Brenda McDonald

Brenda McDonald born Brenda Olive Nicholls February 12 1931 November 23 2024 was a Canadian actress Born in London Brenda moved to Canada at 21 settling first in Toronto then in Vancouver where she met her first husband Thomas Guy and had four children with him She graduated from UBC with a teaching degree in 1977 soon after Thomas had died of a heart attack She taught English French and Drama for nine years before quitting to follow her dream of acting Her career spanned 33 years She performed on stage in film and in training and educational videos as well as doing voiceover work She was also very active in community theatre with North Vancouver Community Players and United Players in Jericho Her first film gig of note was as a body double for Katharine Hepburn and over the years she shared the set with many of the greats Al Pacino Robin Williams Anthony Quinn Paul Hogan and many others She worked on many Vancouvershot series including XFiles Stargate Atlantis Battlestar Galactica Supernatural and the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina She is known by many for a single line delivered while playing the nun in Elf But the children love the books Brenda had an active personal life she remarried twice surviving all of her husbands had 11 grandchildren and 11 greatgrandchildren She maintained her independence by keeping her driving licence until she was 92 played saxophone attended art classes walked every day and she was a passionate fan of Vancouver Canucks