Characters’ Voice Roster Talks series launches with Garry Chalk

Our Characters’ Voice Roster Talks series launched on January 28 with an inspirational and collaborative session featuring GARRY CHALK, arguably the longest-standing member of the Characters Voice Roster.

A veteran on the Vancouver scene in on-camera and voice-over, Garry immediately took charge of the room, signalling that as a professional one begins a session on time. He further demonstrated that one makes best use of the time one has, tailoring a detailed overview of the business into a two-hour talk. His booming presence held the room’s attention as he shared the story of his introduction to theatre and acting and elaborated on how, once enraptured, he charted a full-blown career from improvisational comedy and theatre to become one of the better known faces on the Vancouver TV and film scene – and as one of the better-known voices in some of our favourite childhood cartoons.

With a whole lot of heart (and an emphasis on the importance of discipline), Garry looked at the meat and the bones of the business. He talked about the art of the audition – when it begins and ends – and how to discover, expand and use the whole range of one’s voice and power. He talked about the peaks and valleys that every actor experiences in his/her journey, and how to use the highs to prepare for the lows.

Thanks Garry, for sharing your wisdom and humour. And thanks to all who joined us and shared questions and stories with Garry. We look forward to hosting the next event in February.

Garry Chalk moved at the age of six from South Hampton, England to Vancouver, Canada. After involvement in a variety of careers including the army, the stock market and Social Services, Garry saw a production of “Of Mice and Men” that spurred him toward acting.

Garry performed initially in theatres across Canada and was involved in comedy improv, and then worked his way into national and local television commercials, video, and industrial films.

Over the last twenty years, Garry has worked virtually non-stop in television episodics and TV movies of the week, largely as the lead or guest star.  These projects have included “Doorways to the Unknown,” “Palace Guard,” “Broken Badges,” “Small Sacrifices,” “MacGyver,” and most recently “Highlander” and “Woman on the Ledge.” He currently plays a featured role as the General in the highly anticipated film, “Watchmen.”

Garry’s wide range of character voices have been part of such animation series as “T-Rex,” “Dream Patrol,” “Conan,” “G.I. Joe,” “King Arthur and the Knights of Justice,” and “Transformers, Beast Machines,” as well as many other animation features, including “The Fearless Four,” “Rudolph,” “Camelot,” and “Reboot, The Movie”.

Garry had a recurring role on the series “Cold Squad,” as Inspector Pawlaczuk, for which he is a two-time Gemini Award winner and a Leo Award nominee for Best Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Series. He has also played the recurring role of Colonel Chekov on the television series “Stargate SG-1”.

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