Trent Gough(1937-2016)

Trent Gough was born in Sasketchwan, Canada and raised in Ottawa where he was childhood friends with the Emmy-winning impressionist Rich Little. In the late 1950s Mr. Gough, together with Mr. Little, founded the first theatre company in Ottawa where he produced many award-winning plays including William Saroyan's "The Cave Dwellers". During this period he was an early mentor to the teenage singer/songwriter Paul Anka.

In the early 1960s Mr. Gough relocated to Europe where he worked extensively in London and Rome. At Cinecitta Studios Mr. Gough participated in the dubbing of numerous European films for North American release, including the cult classic "Maciste In Hell". In addition to performing as an actor he also served as dubbing director on many films.

Relocating to the United States in the late 1960s, Mr. Gough studied at HB Studios under Elaine May (Academy Award nominee) and Bill Hickey (Academy Award nominee). During this period he acted in films that included John Huston's "Reflections In A Golden Eye," Mel Brooks' "The Producers" (Academy Award winner), Elia Kazan's "The Arrangement" and Sidney Lumet's "Serpico" (Academy Award nominee).

At the encouragement of a number of contemporaries, Mr. Gough began teaching acting and script development workshops, first in conjunction with the National Association of Television Arts & Sciences, and then at his own school which was unique in that participation was by invitation only. Among his many well- known students were producers Thom Mount ("Natural Born Killers"), James Schamus ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" - Academy Award Nominee) and Craig Zadan ("Chicago" - Academy Award winner); directors Lawrence Kasdan ("The Accidental Tourist" - Academy Award nominee) and Darnell Martin ("I Like It Like That"); songwriter Jack Hammer ("Great Balls Of Fire"); screenwriters Dean Pitchford ("Footloose" - Academy Award nominee) and Suzan-Lori Parks ("Their Eyes Were Watching God" - Emmy Nominee); and the actors James Spader ("Sex, Lies, And Videotape" - Best Actor, Cannes Film Festival), Jeff Daniels ("Radio Days"), Mercedes Ruehl ("The Fisher King" - Academy Award winner), Chazz Palminteri ("Bullets Over Broadway" - Academy Award nominee) and Alan Rachins ("L.A. Law" - Emmy Nominee), among many others.

Mr. Gough's classes were well-respected by his contemporaries, many who readily appeared as guest lecturers. These individuals included directors Brian DePalma ("The Untouchables" - Academy Award winner), Otto Preminger ("Laura" - Academy Award nominee), Robert Benton ("Kramer Vs. Kramer" - Academy Award winner), Ivan Passer ("The Wishing Tree" - Emmy nominee) and Jan Kadar ("The Shop On Main Street" - Academy Award winner); along with best-selling author Michael Crichton (Academy Award winner).

In the mid-1980s, after years of acting in an unofficial advisory role, Mr. Gough turned his attention to providing casting services to feature films, commercials and plays, as Actors Unlimited Casting Service. As a casting director Mr. Gough specialized in working with foreign directors shooting in the United States for the first time working with such directors as Jing Wong & Corey Yuen ("Casino Raiders") from Hong Kong and Iran's Amir Naderi ("Manhattan By Numbers"). He also provided casting services for Merchant Ivory's "Roseland" among other films.

At the start of 2003 Mr. Gough expanded his horizons once more and became the founder and publisher of the consumer publication North American Film Review which has been favorably compared to Sight & Sound and Cahiers du Cinema.