NICK RICE

NICK RICE

RiceI did one year at Manitoba, then went to Vancouver in 1970 and did a B.A. (with a Theatre and English double major) at UBC.  My flatmates during that first rainy year were two Kelvin pals, Chris Davids and Geoff ìBubblesî Blake.  I planned to follow in Rudi Engbrechtís footsteps and become an English teacher.  And I did ñ for four months in a Vernon junior-high.  But I discovered I wasnít too good at that, and what I really wanted to do was act.  So I came back to Vancouver in 1975 and did, with some substitute-teaching thrown in, just to keep me solvent and alert. 

I moved to Toronto in 1981 (on my thirtieth birthday), but professionally things remained unchanged.  To this day, I act, teach, and sometimes write.  The past 28 years of my working life have flown by.  I donít seem to have gotten rich or famous, and my hunch is that I wonít, but I truly love what I do.  Iíve worked across Canada and have sometimes dipped down into the States.  Mostly itís been stage, but Iíve also worked in film and TV and radio and commercials and cartoons.  My most famous credit is quite old now, but you may have seen it:  itís the first Look Whoís Talking film, with Kirstie Alley and John Travolta.  I play Kirstie Alleyís toupée-wearing blind-date from hell.  Also check out that exquisite Canadian film, The Grey Fox, re-released in a twentieth-anniversary edition just a year ago:  Iím the terrified mail-clerk held up at gun-point.  And if your kids watch the animated series Stickiní Around, Iím the voice of Mister Doddler, the old wheezy guy in the fez. 

The things I am proudest of in this life are as follows: I manage to keep working. I hold a Brown Belt in goju ryu karate (those of you who recall my athletic non-prowess will find it hard to believe, but itís true). I have a slowly thickening book of song-lyrics Iíve written:  it contains a fair bit of drek, but also some stuff I like. I have fabulous friends, many of whom are here this weekend. And I have the loveliest daughter imaginable ñ Neta Rice, age 16.

Iím truly thrilled to see you all.

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