Bernard Behrens

{{Short description|British-Canadian actor (1926–2012)}} {{Infobox person | name = Bernard Behrens | image = Bernard_Behrens_in_Hill_Street_Blues_1982.jpg | caption = Bernard Behrens in Hill Street Blues 1982 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1926|9|28}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|9|19|1926|9|28}} | death_place = | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1961–2010 | spouse = Deborah Cass | website = }} '''Bernard Behrens''' (September 28, 1926 – September 19, 2012) was a British-Canadian actor.<ref>Paul King, "Bernard Behrens is The Drummer Boy's swingingest performer". ''The Globe and Mail'', January 30, 1968.</ref>

He was noted as a two-time Gemini Award winner, winning Best Actor in a Television Film or Miniseries at the 6th Gemini Awards in 1992 for his performance in the dramatic anthology series ''Saying Goodbye'' (1990),<ref>"Here are just some of the Gemini winners". ''Vancouver Sun'', March 9, 1992.</ref> and Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Program or Series at the 9th Gemini Awards in 1995 for the television film ''Coming of Age'' (1993).<ref>Tony Atherton, "Geminis come of age: Due South, Browning show score big". ''Ottawa Citizen'', March 6, 1995.</ref>

==Early life==

Born and raised in London, England, he moved to Canada at the start of World War II. Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he cofounded a theatre company there with Bill Walker, Helene Winston and Peggy Green in 1951.<ref name=whittaker>Herbert Whittaker, "Behrens: the trouble with Canadian theatre". ''The Globe and Mail'', January 30, 1971.</ref>

==Career== ===Stage=== Although he often had supporting or guest roles in film and television, he was principally associated with stage roles for theatre companies such as the Dominion Drama Festival, the Canadian Players and the Stratford Festival, as well as sometimes returning to the United Kingdom to perform at the Bristol Old Vic.<ref name=whittaker/>

===Screen=== ====Television==== Behrens appeared on-screen as early as 1961, in a CBC teleplay of Shakespeare's ''Macbeth'' in the role of Lennox, along with Sean Connery as Macbeth and Zoe Caldwell as Lady Macbeth. The five parts were originally broadcast separately, and later combined, edited, and re-released as a single ninety-minute presentation in 1962.<ref name="MacB61">{{cite web |title=Shakespeare's ''Macbeth'' (1961) |url=https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/av66738 |website=Learning on Screen |publisher=The British Universities and Colleges Film and Video Council |access-date=12 July 2025}}</ref>

With his stage experience, he followed up ''Macbeth'' with other dramatic plays in television series such as CBC's anthology ''Playdate'' in the 1962 episode "Mr. Oblomov," a 1946 play by John Coulter, derived from Ivan Goncharov's 1859 novel, Oblomov. That same year, Behrens appeared on CBC's anthology ''Festival'' playing Orazio in "The Queen and the Rebels" adapted from Ugo Betti's 1949 play. He would appear several more times on ''Playdate'' through the 1960s, and in other such series like the ''CBC Show of the Week'' in "Rasputin was a Nice Old Man" (1968).

Behrens also appeared in episodic series from the 1960s and 1970s such as ''McQueen'' (1969), ''Great Performances'' (1975), ''Little House on the Prairie'' and ''The Bionic Woman'', both in 1977, ''Starsky & Hutch'' and ''Columbo'' both in 1978.<ref name="SWRDshows" /> Beginning in the mid-70s, He also appeared in television miniseries and films, such as ''Captains and the Kings'' (1976), ''A Question of Guilt'' (1978), and ''Friendly Fire'' (1979).

In the 1980s and 1990s, Behrens played roles in television films like ''A Little Piece of Heaven'' (1991), and ''Incident in a Small Town'' (1994).<ref name="MaLife">{{cite book |last1=Edelman |first1=Rob |last2=Kupferberg |first2=Audrey |title=Matthau: A Life |date=4 September 2002 |publisher=Taylor Trade Publishing |isbn=9781461625193 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_-jwSzbgpWgC |access-date=27 May 2025}}</ref> Behrens played two doctor roles on the espionage/crime fighting series ''Counterstrike''. In the 1990 episode "Mindbender" he played a psychiatrist Dr. Burns, who examines Stephen Shellen's character Luke Brenner after Luke received brainwashing from the KGB. In the 1991 episode "Village of the Damned" Behrens plays biologist Dr. Joseph Severn, who goes murderously mad after being sprayed by pesticide bonded with an hallucinogen. Between 1993 and 1996 he had three different roles on ''Kung Fu: The Legend Continues''.

In addition to his two 1990s Gemini awards, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Program or Series at the 1st Gemini Awards in 1986 for the television film ''Turning to Stone'' (1985),<ref>Sid Adilman, "Anne leads field in Geminis race". ''Toronto Star'', October 16, 1986.</ref> and Best Guest Actor in a Drama at the 20th Gemini Awards for an appearance on ''This Is Wonderland'' (2005).<ref>"Who will step up to the podium?". ''Playback'', November 7, 2005.</ref>

====Film====

Behrens appeared in a score of theatrical films, beginning in the 1970s in James Goldstone's romantic adventure ''Swashbuckler'' (1976), and in Claude Lelouch's French Western film ''Another Man, Another Chance'' (1977).<ref name="AFIf">{{cite web |title=Bernard Behrens |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Person/251204-Bernard-Behrens |website=AFI Catalog of Feature Films |publisher=American Film Institute |access-date=12 July 2025}}</ref>

In 1980, Behrens was cast as Robert Lingstrom in Peter Medak's supernatural horror ''The Changeling''.<ref name="HFv2">{{cite book |last1=Muir |first1=John Kenneth |title=Horror Films of the 1980s: Volume 2 |date=28 July 2010 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9780786455010 |pages=75–78 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VJ1vcmaOd7wC |access-date=12 July 2025}}</ref> Behrens was often cast as doctors which he portrayed in Jack Smight's romantic comedy ''Loving Couples'' and Daniel Petrie's drama ''Resurrection'', both released in 1980,<ref name="AFIf" /> and again in Clarke Mackey's drama ''Taking Care'' (1987).<ref name="VARfrTC">{{cite journal |title=''Taking Care'' |journal=Variety Film Reviews |date=1987 |volume=20 |issue=1987–1998 |page=18 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pXNZAAAAMAAJ |access-date=12 July 2025 |publisher=Garland |isbn=978-0-8352-2667-7 }}</ref> Other films in the '80s include the science fiction horror ''Galaxy of Terror'' (1981),<ref name="FCSG">{{cite book |last1=Senn |first1=Bryan |title=Fantastic Cinema Subject Guide: A Topical Index to 2,500 Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy Films |date=16 October 2024 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9781476619026 |page=32 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K5MuEQAAQBAJ |access-date=27 May 2025}}</ref> Clint Eastwood's action techno-thriller ''Firefox'' (1982),<ref name="EspFilm">{{cite book |last1=Mavis |first1=Paul |title=The Espionage Filmography: United States Releases, 1898 Through 1999 |date=8 June 2015 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9781476604275 |pages=109, 211 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ehkcZFT8fMoC}}</ref> Carl Reiner's sci-fi black comedy ''The Man With Two Brains'' (1983),<ref name="AFIf" /> Howard Zieff's romantic comedy ''Unfaithfully Yours'' (1984),<ref name="AFIf" /> and Jesse Vint's comedy ''Another Chance'' (1989).<ref name="SW41ac">{{cite book|last1=Willis|first1=John A.|title=Screen World|date=1990|volume=41|issue=Crown Publishers|publisher=Crown Publishers |isbn=9780517578414|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JB8IAQAAMAAJ&q=Another+Chance+Jesse+Vint|access-date=14 August 2017}}</ref>

In 1990, he played another doctor, Winslow, in the Canadian drama ''Beautiful Dreamers'' (1990),<ref name="MPG93">{{cite book |last1=Nash |first1=Jay Robert |last2=Ross |first2=Stanley Ralph |title=The Motion Picture Guide: 1993 |date=1993 |publisher=Cinebooks |page=26 |isbn=978-0-918432-95-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x7gzAQAAIAAJ |access-date=27 May 2025}}</ref> and played Doc Milgrom in George Gallo's holiday crime comedy ''Trapped in Paradise'' (1994).<ref name="SW46tp">{{cite journal |last1=Willis |first1=John |editor1-last=Monush |editor1-first=Barry |title=''Trapped in Paradise'' |journal=Screen World |date=February 2000 |volume=46 |issue=1995 Film Annual |page=171 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C7Qh8xVipgYC |access-date=12 July 2025 |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=9781557832337}}</ref> He also appeared in films directed by Keith Gordon, including his 1996 romantic war drama ''Mother Night'' as Dr. Lionel Jones,<ref name="EspFilm" /> and his 2000 mystery drama ''Waking the Dead'' as Father Stanton.<ref name="SPcath">{{cite book |last1=Malone |first1=Peter |title=Screen Priests: The Depiction of Catholic Priests in Cinema, 1900-2018 |date=19 August 2019 |publisher=ATF Press |isbn=9781925872910 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ag-5DwAAQBAJ |access-date=27 May 2025}}</ref> In 1999, he played Mayor Claire in John Paizs' Canadian comedy-horror ''Top of the Food Chain'',<ref name="TCMf">{{cite web |title=Bernard Behrens: Filmography |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/12824%7C0/Bernard-Behrens#filmography |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110132902/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/12824%7C0/Bernard-Behrens/#filmography |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 10, 2014 |website=Turner Classic Movies |access-date=12 July 2025}}</ref> and Monsieur Farrin in Jerry Ciccoritti's crime thriller ''The Life Before This'' (1999).<ref name="WallB4">{{cite book |editor1-last=Cullen |editor1-first=Del |editor2-last=Cullen |editor2-first=Hannah |editor3-last=Allon |editor3-first=Yoram |title=The Wallflower Critical Guide to Contemporary North American Directors |date=2000 |publisher=Wallflower |location=University of Michigan |isbn=9781903364093 |page=77 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2vJkAAAAMAAJ |access-date=12 July 2025}}</ref>

====Radio====

In 1981 he voiced the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in a radio dramatization of ''Star Wars'' for National Public Radio.<ref name="SWRDshows">{{cite book |last1=Tenuto |first1=Maria Jose |last2=Tenuto |first2=John |title=The Star Wars Radio Dramas: Brian Daley and the Serialization That Saved NPR |date=29 July 2024 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9781476695631 |page=66 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0vYYEQAAQBAJ}}</ref><ref>Elina MacNiven, "Star Wars zaps the air waves". ''The Globe and Mail'', July 3, 1981.</ref>

==Personal life==

Behrens was married to Canadian actress Deborah Cass.<ref name=whittaker/> He died in 2012, just 9 days prior to his 86th birthday.

==Filmography==

===Film===  {{Div col}} * 1976: ''Swashbuckler'' – Sir James Barnet{{spaces}}<ref name="AFIf" /> * 1977: ''Another Man, Another Chance'' – Mr. Springfield, Redland Gazette owner{{spaces}}<ref name="AFIf" /> * 1980: ''The Changeling'' – Robert Lingstrom{{spaces}}<ref name="HFv2" /> * 1980: ''Loving Couples'' – Elegant Doctor{{spaces}}<ref name="AFIf" /> * 1980: ''Resurrection'' – Dr. Fisher{{spaces}}<ref name="AFIf" /> * 1981: ''Galaxy of Terror'' – Commander Ilvar{{spaces}}<ref name="FCSG" /> * 1982: ''Firefox'' – William Saltonstall{{spaces}}<ref name="EspFilm" /> * 1983: ''The Man With Two Brains'' – James Gladstone{{spaces}}<ref name="AFIf" /> * 1984: ''Unfaithfully Yours'' – Bill Lawrence{{spaces}}<ref name="AFIf" /> * 1987: ''Taking Care'' – Dr O'Donnell{{spaces}}<ref name="VARfrTC" /> * 1989: ''Another Chance'' – St. Peter{{spaces}}<ref name="SW41ac" /> * 1989: ''What's Up, Hideous Sun Demon'' – Major Clive McGonad (voice){{spaces}}<ref name="F80s">{{cite book |last1=Nowlan |first1=Robert A. |title=The Films of the Eighties: A Complete, Qualitative Filmography to Over 3400 Feature-Length English Language Films, Theatrical and Video-Only, Released Between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 1989 |date=15 February 2025 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9781476610085 |page=627 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MMVHEQAAQBAJ |access-date=12 July 2025}}</ref> * 1990: ''Beautiful Dreamers'' – Dr. Winslow{{spaces}}<ref name="MPG93" /> * 1993: ''Double or Nothing: The Rise and Fall of Robert Campeau'' – Ken White{{spaces}}<ref name="TCMf" /> * 1993: ''Zero Patience'' – Dr. Placebo{{spaces}}<ref name="TCMf" /> * 1994: ''Trapped in Paradise'' – Doc Milgrom{{spaces}}<ref name="SW46tp" /> * 1996: ''Mother Night'' – Dr. Lionel Jones{{spaces}}<ref name="EspFilm" /> * 1999: ''Top of the Food Chain'' – Mayor Claire{{spaces}}<ref name="TCMf" /> * 1999: ''The Life Before This'' – Monsieur Farrin{{spaces}}<ref name="WallB4" /> * 2000: ''Waking the Dead'' – Father Stanton{{spaces}}<ref name="SPcath" /> {{div col end}}

===Television=== {{Inc-tv|date=May 2025}}  {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ {{Screen reader-only| Bernard Behrens television credits}} |- ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- | 1961 | ''Macbeth'' | Lennox | Teleplay. CBC | <ref name="MacB61" /> |- | 1962 | ''Playdate'' | Zakhar | Episode: "Mr. Oblomov" | <ref name="CAlaOblomov">{{cite web |title=Mr. Oblomov |url=https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?idnumber=83481&app=filvidandsou&ecopy= |website=Library and Archives | date=25 November 2016 |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=12 July 2025}}</ref> |- | 1962 | ''Festival'' | Orazio | Episode: "The Queen and the Rebels" {{small|(S2.E12)}} | <ref name="FestQR">{{cite web |title=''Festival'' - 1962-02-05 - The Queen and the Rebels |url=https://archivesales.prod-ema.aws-ca-central-1.ea-cbcrc.ca/en/items/9efb915f-3668-45d3-aa79-f417a0dd5c47 |website=CBC Archive Sales |publisher=CBC / Société Radio Canada |access-date=12 July 2025}}</ref> |- | 1962 | ''Festival'' | Captain Baltinsky | Episode: "The Offshore Island" {{small|(S2.E16)}} | <ref name="GazOff">{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lpktAAAAIBAJ&pg=4683%2C1940080 | title=Today's TV Previews: Nuclear War Aftermath. Tonight on ''Festival'' | date=12 March 1962 | page=12 | newspaper=The Gazette | location=Montreal | accessdate=10 July 2018 }}</ref> |- | 1968 | ''CBC Show of the Week'' | Frame | Episode: "Rasputin was a Nice Old Man" | <ref name="OJras">{{cite news |title=Movie Time: Show of the Week (Drama) – ''Rasputin was a Nice Old Man'' |url=https://www.nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=oj19650201-01.1.9&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN---------- |access-date=12 July 2025 |work=Ogdensburg Journal |publisher=The NYS Historic Newspapers: Northern New York Library Network |date=1 February 1965}}</ref> |- | 1969 | ''McQueen'' | {{Unk}} | Episode: "How Could You Use a Poor Maiden So" {{small|(S1.E4)}} | <ref name="CBCaMcQ">{{cite web |title=''McQueen'' (1969-10-14) |url=https://archivesales.prod-ema.aws-ca-central-1.ea-cbcrc.ca/en/items/3daeba70-a0f7-4956-b8d5-3ff3fc741788 |website=CBC Archive Sales |publisher=CBC / Société Radio Canada |access-date=12 July 2025}}</ref> |- | 1975 | ''Great Performances'' | Sir Peter Teazle | Episode: "The School for Scandal" | <ref name="SWRDshows" /> |- | 1976 | ''Captains and the Kings'' || Gentleman || TV miniseries || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1977 | ''Little House on the Prairie'' | Bailey Farrell | Episode: The Creeper of Walnut Grove" {{small|(S4.E6)}} || |- | 1977 | ''The Bionic Woman'' | Beaumont / Major Petrov | 2 episodes || <ref name="SWRDshows" /> |- | 1978 | ''Starsky & Hutch'' | Haley Gavin | 1 episode || <ref name="SWRDshows" /> |- | 1978 | ''A Question of Guilt'' || D.A. Koch || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1978 | ''Columbo'' | George O'Connell | 1 episode || |- | 1979 | ''Friendly Fire'' || Dietrich || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1981 | ''Born to Be Sold'' || Judge || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1982 | ''Hill Street Blues'' | Bank Manager | 1 episode || |- | 1983 | ''In Defense of Kids'' || Edgar Dempsey || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1985 | ''Highway to Heaven'' | Dr. Sheaffer | 1 episode || |- | 1986 || ''Turning to Stone'' || Professor Campbell || TV movie || |- | 1986 | ''A Deadly Business'' || Purchasing Agent || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1986 | ''The Canadian Conspiracy'' || {{Unk}} || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1986 | ''Christmas Eve'' || Dean || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1987 | ''Haunted by Her Past'' || Karen's Father || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1987 || ''A Nest of Singing Birds'' || Eddie Wiebe || TV movie || |- | 1988 | ''The Ann Jillian Story'' || Father Thompson || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1989 | ''Glory Enough for All'' || Frederick Allen || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1989 | ''Sorry, Wrong Number'' || Dr. Fisher || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1989 | ''Christmas in America: A Love Story'' || {{Unk}} || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1990 | ''Love and Hate: A Marriage Made in Hell'' || Judge MacPherson || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1990 | ''Murder Times Seven'' || Judge Harry Rhoades || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1990 | ''Counterstrike'' | Dr. Burns | Episode: "Mindbender" {{small|(S1.E17)}} || |- | 1990–1991 | ''Dracula: The Series'' | Gustav Helsing | 21 episodes | <ref name="EFdrac">{{cite book |editor1-last=Clute |editor1-first=John |editor2-last=Grant |editor2-first=John |title=The Encyclopedia of Fantasy |date=February 1999 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |isbn=9780312198695 |page=295 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mfjAjibERF0C |access-date=12 July 2025}}</ref> |- | 1991 | ''A Little Piece of Heaven'' || Cecil Loomis || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1991 | ''Counterstrike'' | Dr. Joseph Severn | Episode: "Village of the Damned" |- | 1992 || ''Saying Goodbye'' || {{center|{{Data missing|?|date=July 2025}}}} || Episode: "A Home Alone" || |- | 1992 | ''A Town Torn Apart'' || Angus MacLean || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1993 | ''Ghost Mom'' || Dr Mallory || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1993 || ''Coming of Age'' || Arthur Stone || TV movie || |- | 1993–1996 | ''Kung Fu: The Legend Continues'' | Andrei / M. Desjardin / George | 3 episodes || |- | 1994 || ''Incident in a Small Town'' || Judge Greeves || TV movie || <ref name="MaLife" /> |- | 1995 | ''The Possession of Michael D.'' || Dr. Jerry || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1995 | ''Hiroshima'' || Asst. Secretary of War, John J. McCloy || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1995 | Mary Higgins Clark's ''Remember Me'' || Henry Sprague || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1996 | ''Captive Heart: The James Mink Story'' || Carberry || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1996 | ''Hostile Advances: The Kerry Ellison Story'' || Judge Gaffney || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1996 | ''A Holiday for Love'' || Hal || TV movie. AKA ''Christmas in My Hometown'' || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1998 | ''Evidence of Blood'' || Dr. Vernon Stark || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 1998 | ''The Defenders: Taking the First'' || Milton Lewis || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 2002 | ''The Day Reagan Was Shot'' || Attorney General William French Smith || TV movie || <ref name="TCMf" /> |- | 2005 | ''This Is Wonderland'' | Fred Spreewell | 2 episodes || |}

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== * [https://catalog.afi.com/Person/251204-Bernard-Behrens Bernard Behrens] at the [https://catalog.afi.com/ American Film Institute Catalog of Feature Films] * {{IMDb name|0067049}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20141110132902/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/12824%7C0/Bernard-Behrens/#overview Bernard Behrens] at [https://www.tcm.com/ Turner Classic Movies]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Behrens, Bernard}} Category:1926 births Category:2012 deaths Category:20th-century British male actors Category:20th-century Canadian male actors Category:21st-century British male actors Category:21st-century Canadian male actors Category:British male film actors Category:British male radio actors Category:British male stage actors Category:British male television actors Category:British emigrants to Canada Category:Canadian male film actors Category:Canadian male radio actors Category:Canadian male Shakespearean actors Category:Canadian male stage actors Category:Canadian male television actors Category:Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Canadian Screen Award winners Category:Male actors from London