Stephen McHattie
A character actor with a face like weathered granite and a voice like gravel, he has defined menace and melancholy in hundreds of film and TV roles.
Born 1947 (age 79)·Canadian actor·Birthday: February 3·Baby Boomers
Biography
Stephen McHattie emerged from the Canadian theater scene in the early 1970s, bringing an intense, almost spectral presence to the screen. His career is a map of North American genre filmmaking, from cult horror to gritty police procedurals. Directors like David Cronenberg and Bruce McDonald repeatedly tapped him for his ability to convey profound unease with minimal dialogue. While he never sought leading-man status, his supporting turns—whether as a haunted detective on 'Cold Squad' or a sinister figure in 'Pontypool'—are often the most memorable parts of the project. McHattie built a legacy not on fame, but on the consistent, chilling potency of his performances, making him a secret weapon for filmmakers seeking authentic darkness.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Stephen was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Stephen Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Stephen's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Accumulated over 200 acting credits across film, television, and theater since 1970.
- Played a central role as Sgt. Frank Coscarella on the long-running Canadian series 'Cold Squad'.
- Collaborated with esteemed directors including Darren Aronofsky in 'The Fountain' and David Cronenberg in 'A History of Violence'.
- Won a Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role for 'The Life'.
Did You Know?
He was born in 1946, not 1947, as is sometimes incorrectly listed.
He studied at the National Theatre School of Canada.
He provided the voice for the villainous Menno in the animated series 'Æon Flux'.
He played two different roles in separate episodes of the original 'The Twilight Zone' series.
“I'm drawn to the roles that live in the shadows, the ones that aren't quite right.”
