Anthony Sherwood

Anthony Sherwood is one of Canada's most successful black actors and black documentary filmmakers whose career spans over thirty-five years in stage, television and motion pictures and has received national and international recognition for his work. He has worked with such stars as Henry Fonda, Sidney Poitier, Martin Sheen, Burt Reynolds, Leslie Neilsen, Lou Gossett Jr., Meagan Fox, Kathleen Turner, Jamie Lee Curtis, Christopher Reeves and as Jessica Alba's father in the film, “Honey”. Sherwood has worked with such illustrious film directors as Sidney Lumet (nominated for 5 Oscars), Ted Kotcheff (executive producer of “Law & Order”) and Michael Crichton, (creator/writer “ER” and “Jurassic Park”).

Anthony Sherwood is an actor, film producer, director, social activist and dynamic public speaker who has received numerous national and international awards. His production company specializes in producing documentary films dealing with social justice and human rights issues. He has also produced and directed many successful documentary films including “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” and “Nowhere to Run” and “Mozambique – A Land of Hope”.

Anthony Sherwood has produced many projects promoting African-Canadian history. His film, “Honour before Glory” is the story of Canada’s one and only all-black military battalion that was formed during World War I. The film won a Gemini Award and a prize at the Hollywood Black Film Festival in Los Angeles. His documentary “Music – A Family Tradition” won a Gemini Award (Canada’s most prestigious television award) and was nominated for an International Emmy Award. His documentary film, “100 Years of Faith” is the story of one of Canada’s oldest black churches and was featured at the Caribbean International Film Festival in Barbados

Anthony Sherwood has a deep commitment to telling stories from African-Canadian history. He was a member of the consultant committee for the Underground Railroad Exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum. Mr. Sherwood also produced the original stage production entitled, “Follow the North Star” for the Government of Canada. “Follow the North Star” was produced in 2008 to commemorate the 175th Anniversary of British Imperial Act of 1833 – The Act to Abolish Slavery in the British Empire. The show was presented in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Most recently in February 2011, Sherwood produced several 30 second television advertisements for Black History Month for the Government of Canada. Mr. Sherwood has also developed educational plays for Black History Month, including “William Hall” which was presented to schools in Toronto and Halifax and at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa

The performing arts are deeply rooted in Anthony Sherwood’s family tree. Anthony was born in Halifax as was his mother and grandfather. His grandmother was an accomplished musician and music teacher, his mother was a singer, and his aunt was Portia White, Canada’s first and most famous Black opera singer.

Sherwood began his acting career on stage and started in musical theatre. He starred in such musicals as “Ain’t Misbehavin’”, “Cabaret”, “Razz ‘M Jazz, “The Music Man” and recently performed in the hit musical “Dreamgirls” at the Grand Theatre in London. He has written and directed for the stage as well including original musical productions, Ain’t Got No Money, in Vancouver, Once Upon A Stage and Razz M` Jazz in Montreal, and But I Was Cool in Toronto. Anthony has directed and produced many successful music concerts including the World AIDS Day Concert in 2005 which was the largest music concert for World AIDS Day in Canada.

For seven years, Sherwood was also the host for the documentary series “Forbidden Places” on the Discovery Channel. He also wrote and directed several episodes. “Forbidden Places” was nominated for Best Documentary Series on Canadian television for two years in a row. Anthony was also the host and writer for the television talk-show, “In the Black” on OMNI Television. “In The Black” was the first program on Canadian television that featured exclusive interviews with prominent African-Canadians.

American audiences will remember Anthony as Jason Locke in the popular American television series, “Airwolf”. For five successful seasons, he portrayed the character of Dillon Beck on the C.B.C. award-winning television drama, “Street Legal” and received a Gemini Award nomination for his performance.

Mr. Sherwood has also been recognized as a dedicated social activist. He is the former National Chairman of the March 21 Campaign for the Government of Canada. March 21 is the International Day for the Elimination of Racism. Mr. Sherwood has hosted the Stop Racism Concert in Vancouver with special guest Prince Charles and the Royal Family, and the 1999 Canada Day Celebration on Parliament Hill for former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. In 1980, Sherwood formed the first group of black actors to lobby the television industry for greater representation of visible minority performers. Anthony Sherwood has received international recognition and awards for his efforts in raising awareness to the importance of racial equality.

Awards

  • 1998 Martin Luther King Achievement Award
  • 1998 Brampton Arts Acclaim Award
  • 2000 Urban Alliance on Race Relations Award
  • 2002 African-Canadian Achievement Award
  • 2006 North American Black Historical Museum & Cultural Centre Award
  • 2006 Planet Africa Award
  • 2008 Harry Jerome Award

Past Appointments

  • Member of Board of Directors of Alliance of Canadian Television and Radio Artists
  • Member of Board of Directors of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television
  • Member of Board of Directors of the Ontario Black History Society
  • President of Obsidian Theatre Company
  • Consultant for the YTV Achievement Awards
  • National Co-Chairman for March 21 Campaign for The Federal Government

Film Credits

“100 YEARS OF FAITH”

  • Producer, Writer, Director
  • Selected to represent Canada at the Caribbean International Film Festival
  • Barbados, April, 2008

“HONOUR BEFORE GLORY”

  • Producer, Writer, Director
  • C.B.C. Television
  • Television Broadcast Date: Nov. 6, 2001
  • Awards:
    • 2002 Hollywood Black Film Festival Award
    • 2002 Gemini Award (Canada’s most prestigious television award)

“MUSIC – A FAMILY TRADITION”

  • Producer, Creator
  • One Hour Musical Documentary
  • CBC Television
  • Awards:
    • 1997 Gemini Award
    • Nominated for International Emmy Award

“MOZAMBIQUE – A LAND OF HOPE”

  • Producer, Writer, Director, Narrator
  • One Hour Documentary Special about HIV/AIDS in Mozambique, Africa
  • Presented at the World AIDS Conference – August, 2006

“KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR”

  • Producer, Writer, Director
  • February, 2009

“NOWHERE TO RUN”

  • Producer, Writer, Director, Narrator
  • One Hour Documentary Special about the global crisis of landmines
  • Filmed in Cambodia, Bosnia & Africa OMNI Television

“FORBIDDEN PLACES”

  • Writer, Director, Host, Narrator
  • One hour documentary for the Discovery Channel
  • Episode - "PROFILERS"
  • Episode - "R.C.M.P. Academy"
  • Episode - "Food Technology"

Television Production Credits

“FORBIDDEN PLACES”

  • Writer, Director, Host, Narrator
  • One hour documentary for the Discovery Channel (1993-2000)
  • Nominated for Gemini Award for Best Documentary
  • Television Series on Canadian Television

“IN THE BLACK”

  • Writer, Host
  • OMNI Television (2003-2005)
  • The first talk-show on Canadian television featuring exclusive interviews with prominent Black Canadians.

TELEVISION PSA’s – Black History Month

Black History Month – February, 2011

  • Producer, Writer, Director
  • Series of 30 second PSA’s
  • Sponsor: Citizenship & Immigration Canada

“WILLIAM HALL”

  • Producer, Writer, Director
  • 60 second Public Service Announcement
  • Black History Month

“THE BLACK BATTALION”

  • Producer, Writer, Director
  • 60 second Public Service Announcement
  • Black History Month