Sharon Acker Canadian film, theatre and television actress, model Date of Birth: 02.04.1935 Country: Canada

1. Early Life and Education
2. Theatre and Early Acting Career
3. Early Film Success
4. Television and Modeling Career
5. Hollywood Debut
6. American and Canadian Film and Television
7. Personal Life
8. Later Life and Legacy

Early Life and Education

Sharon Acker was born on April 2, 1935, in Toronto, Canada. She was adopted at the age of nine by the Matthews family. Acker attended several public schools and graduated from North Toronto Vocational School in 1953, where she studied art, including painting and sculpture.

Theatre and Early Acting Career

After graduating, Acker honed her acting skills in a local theater group. In the mid-1950s, she landed a small role in the television movie "Anne of Green Gables." She then joined the Stratford Festival Theatre Company, where she performed in Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" and "Henry V."

Early Film Success

In 1957, Acker moved to London and secured a supporting role in the comedy "Lucky Jim." Her performance was praised as charming and captivating. After a brief stint in England, she returned to Canada to focus on her personal life.

Television and Modeling Career

In Toronto, Acker became a staple of television dramas, appearing in a five-part adaptation of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" alongside Sean Connery. She also worked as a model, gracing the covers of magazines like Life and TV Guide, despite not being a smoker.

Hollywood Debut

In the late 1960s, Acker made her Hollywood debut in the crime drama "Point Blank." She played Lynn, the wife of Lee Marvin's character. The film initially flopped but later gained cult status.

American and Canadian Film and Television

Acker went on to play supporting roles in popular American TV shows such as "Star Trek" and "Murder, She Wrote." Despite her talent and praise from Hollywood directors, she preferred working in Canada. She appeared in over 80 films and television shows, including Canadian productions like "Latitude 55" and "The Specialists."

Personal Life

Acker married actor Austin MacDonald in 1959 and had two daughters, Kirsten and Gillian. The couple divorced after 17 years, and she remarried producer and actor Peter Elkington in 1982. They remained together until his passing in 2001.

Later Life and Legacy

After retiring from acting, Acker lived with her second husband in a secluded cottage on Lake Muskoka. She continued to pursue her love of art, painting and sculpting. Sharon Acker passed away on March 16, 2023, just two weeks shy of her 88th birthday. She left behind her daughters, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter, as well as a lasting legacy as a talented actress with unrealized potential.