Hoss Talk

FRIDAY, September 29, 2000

'Da Vinci' Star's Passion Is Racing

He may be the coroner, but he knows how to dissect the winners.

To many television viewers, actor Nicholas Campbell is seen each week playing the charismatic Vancouver coroner, Dominic Da Vinci on the Gemini Award-winning CBC series Da Vinci's Inquest.

A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, Campbell has worked alongside Sir Richard Attenborough, Sir Lawrence Olivier and Joanne Woodward, to mention only a few.

His success as an actor allows him the freedom to enjoy his favourite passion, horse racing. And not many people know the sport of kings, better than this man.

"I got hooked on horse racing at 15, when a friend took me to Woodbine Racetrack to watch Sandy Hawley ride," said Campbell.

While attending drama school in London, he earned money working in a legal bookmaking shop. "One of my first jobs was marking the odds board in the betting shops. This was before they had television screens."

During his stay in Europe, he worked steadily at his acting career for 10 years. Eventually he landed the lead role in Diamonds, a TV series shot in Paris.

"It gave me a chance to see all of the European Classics. If there is a racetrack nearby when I am filming, everyone knows where to find me," said Campbell.

"I've owned about 30 horses both at Santa Anita and in Toronto. It was frustrating, because all I wanted was to have my picture taken in the winners circle." says Campbell. "I couldn't care less about publicity shots, all I wanted was my picture in the winners circle."

He eventually won a race, with a horse, bought for $32,000 who months later won $3,200 at Fort Erie, Ont.

"I had tears of joy when he won. We (friends) couldn't wait to buy the morning paper to see if he had won by six or seven lengths. I had never gone through my reviews like I did looking at that result."

Aside from acting, he has also written and directed films and recently completed his third project.

Any guess on the subject?

"I'm working on a script right now, that is a solid accurate portrayal of horse racing as I have experienced it -- something no one has truly captured and I know will prove to be interesting," Campbell said.

He should be right at home, when filming begins on a future Da Vinci's Inquest. The script involves a horse racing plot, filmed at Hastings Park.

Source: Vancouver Province
E-mail Tommy Wolski at twolski@home.com