tyrone, Sr., in Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night (1980), and starred in the title role in Molière's The Miser (1998). He also served as an associate director (1969–70) at Stratford. Among his many accolades were a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1969, an ACTRA Award in 1975 for his portrayal of Sir John A. Macdonald in the TV production of Pierre Berton's The National Dream, the first Governor General's Award for lifetime achievement in 1992, and a star in 2000 on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. Hutt retired from the stage in 2005.
* * *
Universalium. 2010.