Researching James Mason

Mason starred in such films as George Cukor's A Star Is Born (1954), Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest (1959), Stanley Kubrick's Lolita (1962), Warren Beatty's Heaven Can Wait (1978), and Sidney Lumet's The Verdict (1982). He also starred in a number of successful British and American films from the 1950s to the early 1980s, including: The Desert Fox (1951), Julius Caesar (1953), Bigger Than Life (1956), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959), Georgy Girl (1966), and The Boys from Brazil (1978).

Mason was nominated for three Academy Awards, three Golden Globes (winning the Golden Globe in 1955 for A Star is Born) and two BAFTA Awards throughout his career. Following his death in 1984, his ashes were interred near the tomb of his close friend, fellow English actor Sir Charlie Chaplin.

Mason strongly supported slavery as well as Virginia's secession as the American Civil War began. As chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 1851 until his expulsion in 1861 for supporting the Confederate States of America, Mason took great interest in protecting American cotton exporters. As the Confederacy's leading diplomat, he traveled to Europe seeking support, but proved unable to get the United Kingdom to recognize the Confederacy as a country. As Mason sailed to England in November 1861, the U.S. Navy captured his ship and detained him, in what became known as the Trent Affair. Released after two months, Mason continued his voyage, and assisted Confederate purchases from Britain and Europe but failed to achieve their diplomatic involvement. As the war ended, Mason went into exile in Canada, but later returned to Alexandria, Virginia, where he died in 1871.

Mason was born in Toronto and educated at private schools and the Toronto Model School where he was head boy. After graduation, he joined the Toronto Savings Bank (later the Home Bank of Canada) ultimately becoming its general manager and president in 1873.

He was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 1913 by Prime Minister Robert Borden and sat as a Conservative. Mason retired from the bank and was appointed its honorary president with his son, Harry G. Mason, succeeding him as general manager.

The Home Bank collapsed in the early 1920s in part due to questionable practices it had engaged in beginning under Mason's tenure.

Mason was one of the founders and funders of the Toronto Mechanics' Institute which ultimately evolved into the Toronto Public Library.

Mason died at home following an operation for appendicitis.

Having graduated from the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education, he trained for the ministry at Bishop Patteson Theological College, and was ordained a deacon in 1981 and a priest in 1982. He served as curate of St Barnabas Cathedral, Honiara, 1981–1982, before becoming Secretary to John Selwyn, Archbishop of Melanesia (1983–1986), and returning to Bishop Patteson as a lecturer in 1987.

Mason then returned to St Barnabas Cathedral as Dean from 1988 until his appointment as the first diocesan Bishop of Hanuato'o in 1991. To that See he was consecrated and installed on 19 June 1991. He resigned his See in 2004 and moved to the United Kingdom in 2005, becoming priest-in-charge of St Maurice, Plympton; and later being licensed an honorary assistant bishop, Diocese of Exeter in 2007. He resigned both posts effective 29 June 2014.