TWICE IN A LIFETIME

AL WAXMAN

as

“JUDGE OTHNIEL”

In the television series Twice in a Lifetime, shooting in Toronto, the well-known Canadian actor, Al Waxman, plays a character who is over 3,000 years old. But he’s not at all decrepit. He has the round, pink cheeks and twinkling eyes that make Al Waxman such an instantly recognizable television star.

Waxman is Judge Othniel from the Book of Judges in the Bible. He is a celestial being for whom 3,000 years is just a wink in time. His role in the universe is to judge newly deceased souls. He decides whether they go on to a higher level of existence – or if they go back to Earth to relive parts of their lives. He is dressed in regal, judge’s robes and pounds his mighty gavel. When the gavel sounds, people are swept back into the past and have three days to rebuild relationships, correct character flaws and change their destiny.

But not even Judge Othniel’s life is that simple. He is also a father figure to a fledgling, somewhat rebellious guardian angel, Mr. Smith, played by Paul Popowich. Smith has attitude. He often questions Othniel’s judgments. Smith is convinced that some of the souls are incorrigible – and don’t deserve a second chance. Othniel, on the other hand, has a stronger faith in human nature and man’s inherent capacity for goodness and justice.

Smith struggles to understand the human quest and man’s role in the universe. Judge Othniel helps and guides him.

“I play a character who is just like a typical father whose patience is tried again and again by his children,” says Waxman. “Othniel is caring and concerned but he also has clashes and disagreements with Smith. Othniel is really more than just a heavenly figure; he is complex like a human being. “

Waxman says that Twice in a Lifetime is unlike anything else on TV today because “it allows for many layers of discussion and exploration.”

Because Twice in a Lifetime has a different guest star, story and situations every week, it is an anthology series.

“It is a brand new movie every week,” says Waxman. “Instead of having the same five or six characters – like most TV series today, Twice in a Lifetime can go into so many different directions.”

In his long and successful acting career, Waxman has certainly stretched himself in many directions. Waxman was a regular on CBC children’s radio in 1949. Not long after television started in Canada in 1952, he began acting on CBC television dramas. Since that time, Waxman has either acted in or directed over 1000 radio, television, film and theatre productions.

Waxman was the star of the CBC series King of Kensington, co-starred in the CBS series Cagney & Lacey and numerous television movies and feature films. He guest starred on episodic TV on all the networks in Canada and the U.S. Twice in a Lifetime is his seventh TV series.

Waxman has received 10 industry award nominations for acting excellence. He was awarded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal in 1978, the Order of Ontario in 1996 and the Order of Canada in 1997.

For more information please contact:

Betty Palik, Director Communications

Muse Entertainment Enterprises

Tel: 514-866-6873

Fax: 514-876-3987

e-mail: bpalik@muse.ca

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