# George Balcan

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{{Short description|Canadian radio broadcaster and artist (1932–2004)}}
{{Infobox person
|name        = George Balcaen
|image       = 
|alt         = 
|caption     = 
|birth_name  = George Adelaed Alfred Balcaen
|birth_date  = {{Birth date|1932|06|29}}
|birth_place = [Saint Boniface](/source/Saint_Boniface%2C_Winnipeg), [Manitoba](/source/Manitoba)
|death_date  = {{Death date and age|2004|05|04|1932|06|29}}
|death_place = 
|other_names = 
|known_for   = radio broadcaster and artist
|occupation  = 
|nationality = 
|awards      = [Order of Canada](/source/Order_of_Canada)
}}
'''George Balcaen''', {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|CM}} (June 29, 1932 – May 4, 2004), born '''George Adelard Alfred Balcaen''', was a [Canadian](/source/Canadians) radio broadcaster and artist.

Balcaen was one of the most recognizable voices on the airwaves of Montreal for 30 years. Born in [Saint Boniface, Manitoba](/source/Saint_Boniface%2C_Winnipeg) in 1931, Balcaen first worked as a sketch artist in the engineering department of the [Canadian Pacific Railway](/source/Canadian_Pacific_Railway) in his native province.

Balcaen began his broadcast career in 1951, when he was the first announcer to sign on with [CKDM](/source/CKDM), a radio station in his hometown of [Dauphin, Manitoba](/source/Dauphin%2C_Manitoba). He was later discovered working at [CKOC](/source/CKOC) in [Hamilton](/source/Hamilton%2C_Ontario) by H.T. "Mac" McCurdy, who brought Balcan to Montreal in 1963 to serve as the afternoon host at [CJAD](/source/CJAD). He then became the station's morning man in 1967. Balcaen moved to crosstown competitor [CFCF](/source/CINW) in 1973, where he also served as an on-air host for the television service. He then returned to CJAD as the morning man in 1975, where he remained until his retirement in 1998, the longest ever to hold the position in any Montreal radio station.

He became an accomplished [pastel](/source/pastel) artist and was a member of the Pastel Society of Canada. His works have graced the walls of the [National Gallery of Canada](/source/National_Gallery_of_Canada) in [Ottawa](/source/Ottawa). In 1991, he and his family established the George Balcaen Bursary at [Concordia University](/source/Concordia_University_(Montreal)) and awards given to Fine Arts students pursuing a major in painting and drawing. Balcaen 
worked tirelessly in his community in support of many causes, including the fight against [breast cancer](/source/breast_cancer) and for juvenile [diabetes](/source/diabetes) research.

Balcan was appointed a Member of the [Order of Canada](/source/Order_of_Canada) in 1996. In 2005, he was inducted into the [Canadian Association of Broadcasters](/source/Canadian_Association_of_Broadcasters) Hall of Fame. He died on May 4, 2004.

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060617204431/http://www.cab-acr.ca/english/default.shtm Canadian Association of Broadcasters Official Site]
* [http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/personalities/balcan-george Bio from www.broadcasting-history.ca]
* [http://www.phonotheque.org/Hist-radio-anglo/Mountain-City-CJAD.html From Mountain to the City: A Brief History of CJAD]
* [http://www.cjad.com/ CJAD's Official site]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balcan, George}}
Category:1932 births
Category:2004 deaths
Category:Anglophone Quebec people
Category:Canadian radio hosts
Category:Members of the Order of Canada
Category:People from St. Boniface, Winnipeg
Category:Pastel artists

{{canada-radio-bio-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [George Balcan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Balcan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Balcan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.