Biography

The Early Years

Academic Pursuits

The Theatre

The Early Years
Walter Learning was born in the small village of Quidi Vidi in the independent nation of Newfoundland. At the age of eleven, along with 321,000 of his fellow Newfoundlanders, he became a citizen of Canada. Walter soon got over his bitterness at the sudden lack of access to American bicycles and, showing the first glimmer of his talent for adaptability, embraced his new country. At about the same time, he was saved from drowning by an American serviceman, who was fishing nearby. It is very likely that the young soldier never realized his great contribution to the future of Canadian theatre.

Walter's first career foray ended in disaster, when the fishing boat on which he was apprenticed was forced to return home because of his violent seasickness. His shamed family decided that perhaps he was better suited as a scholar, and encouraged his studies at Bishop Feild College in St. John's. Their pride was again dashed, when Walter was forced to repeat a year due to the fact that he had forgone most of that year's classes to work on the professional wrestling circuit. His most notable performance was as the ring valet of the famous Gorgeous George, who was touring Newfoundland. Despite his promising debut as "The Masked Marvel", Walter's mother cut his wrestling career short.

Walter consoled himself by concentrating efforts on his teen radio show "Waxing with Waldo". The show played rock and roll hits, with a special emphasis on a new young singer by the name of Elvis Presley. At the same time, Walter was also performing doo-wop hits in the quartette "The Four Notes" (He was nicknamed "Sour".)

Despite a spotty beginning, Walter finished Bishop Feild College with the blessing of his teachers who pronounced him academically promising. After graduation, Walter set his sight on a broadcasting career, but compromised with his parents and moved to "the mainland" to attend the University of New Brunswick in the Faculty of Business.

NEXT