David Eisner (actor)

David Eisner (born March 3, 1958) is a Canadian actor.[1] 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.[2]

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[3] and the 2nd Gemini Awards in 1987.[4] In 2005, he played Henry Morgentaler in the controversial CTV television movie Choice.[5]

His other credits have included guest appearances in Highway to Heaven, Due South, Counterstrike, Forever Knight, Total Recall 2070, Earth: Final Conflict, This Is Wonderland, The Line, Remedy, Traders and Living in Your Car, and the CBC Radio drama series Rumours and Boarders.[6] 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.[7] With the company, he has acted in productions of David Ives' New Jerusalem[8] and Alfred Uhry's Driving Miss Daisy.[9]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1979 Running Man
1980 Phobia Johnny Venuti
1981 Happy Birthday to Me Rudi
1988 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 Time to Say Goodbye? Justis
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

Year Title Role Notes
1977–1979 King of Kensington Guido / Wally 9 episodes
1979 The Littlest Hobo Sly Episode: "Stand In"
1981–1987 Hangin' In Michael Difalco 110 episodes
1984 Samson and Delilah Arin Television film
1986 Highway to Heaven Todd Worton Episode: "Sail Away"
1988 T. and T. Doctor Episode: "Playing with Fire"
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
1995 Shock Treatment Jake's Dad
1997 Let Me Call You Sweetheart Barney Haskell
1998 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 The Familiar Stranger Robert Becker
2001 Chasing Cain Lloyd
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 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
2005 Swarmed David Orsow
2006 Covert One: The Hades Factor Professor Allen Carey 2 episodes
2006 The State Within Sam Levinson 4 episodes
2008 Will You Merry Me? Marvin Fine Television film
2009 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

  1. ^ "David Eisner's middle name is chutzpah". The Globe and Mail, May 21, 1983.
  2. ^ "Stars of David unites art and Jewish heritage: Show brings collection of personal interviews to life". Toronto Star, May 14, 2014.
  3. ^ "Here's your Gemini Awards scorecard". Montreal Gazette, November 29, 1986.
  4. ^ "Cancelled show leads the pack in Gemini race". Toronto Star, October 22, 1987.
  5. ^ "CTV's Morgentaler biopic may face uphill struggle". Windsor Star, January 5, 2005.
  6. ^ "Boarders checks out after 6 years". Toronto Star, June 9, 1998.
  7. ^ "Actors found new Toronto Jewish theatre company". The Globe and Mail, November 21, 2007.
  8. ^ "A mix of heart and head in well balanced production". Toronto Star, March 23, 2014.
  9. ^ "Great cast, director, but play lacks usual vision". Toronto Star, June 8, 2015.