(13 Aug. 1900-13 Feb. 1994), filmmaker. Born in Toronto. He was active in filmmaking from about 1924. A University of Toronto graduate, Sparling worked for the Ontario Motion Picture Bureau and for the Canadian Motion Picture Bureau in Ottawa. Also, he worked for Paramount’s Astoria Studios on Long Island but returned to Canada in 1931. From 1932 to 1957, he was involved in production of the Canadian Cameo series of films. In WWII, he was in charge of the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit in London, Eng., where he produced newsreels and informational and training films. From 1957 to his retirement in 1966, he worked for the National Film Board. He was married twice, the second time in 1981 to Vye Macpherson. For about a quarter-century, from 1960 to 1984, he lived in a log house, which he called “The Lone Shieling,” on the farm of William Ewing on Lot 31 in the 8th Concession of Lochiel Township, near McCrimmon. In 1984 he and his wife moved to Cobourg.

     Sparling had the marked distinction of being among the very few present-day GC residents or ex-residents to be the subject of biographical entries of their own in The Canadian Encyclopedia (Hurtig, III, 2055). And of course a gratifying number of earlier Glengarrians were included, as the notes to the present dictionary stand to evidence. Also included in the The Canadian Encyclopedia from the present-day category are Bengt Hambraeus, and Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Anna being a full-time resident of the 1st of Kenyon since 1982 and a weekender before that.

Lochinvar to Skye 118-122 (with picture of log house, portrait) * Hurtig * his death mentioned, Winter GN 2 March 1994