David Eisner (actor)

{{short description|Canadian actor}} {{Infobox person | image = | website = | alt = | caption = | other_names = David S. Eisner<ref name="TCMf" /> | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|3|3}} | birth_place = | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1979–Present | organization = | spouse = | mother = | father = | awards = }}

'''David Eisner''' (born March 3, 1958) is a Canadian actor.<ref>"David Eisner's middle name is chutzpah". ''The Globe and Mail'', May 21, 1983.</ref> Best known for his recurring television role in ''King of Kensington'' and his regular roles in ''Hangin' In'' and ''Blue Murder'', he is co-director with Avery Saltzman of the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company in Toronto.<ref>"Stars of David unites art and Jewish heritage: Show brings collection of personal interviews to life". ''Toronto Star'', May 14, 2014.</ref>

== Career == Eisner is a two-time Gemini Award nominee for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for ''Hangin' In'', at the 1st Gemini Awards in 1986<ref>"Here's your Gemini Awards scorecard". ''Montreal Gazette'', November 29, 1986.</ref> and the 2nd Gemini Awards in 1987.<ref>"Cancelled show leads the pack in Gemini race". ''Toronto Star'', October 22, 1987.</ref> In 2005, he played Henry Morgentaler in the controversial CTV television movie ''Choice''.<ref>"CTV's Morgentaler biopic may face uphill struggle". ''Windsor Star'', January 5, 2005.</ref>

His other credits have included guest appearances in ''Highway to Heaven'' (1986), ''Counterstrike'' (1993), ''Due South'' (1994), ''Forever Knight'' (1995), ''Total Recall 2070'' (1999), ''Traders'' (1999), ''Earth: Final Conflict'' (2002), ''This Is Wonderland'' (2006), ''The Line'', ''Remedy'' (2015), ''Living in Your Car'' (2010), and the CBC Radio drama series ''Rumours and Boarders''.<ref>"Boarders checks out after 6 years". ''Toronto Star'', June 9, 1998.</ref> His film appearances include ''Running'' (1979), ''Phobia'' (1980), ''Happy Birthday to Me'' (1981), ''A New Life'' (1988), ''This Is My Life'' (1992), ''Trial by Jury'' (1994), ''Time to Say Goodbye?'' (1997), ''Good Will Hunting'' (1997), ''Steal This Movie!'' (2000) and ''Bless the Child'' (2000).

Eisner and Saltzman founded the Harold Green Jewish Theatre in 2007.<ref>"Actors found new Toronto Jewish theatre company". ''The Globe and Mail'', November 21, 2007.</ref> With the company, he has acted in productions of David Ives' ''New Jerusalem''<ref>"A mix of heart and head in well balanced production". ''Toronto Star'', March 23, 2014.</ref> and Alfred Uhry's ''Driving Miss Daisy''.<ref>"Great cast, director, but play lacks usual vision". ''Toronto Star'', June 8, 2015.</ref>

== Filmography ==

=== Film ===  {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ {{Screen reader-only|David Eisner film credits}} ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- |1979 |''Running'' |Man | |- |1980 |''Phobia'' |Johnny Venuti | |- |1981 |''Happy Birthday to Me'' |Rudi | |- |1988 |data-sort-value="New Life, A" | ''A New Life'' |Billy | |- |1988 |''Family Reunion'' |Benjie | |- |1992 |''This Is My Life'' |Oliver | |- |1994 |''Trial by Jury'' |Melman | |- |1995 |''Butterbox Babies'' |Mr. Kellerman | |- |1996 |''Extreme Measures'' |Guy's Lawyer | |- |1997 |''Good Will Hunting'' |Executive #3 | |- |1999 |''Judgment Day: The Ellie Nesler Story'' |Inmate Advocate | |- |2000 |''Steal This Movie!'' |William Kunstler | |- |2000 |''Bless the Child'' |Dr. Ben | |- |2004 |''Taking Lives'' |Committee Head | |- |2005 |''Left Behind III: World at War'' |Allan Campbell | |- |2019 |''Run This Town'' |Phil | |}

=== Television ===  {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ {{Screen reader-only|David Eisner television credits}} ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- |1977–1979 |''King of Kensington'' |Guido / Wally |9 episodes |- |1979 |data-sort-value="Littlest Hobo, The" | ''The Littlest Hobo'' |Sly |Episode: "Stand In" |- |1981–1987 |''Hangin' In'' |Michael Difalco |110 episodes |- |1984 |''Samson and Delilah'' |Arin |Television film (as David S. Eisner)<ref name="TCMf">{{cite web | title=David S. Eisner: Filmography | url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/902998%7C0/wp#filmography | access-date=15 August 2025 | website=Turner Classic Movies}}{{dead link|date=December 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> |- |1986 |''Highway to Heaven'' |Todd Worton |Episode: "Sail Away" |- |1988 |''T. and T.'' |Doctor |Episode: "Playing with Fire" |- |1988 |''Family Reunion'' |Benji |Television film |- |1988 |''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' |Gordon Blake |Episode: "Kandinsky's Vault" |- |1991–1993 |''Street Legal'' |Various roles |3 episodes |- |1992 |''To Catch a Killer'' |Williams |2 episodes |- |1993 |''Counterstrike'' |Stan Moore |Episode: "Betrayed" |- |1993 |''Woman on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story'' |Ron Lester |Television film |- |1994 |''Due South'' |Dr. Howard |Episode: "Diefenbaker's Day Off" |- |1995 |''Forever Knight'' |Fred Berman |Episode: "The Fix" |- |1995 |''Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story'' |Floor manager |Television film |- |1995 |''Cagney & Lacey: The View Through the Glass Ceiling'' |Paul Bustany |Television film |- |1995 |''Shock Treatment'' |Jake's Dad |Television film |- |1997 |''Let Me Call You Sweetheart'' |Barney Haskell |Television film |- |1997 |''Time to Say Goodbye?'' |Justis |Television film |- |1998 |data-sort-value="Last Don II, The" | ''The Last Don II'' |Frankie's Lawyer |Episode #1.1 |- |1998 |''Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Couples'' |Brecht |Television film |- |1999 |''Total Recall 2070'' |Vereen |Episode: "Rough Whimper of Insanity" |- |1999 |''Ricky Nelson: Original Teen Idol'' |Dan Cohen |Television film |- |1999 |''Twice in a Lifetime'' |Dr. Dan Brickner |Episode: "Healing Touch" |- |1999 |''Psi Factor'' |Sidney Fineman |Episode: "Once Upon a Time in the West" |- |2001 |''Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot'' |Schiff |Television film |- |2001 |data-sort-value="Familiar Stranger, The" | ''The Familiar Stranger'' |Robert Becker |Television film |- |2001 |''Chasing Cain'' |Lloyd |Television film |- |2001 |''Soul Food'' |Norman Spicer |Episode: "Sex and Money" |- |2001 |''Jenifer'' |Impatient Passenger |Television film |- |2001–2004 |''Blue Murder'' |Dr. Brian Lukowich |39 episodes |- |2002 |data-sort-value="5th Quadrant, The" | ''The 5th Quadrant'' |Roy Sullivan |Episode: "Wild Animal King/Divining Miss M" |- |2002 |''Two Against Time'' |Dr. Cooper |Television film |- |2002 |''Earth: Final Conflict'' |Hybrid |Episode: "Street Wise" |- |2002 |''Martin and Lewis'' |Lew Wasserman |Television film |- |2003 |''Odyssey 5'' |Dr. Hammond |Episode: "Follow the Leader" |- |2003 |''Jasper, Texas'' |Mike Bradford |Television film |- |2004 |''Doc'' |Coach Monahan |Episode: "No Pain, No Gain" |- |2005 |''Choice: The Henry Morgentaler Story'' |Henry Morgentaler |Television film |- |2005 |''Confessions of an American Bride'' |Rabbi Kaplan |Television film |- |2005 |''Swarmed'' |David Orsow |Television film |- |2006 |''Covert One: The Hades Factor'' |Professor Allen Carey |2 episodes |- |2006 |data-sort-value="State Within, The" | ''The State Within'' |Sam Levinson |4 episodes |- |2008 |''Will You Merry Me?'' |Marvin Fine |Television film |- |2009 |data-sort-value="Line, The" | ''The Line'' |Therapist |2 episodes |- |2010 |''Living in Your Car'' |Dr. Stan Minksy |Episode #1.7 |- |2011 |''Flashpoint'' |Adrian Hayes |Episode: "Collateral Damage" |- |2011 |''Three Inches'' |Track Suit |Television film |- |2012 |''Titanic'' |Benjamin Guggenheim |3 episodes |- |2012 |''King'' |Dr. Stanton |Episode: "Freddy Boise" |- |2015 |''Remedy'' |Dr. Graeme Kane |Episode: "Life in Technicolour" |- |2016 |''Saving Hope'' |Dr. Stroman |Episode: "Not Fade Away" |- |2019 |''Suits'' |Board Member |Episode: "Harvey" |- |2020 |''Mrs. America'' |Martin Abzug |2 episodes |- |2021 |''See'' |Ambassador Scopus |Episode: "The Truth About Unicorns" |- |2023 |''Less Than Kosher'' |Rabbi Morris |6 episodes |}

==References== {{reflist|2}}

==External links== * {{AFI person|377500-David-Eisner}} * {{TCMDb name|id=56453%7C0|name=David Eisner}} * {{TCMDb name|id=902998%7C0|name=David S. Eisner}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes|david_eisner}} * {{IMDb name|0252138}}

Category:1958 births Category:Canadian male television actors Category:Canadian male film actors Category:Canadian male stage actors Category:Canadian theatre directors Category:Jewish Canadian male actors Category:Male actors from Toronto Category:Living people Category:Canadian male radio actors