Canada's Top 10 Biggest Movies Stars of All-Time

A history lesson on the greatest Canuck film stars to hit Hollywood

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

Let's face it...if you're from Canada and wanna become a big movie star the world over, you gotta pack up your bags, talent in tow, and head south to the bright lights of Hollywood, where all movie icons end up at one time or another. It's an unfortunate truth that has plagued the who's-who of Canadian cinema, and it's been that way since the silent era.

In fact, Canadians have been fundamental in the very beginnings of Hollywood and its legacy in the movie industry, something that has gone unappreciated for decades now. One of those pioneers was London, Ontario-born director, producer and screenwriter Al Christie (1881-1951), who began working for David Horsley's Nestor Studios 100 years ago, in 1909. Two years later, in 1911, Christie took the company to the West Coast and set up shop in the L.A. area, where he operated Hollywood's first-ever permanent movie studio. In 1916, alongside brother Charles (1880-1955), Christie established his own production company, Christie Films.

At around the same time, Belarus-born, New Brunswick-bred film producer Louis B. Mayer (1884-1957) co-founded what would become one of the industry's biggest movie studios of all-time, MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer), which started as a talent booking agency (Metro Pictures Corporation) in 1916, in New York City. Under Mayer's direction, MGM became the world's top movie studio, igniting the careers of screen legends like Clark Gable, Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Judy Garland and Greta Garbo.

Going up against MGM was another heavy-hitter of the silver screen, Warner Bros., which was founded in 1918 by London, Ontario native Jack Warner, who became the multi-billion-dollar studio's president and and its driving force. His brothers Sam, Harry and Albert Warner were also part of the company's staggering success, gaining national attention for the first time via the first feature-length "talkie," 1927's The Jazz Singer.

As for onscreen talent, amongst the very first was Hamilton's Florence Lawrence (1886-1938) (pictured right), who is commonly referred to as "The First Movie Star." Starting in 1906, Lawrence appeared in over 270 motion pictures, most notably with Biograph Studios, before she committed suicide in December 1938. Since Lawrence, a slew of hosers have built a steady career around Hollywood, including Mary Pickford (Pollyanna), Marie Provost (Three Women), Glenn Ford (Gilda), Norma Shearer (The Divorcee), Marie Dressler (Min and Bill), Douglass Dumbrille (The Three Muskateers), Ruby Keeler (42nd Street), Fay Wray (King Kong), Jack Pickford (Great Expectations), Barbara Kent (No Man's Law), Nell Shipman (Under the Crescent), and the Oscar-winning grandfather of Angelica & Danny Huston, Walter Huston (The Treasure of the Sierra Madre).

By the 1960s and '70s a number of fresh-faced Canadians were accepting leading roles in big-budget movies, from Donald Sutherland (M*A*S*H) and Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music) to Lorne Greene (Roots) and Margot Kidder (Superman). The phenomenon carried into the '80s (Dan Aykroyd, John Candy), the '90s (Jim Carrey, Mike Myers) and right into the 21st century (Ryan Reynolds, Rachel McAdams). Below, in honour of the 142nd Canada Day (July 1st), SiM has come up with Canada's "Biggest Movie Stars of All-Time." In order to qualify, the actors must have been born in Canada (which disqualifies Canadian-raised candidates Keifer Sutherland, Keanu Reeves and Brendan Fraser), and must have left a significant mark in the world of cinema. That's it! Now, let's get to the best of the best in Canadian movie stardom!

1. Jim Carrey (1962-/ Newmarket, Ontario)
Although Jim Carrey spent all of the '80s in smaller roles (Peggy Sue Got Married, Pink Cadillac), it wasn't until the '90s that he began carving a name for himself in Hollywood. The former stand-up comic, who was discovered by Rodney Dangerfield in the early-'80s, landed a role in Fox's hit TV sketch show In Living Color (1990-94). His breakthrough role came with 1994's Ace Venture: Pet Detective, which made a bundle at the box office and inspired a 1995 sequel. A streak of hit comedies followed suit, including The Mask (1994), Dumb & Dumber (1994), Liar Liar (1997), The Truman Show (1998), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), Bruce Almighty (2003) and Yes Man (2008). The two-time Golden Globe Award winner became one of the most profitable faces in the world, as well as one of the highest-paid ($20 million per picture), cementing his place in movie history. Carrey was also able to extend his talents over into several praised drama features, including Man in the Moon (1999), The Majestic (2001) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004).

2. Mary Pickford (1892-1979/ Toronto, Ontario)
Although hailing from Canada, actress-producer Mary Pickford (b. Gladys Louise Smith) became known as "America's Sweetheart," laying the foundation for successful women in film. Her impressive legacy includes co-founding the powerhouse movie studio United Artists in 1919, her part as one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in 1927, a Best Actress Oscar Award for 1929's Coquette, and her infamous contract demands and negotiations that helped shape the landscape of the movie industry. Married to several actors over the years (including Douglas Fairbanks), Pickford (the sister of actor Jack Pickford) was one of the top stars of her era, with films like The Poor Little Rich Girl (1917), Pollyanna (1920), Sparrows (1926), My Best Girl (1927) and Secrets (1933).

3. Mike Myers (1963-/ Scarborough, Ontario)
An unlikely box office draw by today's standards, Mike Myers got his start as part of the Second City comedy troupe in Canada, which eventually led to his memorable Emmy-winning gig on NBC's Saturday Night Live sketch series, from 1989 to 1995. He turned one of his SNL characters into a major motion picture, Wayne's World, in 1992, which inspired a 1993 sequel. In 1997 Myers introduced his most famous character yet, Austin Powers, in a hit comedy feature that was followed by a pair of blockbuster sequels (1999, 2002). In 2001 he hit paydirt as the voice of the title character of the animated Shrek, which--along with its two sequels (2004, 2007)--grossed over $2.2 billion worldwide. Other films include 54 (1998), The Cat in the Hat (2003) and the upcoming Inglourious Basterds (2009).

4. Donald Sutherland (1935-/ Saint John, New Brunswick)
One of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood is Mr. Sutherland, who's career has spanned more than 50 years! The father of fellow film and television legend Keifer Sutherland (24), Donald studied acting in England before accepting small roles in horror films of the mid-'60s. He soon got his his big break with a part in the classic war film The Dirty Dozen (1967), which he followed up with M*A*S*H (1970) and Kelly's Heroes (1970). The Emmy-nominated Order of Canada recipient has appeared in more than 100 films over the years, including notables like Klute (1971), Animal House (1978), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), Ordinary People (1980), JFK (1991), A Time to Kill (1996), Space Cowboys (2000), Cold Mountain (2003) and Astro Boy (2009).

5. Norma Shearer (1902-1983/ Montreal, Quebec)
From the mid-'20s to her 1942 retirement, Norma Shearer was amongst the most popular actresses in the world, infamous for her "girl-next-door" roles in classic films like He Who Got Slapped (1924), the first official production of MGM. Six times during her career, Shearer was up for the Best Actress Academy Award, taking home the Oscar for 1930's The Divorcee. Shearer, who passed up on a lead role in Gone with the Wind, became one of the biggest silent film stars around, becoming the "Queen of MGM" and one of the top-earning actors of her time. Married to legendary film producer Irving Thalberg until his death in 1936, Shearer also earned Oscar nods for her roles in Their Own Desire (1930), A Free Soul (1931), The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934), Romeo and Juliet (1936) and Marie Antoinette (1938).

6. Marie Dressler (1868-1934/ Cobourg, Ontario)
The former Leila Marie Koerber was well-known for her comedic abilities and full figure, but it was her legendary onscreen knack that lands her a spot on our list. Dressler got her start in acting at the age of 14, soon tackling the vaudeville scene before trying stage acting and even light opera. She soon became a silent film star, acting alongside Charlie Chaplin in Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914), and was eventually the #1 box office draw in Hollywood. In 1931 she won an Academy Award as Best Actress in Min and Bill, and was nominated again for 1932's Emma. In 1933 Dressler became the first woman to appear on the cover of Time magazine, but the MGM legend was diagnosed with cancer the following year. Her other films included Bringing Up Father (1928), Anna Christie (1930) and Dinner at Eight (1933).

7. Dan Aykroyd (1952-/ Ottawa, Ontario)
The Oscar-nominated, Emmy-winning Dan Aykroyd earned his ticket to Hollywood as one of the original cast members of the iconic sketch series Saturday Night Live, from 1975 to '79. This opened the doors for the actor to get into the movies, including 1941 (1979) and the cult classic The Blues Brothers (1980), the latter of which he co-wrote and starred in alongside SNL alum John Belushi. He continued with hits in Neighbors (1981) and Trading Places (1983), but hit the big time with 1984's mega hit Ghostbusters, which he also co-scripted. A member of the Order of Canada and "We Are the World" participant (1985), Aykroyd has also gained momentum through his roles in Dragnet (1987), The Great Outdoors (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989), Driving Miss Daisy (1989), My Girl (1991), Chaplin (1992), Tommy Boy (1995) and Pearl Harbor (2001).

8. Christopher Plummer (1929-/ Toronto, Ontario)
Television, stage and film legend Christopher Plummer has stretched his thespian career over five decades, but will be best-remembered as Captain Georg von Trapp in the iconic musical The Sound of Music (1965), a role he reportedly disliked. The Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated, Genie and Tony-winning member of the Order of Canada has since left memorable performances in Waterloo (1970), Jesus of Nazareth (1977), The Thorn Birds (1983), Dragnet (1987), Malcolm X (1992), 12 Monkeys (1995), The Insider (1999), A Beautiful Mind (2001), Syriana (2005), Up (2009) and the upcoming 9 (2009). Also a recorded composer who has performed with numerous North American orchestras, Plummer is the father of film and stage actress Amanda Plummer (Pulp Fiction).

9. Michael J. Fox (1961-/ Edmonton, Alberta)
Although '80s pop culture figure Michael J. Fox igniting his career and ended it in television (Family Ties, 1982-89 and Spin City, 1996-2000), he made an impact on the film industry in between. The four-time Emmy winner and four-time Golden Globe winner became synonymous with his role as Marty McFly in the blockbuster Back to the Future trilogy (1985, 1989, 1990), which made a combined $1 billion at international box offices. The former Pepsi pitchman and current Parkinson's disease advocate furthered his film resume with roles in pictures like Teen Wolf (1985), Bright Lights, Big City (1988), Casualties of War (1989), The Hard Way (1991), Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993) and the Stuart Little trilogy (1999-2005).

10. John Candy (1950-1994/ Toronto, Ontario)
After debuting with an uncredited bit part in 1973's Class of '44 film, John Candy appeared in a few other movies during the decade, before he joined the Toronto division of the Second City comedy troupe in 1976. That led to a lead role in the SCTV series during the early-'80s, before the heavy-set comic broke into bigger film roles, including The Blues Brothers (1980), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Splash (1984), Brewster's Millions (1985), Volunteers (1985), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Spaceballs (1987), Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), The Great Outdoors (1988) and a top billing in Uncle Buck (1989). During the '90s the Canadian icon had been featured in Home Alone (1990), JFK (1991) and Cool Runnings (1993), but he had succumb to a heart attack in 1994. He was only 43.