Al Waxman completed more than 1000 radio, television, film and theatre productions as either actor or director, with King of Kensington being his most successful Canadian television series. Waxman also starred in the award-winning TV series Cagney & Lacey, Missing Treasures and Twice in a Lifetime. He appeared in films in both Canada and the United States, from Atlantic City to Hurricane.
His theatrical experience included off-Broadway in New York, West End of London, local and regional theatres across Ontario, New England, and repertory theatres in England, the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, and the Stratford Festival, where he was acclaimed in both Canadian and International reviews for his outstanding performance as Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, and his bold directorship of The Diary of Anne Frank.
Waxman won the ACTRA award for best actor for his roles in King of Kensington and The Winnings of Frankie Walls. In 1997, he received a Gemini Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Net Worth. As director, The American Women in Film awarded him the Luminas Award for his direction of an episode of Cagney & Lacey, he received the Nancy Susan Reynolds Award for directing Cagney & Lacey and, in 1989, he was honoured with the Scott Newman Award for his direction of Maggie’s Secret, for which he also received an Emmy nomination.
In 1992, the series Missing Treasures, which he co-executive produced, co-directed and hosted, was honoured by the Houston International Film Festival and received the Gold Award for best public affairs program.
An avid spokesperson for the United Appeal, the United Jewish Appeal, Israel Bonds, B’nai Brith and the Variety Club, he was also the national campaign chairperson for the Canadian Cancer Society, Campaign Chairperson of St. Stephen’s Community House in Toronto and the official spokesperson for the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario.
In 1996 he was awarded the Order of Ontario, and in 1997, the Order of Canada.
