Robert Christie (actor): Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Canadian actor}}

{{dablink|This article refers to the Canadian actor. For other references, see [[Robert Christie (disambiguation)]].}}

{{Use Canadian English |date=August 2025}}

{{infobox person

*{{imdb| name|id=0160367|name = Robert Christie}}

| image = Robert Christie.jpg

| imagesize =

| caption =

| birth_name = Robert Wallace Christie

| birth_date = {{birth date|1913|9|20|mf=y}}

| birth_place = [[Toronto]], Ontario, Canada

| death_date = {{death date and age|1996|5|22|1913|9|20|mf=y}}

| death_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| occupation = Actor

| yearsactive = 1950–1989

| spouse = * Marguerite Eliza "Margot" Syme (1937-1964); 2 daughters

* Grania Mortimer (1964-1996; his death); 2 sons 1 daughter

}}

'''Robert Wallace Christie''' ([[September 20]], [[1913]]-[[ – May 22]], [[1996]]) was a [[CanadaCanadians|Canadian]] actor and director.

==Early life==

He was born in [[Toronto]] in 1913 and received a [[B.A.]] from the [[University of Toronto]]. In 1936, he moved to [[England]] where he performed with various companies including the [[Old Vic]] Company. He served with the [[Canadian Army]] during [[World War II]]. After the war, he joined the [[CBC Radio]] Drama Department. He performed the role of Sir [[John A. Macdonald]] in the 1949 play ''Riel'' by [[John Coulter (playwright)|John Coulter]]. He joined the performing company at the [[Stratford Festival]] in 1953 and appeared on [[Broadway]] in ''[[Tamburlaine (play)|Tamburlaine]]'' by [[Christopher Marlowe]] in 1956 and ''Love and Libel'' by [[Robertson Davies]] in 1960. In 1967, he appeared on [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]] television in the series ''Hatch's Mill''. He taught acting at [[Ryerson University|Ryerson Polytechnic University]].

Christie was born in [[Toronto]] in 1913. He received a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] from the [[University of Toronto]].{{sfn |Benson |Conolly |1989 |p=100}}

==Career==

He died in Toronto in 1996.

In 1933, he acted in the Dominion Drama Festival. In 1936, he moved to [[England]] where he performed with various companies including the [[Old Vic]] Company.{{sfn |Benson |Conolly |1989 |p=100}}

Christie served with the [[Canadian Army]] during [[World War II]]. After the war, he joined the [[CBC Radio]] Drama Department and also acted in the [[New Play Society]], where he performed the role of Sir [[John A. Macdonald]] in the 1949 play ''Riel'' by [[John Coulter (playwright)|John Coulter]]. He reprised his role in the [[CBC Television]] educational series ''[[Exploring Minds]]'' and the Global series ''[[Witness to Yesterday]]''. He also appeared in [[Mavor Moore]]'s ''[[Sunshine Town]]'' in 1955.{{sfn |Benson |Conolly |1989 |p=100}}

Christie was the father of Canadian performer [[Dinah Christie]].

Christie joined the performing company at the [[Stratford Festival]] in 1953 and appeared on [[Broadway theater|Broadway]] in ''[[Tamburlaine (play)|Tamburlaine]]'' by [[Christopher Marlowe]] in 1956 and ''Love and Libel'' by [[Robertson Davies]] in 1960. He performed several times at the [[Crest Theatre Foundation|Crest Theatre]] in Toronto in ''[[Orpheus Descending]]'', ''[[Juno and the Paycock]]'' and ''[[Hamlet]]''.{{sfn |Illidge |2005 |pp=138-142}} In 1969, he performed at Stratford with his daughter [[Dinah Christie]] in a production of ''[[Satryicon (play)|Satryicon]]''. They were the first father and daughter to perform together at Stratford.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=June 20, 1969 |page=57 |title=Father and daughter starring at Stratford |first=Helen |last=Worthington}}</ref>

== External links ==

*{{imdb name|id=0160367|name= Robert Christie}}

On television, in 1961 he played MacTaggart in ''[[Jake and the Kid (1961 TV series)|Jake and the Kid]]'', and in 1967, he appeared in the series ''[[Hatch's Mill]]''.

[[Category:Canadian actors|Christie, Robert]]

[[Category:1913 deaths|Christie, Robert]]

He also taught acting at Ryerson Polytechnic University, now [[Toronto Metropolitan University]] and [[Seneca College]].<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=February 11, 1971 |page=57 |title=Mature man talks frankly about his fashion image |first=Stasia |last=Evasuk}}</ref>

[[Category:1996 deaths|Christie, Robert]]

==Personal life==

He married British actress Marguerite Eliza "Margot" Syme on March 4, 1937; they later divorced.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=Byi55&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=Marguerite++&gsfn_x=0&gsln=Syme&gsln_x=0&catbucket=rstp&MSAV=0&uidh=57k&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=33124668&dbid=70600&indiv=1&ml_rpos=2|title=Ancestry Library Edition|website=search.ancestrylibrary.com}}</ref> They had two daughters, actress/singer Dinah Christie and artist Cedar Christie.

Christie married Canadian production and stage manager Grania Mortimer on July 17, 1964. They had one daughter, Fiona Christie, and two sons, Matthew Christie and David Christie.{{cn|date=May 2023}}

Christie died in May 1996 in Toronto.

==References==

{{Reflist}}

===Sources===

* {{cite book |last=Illidge |first=Paul |year=2005 |title=Glass Cage: The Crest Theatre Story |publisher=Creber Monde (Canada) |___location=Toronto |isbn=0968634796}}

* {{cite book |title=The Oxford Companion to Canadian Theatre |editor1-first=Eugene |editor1-last=Benson |editor2-first=L. W. |editor2-last=Conolly |year=1989 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0195406729}}

== External links ==

* [https://atom.library.yorku.ca/index.php/robert-christie-fonds Robert Christie archives] at the [[Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections]], [[York University Libraries]], [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]]

*{{IMDb name|id=0160367|name= Robert Christie}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christie, Robert}}

[[Category:1913 births]]

[[Category:19131996 deaths|Christie, Robert]]

[[Category:Canadian male radio actors]]

[[Category:Canadian male stage actors]]

[[Category:Canadian male television actors]]

[[Category:Canadian actors|Christie,male Robertfilm actors]]

[[Category:Male actors from Toronto]]

[[Category:20th-century Canadian male actors]]