Biography
A regular presence on the Canadian stage and screen since the 1950s, actor Louis Negin achieved international recognition in his later years as the muse of experimental auteur Guy Maddin. Born in London, Negin relocated to Toronto in his teens and made his debut in front of the camera on drama series "Folio" (CBC, 1954-59) in 1955. Negin spent most of his early career treading the boards, most notably becoming the first actor to appear nude on the London stage in a production of "Fortune and Men's Eyes." He also occasionally ventured into the film world, playing Ernie's friend in mental illness study "The Ernie Game" (1967), producer Peter in X-rated musical "Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?" (1969) and Emilio Ferruchi in Dick Emery spin-off "Ooh... You Are Awful" (1972). Roles in David Cronenberg's zombie horror "Rabid" (1977), action comedy "Highpoint" (1982) and sci-fi "Overdrawn at the Memory Bank" (1983) then followed, before Negin landed his first recurring role as food journalist Marlon on mystery drama "Seeing Things" (CBC, 1981-87). After playing Soviet scientist Otto Schmidt in TV movie "Charlie Grant's War" (1984), Truman Capote in '70s disco film "54" (1998) and Witness Moishe in post-apocalyptic drama "Tribulation Force" (2002), Negin was cast as Dr. Fusi in dreamlike tale "Cowards Bend the Knee" (2002). Negin went onto work with its director Guy Maddin on several other features, playing a fortune teller in absurdist musical "The Saddest Music in the World" (2003), Mayor Cornish in surreal mockumentary "My Winnipeg" (2007) and the ghostly narrator in gangster noir "Keyhole" (2011). Negin also added Bruce McDonald's cult horror "Pontypool" (2008) and cross-generational romance "Gerontophilia" (2013) to his extensive filmography before reuniting with Maddin to play multiple characters in experimental anthology "The Forbidden Room" (2015).
