William Needles

Who is William Needles?

William Needles William Needles, C.M., LL.D., actor and teacher, was born in 1919 in Yonkers, New York, and raised in Kitchener, Ontario. Ira Needles, his father, was president of BF Goodrich, Canada, and chancellor and a founder of the University of Waterloo. William received his theater training at the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago. After serving in the infantry in WWII, he performed in Toronto, first in radio drama and then television.

A member of the acting company of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival since its inception in 1953, he has appeared in over one hundred roles with the company, among which are Albany in King Lear; the Duke of Venice in The Merchant of Venice; the White King in Alice Through the Looking Glass; the Lord Mayor in Richard III; the Shepherd in Oedipus Rex; Merriman in The Importance of Being Earnest; Mortimer in Henry VI: Revenge in France. Beginning with the Festival under Tyrone Guthrie, he has acted under eight artistic directors over the years. He has also appeared in over twenty motion pictures, including the CBC's Macbeth as Banquo opposite Sean Connery in the title role.