The Comedy Man

Alvin Rakoff is a Canadian film and television director who has spent the bulk of his career in England and directed more than 100 high profile television plays, as well as a dozen feature films and numerous stage productions. Among other awards, he was twice winner of the International Emmy Award,... for A Voyage Round My Father, starring Laurence Olivier, and Call Me Daddy, starring Donald Pleasence. His mother came from Rovno in Ukraine. His father from Voronezh in Russia. His parents met in Toronto. He is the third of seven children. His parents had a shop in what is now known as Kensington Market. After graduation from University of Toronto he became a journalist and then began writing for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's nascent television. He was seconded by the CBC to visit "the country where TV first started — England". Days after arriving he sold a script to the British Broadcasting Corporation at the time the only television broadcaster in the UK. The BBC then invited him to join their television directors' training course. At 26 years old he became the youngest producer/director in the BBC drama department. And decided to continue his career in England.
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