Gryphon Gallery: Geoffrey Bowes

June 17, 2022

Alumni

Stuart Brambley, Archivist Stuart Brambley, Archivist photo

Geoff graduated GNS as a prefect, member of 1st XV Rugby, 2nd XI Cricket, and an enthusiastic participant in boxing, science fair, sailing club and drama. After his senior years at Brentwood College, it was drama that became his career path.

He graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada and started into a successful 25 year career as an actor. He is best known for his performance in the 1979 film ‘Something’s Rotten’. The magazine Cinema Canada wrote that Bowes’ performance as Prince Calvin was the only good thing about the film. The film garnered two Genie Award nominations at the first Genie Awards in 1980, one of which was for Geoffrey Bowes as Best Actor. He performed on stages across Canada, including the Stratford Festival, and won a Dora Mavor Moore Award in 1981 for his performance in ‘Automatic Pilot’.

He then worked exclusively in TV and film that included ‘Due South,’ ‘Street Legal,’ ‘Degrassi: The Next Generation,’ ‘Top Cops,’ ‘Goosebumps’ and ‘This Is Wonderland.’

After 25 years of auditioning and taking direction, Geoff walked away from acting and joined a construction crew as a carpenter, enjoying a host of inspiring characters he worked with and eventually started his own construction company that renovated houses. In 2018 he wrote Open The Wall, a book taking a hilarious look at his experiences in the reno business.

Geoffrey now lives on his farm in Markdale, Ontario with his wife, dog and “a herd of indifferent cows.”