B: April 7, 1931 in Toronto, Ontario
William Theodore “Ted” Kotcheff grew up in Toronto and went to the University of Toronto graduating in English Literature just as the television age dawned in Canada. He started his career as a stagehand with CBC Television in 1952 and went on to become the youngest staff director at the CBC, where he eventually worked on programs like the General Motors Theatre. He left Canada in 1958 to live and work in the United Kingdom where he landed a job as a director on the Armchair Theatre series, directing several teleplays between 1958 and 1960. In addition to his television work he also directed several productions for the theatre, and in 1962 directed his first feature film, Tiara Tahiti. The world premiere of Wake in Fright (aka Outback) occurred on the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival on May 13, 1971. It was shot in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia and is a cult film in that country and elsewhere. Kotcheff returned to Canada in 1972 directing several films including The Appenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. He is pictured above at the 2014 Prix Jutra which honoured Duddy costar Micheline Lanctôt with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Also see: Ted Kotcheff talks about the making of The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
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