Chris Wiggins
Born
Christopher John Wiggins

(1931-01-13)January 13, 1931
Blackpool, England
DiedFebruary 19, 2017(2017-02-19) (aged 86)
Elora, Ontario, Canada
Occupation(s)Actor, banker
Years active1954–2015
Known forSwiss Family Robinson
Friday the 13th: The Series
The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kaladar

Christopher John Wiggins (January 13, 1931 – February 19, 2017) was an English-born Canadian actor.[1]

Career

Wiggins was born January 13, 1931, in Blackpool, England.[2] He started out as a banker in his home country before he began his acting career in Canada, where he moved in 1952.

Wiggins is probably best recognized for his role as Jack Marshak, the benevolent, resourceful expert on the occult in the syndicated television horror show Friday the 13th: The Series, and which ran from 1987 to 1990. Another well known role was Johann Robinson (Father) on Swiss Family Robinson.

He won a Canadian Film Award in 1969 for Best Actor in a Non-Feature for his role in The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kaladar.[3]

In addition to his television and film work, Wiggins was also a very popular radio actor, making over 1,200 appearances in various series over the years, particularly on CBC Radio. One of his most popular roles was that of Dante, the insufferably brilliant (and insufferably arrogant) computer that ran the Aleph-9: the high-speed interdimensional spacecraft belonging to Johnny Chase: Secret Agent of Space. Wiggins' also made numerous guest appearances on such CBC Radio programs as CBC Playhouse, Nightfall, Vanishing Point and dozens of others.

Wiggins also lent his voice to many animated TV series and movies. He was the voice of Thor and his human host Dr. Donald Blake from Marvel Comics in the 1966 The Marvel Super Heroes TV series, the voice of the villain Mysterio in the 1960s animated cartoon Spider-Man, the voice of Will Scarlet on Rocket Robin Hood, the Great Wishing Star in 1986's Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation, and the Care Bears' head villain, No Heart, on the Nelvana version of their TV show. He also voiced the character Dimetro in the 1980s cartoon Dinosaucers. His other roles in animated series and films included ALF Tales, Star Wars: Droids, Rock & Rule, Star Wars: Ewoks, Babar, Babar and the Adventures of Badou, Rupert, Richard Scarry, Franklin, and Redwall.

Death

Wiggins died at a nursing home in Elora, Ontario, on February 19, 2017, from complications from Alzheimer's disease.[4] His wife, Sandra Crysler-Wiggins, predeceased him, and he had no children.[5]

Selected filmography

References

  1. ↑ StarPulse Page on Wiggins Retrieved 2013-08-01
  2. ↑ Langan, Fred (March 5, 2017). "Remembering prolific actor Christopher Wiggins". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  3. ↑ Maria Topalovich, And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0-7737-3238-1.
  4. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (February 24, 2017). "Chris Wiggins, Veteran Character Actor, Dies at 87". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Christopher John Wiggins Obituary". Toronto Star. February 24, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
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