Kevin Tierney

Kevin Tierney
Tierney in October 2008
Born(1950-08-27)August 27, 1950
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
DiedMay 12, 2018(2018-05-12) (aged 67)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Known forMovie Producer
Notable workBon Cop, Bad Cop
AwardsGenie Award for Best Motion Picture

Kevin Tierney (August 27, 1950 – May 12, 2018) was a Canadian film producer from Montreal who co-wrote and produced the most popular Canadian film of all time at the domestic box office, Bon Cop, Bad Cop, for which he earned a Golden Reel, the Genie Award for Best Motion Picture in 2007. He is a former vice-chair of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and former chair of the board of Cinémathèque québécoise.[1][2]

With characters trading lines in both English and French, Tierney saw Bon Cop, Bad Cop as a normal Canadian plot line about a Sûreté du Québec cop teaming up with an Ontario Provincial Police investigator: "When I first heard the premise of this movie from Patrick Huard ... how the hell did we not already make this movie? It’s ridiculous." Tierney returned to the language theme in 2011 by directing the movie French Immersion.[1][3]

Tierney also produced other titles including Varian's War, One Dead Indian, Good Neighbours and Twist. In addition to the big screen, Tierney produced several television (mini)series, including Barnum, Bonanno: The Story of a Godfather, Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City and The Memoirs of Pierre Trudeau.[4][5] He also executive produced the TV movie Choice: The Henry Morgentaler Story.

Tierney also wrote an arts column in the Montreal Gazette newspaper.[6]

In addition to professional recognition, Tierney received a Sheila and Victor Goldbloom Distinguished Community Service Award in 2013 as a community leader.[7] At the 7th Canadian Screen Awards in 2019, he received a posthumous Board of Directors Tribute Award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.[8]

Personal life and death

Tierney was raised in Montreal, and graduated from Concordia University and McGill University. He then taught English as a second or foreign language (ESL) in Chad and China. Tierney learned Standard French at age 24 while teaching in Algeria.[1][9]

He is the father of Canadian actor and director Jacob Tierney. He produced Jacob's 2009 film The Trotsky.

Tierney died of cancer on May 12, 2018, surrounded by his family.[1][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "'Bon Cop, Bad Cop' producer Kevin Tierney dead at 67". The Canadian Press. May 12, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  2. ^ Brownstein, Bill (April 23, 2018). "Brownstein: Montreal filmmaker Kevin Tierney to face the ultimate fire". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on May 13, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Kevin Tierney, producer of Bon Cop, Bad Cop, dead at 67". CBC News. May 12, 2018. Archived from the original on May 13, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  4. ^ Brownstein, Bill (May 12, 2018). "Montreal filmmaker and Gazette columnist Kevin Tierney dies at 67". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on May 13, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  5. ^ Vlessing, Etan (May 13, 2018). "Kevin Tierney, Canadian Film and TV Producer, Dies at 67". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  6. ^ Chodan, Lucinda (September 16, 2016). "Editor's notebook: Meet new arts columnist Kevin Tierney". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on May 13, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  7. ^ "2013 Goldbloom Awards". Quebec Community Groups Network. 27 May 2016. Archived from the original on May 13, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  8. ^ "Canadian Screen Awards announce special honorees". News 1130 CKWX, January 15, 2019.
  9. ^ "C'est la Vie April 16 & 18, 2010". CBC. Retrieved May 12, 2018.