MONTREAL - Actor Eugene Levy is thrilled to be getting a Governor General's lifetime achievement award but don't try packing him off to a home for old comedians any time soon.
"I firmly believe my best work is still ahead of me so I'm not sure what this means," he said in a telephone interview with The Canadian Press from his California home.
"I think once the awards start rolling out your way, people are trying to tell you something possibly, but I'm not ready for retirement right now."
The Hamilton, Ont.-born SCTV alumnus did allow that getting the Governor General's Performing Arts Award is "quite an honour."
Levy, 62, was one of six lifetime-achievement recipients announced Wednesday for what's described as Canada's most prestigious artistic honour.
Other honorees are Quebec rocker Michel Pagliaro, filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin, director and choreographer Brian Macdonald, pianist Anton Kuerti and playwright John Murrell.
The Tragically Hip are this year's recipient of the National Arts Centre Award for exceptional achievement during the past performance year, while Eric Charman will get the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for volunteerism in the performing arts.
Pagliaro, described as a key figure in the evolution of of pop music during the last 40 years, was pleased to get the recognition.
"This is the first time I get an award that prestigious," he said in an interview. "I've never been to a Juno or I've never been nominated or anything like that. It's not something I'm used to and it's something I accept gladly.
"I'm happy they thought of me but basically I don't do music to get trophies. I play music because I enjoy it and if it's come out to this point where other people have enjoyed it that much and they feel I deserve an award, then great."
The awards will be presented May 2 at Rideau Hall by Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean. Each recipient gets $25,000 and a commemorative medallion struck by the Royal Canadian Mint.
Attending the awards ceremony in Ottawa will be just one of the Canadian stops for the U.S.-based Levy, who will be in Toronto on May 5 to do a benefit show for the Second City alumni fund.
That will put him back on stage with cohorts Joe Flaherty, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short and Dave Thomas from the groundbreaking SCTV, which ran in the 1980s.
The gathering, which will also include other members from past Second City theatre troupes, is a benefit to raise money for Second City alumni who have fallen on hard times.
Levy said it's possible that some favourite characters like lounge lizard Bobby Bittman or dimwitted newscaster Earl Camembert will be there but he's not sure what the show will look like.
"I wish I knew," he said. "I think it's going to be very loose because there's not a lot of rehearsal time for it but I think that is one of the elements that should make it a really kind of a fun night."
He acknowledged that one alumnus - John Candy - will be missed. Candy died of heart problems in 1994.
"I think that's why there's never been any serious talk about a reunion," Levy said. "This is a special kind of event and we're all getting together to raise some money for what we think is a great cause but it's hard to think of a true reunion without John there.
"He's always thought about, just about every day."
Levy, who has appeared in a slew of films including the "American Pie" teen flicks, says a lot of today's comedy movies "elude" him.
"There haven't been a lot of comedies that I have found truly funny," he said. "I think maybe the sensibility just appeals to a different age group."
He grew up watching the popular 1950s TV comedy of Jackie Gleason, Phil Silvers, and Ernie Kovacs, and says Jack Benny's work particularly struck him. He was especially tickled to the way Benny would react to funny situations in his show.
"If I've borrowed consciously or subconsciously from anyone, it's possibly Jack Benny because reactive comedy is something I really love doing," he said. "I love being the reacter."
Levy's next film appearance will be as the villain in the kid movie "Gooby," which was shot last year in Toronto.
As he readies to come and pick up his lifetime achievement award, Levy advises anyone wanting to get into show business to realize that despite its upside, it's a tough gig with no security and lots of rejection.
"You've got to feel it in your heart," he said. "You've got to be driven to do this kind of work and you have to believe in yourself because it's not the easiest thing to do if you, say, like eating."
Recipients of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards were announced Wednesday.
Lifetime artistic achievement awards are going to:
- Eugene Levy: Hamilton, Ont.,-born comedian and actor known for roles in TV shows such as "SCTV" and films such as "American Pie."
- Michel Pagliaro: Groundbreaking Quebec rocker and the first Canadian artist to receive gold records in both official languages.
- Anton Kuerti: Acclaimed pianist.
- Brian Macdonald: Prolific director and choreographer.
- John Murrell: Distinguished playwright and arts advocate.
- Alanis Obomsawin: Noted documentary filmmaker and passionate defender of aboriginal culture.
- The winner of the National Arts Centre Award for exceptional achievement over the past performance year:
- The Tragically Hip: Rockers from Kingston, Ont.
And the recipient of the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Volunteerism in the Performing Arts:
Eric Charman.
