Biography

John Howe (August 30, 1926 – August 18, 2008) was a Canadian director, producer, and composer with the National Film Board of Canada. He is best known for his films Do Not Fold, Staple, Spindle or Mutilate and Why Rock the Boat?, and for his handling of the NFB’s 1969 Austerity Crisis.

John Thomas Howe was born in Toronto, the son of Thomas and Margret Ogilvy (Manzie) Howe. At age 18, he joined the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, saw action in Europe, and in 1946, left the service with the rank of Captain. Upon his return to Canada, he went to the University of Toronto, graduating in 1950.

While in university, Howe worked as a director's assistant at the Canadian Repertory Theatre, and as a freelance reporter for the CBC. He also appeared in two episodes of two CBC television series: Space Command and Encounter. In 1955, he was hired by the National Film Board of Canada where he stayed for 28 years, directing, producing, and/or writing 52 films, some in both English and French. He was also a keen composer and wrote the music for some of his productions.

Howe was very active in industry associations. In addition to his memberships with the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), and the Directors Guild of America, he was past president of the Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), past president (board, film division) of the Canada Council for the Arts and past president of the Syndicat général du cinéma et de la télévision (SGCT). The latter was the union of all NFB production staff and Howe was its president during the Austerity Crisis of 1969.