A refreshing look at John Dunsworth

“Mr. Lahey, is that you?!” hailed a University of Guelph construction worker from his backhoe. He quickly jumped out of his machine with near tears in his eyes’ ecstatic to meet his television hero. While walking across campus grounds and at Nashville North the night before this interview, it kept happening over and over again. Not once was there a John or Dunsworth mentioned. Although Dunsworth has been acting since the 60s and has received several awards, including a Gemini, his most well-known role to date is trailer park supervisor Mr. Lahey. However, the constant recognition does not deter Dunsworth in the slightest. He remains loyal and humble to any fan he meets along the way, no matter how they address him. While stopped at The Cannon, Dunsworth even struck a conversation with a professor who was retiring that day. Dunsworth will chat about anything from the beautiful stone being used in construction at Zavitz and how he’d love to have some at his shop, his love of Volvos, or any other topic.
“I’m a person, not a grad at Guelph. […] I discovered my love of acting at the University of Guelph playing Shylock in 1968 and I remember walking across by War Memorial Hall,” said Dunsworth. “I remember thinking what my character ate, how he moved, how he walked. […] throwing yourself into the study of another character in another time, whether it’s a make believe character in present day situational comedy, or whatever, but just [being] able to use your imagination. That to me is the big thing about acting.”
Once Dunsworth arrived at the lower Massey Hall stage, he did not hold back. Without a word, he hopped on stage and started a monologue for an audience of two. Forty-seven years ago Dunsworth was on the same stage rehearsing the familiar lines from Othello.
Another actor and director closely associated with the University of Guelph is Daniel MacIvor. In the past, he has visited Guelph as a guest lecturer and is associated with several members of the theatre faculty. What many do not know, is that John Dunsworth taught Daniel MacIvor at Dalhousie University and directed his first play, Blue Bells. MacIvor has gone on to become one of Canada’s most famous and renowned playwrights, and has received the Governor General’s Award for Drama.
“I think what my message mostly is, is one of positivity. I’m not afraid to say it’s a lot of hard work and a lot of patience and disappointments, but it’s worth it,” said Dunsworth when asked to give advice to future actors. “Man, to be able to have a job where you’re allowed [to] create something is where it’s at as far as I’m concerned. Some people study acting because they want to teach, some want to write and direct and want to know what it feels like. Some people are narcissistic and think they are the coolest sh*t in the world. The only actors that I really like to work with […] are people who like the experience of developing a character and living in a land of make-believe for a while and they don’t do it for any reason other than it’s exciting to do,” said Dunsworth.
After four years, Dunsworth’s time at Guelph came to an end.
“I have to confess I did play Forty-Five’s in the card room in the basement of Massey Hall which chagrins me to remember because that’s why I didn’t do well the first time at university,” said Dunsworth. “I used to get up early in the morning to get to the card room and play bridge at Dalhousie.”
While Dunsworth may have left university early, it did not stop him from finding success elsewhere—Dunsworth is an accomplished actor, writer, and proud community member.
“I just never said no to an opportunity. If someone needed help with an auction, I became an auctioneer. If someone needed help promoting something, I promoted it,” said Dunsworth. “Lately, I’ve been producing and I don’t even need to have my name on it. I helped out with a stage show this year and sort of became the angel.”
It was only recently that Dunsworth has made the choice not to be publicly political or speak about politics—however, he did have some advice to offer on the importance of voting.
“Last night I exhorted the people to vote. I didn’t say who to vote for, I just said come on it’s up to you,” said Dunsworth.
Dunsworth is now working on his second book, and is acting in the last season of the television show Haven, which is based on the novel The Colorado Kid by Stephen King.
Furthermore, Dunsworth mentioned that he only watches Netflix at home, and talked about the potential awkwardness of watching The Trailer Park Boys with his wife.
“I haven’t seen all of The Trailer Park Boys, mostly because I’m embarrassed my wife may come up and join me,” said Dunsworth. “If I came out blue out of the tub with no clothes or had the Davy Crocket fur jacket on with a fur hat on while Randy was there, with a toilet paper roll on my penis – I don’t want her to see me that way. She shakes her head at my shenanigans.”
Dunsworth is a father of four. Two of his daughters, Sarah and Molly, are both actresses. He rarely drinks, and holds his family in the highest regard. Yes, he was on stage throwing out hamburgers at Nashville North the night before, but before that he was on the set of Haven. Lahey will eventually end, but John Dunsworth has, is, and always will be a staple of Canada long after The Trailer Park Boys.
The last part of the interview was left open for Dunsworth to say something to the students at U of G.
“What you know is that credit cards are bad, and that if you get behind the 8-ball you’re in real trouble, and that you have to declare your taxes every year or you’re in big trouble—and that you have to pick the right people to hang around with because if you pick people you know are going to be sh*t weasels, you’re going to be a sh*t weasel. We are products of what we learn and who teaches us.”