Harry Rasky

Harry Rasky, CM, O.Ont (9 May 1928 – 9 April 2007) was a Canadian documentary film director.

Life and career Rasky was born in Toronto, Ontario into a Jewish family, where he completed studies at Oakwood Collegiate Institute and then University College. He participated in CBC Television's first four years writing and producing CBC News Magazine (1952–1955). By the early 1970s Rasky returned to his native Toronto when the CBC offered him a simple arrangement: "make one film a year for us on whatever you want." Throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s, he made films on figures such as Leonard Cohen, Marc Chagall, Henry Moore, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Teresa Stratas, Will and Ariel Durant, Christopher Plummer, Yousuf Karsh, Tennessee Williams, and Arthur Miller, as well as that covered a variety of issues including The War Against the Indians and The Spies That Never Were.

He published an autobiography, Nobody Swings on Sunday, in 1980.

He was named a member of the Order of Canada in 2003.

Rasky died in hospital of heart failure on 9 April 2007 while recovering from a hip fracture sustained at his home.

Filmography Upon This Rock (1970) An Invitation to a Royal Wedding (1972) The Wit and World of George Bernard Shaw (1972) Tennessee Williams' South (1973) Next Year in Jerusalem (1974) Travels Through Life with Leacock (1975) Homage to Chagall: The Colours of Love (1977) The Peking Man Mystery (1977) Arthur Miller on Home Ground (1979) The Song of Leonard Cohen (1980) Being Different (1981) The Man Who Hid Anne Frank (1981) Stratasphere (1983) The Mystery of Henry Moore (1985) Karsh: The Searching Eye (1986) Dugas (1988) The Great Teacher: Northrop Frye (1989) The War Against the Indians (1992) Prophecy (1995) Nobody Swings on Sunday: The Many Lives and Films of Harry Rasky (2003) Modigliani: Body and Soul (2005)

Awards and recognition 1966: Emmy Award for Hall of Kings 1977: Academy Award Nomination for Homage to Chagall: The Colours of Love 1984: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – Certificate of Special Merit for "Stratasphere" (56th Academy Awards) 1985: Directors Guild of America Awards, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary/Actuality:, Homage to Chagall: The Colours of Love 1992: Margaret Collier Award 2002: appointed Member of the Order of Canada