Al Waxman

Al Waxman (born Albert Samuel Waxman on March 2, 1935 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) was a prolific Canadian actor and director whose career spanned more than four decades and over a thousand productions across radio, television, film, and stage. The son of Polish‑Jewish immigrants, Waxman's early exposure to performance began at age twelve when he appeared on CBC Radio, and he later honed his craft at Toronto's Central Technical School while helping his family run the local Melinda Lunch restaurant. His breakthrough came in 1975 with the role of Larry King on the CBC sitcom King of Kensington, a character that quickly cemented his status as a beloved Canadian icon and showcased his natural comedic timing and deep connection to the neighbourhood that would later honor him with a statue. Throughout the 1980s Waxman became widely recognized in the United States as Lt. Bert Samuels on the hit CBS drama Cagney & Lacey, delivering a gruff yet endearing performance that earned him multiple Gemini nominations. His film work included a memorable turn as a wealthy cocaine buyer in the award‑winning 1980 movie Atlantic City, and he continued to balance screen acting with a vibrant stage presence, notably portraying Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman at the Stratford Festival in 1997.

In addition to his artistic achievements, Waxman was a tireless community activist, serving as a spokesperson for organizations such as United Appeal, the Canadian Cancer Society, and the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario, and co‑founding the Sara and Al Waxman Center for Maternal and Fetal Medicine in Jerusalem with his wife Sara. His humanitarian contributions were recognized with honors including the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal (1978), the B’nai B’rith Humanitarian Award (1989), the Order of Ontario (1996), the Order of Canada (1997) and the prestigious Earle Grey Award for lifetime achievement in 1998. A 1997 Gemini Award for Best Actor highlighted his work in the TV film Net Worth, and his memoir That’s What I Am earned a Canadian Jewish Book Award. Waxman’s sudden death during heart surgery on January 18, 2001, shocked the nation, but his legacy endures through posthumous inductions into Canada’s Walk of Fame and numerous tributes that celebrate his indelible impact on Canadian culture and philanthropy.