Al Waxman The King of Kensington

Remembering the King of Kensington: Al Waxman

On my walk through Pardes Shalom Cemetery — “Pardes” meaning orchard in Hebrew — in Vaughan, Ontario, I came across the grave of one of Canada’s most beloved actors: Al Waxman, the King of Kensington.

Albert Samuel Waxman was born in Toronto, the son of Polish immigrants who ran a modest lunch counter called Melinda Lunch. It was located across from the old Globe and Mail building at 44 Front Street, near Spadina.

Al fell in love with acting after watching The Al Jolson Story. He was so captivated, he claimed to have sat through the film 27 times. It was in that darkened theatre that Al knew what he wanted to do with his life.

Despite resistance from his family, Waxman saved enough to pursue acting abroad, studying in New York and London in the early 1960s.

After a few unsuccessful attempts to break into Hollywood, he returned home to Canada — where the role of a lifetime was waiting. In 1975, he starred in the CBC sitcom King of Kensington, a show that ran for five years and 111 episodes. With an audience of 1.5 million viewers a week, it turned Al — along with co-star Fiona Reid — into Canadian acting royalty.

That success paved the way for his acclaimed role in the CBS drama Cagney & Lacey in the 1980s, further solidifying his place on both sides of the border.

Sadly, Al Waxman died in Toronto on January 18, 2001. He was only 65.

The inscription on his grave reads as follows:

He lived his life with passion, integrity, Tzedakah (charitable giving) and profound joy in his art.

1935-2001