 In April 1944, shortly before his second birthday, he escaped with his family to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on the Portuguese ship "Serpa Pinto".Kanner attended the Montreal Children's Theatre under the tutelage of Dorothy Davis and Violet Walters.Kanner made his first impression as an actor in the role of Alex, among a French Canadian cast, in the television drama series "Beau Temps, Mauvais Temps" (1955–1958).