Peter Spence

Born in Toronto, Peter was sent by his high school drama teacher to audition for a new CBC television series. He won the regular leading role of Sydney Lowe in the popular war time series Home Fires (1980 - 1983). Upon wrapping Home Fires Peter enrolled in York University's Film program but dropped out four days later after being cast in two feature films back to back, by accomplished directors - Unfinished Business (1984), directed by Don Owen, for which he was nominated for a Genie Award as best supporting actor and The Bay Boy (1984), directed by Daniel Petrie, in which he played the first of two roles as Kiefer Sutherland's on-screen big brother and which won the 1985 Genie award for Best Motion Picture. In 1984, Peter moved to study acting at New York's prestigious Circle in the Square theater school, sharing an apartment with Sutherland, and actors Leah Pinsent and Rus Blackwell. In 1985 Peter was offered the role of Cleveland in the feature Crazy Moon and convinced Sutherland to come on board, thus reuniting them as screen brothers for the second time in as many years. Afterwards he followed Sutherland to Los Angeles and lived with him for a time in Donald Sutherland's vacant townhouse/office in Marina Del Rey. Peter won the title role in the HBO after-school special The Truth About Alex (1986) opposite Scott Baio. In it he played Alex Prager, a small-town, gay high school football all-star, who is forced to come out after being attacked in a public washroom. The show was the first of its kind aimed at a young audience to tackle the issue of homosexuality and went on to win a Gemini award for Best Short Drama. Peter returned to Toronto after The Truth About Alex, appearing in several movies of the week and guest starring in a variety of roles in episodic television. He resides in Toronto today with his wife and daughter.