James O'Regan ~ Biography

James O'Regan has more slashes to his name than Freddie from Nightmare on Elm Street: actor/writer/producer/editor/theologian/liturgy consultant/special event consultant/symbol grammar strategist/communications generalist - it all depends on who's listening. These activities are more or less synonymous.

Canadian viewers will remember his acting best from his many comic commercials like: the ENO guy, the double-talking mechanic for Canadian Tire, the stern boss with steam coming out his ears for Nutriwhip, or the dad who gets punched in the head by the big baby for Granada. US viewers will remember his nose from the Dunkin' Donuts new coffee campaign or as the squeezable cheese and french fry guy for Fleischmann's. For the first quarter of 1997, Canadian viewers will recognize him as the very odd Dad in the Molson Canadian "stubby beer bottle" campaign, "It's alright. We freeze 'em!"

Television viewers world-wide will recognize him as Abner Jefferies, comic town constable on CBC/Disney's Road to Avonlea. He plays the smart aleck neighbour, Carl Jones, on the never-ending TVO series Renovating: The Inside Story. He has appeared in almost every TV series shot in Canada including Top Cops, Katts & Dog, ENG, Hitchcock, Twilight Zone, Street Legal, T&T, Friday the 13th, and a comedy pilot Peeping Tom playing a cross-dresser!

His film work includes the recent spoof Two's a Mob, Marciano, Hurt Penguins, Edsville, Blue City Slammers, Clarence, Dream Team, Sea of Love, Anne of Green Gables II, Jane of Lantern Hill, and Les Années noires for la Société Radio Canada(SRC).

He has written for all media: stage plays (Eschaton), screenplays (A Charmed Life, Edsville, True Life), television (True Life), television skits (The Great Baby Potato Hunt), ad copy for all media, radio plays (Joe Samedi) and commentary (The Food Show, CBA's Information Morning), and articles (Harrowsmith), business (Co-op Atlantic, ACOA). He also contributes to academic journals, most recently to Ephemerides Liturgicae. Mr. O'Regan has produced in theatre, radio, television and film. He has been a PR consultant for the arts and business. He offers communications training for religious and secular organizations.

Many of those slashes came together when Mr. O'Regan conceived, co-wrote, script-edited, produced and acted (playing a priest) in the short comedy film, Edsville.

The film, about a couple that stumbles upon a town of Ed Sullivan impersonators, won a Spanish gold medal (Jabega de Oro 1991) for the world's best comedy short and was nominated for both a 1991 Golden Sheaf Award and a 1991 Genie Award for Best Short. Edsville was also the first short film to generate box office revenue in repertory cinemas across Canada with a theatrical audience of 10,000. It played in 15 festivals world-wide and had its prime-time network premiere on CBC, January 18, 1992. With a 14 share and 1.02M viewers, it outdrew all CBC comedies for the week. Edsville had its US premiere in New York over Christmas 1992. It continues to play theatrically in Canada and the US.

Mr. O'Regan recently scripted a feature length fantasy comedy film, True Life, now on the market in Los Angeles and is currently developing television, film and new media creative.