Len Birman

Len Birman is a Canadian American actor, who began his career in Montreal where he was born Leonard Birman on September 28 1932. In his 45 years on stage, screen and radio, he has portrayed a wide variety of characters, including some choice roles in classical and contemporary theatre.

Early life and career

Len is the second son of Maurice Lieb Birman, who was a millinery designer, and Anna Birman, a marriage that lasted 70 years. Len graduated from Baron Byng High School in 1949 as class president, and within months he was captivated by the stage and the discovery of being naturally at home on it. He had been a good student and now had no interest at all in continuing on to college.

His earliest influences came by way of the STAGE series, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's radio productions of original plays and international classics beginning in the early '40s. At the time, it was thought of as Canada's National Theatre and was hailed as the best radio drama in the world. So as a long time fan, he was honored and humbled to be joining the remaining members of the troupe when he moved to Toronto in 1962. Len soon became a mainstay playing dozens of pivotal roles.