Leo Alan Orenstein (c. 1919 – 5 February 2009) was a Canadian director, producer and writer who worked primarily in television and theatre. At CBC Television alone, he was director or producer in over 150 works there, many of which were adaptations of works by such authors as Chekhov, Ibsen, George Bernard Shaw and Ionesco.
Anything that is the least bit controversial is considered dangerous. The agency men are always worried that some group is going to holler. As a result, real conflicts are missing from TV drama, and instead we have cardboard figures in implausible situations. (from a 1959 interview with the Toronto Star)
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Fact
1
Along with his own original works, he produced adaptations of works by Chekhov, Ibsen, Ionesco, and Shaw.
2
He started out writing radio dramas in the USA. He returned to Canada as a theater producer in Toronto.
3
He was a writer. director, and producer who created more than 150 dramas for the CBC. He worked for both stage and screen throughout his career. He was also a painter, illustrator, and teacher.
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Starlost
1973
TV Series 2 episodes
Festival
1967
TV Series 1 episode
Have Figure, Will Travel
1963
as Alan Overton
Playdate
1961-1962
TV Series 3 episodes
Encounter
1954-1961
TV Series 21 episodes
Play of the Week
1961
TV Series 1 episode
The Unforeseen
1959
TV Series 1 episode
On Camera
1957
TV Series 2 episodes
Playbill
1954
TV Series 1 episode
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Festival
1967
TV Series producer - 1 episode
Playdate
1962-1963
TV Series producer - 5 episodes
Q for Quest
1961
TV Series producer - 1 episode
Encounter
1954-1961
TV Series producer - 16 episodes
On Camera
1957-1958
TV Series producer - 4 episodes
First Performance
1956
TV Series producer - 1 episode
Producers' Workshop
1955
TV Series documentary producer - 1 episode
Playbill
1954
TV Series producer - 1 episode
Ad and Lib
1954
TV Series producer
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Playdate
1963
TV Series teleplay - 1 episode
Encounter
TV Series 3 episodes, 1957 - 1959 teleplay - 2 episodes, 1954 - 1956 writer - 1 episode, 1955
$20 Million
