Robert John Pratt (28 February 1907 – 6 April 2003) was a Canadian architect, comedian, and politician.
Pratt was born in London, England; his Irish mother lived in London and his father lived in Montreal. In 1933, he received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from McGill University. A practicing architect, Pratt enlisted with the Royal Canadian Hussars during World War II rising to the rank of major. In 1942, he joined the Royal Canadian Navy so he could be a part of the Royal Canadian Navy musical revue. He performed as part of the show Meet the Navy and sung the song "You'll Get Used to It" (which he wrote the lyrics for). Pratt also performed for the 1946 film version as well.
After the war, Pratt made a series of humorous short how-to films. In 1948, he performed in a musical version of The Drunkard which he took on tour. During the Korean War, he entertained the soldiers and later hosted a television program called This Is French. During Expo 67 he produced the World Festival of Performing Arts.
In 1953, he was elected as an alderman in the city of Dorval, Quebec. From 1955 to 1964, he was mayor of Dorval. He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1957 federal election in the riding Jacques-Cartier—Lasalle. A Progressive Conservative, he was re-elected in the 1958 election. He was defeated in 1962 and again in 1963, 1968, and 1974.
Famous quotes containing the words john and/or pratt:
“I do not wish to see John ever again,—I mean him who is dead,—but that other, whom only he would have wished to see, or to be, of whom he was the imperfect representative. For we are not what we are, nor do we treat or esteem each other for such, but for what we are capable of being.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“When the Church of Jesus
Shuts its outer door,
Lest the roar of traffic
Drown the voice of prayer:
May our prayers, Lord, make us
Ten times more aware
That the world we banish
Is our Christian care.”
—Frederick Pratt Green (b. 1903)