A rough-hewn, prolific character actor best known for his striking portrayals of genre villains, Michael Ironside began as a writer in his native Canada, where he wrote and produced his first play at age 15. While attending the Ontario College of Art, he wrote, directed and starred in his first film "Down Where the Lights Are", which attracted the attention of actor-director Janine Manatis. She cast him in a Canadian TV version of John Osborne's "Look Back in Anger", the first of many Canadian TV and film projects he would undertake before relocating to California in 1983. An early highlight
Wrote first play at age 15, "The Shelter", which won first prize in a Canada-wide university contest; produced the play with the prize money
While in college, wrote, directed, edited, produced and acted in first film, "Down Where the Lights Are", attracting the attention of actor-director Janine Manatis, whom Ironside has called a major influence
