Born in Halifax, Art's mother relocated him to Toronto, Ontario, where he grew up in the "Beaches" area, a big fan of Elvis Presley and rock 'n' roll. As a shy child, he developed into a rebellious and independent teenager, leading to extensive traveling, mostly by hitch-hiking, and picking up odd jobs to meet a diverse range of people. By the age of 21, he had become a father, stockbroker, and amateur photographer.
Art's uncle, Michael Kane, a successful actor, had piqued his interest in acting during his teenage years. Although successful as a broker, Art felt unfulfilled and eventually left the stock market to pursue a career in theatre. He worked as an unglorified gofer for a few months with Toronto Workshop Productions before getting an acting agent and starting to audition for commercials.
It was during this time that Art discovered the Eli Rill Workshop, which changed his future. The workshop's kind, gentle, and articulate instructor, Eli, taught Art techniques and explorations of the Method, which Art applied to getting acting jobs. His first big role was in the biker movie "The Proud Rider" (1971),where he worked with a real motorcycle gang, the Satan's Choice.
During the making of this film, Art almost changed his professional name to Jeremy Kane, but eventually decided to stick with his own name. The film's producers asked him to ride a motorcycle, which he did, despite having no experience. Art credits much of his success in California to luck, including having Patricia McQueeney as his manager and dynamic agents Arnold Rifkin and Nichole David.
Over the years, Art has become known as a "working actor" involved in leading roles in "classic" films and numerous pilots and series. His work in "ENG" won him an Acting Gemini, and his performance as Pete Braga in "Paradise Falls" (2001) has been described as a "classic performance." Art added the credit of Director to his impressive resume in the early 1990s and splits his time between California, Florida, and Canada with his wife, Brooke, and their eight children and six grandchildren.
