Michael Polley is the Anglo-Canadian actor best known for his connection to the actress-director
Sarah Polley, the child of his
late wife,
Diane Polley. The English-born Polley studied acting during the 1950s; one of his classmates,
Albert Finney, compared the profession of acting to that of bricklaying.
Polley emigrated to Canada, settling in the Toronto metropolitan area, and practiced his craft on the stage. He married Diane MacMillian, and the couple had four children, including actor
Mark Polley and producer
John Buchan, before Sarah was born when both were in their forties.
Michael Polley supported his family as an insurance agent, but when young Sarah's career took off, he was there for her, acting as a
guardian for her on sets, such as
Terry Gilliam's
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), in which he had a bit part. Michael is best known as an actor for his recurring role as the town doctor on his daughter's TV series
Avonlea (1990).
Michael's relationship to Sarah was explored in her documentary
Stories We Tell (2012).
Stories We Tell(2012)
If I Were You(2012)as Second Lear
Len and Hugo(2006)as Edward
Slings and Arrows(2003)as Frank
The Life Before This(1999)as Theatre Director
