Lorne Greene showed artistic promise early in life, acting in small productions while attending Queen’s University in Kingston. It was at Queen’s that he would also take his first steps in radio, working at the Radio Workshop of the university’s Drama Guild at campus radio station CFRC. After university, he studied acting at New York’s prestigious Neighbourhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. Greene returned to Canada in 1939 to work at the CBC. He quickly rose to become one of the country’s most prominent newscasters and the principal newsreader on the CBC National News, earning the nickname “The Voice of Canada.”
Greene served as a Flying Officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II, before returning to Canada to launch the Academy of Radio Arts – a Toronto-based school for writers, actors, directors and production personnel.
In the early 1950s, Greene left Canada for Hollywood, beginning with small parts before landing leading roles. A bit part on Wagon Train led to a starring role in one of the biggest TV westerns of all time, Bonanza. The series, launched in 1959, established Greene as one of the go-to actors of his generation. It ran for 14 seasons, with the final broadcast taking place – incredibly – on January 16, 1973.
From that point on, Greene worked constantly, starring in series like Griff, The Moneychangers and Roots, as well as a host of TV movies. In 1978, Greene would land another iconic role, taking on the part of Commander Adama in the legendary Battlestar Galactica series.
He continued to act and star in productions into the late ’80s. During that time, Greene also devoted much of his energy to wildlife and environmental issues, hosting and narrating the series, Lorne Greene’s New Wilderness.
