- published: 01 Dec 2014
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Eric Cuthbert Christmas (19 March 1916 – 22 July 2000) was a British stage and screen actor, with over 40 films and several more television roles to his credit. He was well known for his role as Mr. Carter, the principal of Angel Beach High School, in the 1982 hit comedy Porky's, the 1983 sequel Porky's II: The Next Day, and the 1985 sequel Porky's Revenge!. He was also well known for his sporadic role as Reverend Diddymoe in the NBC sitcom, Amen.
Christmas was born in London, England and later emigrated to Canada. His role as a priest in the 1971 film Harold and Maude includes a memorable monologue to an off-camera Harold, in which he discusses, with increasing nausea and disgust, how the thought of Harold's sexual affair with a much older woman "makes [him] want...to vomit." His other film roles include The Philadelphia Experiment (1984), Bugsy (1991), Almost Dead (1994), Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994), Air Bud (1997) and his final feature film MouseHunt (1997).
Christmas also made guest appearances in many television shows, including Adventures in Rainbow Country, Due South, ER, Night Court, Wiseguy (as Harry "The Hunch" Shanstra), Seinfeld (as Jeffery Haarwood), Cheers, Home Improvement (as Sir Larry the Magician), Coach, Golden Palace, The X-Files, Booker, Matlock, Walker Texas Ranger, Roseanne, Major Dad and Ally McBeal. He also acted in and directed productions of San Diego, California's Old Globe Theatre's Shakespeare Festivals for many years.