Wednesday October 13, 2021 | NATIONAL
Posted by Island Social Trends | Editor: Mary P Brooke
Canada Post is paying tribute to one of the world’s most distinguished actors, Christopher Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) with a custom commemorative stamp.
The stamps and collectibles go on sale October 14, 2021 at canadapost.ca and at post offices across Canada. The booklet of 10 domestic rate stamps presently sell for $9.20 each. Other collectibles include a framed pane of domestic rate stamps, a pane of six stamps, and the official first day cover.
Impressive career:
In a career that spanned 75 years, Plummer appeared in more than 200 films, television movies and mini-series, and performed on stages from Broadway to the Stratford Festival, where he captivated audiences in a long list of impressive leading roles including Henry V, Macbeth and Hamlet.
While Plummer (born in Toronto and raised mostly in Montreal) distinguished himself among his peers as one of the most accomplished classical stage actors of his time, and built an impressive film career. The Canadian actor passed away at age 91 in February of this year.
From Stage Struck (1958), to The Insider (1999), to the movie that made him a household name, The Sound of Music (1965), Plummer appeared in an incredibly diverse range of films. He enjoyed playing unexpected roles, too – from voicing the obsessive villain Charles Muntz in the animated film Up (2009) to bringing panache to Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) as the Shakespeare-quoting Klingon, General Chang. His popularity grew as he embraced his golden years, winning praise for stand-out performances, including All the Money in the World (2017) and Knives Out (2019).
Plummer earned countless awards and honours for his work. He is among a select group – and the only Canadian – to achieve the triple crown of acting, in his case by taking home two Emmys, two Tonys and an Academy Award, which he won at age 82 for his supporting role in Beginners (2010). He was also appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada.
When Canada Post first approached Plummer in 2019 about the custom stamp, he was reportedly thrilled at the prospect of being featured on a Canadian stamp. He was consulted in the process from the very beginning and personally approved the stamp design.
About the stamp issue:
Designed by Stephen Slipp and printed by Colour Innovations, the stamp features illustrations by Spooky Pooka depicting the actor in several of his most celebrated roles, chosen by Plummer himself (from left to right):
- King Lear in King Lear
- Rudyard Kipling in The Man Who Would Be King
- Prospero in The Tempest (foreground)
- Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music
- John Barrymore in Barrymore
The moody, tempestuous background of the stamp design is symbolic of the drama he brought to the stage and screen. The stamp issue includes a booklet of 10 Permanent™ domestic rate stamps, an Official First Day Cover (OFDC), a pane of six stamps and a limited edition framed pane.
The Christopher Plummer stamp and collectibles will be available on canadapost.ca and at post offices starting October 14. For images and more information on these and other products, refer to the following links:
- Video featuring the work of Christopher Plummer (click here)
- In-depth article on the Canada Post magazine (click here)
- High-resolution images (click here)
- Details magazine (click here and this external folder)
- Social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Other recent special stamps:
Last week Canada Post honoured editorial cartoonists on custom stamps: Bruce MacKinnon, Duncan Macpherson, Terry Mosher, Brian Gable, and Serge Chapleau, saying their thought-provoking and seminal work has helped shape our national fabric over the last half-century.
===== LOCAL CANADA POST ARTICLES:
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Canada Post community mailbox management & municipal responsibilities (July 17, 2021)
Post-pandemic social anxiety in dogs leads to incidents for Canada Post delivery agents (July 17, 2021)
Canada Post employees require safety around dogs (July 12, 2021)
Canada Post on relocating retail outlet within Westshore Town Centre (April 19, 2021)
COVID pushes Canada Post outlet to new location in Langford (April 16, 2021)