Bill Buckingham

Actor, director, producer Bill Buckingham initially followed in his father’s footsteps as a lawyer. As was the custom in the 1930’s, lawyers and businessmen also participated in amateur theatre, and Bill began a theatrical career at the York Theatre with the Vancouver Little Theatre Association, where he was very successful.

One thing led to another, and Bill was soon augmenting his legal career as an announcer for Vancouver radio station CJOR. His radio career blossomed, and he was soon cast as John Carson in the daily CBC Farm Broadcast, portraying the farm life of B.C.’s Carson family. Bill would play this well-loved role for 27 years, until 1966.

When the taxman decreed that Bill would have to be either a lawyer or an actor, he chose the latter, and became an actor, director and producer for the original Theatre Under The Stars. From 1946 to 1960, he nurtured the careers of many young performers, including Roma Hearn, Shirley Chapman, Nora Halliday, Dean Regan, and even Robert Goulet.

At the same time Bill continued his stage career, acting in many productions, including ‘She Stoops To Conquer’, ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ and ‘Never Too Late’ at the Vancouver Playhouse. One of his later stage performances was in ‘Salad Days’, the opening production of the “new” Frederic Wood Theatre at UBC.

The many years of worrying about the weather with TUTS led to a severe cigarette habit, that caused Bill’s untimely death in 1969 at age 61. He was well liked and respected by everyone who knew him.