Michael McNamara (born December 6, 1953) is a Canadian film and television director and producer from Windsor, Ontario,[1] who was cofounder with Judy Holm of the Markham Street Films studio.[2]
The son of poet Eugene McNamara,[3] McNamara directed episodes of children's television series such as The Elephant Show, Eric's World and Polka Dot Shorts, as well as music videos and television specials for Holly Cole Trio, Jane Siberry and Prairie Oyster,[4] in his early career, before releasing his debut feature film The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati, an adaptation of theatrical plays by Alan Williams, in 1996.[5] In 1998 he directed In Thru the Out Door, a television special billed as "network television's first-ever all-queer, all-star sketch comedy show".[6]
With his wife, Judy Holm, he launched Markham Street Films in the early 2000s.[7] With that firm, he has directed documentary films rather than narrative features, although he has been a producer of narrative features by other filmmakers.[8]
His credits as a documentary director have included Radio Revolution: The Rise and Fall of the Big 8 (2004),[9] 100 Films and a Funeral (2007),[10] Acquainted with the Night (2010),[11] and episodes of the television documentary series The Nature of Things[12] and CBC Docs POV.[13]
His credits as a producer have included Victoria Day and Big News from Grand Rock.