Alumni of Influence

Legendary comedian Johnny Wayne is remembered as the madcap half of the iconic Canadian comedy duo, Wayne and Shuster. Along with classmate and fellow UC Follies alumnus Frank Shuster (BA 1939 UC), he is credited with founding the great Canadian tradition in sketch comedy. Their signature, literate slapstick style of comedy provided the basis for an enormously successful career on radio, stage and television that lasted nearly five decades.

University administrator, social worker and philanthropist Rose Wolfe has worked tirelessly to improve public life. The founding president of Canadian Jewish News, she is a dynamic presence on the boards of numerous health-care, religious and cultural organizations. Wolfe is the former chancellor of the University of Toronto, where she established a chair in Holocaust studies, as well as scholarships for Indigenous students.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Kay Worthington is an example of perseverance and dedication. As a student at UC, she trained for the Canadian national rowing team while studying international relations. She attended three Olympic Games, striking gold in the women’s four and eight in Barcelona in 1992. After her competitive athletic career, she became a trader in Manhattan and served as the director of the Princeton rowing association.

Television personality Elwy Yost was best known as the avuncular host of TVO’s Saturday Night at the Movies; he hosted more than 1,000 episodes over 25 years. He studied sociology at UC, and with a classmate, made a movie called In Between, one of the first independent films in Canada. A classic cinema enthusiast, he interviewed several movie stars for television and was the author of four books about film.