Ken Gord
Encyclopedia
Ken Gord is a Canadian film and television producer.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0329852/
Ken graduated from Bathurst Heights Secondary School
and then enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts program at the University of Toronto
but dropped out after completing the second of three years.
He teamed up with two friends and began promoting rock concerts. On October 3, 1969, they successfully brought Johnny Winter
to Massey Hall
and on October 14, 1969, they brought The Who
to the Canadian National Exhibition
Colisseum to perform their rock opera, Tommy. Other bands brought to Toronto included The Byrds
and Pentangle.
and in 1979, The High Country for Crown International. He continued to production manage and/or line produce other low-budget films and television shows, Deadly Eyes, Loose Screws, Recruits, Busted Up, Mr. Nice Guy, The Housekeeper, The Edison Twins and The Brain, through the 1980s.
In 1986, he was co-producer on Criminal Law (film)
, the first feature directed by Martin Campbell
, starring Gary Oldman
and Kevin Bacon
. The movie was produced for Hemdale Film Corporation
and distributed by Warner Bros.
In 1988, he was the Canadian Executive in Charge of Production on the mini-series Day One, for CBS and Aaron Spelling Productions, which won an Emmy in 1989 for Best Drama Special.
In 1991 and 1992, Ken produced two seasons of the CBS
late-night crime show Sweating Bullets (aka Tropical Heat
) in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and Eilat, Israel.
Which led him to what he was perhaps best known for, as the producer of the hit syndicated series Highlander: The Series
which filmed six seasons through the 1990s. Mr. Gord was brought in at the beginning of season 2 and stayed as the creative producer until the last episode was filmed in Paris in 1998. The series was nominated for a Canadian Gemini Award
as Best Dramatic Series in 1992.
Since then, he produced other syndicated series, such as the Paris episodes of Relic Hunter
and a season of Queen of Swords, shot in Almeria, Spain at Texas Hollywood
. He also produced over twenty mini-series and television movies for CBS, the Fox Network, UPN
, Global Television Network
, CTV
, Lifetime Network, Paramount Television
, Paxnet, Sat-1, Turner Broadcasting, and CLT-ufa. These included CBS's Daughter of Darkness, which starred Anthony Perkins
and Model By Day, starring Famke Janssen
. In 2006, he produced Eight Days to Live
, which was the most successful in-house television movie ever broadcast on CTV, and also broke records on the Lifetime Network. It was nominated for a Canadian Gemini Award as Best Television Movie in 2007.
In 2007, Ken produced Stuck (2007 film)
, directed by Stuart Gordon
and starring Mena Suvari
and Stephen Rea
to high critical acclaim. The New York Times called it a "...grim, expert little thriller..."
He most recently produced XIII (miniseries), a 4-hour mini-series from the graphic novel of the same name, starring Val Kilmer
. It was aired on NBC and Global Television in Canada during the winter of 2008.
Ken Gord has been listed in Canadian Who's Who since 2001.
Features as UPM:
TV Series/Pilots/Television Movies/MiniSeries as Producer/Executive in Charge of Production:
*2007 Gemini Award
Nomination - Best TV Movie
* 1996 Emmy Award
Nomination – Best Dramatic Series
*1989 Emmy – Best Drama Special
TV Series/Pilots/Television Movies/MiniSeries as UPM:
Documentaries:
Head of Production:
Writer:
(1)http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/movies/30stuc.html?ref=movies
(2)http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0329852/
(3)http://www.academy.ca/hist/history.cfm?nname=Ken+Gord&winonly=0&awards=0&rtype=1&curstep=4&submit.x=33&submit.y=3
(4)http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/show/CTVShows/20060605/ctv_release_20060605/20060605/
The early years
Kenneth Steven Gord was born in Toronto General Hospital on February 25, 1949. His parents, Henry and Goldie Gord, were also native Torontonians and Ken was their middle child. He is now the uncle of Michael Gord, Matthew Gord, Sarah Gord and Emily Chudnovsky.Ken graduated from Bathurst Heights Secondary School
Bathurst Heights Secondary School
Bathurst Heights Secondary School was a public high school located in the North York district of Toronto, and serving the area of Lawrence Avenue West and Allen Road . Bathurst Heights closed its doors on June 23rd 2001...
and then enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts program at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
but dropped out after completing the second of three years.
He teamed up with two friends and began promoting rock concerts. On October 3, 1969, they successfully brought Johnny Winter
Johnny Winter
John Dawson "Johnny" Winter III is an American blues guitarist, singer, and producer. Best known for his late 1960s and 1970s high-energy blues-rock albums and live performances, Winter also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for blues legend Muddy Waters...
to Massey Hall
Massey Hall
Massey Hall is a venerable performing arts theatre in the Garden District of downtown Toronto. The theatre originally was designed to seat 3,500 patrons but, after extensive renovations in the 1940s, now seats up to 2,765....
and on October 14, 1969, they brought The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
to the Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition , also known as The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the 18 days leading up to and including Labour Day Monday. With an attendance of approximately 1.3 million visitors each season, it is Canada’s largest...
Colisseum to perform their rock opera, Tommy. Other bands brought to Toronto included The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
and Pentangle.
Film
Ken became involved in the film industry in Toronto, Ontario in the early 1970s. He produced the ultra-low budget Dream On The Run in 1973 and was production manager on another no-budget Canadian feature Point of No Return. In 1977, he produced the low-budget sci-fi film Starship Invasions, which was distributed by Warner Bros.Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
and in 1979, The High Country for Crown International. He continued to production manage and/or line produce other low-budget films and television shows, Deadly Eyes, Loose Screws, Recruits, Busted Up, Mr. Nice Guy, The Housekeeper, The Edison Twins and The Brain, through the 1980s.
In 1986, he was co-producer on Criminal Law (film)
Criminal Law (film)
Criminal Law is a film directed by Martin Campbell, released in 1989.-Plot:Attorney Ben Chase successfully defends Martin Thiel, a wealthy young playboy, getting him acquitted of a series of brutal murders — only to find out later that Thiel is indeed a serial killer...
, the first feature directed by Martin Campbell
Martin Campbell
-Life and career:Campbell was born in Hastings, New Zealand. He directed two James Bond films, 1995's GoldenEye, starring Pierce Brosnan, and 2006's Casino Royale, starring Daniel Craig, and was the first Bond director since John Glen to direct more than one film, as well as the oldest director in...
, starring Gary Oldman
Gary Oldman
Gary Leonard Oldman is an English actor, voice actor, filmmaker and musician.A member of the 1980s Brit Pack, Oldman came to prominence via starring roles in British films Meantime , Sid and Nancy and Prick Up Your Ears , with his performance in the latter bringing him his first BAFTA Award...
and Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon is an American film and theater actor whose notable roles include Animal House, Diner, Footloose, Flatliners, Wild Things, A Few Good Men, JFK, Apollo 13, Mystic River, The Woodsman, Trapped, Friday the 13th, Hollow Man, Tremors, Death Sentence, Frost/Nixon, Crazy, Stupid, Love....
. The movie was produced for Hemdale Film Corporation
Hemdale Film Corporation
Hemdale Film Corporation, known as Hemdale Communications after 1993, was an independent film production company and distributor founded in London in 1967 as the Hemdale Company by actor David Hemmings and his manager, John Daly. Hemdale was initially founded as a talent agency that helped launch...
and distributed by Warner Bros.
In 1988, he was the Canadian Executive in Charge of Production on the mini-series Day One, for CBS and Aaron Spelling Productions, which won an Emmy in 1989 for Best Drama Special.
In 1991 and 1992, Ken produced two seasons of the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
late-night crime show Sweating Bullets (aka Tropical Heat
Tropical Heat
Tropical Heat was a Canadian TV series produced in cooperation with Mexico and Israel that aired between 1991 and 1993 ....
) in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and Eilat, Israel.
Which led him to what he was perhaps best known for, as the producer of the hit syndicated series Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series is a fantasy-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985...
which filmed six seasons through the 1990s. Mr. Gord was brought in at the beginning of season 2 and stayed as the creative producer until the last episode was filmed in Paris in 1998. The series was nominated for a Canadian Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
as Best Dramatic Series in 1992.
Since then, he produced other syndicated series, such as the Paris episodes of Relic Hunter
Relic Hunter
Relic Hunter is an anglophone Canadian television series, starring Tia Carrere and Christien Anholt. Actress Lindy Booth also starred for the first two seasons; Tanja Reichert replaced her for the third...
and a season of Queen of Swords, shot in Almeria, Spain at Texas Hollywood
Texas Hollywood
Texas Hollywood is a Western-styled theme park in the province of Almería in Spain. Built in the early 1970s, it lies a few kilometers to the north of the N-340 road highway , near the town of Tabernas. Around 1977, Rafa Molina, a stuntman, bought the set for US$6,000 to improve his job...
. He also produced over twenty mini-series and television movies for CBS, the Fox Network, UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
, Global Television Network
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
, CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
, Lifetime Network, Paramount Television
Paramount Television
Paramount Television was an American television production/distribution company that was active from January 1, 1968 to August 27, 2006.Its successor is CBS Television Studios, formerly CBS Paramount Television...
, Paxnet, Sat-1, Turner Broadcasting, and CLT-ufa. These included CBS's Daughter of Darkness, which starred Anthony Perkins
Anthony Perkins
Anthony Perkins was an American actor, best known for his Oscar-nominated role in Friendly Persuasion and as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho , and its three sequels.-Early life:...
and Model By Day, starring Famke Janssen
Famke Janssen
Famke Beumer Janssen is a Dutch actress and former fashion model. She is known for playing the villainous Bond girl Xenia Onatopp in GoldenEye and Jean Grey/Phoenix in the X-Men film series .- Early life and education :...
. In 2006, he produced Eight Days to Live
Eight Days To Live
Eight Days To Live is a 2006 TV film produced by CTV about a mother who organizes a search and rescue for her son who drives off the road in the Northern Fraser Valley of British Columbia.-Cast:*Dustin Milligan as Joe Spring*Tegan Moss as Becca Spring...
, which was the most successful in-house television movie ever broadcast on CTV, and also broke records on the Lifetime Network. It was nominated for a Canadian Gemini Award as Best Television Movie in 2007.
In 2007, Ken produced Stuck (2007 film)
Stuck (2007 film)
Stuck is a 2007 thriller directed by Stuart Gordon and starring Mena Suvari and Stephen Rea. The film premiered on May 21, 2007 at the Cannes Film Market...
, directed by Stuart Gordon
Stuart Gordon
After the University of Wisconsin demanded future theatrical productions by Screw Theater be overseen by a University Professor, Gordon cut his University ties to form Broom Street Theater. Its first production, the new translation of the risque Lysistrata, premiered in May 1969. Gordon is...
and starring Mena Suvari
Mena Suvari
Mena Alexandra Suvari is an American actress, fashion designer, and model. Shortly after beginning her career as a model, she appeared in guest roles on 1990's television shows such as Boy Meets World and High Incident...
and Stephen Rea
Stephen Rea
Stephen Rea is an Irish film and stage actor. Rea has appeared in high profile films such as V for Vendetta, Michael Collins, Interview with the Vampire and Breakfast on Pluto...
to high critical acclaim. The New York Times called it a "...grim, expert little thriller..."
He most recently produced XIII (miniseries), a 4-hour mini-series from the graphic novel of the same name, starring Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer
Val Edward Kilmer is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! , then the cult classic Real Genius , as well as blockbuster action films, including a supporting role in Top Gun and a...
. It was aired on NBC and Global Television in Canada during the winter of 2008.
Ken Gord has been listed in Canadian Who's Who since 2001.
Filmography
Features As Producer:- Stuck (2007 film)Stuck (2007 film)Stuck is a 2007 thriller directed by Stuart Gordon and starring Mena Suvari and Stephen Rea. The film premiered on May 21, 2007 at the Cannes Film Market...
(Producer) - Criminal Law (film)Criminal Law (film)Criminal Law is a film directed by Martin Campbell, released in 1989.-Plot:Attorney Ben Chase successfully defends Martin Thiel, a wealthy young playboy, getting him acquitted of a series of brutal murders — only to find out later that Thiel is indeed a serial killer...
, 1988 (Co-Producer) - The Brain, 1988 (Line Producer)
- The High Country, 1981 (Co-Producer)
- Starship InvasionsStarship InvasionsStarship Invasions is a 1977 Canadian science fiction film produced by Ed Hunt and filmed in Toronto, Ontario.-Production and release:The film began production under the title Alien Encounters, and a previous working title was War of the Aliens...
, 1977 (Producer) - Point of No Return, 1976 (Co-Producer)
- Dream on the Run, 1973 (Line Producer)
Features as UPM:
- Mr. Nice Guy (1987 film)Mr. Nice Guy (1987 film)Mr. Nice Guy was a 1987 movie starring Mike MacDonald and Jan Smithers.In this film, MacDonald plays a hitman who becomes engaged to the leading lady, played by Smithers.The main character is born in Chicago and is raised poor...
, 1987 - The Housekeeper, 1986
- Busted Up, 1986
- Recruits, 1986
- Screwballs II, 1985
- Deadly EyesDeadly EyesDeadly Eyes is a 1982 Canadian film directed by Robert Clouse, based on the horror novel The Rats by James Herbert. The story revolves around Giant Black Rats who begin eating the residents of Toronto after ingesting contaminated grain.-Plot:...
, 1982
TV Series/Pilots/Television Movies/MiniSeries as Producer/Executive in Charge of Production:
- XIII (miniseries), 2009 (Producer)
- Eight Days to LiveEight Days To LiveEight Days To Live is a 2006 TV film produced by CTV about a mother who organizes a search and rescue for her son who drives off the road in the Northern Fraser Valley of British Columbia.-Cast:*Dustin Milligan as Joe Spring*Tegan Moss as Becca Spring...
, 2006 (Supervising Producer)
*2007 Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
Nomination - Best TV Movie
- Mary Higgins ClarkMary Higgins ClarkMary Theresa Eleanor Higgins Clark Conheeney , known professionally as Mary Higgins Clark, is an American author of suspense novels...
's All Around The Town, 2002 (Executive in Charge of Production) - Mary Higgins Clark's Lucky Day, 2002 (Executive in Charge of Production)
- Mary Higgins Clark's Haven't We Met Before?Haven't We Met Before?Haven't We Met Before? is a 2002 mystery film starring Nicollette Sheridan, Page Fletcher, Anthony Lemke and Daniela Amavia. It was directed by René Bonniére and written by Mary Higgins Clark and John Rutter....
, 2002 (Executive in Charge of Production) - Mary Higgins Clark's You Belong to MeYou Belong to Me (2001 film)You Belong to Me is a film adaptation of the novel written by Mary Higgins Clark. Lesley-Anne Down and Tony DeSantis star in the film. The film is directed by Paolo Barzman....
, 2002 (Executive in Charge of Production) - Mary Higgins Clark's Pretend You Don't See Her (film), 2002 (Executive in Charge of Production)
- Mary Higgins Clark's Loves Music, Loves to DanceLoves Music, Loves to DanceLoves Music, Loves to Dance is a novel by Mary Higgins Clark. It was one of Publishers Weekly's top 10 bestselling novels of 1991. The novel was adapted into a film in 2001.- Movie :...
, 2001 (Executive in Charge of Production) - Queen of Swords, 2001 (22 Episodes) (Producer)
- Relic HunterRelic HunterRelic Hunter is an anglophone Canadian television series, starring Tia Carrere and Christien Anholt. Actress Lindy Booth also starred for the first two seasons; Tanja Reichert replaced her for the third...
, 2000 (6 Episodes) (Producer) - Poison, 2000 (Producer)
- Dream Team (TV series)Dream Team (TV series)Dream Team is a British television series produced by Hewland International which aired on Sky1 and Sky3 from 1997 to 2007; it chronicled the on-field and off-field affairs of the fictional Harchester United Football Club....
, 1999 (4 Episodes) (Producer) - Survivor, 1999 (Supervising Producer)
- Killer Deal, 1999 (Producer)
- The Cyberstalking, 1999 (Producer)
- 30 Years to Life30 Years to Life30 Years to Life is a 2001 American comedy film, written and directed by Vanessa Middleton. The film marks Middleton's directorial debut, and stars Allen Payne, Paula Jai Parker, and Tracy Morgan.-Plot:...
, 1998 (Producer) - Nightworld: Lost SoulsNightworld: Lost SoulsLost Souls is a made-for-TV movie created for UPN in 1998 for the Nightworld movie series. It was the second in the series to be shown by the network. It was frequently shown on the Fox Family Channel during the 13 nights of Halloween special in October....
, 1998 (Producer) - Riddler's MoonRiddler's MoonRiddler's Moon is a made-for-tv movie created for UPN in 1998 for the Nightworld movie series.This film is being released as a double feature dvd with Battle Planet on side 2.- Plot synopsis :...
, 1998 (Producer) - Highlander: The SeriesHighlander: The SeriesHighlander: The Series is a fantasy-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985...
, 1992-1998 (97 Episodes) (Producer)
* 1996 Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
Nomination – Best Dramatic Series
- Model By Day, 1994 (Producer)
- Split Images, 1992 (Producer)
- Tropical HeatTropical HeatTropical Heat was a Canadian TV series produced in cooperation with Mexico and Israel that aired between 1991 and 1993 ....
(AKA: Sweating Bullets), 1991-1992 (31 Episodes) (Producer) - Iran:Days Of Crisis, 1991 (Line Producer(Canada))
- Dog House, 1991 (Line Producer)
- World’s Oldest Living Bridesmaid, 1990 (Executive in Charge of Production
- Daughter of Darkness, 1990 (Line Producer
- Dog House, 1990 (Pilot) (Line Producer)
- Day One (film)Day One (film)Day One is a made-for-TV documentary-drama movie about The Manhattan Project, the research and development of the atomic bomb during World War II. It is based on the book by Peter Wyden. The movie was written by David W. Rintels and directed by Joseph Sargent. It starred Brian Dennehy as General...
, 1989 (Executive in Charge of Production (Canada))
*1989 Emmy – Best Drama Special
TV Series/Pilots/Television Movies/MiniSeries as UPM:
- Force III, 1986 (Pilot)
- My Pet MonsterMy Pet MonsterMy Pet Monster is a plush doll first produced by American Greetings in 1986. As one of the few plush dolls marketed to boys at the time, My Pet Monster would prove popular throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. The doll has blue fur, horns, and a fanged smile and is recognizable by its orange...
, 1986 (Pilot) - The Edison TwinsThe Edison TwinsThe Edison Twins is a Canadian children's television program which aired on CBC Television from 1983 to 1986. The Disney Channel also picked up the rights in the mid-1980s...
, 1985
Documentaries:
- Island of Champions (Feature), 2002 (Writer/Director)
- First Class, 1983 (2 x 30 min Pilots) (Producer)
Head of Production:
- Paragon Motion Pictures, 1988–1989
- Accent Entertainment, 1990–1991
Writer:
- Silver Cord, 2008 (feature film) - in pre-production
- He Scores, 2000 (Short Story) – Published in anthology An Evening at Joe's, Penguin Putnam
- White Hot, 1992 (Episode of Sweating Bullets)
(1)http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/movies/30stuc.html?ref=movies
(2)http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0329852/
(3)http://www.academy.ca/hist/history.cfm?nname=Ken+Gord&winonly=0&awards=0&rtype=1&curstep=4&submit.x=33&submit.y=3
(4)http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/show/CTVShows/20060605/ctv_release_20060605/20060605/