Pat John, actor of the long-running Canadian TV show The Beachcombers, has died at the age of 69.
John, a member of the shíshálh First Nation in Sechelt, British Columbia, was one of the first Indigenous actors to play a contemporary character on Canadian television, starting in his late teens.
He plays the role of Jesse Jim, a young business partner with series protagonist Nick Adonidas, played by Bruno Gerusi. They were troupe saviors on the series, which became a national hit and won an international audience during its 18-year run that ended in 1990.
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Co-star Jackson Davis, who plays an RCMP officer, says John had been struggling with health in recent years and died on Wednesday.
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Davies says John had a natural acting ability, and playing an indigenous character in a contemporary setting, rather than a historical one, left a mark on Canadian culture.
“I don’t think we ever thought, ‘Oh, we’re making a statement here,’ or maybe I was just too naive,” Davis said Thursday.
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“It was a show about this kid who happens to be indigenous and ends up partnering up with this Greek immigrant … and becomes a troop savior.”
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Other indigenous actors later joined the show, which never tried to hide the fact that it was Canadian. It was filmed on location in Gibsons, British Columbia, where the fictional restaurant Molly’s Reach was later turned into a real restaurant and tourist attraction.
John had a warm smile and a calm demeanor, Davis said. The two had been in close contact in recent years.
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“Obviously we’re going to talk about the show. But we would also talk about life, where he was in his life, where I was in my life, our struggles, things like that. And he was a great listener and a great laugh.
John’s acting career pretty much ended after the Beachcombers series, with the exception of the 2002 reunion series.
There was no immediate word on his cause of death.
© 2022 The Canadian Press
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