February 2024 Meeting Summary
Our speaker at the February meeting was Neil Crone. Neil Crone is a Canadian actor and writer who has been in the Entertainment Business for 33 Years. His insightful well delivered speech was called “I’m not a real person but I play one on TV – My life in Canadian film and television”. This was a light-hearted romp through the ups and downs and goofiness of earning a living in the crazy business of entertainment.
Neil spoke to a series of photographs that documented his life in the entertainment business and illuminated the requirements of being a successful Canadian Entertainer. We learned that his career started at age 11 at the Bridlewood Public School where he played the King in Cinderella. We learned that his father was Austin Willis who was on CBC radio and had a successful series called “Ask the Professor”, much to Neil’s surprise.
Neil Crone, born in Scarborough, attended Sir John A. MacDonald Collegiate Institute where he was Athlete of the year in 1978-1979. He studied radio and television arts at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute before earning a degree in education from the University of Toronto. He taught English and drama for three years at King City Secondary School before launching his acting career in 1990.
He would then land a role at Toronto’s The Second City Touring Company before moving onto its main stage. He said belonging to Second City was a great joy and an intense learning experience. Neil then moved on to performed in dozens of television and radio commercials, and TV shows. His roles included being a woman, a turkey, Santa Claus, a monster, and a judge in Murdoch. He was the voice of numerous animation characters every Saturday morning, including the voices of Gordon the Big Engine, Diesel 10, as well as Splatter from the film Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
He also provided some insights into the life of being an actor, including working with an agent, going through the audition process, being treated as a nobody and then a star, and being subjected to four hours in a makeup chair. He told us of the irony of being dressed as Santa Claus during the hottest days of summer – on multiple occasions, and having to work when he was really sick because “the Show Must Go On”.
At the end of his presentation, this Second City veteran Improvisor, host, stand-up comic and winner of a Canadian Comedy Award told us that he is also an award-winning newspaper columnist and children’s author. He writes regular articles for the Durham Region’s This Week newspaper.
To see the presentation by Neil Crone, click on the arrow in the video below:
Probus Club of Kingsway-Islington 