Remembered for their contributions to the broadcast, audio & screen industries
*Printed here in order of their publication in Broadcast Dialogue’s Weekly Briefing and including notices from Dec. 2021.
Elizabeth Laird, 73, on Dec. 31, of cancer. A longtime radio station owner who used her business to champion industry, tourism and non-profit organizations, Laird relocated with her family from Ontario to Nicola Ranch near Merritt in the early 1980s. In 1984, Laird became the owner and operator of JADE Garden Centre, in addition to serving as a School District 58 trustee for a decade. Her involvement in broadcasting began through her son Andrew, former morning show host at CJNL 1230 Merritt. In 1994, she invested in Merritt Broadcasting and in 2016 became the sole owner of what is now Q101. As the only female independent broadcast owner/operator in B.C., she gave many broadcasters their first opportunity in the industry, an accomplishment she took a great deal of pride in. In 2021, Laird completed the sale of Q101 to Pattison Media. Even with the many challenges of running a business, she found time to serve her community, including serving as the first female president of the Merritt Rotary Club in the 1990s and sitting on the board of the Merritt Chamber of Commerce.
Jean-Marc Vallée, 58, on Dec. 25. Born and raised in Montreal, Vallée studied filmmaking at Le Collège Ahuntsic and L’Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). His early career began directing music videos in the mid-1980s for Montreal bands including Wild Touch and Park Avenue. He went on to produce a number of short films with his feature length directorial debut Black List, the highest grossing Quebec film of 1995, nominated for nine Genie Awards. Follow-up films included 2005’s C.R.A.Z.Y.; 2009’s The Young Victoria, which received three Oscar nominations; 2013’s Dallas Buyers Club; and 2014’s Wild, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Film Editing. Vallée went on to direct and executive produce Big Little Lies (2017) and Sharp Objects (2018) for HBO. Big Littles Lies earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special. Vallée was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2017 and an officer of the National Order of Quebec in 2020.
Candy Palmater, 53, on Dec. 25. Born in Point La Nim, NB and a member of the Eel River Bar Mi’kmaw Nation, Palmater was the first Indigenous law student in Canada to be valedictorian of her graduating class at Dalhousie Law School. She quickly realized she didn’t want to practice corporate law and went to work with the Nova Scotia Department of Education before turning to comedy and producing her own radio and television programs. A regular contributor to CBC Radio’s Definitely Not the Opera (DNTO) and an interim host of Q, Palmater went on to host and write The Candy Show on APTN from 2010-14. She produced her first film, Building Legends: The Mi’Kmaq Canoe Project in 2011. Among other television roles, she appeared on shows like Forgive Me, Trailer Park Boys, and was a regular on CTV’s The Social. She also lent her voice as a narrator to series like Skindigenous and True North Calling. Prior to her death, she was slated to have a recurring role on CBC sitcom Run the ‘Burbs.
Stan Bailly, 74, on Dec. 18, of complications from COVID-19. Following his graduation from BCIT, Bailly’s 31-year radio career began in Williams Lake in 1968. He returned to his hometown of Kamloops in 1987 to work for CIFM and was best known as the co-host of “Hank and Stan In The Morning” for 25 years, alongside Henry “Hank” Small. He retired from radio in 2018. Following his retirement, he ran his own DJ business playing events and parties in the Kamloops area.
George Stephenson, 69, on Dec. 5. Stephenson graduated from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in the 1970s and started his journalism career working at weekly newspapers around Alberta, before joining the Lethbridge Herald. Stephenson (and his first wife, reporter Wendy Stephenson) joined the Winnipeg Sun in the 1980s where he rose from legislative reporter to city editor and eventually managing editor. In the 1990s, he went on to work with CBC Radio in Winnipeg where he served as news director. Post-journalism, Stephenson’s career took him to the Manitoba Teachers’ Society (MTS) and a communications role where he served as the publications and website manager. He retired from MTS in April 2021, but continued to contribute columns to the Winnipeg Free Press.
Ian Greenberg, 79, on Jan. 10. Along with his three brothers Sidney, Harvey and Harold, Greenberg co-founded Astral Media in 1961, playing an integral role in the company’s 50-year history by transforming it from a photographic specialty business into a multimedia empire encompassing pay and specialty TV, radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. As President and Chief Executive Officer of Astral from 1995 until its acquisition by BCE in July 2013, under Greenberg the company achieved 16 years of consecutive growth employing 2,800 people across eight provinces and 84 radio stations, 24 pay and specialty television channels and 9,500 out-of-home advertising faces. Following the acquisition, he went on to serve as a director of the BCE board, serving on the Audit and Management Resources & Compensation committees. A member of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame, Canadian Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame and the Canadian Business Hall of Fame, Greenberg received the Ted Rogers and Velma Rogers Graham Award in 2007 for his significant contributions to Canadian broadcasting. Read more here.
Jeff Guy, 80, on Jan. 7. Guy’s career started in radio started in 1957 when he was hired as a studio operator at CFCO Radio in Chatham, ON. In Dec. 1960, he made the move to London, ON, embarking on a career at CKSL Radio. He worked his way up the broadcast ladder, first in the programming department, and then transitioning to his speciality, Broadcast Engineering. In Nov. 1967, he joined the McManus Family at the newly-launched CJOE 1290 London. Over the next five decades, Guy saw tremendous success, ascending to Vice-President of Engineering for CJBK-AM, BX-93, CHOK-AM, 97.5 EZ Rock, CKSL-AM and OJ95. In addition to helping launch new radio stations in London, Sarnia, and Belleville, and designing and building broadcasting facilities, Guy also served as President of the CCBE (Central Canada Broadcast Engineers). He retired from Telemedia London in 2001 after 33 years with CJOE and CJBK.
Severino Gobbato, 67, on Jan. 4. Born in Volpago, Italy, Gobbato arrived in Canada in 1957 and grew up in East Vancouver. After a stint as produce manager at the Safeway on Victoria Drive, he attended broadcasting school and got his first job as a DJ at CKAY-AM Duncan, BC. From there, he held roles at CKNW and CFMI Vancouver as a Media Consultant, working his way up to Senior Marketing Consultant & General Sales Manager. He later worked in sales for Praise 106.5 FM (KWPZ-FM) in Lynden, Washington. Gobbato retired to the Okanagan in 2016.
Judith LaRoque, 65, unexpectedly on Dec. 29. LaRocque’s distinguished career in the public service started with the Public Service Commission of Canada in 1979 as an administrative assistant. She went on to hold successive roles with the Prime Minister’s Office, the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, the House of Commons, Legislative Assistant to the Government House Leader, and then Office of the President of the Queen’s Privy Council. After serving as the Executive Assistant to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, her first Chief of Staff role came along in 1989 and then a decade-long appointment as Secretary to the Governor General, working with Ray Hnatyshyn and later Roméo LeBlanc. Upon completion of her term in 2000, LaRocque was appointed Associate Deputy Minister at the Department of Canadian Heritage and promoted to Deputy Minister in 2002. She held the post until 2010 when she was appointed as Canada’s Ambassador to the OECD in Paris. LaRocque also served as Vice Chair of the CRTC and was named interim chair in June 2017, maintaining the role until current chair Ian Scott was appointed. At the time of her death, she was serving a three-year term as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Canadian Museum of Nature, and was on the boards of the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and the Hawkesbury General Hospital.
Adrienne Pan, 43, on Jan. 15, following a lengthy illness. Pan, who grew up in Edmonton, attended high school at the Victoria School of the Arts where her interest in broadcast journalism was first piqued. After graduating from McGill University with a B.A. in Communications and Political Science, she started her broadcasting career in 2001 at A-Channel in Edmonton as a writer and associate producer. In Nov. 2002, she joined Global News, first in Lethbridge as a video journalist and producer, and later in Winnipeg as an anchor and reporter. Her work on a documentary about inner-city Winnipeg community activist Harry Lehotsky, “Saving Grace: The Harry Lehotsky Story”, was recognized with both National and Regional RTDNA awards in 2007. After nearly five years at Global Winnipeg, Pan joined CBC Winnipeg, initially as a lifestyle reporter contributing to Living Winnipeg. She went on to host CBC Manitoba Late Night for two years, before returning to her hometown and CBC Edmonton in 2011. She was a host and producer on the late night and 6 p.m. newscast for seven years, and a fill-in host on radio, before moving into radio full-time in 2018 as the host of Radio Active. Read more here.
Jean-Claude Lord, 78 on Jan. 15, following a massive stroke. Born in Montreal, Lord started his career as an assistant director, scriptwriter, and apprentice to filmmaker Pierre Patry. He would go on to gain a reputation as a pioneer in Quebec film and television. His first feature was Délivrez-nous du mal, released in 1965 and depicting a gay couple, a first for a Québécois film. Films like Bingo (1974) and Eclair au chocolat (1979) followed. Lord’s first English-language film, the low-budget horror Visiting Hours, was released in 1982. Starring William Shatner and Michael Ironside, it garnered a cult following. Lord went on to work on TV series Lance et Compte (which aired in English as He Shoots, He Scores). The hockey drama ran from 1986-89 and went on to be broadcast in France and win a Prix Gemeaux. Lord directed a revival of the series from 2000-08. He was honoured with the Prix Guy-Mauffette by the National Assembly of Quebec in 2017, given to individuals for an outstanding career in the radio and television arts in Quebec.
Bill Anderson, 77, on Jan. 25. On a suggestion from his high school English teacher, Anderson attended Radio & TV Arts at Ryerson, which opened the door for a summer job at CHUM Radio in Toronto and later his first full-time on-air opportunity at CKBB Barrie. The year was 1965. He would go on to on-air stints at CJCB Sydney, NS; CHML Hamilton; CFOX Montreal where he used the pseudonym “Rick Shaw”; and Toronto stations Country 59 (CKYC-AM), CFRB, CKFM, CJEZ, and finally The New Classical FM (CFMX-FM, CFMZ-FM) where he hosted long-running midday show “Bill’s Classical Jukebox.” In the early 1970s, Anderson also hosted syndicated program “Big Country” which aired on more than 100 stations. He celebrated 50 years of broadcasting in 2015. In 2018, he moved production of “Bill’s Classical Jukebox” from Toronto to a new studio in Collingwood, ON. Contemplating retiring to Collingwood permanently, at the time, ZoomerMedia said it was an easy decision to build him a studio to keep him on the air. He retired from The New Classical FM last October. Among other accolades, Anderson was named Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Broadcaster of the Year six times. He was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998 as a Builder and one of the CCMA’s early directors.
Harry Steele, 92, on Jan. 28. Born in Musgrave Harbour, NL in 1929, Steele served in the Royal Canadian Navy for 24 years before becoming Vice-President of Newfoundland-based airline, Eastern Provincial Airways. Steele eventually acquired the company, which was later sold to Canadian Pacific Airways. In 1981, he founded Newfoundland Capital which in addition to transportation and hotel interests, owned the Newcap Radio group and newspapers across the country. Steele served as company president, assuming the role of CEO and Chairman in 1993. He stepped down as CEO in 2002, continuing on as Chairman until 2018 when he retired at age 88. When Newfoundland Capital was acquired by Stingray Digital Group for $523 million that same year, the company’s broadcast assets had grown to 101 licences, encompassing 72 radio stations and 29 repeater signals. Steele subsequently bought $25 million in Stingray stock. Steele is a past governor of the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1992.
Greg Blackmore, 62 on Jan. 26. Born in Toronto and raised in Port Credit, ON, Blackmore started his working career in sales, before deciding to go back to school and build a career around his love of music. Enrolling as a mature student at Trebas Music School, an internship with Intrepid Records followed, which turned into a full-time position with EMI Music Canada. After relocating to Winnipeg in the late ‘90s and then Calgary, Blackmore joined Zomba Records in 2000 and two years later found a home with Universal Music Canada as a Promotions Manager and later Western Promotions Manager for two decades. “A staple of our radio promotion department for close to 20 years, Greg’s passion, commitment, and keen understanding of this country’s radio landscape, made him a vital member of our team,” said Jeffrey Remedios, Chairman & CEO, Universal Music Canada. “From his home base in Langdon, Alberta, where he managed radio promotion for Canada’s Western region, Greg was beloved by artists, managers, program directors, and colleagues around the world.” Among the artists and bands extending tributes to Blackmore are Arkells, The Beaches, Johnny Reid, and Chad Brownlee. Read more here.
Karl Sepkowski, 81 on Jan. 24 after a two-year battle with cancer. Sepkowski had a long career as a broadcast journalist serving his home community of Sault Ste. Marie. His career started in 1957 as a disc jockey on CKCY Radio while still in high school. He went on to become a staff announcer and news reader at the station, making the switch to television news in 1965. Three years later, he was named news director for CJIC-TV, following in the footsteps of veteran newsman Lionel McAuley. He retired from MCTV in 1992. Over the years, Sepkowski also taught journalism at Sault College in the 1970s and served as president of the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) Canada.
Don Brinton, 94, on Feb. 1. Originally hailing from Vegreville, AB, Brinton started his broadcasting career in 1950 at community radio station CFYK Yellowknife doing overnights and weekends, while holding down a day job studying permafrost. Just four years later, he’d gain the distinction of being the first voice heard on Edmonton’s first television station, CFRN. Following 13 years with CFRN TV and Radio, he became Vice-President and Manager of CFQC-TV Saskatoon. He joined CanWest Broadcasting in 1975, playing a key role in the launch of CKND-TV Winnipeg where he became President and Chief Executive Officer in 1979. It was during those years, he also helped produce several Canadian films, including the Manitoba-set, Great Depression drama “Tramp at the Door.” In 1984, he took on the added responsibility of Sask West Television. Brinton became a consultant for CanWest Global in retirement. He also served as Chairman of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) in 1983-84, and was a Past President of the Broadcasters Association of Manitoba and Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB). Brinton was inducted into the CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame in 1994. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2016.
Ralph Mellanby, 87, on Jan. 29. The son of Edgar Mellanby, an editor for The Windsor Star, Mellanby earned a Communications degree before finding his first broadcasting job at CKLW-TV Windsor as a prop assistant, and later cameraman and floor manager. From there, he went to WXYZ-TV Detroit in 1959 where he worked as a cameraman, followed by a move to Chicago to work as a sports producer at WGN-TV. He returned to Canada in 1961 and CFCF-TV Montreal, where he produced NHL game broadcasts. He joined Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC) in 1966 and went on to serve as Executive Producer for 19 years, responsible for hiring play-by-play talent like Bob Cole, Jim Robson, Don Cherry, Dave Hodge, and Ron MacLean, among others, in addition to introducing slow motion replay and on-screen graphics, among other technical viewer enhancements. Mellanby also produced the Peter Puck cartoon for NBC in the 1970s as well as the long-running Coach’s Corner. Mellanby was also involved in numerous Olympic broadcasts from 1976 to 1996, for which he was recognized with five Emmy Awards, including one for directing the TV coverage of the historic “Miracle on Ice” U. S. hockey victory in Lake Placid in 1980. In 1988, he led the Host Broadcast operation at the Calgary Winter Games. Mellanby was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from Sports Media Canada in 1999. He was inducted into the Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame as a builder in 2004.
Ivan Reitman, 75, on Feb. 12. Reitman’s foray into producing started at the newly-launched Citytv in Toronto, working on shows like “Sweet City Women,” however his tenure was a mere six months after he was fired by Moses Znaimer. He went on to produce the stage production of Spellbound in the early 1970s and then director David Cronenberg’s “Shivers” and “Rabid.” “National Lampoon’s Animal House” followed in 1978 and Reitman then directed “Meatballs” in 1979, kicking off a string of feature films he would direct and produce including “Stripes” (1981), “Ghostbusters” (1984), “Legal Eagles” (1986), “Twins” (1988), “Kindergarten Cop” (1990), and “Dave” (1993). Reitman also produced and executive produced numerous projects through his company, Northern Lights Entertainment, notably “Beethoven” (1992), “Space Jam” (1996), “Private Parts” (1997), and “Trailer Park Boys: The Movie” (2006). He went on to found prodco, The Montecito Picture Company, in 2000, going on to produce 2009’s “I Love You Man” and the Oscar-nominated “Up in the Air”, as well as the Atom Egoyan-directed, “Chloe”. Reitman was an inductee of Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2007. In 2009, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Jim Bennet, 91, on Feb. 7. Bennet is best-known as the co-host of CBC TV show “Singalong Jubilee” for its entire run from 1961 to 1974. A hallmark production at the time for CBC Halifax, the musical variety show featured a large cast of singers and musicians, elevating the careers of performers like Anne Murray and Edith Butler. An accomplished guitar player and singer, Bennet received his vocal training at All Saints Cathedral Choir in Halifax. He joined CBC Halifax in the early 1950s, going on to a 31-year career that included writing, announcing and co-hosting programming from radio plays to news specials. Bennett took early retirement in 1981. Among his published works are two books of verse and Atlantic humour, Jim Bennet’s Verse and Jim Bennet Rhymes Again, as well as his memoir, South End Boy, published in 2015.
Robert McManus, 66, on Feb. 9. McManus began his radio career in Moose Jaw, SK at age 19. He went on to work as news director for CFCN Radio in Calgary in the late 1970s. McManus later headed to Edmonton where he was the news director at the launch of CFCN Communications’ new FM station, CJAX-FM in 1982. Starting out as a Country format, the station later flipped to Soft Rock, changing its call letters to CKNG-FM and branding itself as King FM. McManus was also heavily involved in the Edmonton Fringe Festival where he worked in promotion and publicity. After leaving radio and attending Grant MacEwan College, McManus went on to hold various public affairs roles with the Alberta Government for 21 years.
Peter B. Campbell, 65, on Dec. 28. After studying at Loyalist College, Campbell worked in radio in Thunder Bay, ON, Estevan, SK, and Ajax ON, concluding his radio career at CHUC-FM Cobourg in 1988. Campbell went on to work with Durham Regional Police, including many years as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, while lending his voice to Ontario Hockey League broadcasts as a colour commentator, alongside friend Stew Kernan. His booming singing voice was also heard performing the national anthem at various sporting events, including Toronto Maple Leafs and Hamilton Tiger Cats games.
Hugh Smith, 73, on Dec. 14. Television was in Smith’s blood from an early age. As a youth, he built an antenna in his parents’ backyard in Penticton. With it he was able to pull in television signals from U.S. stations. He was part of the original crew to launch Vancouver’s CKVU (now Citytv), working in Master Control. His love of broadcasting and community involvement drew him naturally to community broadcasting, initially at Fraser Cable in Port Coquitlam. In 1979, he heard about a unique opportunity in Campbell River, a community-owned cable television station called CRTV. Smith was the Community Program Manager at CRTV for 28 years, cultivating, encouraging and supporting countless individuals and organizations, helping them to share their viewpoints, passions and causes, through shows like “Paws for Pets” and “Let’s Go Fishing.” Working with volunteers and program hosts, he was able to enrich what CRTV had to offer the community. He was also a mentor who helped to inspire and encourage the students who volunteered at CRTV, many who went on to careers in broadcasting, journalism and film. Smith retired in 2008 after CRTV was sold to Shaw.
Lawrence Morgenstern, 61, on Feb. 27. Getting his start in comedy in the Canadian stand-up scene in the early 1980s, Morgenstern made his foray into television appearing in several comedy specials. He surfaced as a sketch performer on Open Mike with Mike Bullard in 1997 and went on to become the show’s head writer from 1998 – 2004. He also wrote for series including The Crowd Funder Show (2013), HouseCapades (2006), and the CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival (2007/08). Morgenstern received two Genie Award nominations over the years. More recently, he had been co-hosting weekly radio show Hump Dump Live, alongside comic Glen Foster, heard on Funny 820 (CHAM-AM) Hamilton.
Don Johnston, 91, on Feb. 27. Growing up in Hamilton, a summer stint as a copy boy at the Hamilton Spectator sparked Johnston’s career in journalism, which he pursued right out of high school. In the early 1950s, local radio station CHML persuaded him to come over as their City Hall reporter. He went on to become the station’s news director. In 1972, Johnston made the move to CFRB Toronto as news director where he stayed for 15 years until his retirement in 1987. He was also active in industry endeavours, including helping found the Radio & Television News Directors of Canada (now RTDNA) in 1962. In 1984, he co-founded the Gordon Sinclair Foundation. As a longstanding colleague and close friend of Sinclair’s, Johnston set up the charitable foundation following the broadcaster’s death, which offered a scholarship to young journalism graduates and since 2011 has awarded the annual $15,000 Gordon Sinclair Roving Reporter Bursary to support a research and reporting trip by an early career Canadian journalist.
Digby Peers, 94, on Feb. 17. Peers studied pre-law at McGill University before transferring to the Royal Conservatory of Music to pursue his passion. He earned his A.R.T.C. and then returned to Pickering College as Music Master before joining CBC Radio in Toronto as Staff Producer of Educational Broadcasters and as Executive Producer of the “Signature” radio series. He was also seconded to the BBC in London, where he produced a series of more than two dozen “World History” radio dramas. Peers relocated to Vancouver in 1979 where he concluded his career with CBC in 1982. He went on to volunteer with Vancouver Co-op Radio.
Darce Fardy, 89, on March 12. Following a failed attempt to join the Order of the Irish Christian Brothers, Fardy landed a job at CBC St. John’s, NL, working his way through the newsroom. He soon became CBC’s first national reporter in Newfoundland, going on to cover the United Nations in New York, and do a stint in the Edmonton newsroom, before serving as Director of Television in St. John’s and Halifax. Fardy rose to the position of Head of Current Affairs for the network, overseeing programs including The Journal, The Fifth Estate, and Marketplace, as well as documentary productions. He retired from the public broadcaster in 1991. Following an Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2013, Fardy documented living with dementia through a semi-regular column in the Halifax Chronicle Herald.
Bob Oke, 92, on March 9. Oke had a 55-year career with CKCW and CFQM Moncton, NB, retiring from MBS Radio as Chief Engineer of the stations. In retirement, he continued to consult, helping get community station CFTA-FM Amherst, NS on the air in 2011. Oke was also an avid ham radio operator as VE1YM.
Lawrence Dane, 84, on March 21, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Growing up in Ottawa, Dane initially took acting lessons to overcome shyness. His acting career started in 1959, soon amassing film and television credits on shows like R.C.M.P., The Wayne and Shuster Hour, Festival, The Virginian, Mod Squad, Mannix, and Mission: Impossible. Among his recurring roles were Mayor Dane on E.N.G., Judge Appleby on Street Legal, Reg Hunter on The Red Green Show, and Jack Kinney on Queer As Folk. He was perhaps best known for appearing as one of the doctors in “Deliverance” (1972) and as Michael Ironside’s evil business partner in David Cronenberg’s “Scanners” (1981). Dane also wrote and directed 1984 film “Heavenly Bodies,” starring Cynthia Dale. He was nominated for a Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in 1979 for “Running.”
Jeannette Kelly, 70, on March 17, after a lengthy battle with cancer. Kelly detoured from her PhD program in French literature at Université Laval to take a job as a researcher at CBC Radio in Quebec City, going on to become the first host of Quebec City afternoon radio show Breakaway in 1985, and later weekly national program Radio Active, spotlighting music from Quebec. In the 1990s, Kelly did a seven-year stint as a policy analyst with the Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs in Ontario, prior to returning to CBC and Montreal in 2011 as an arts reporter and host of Cinq à six on CBC Radio One, a weekly show on arts and culture featuring guests from actors to novelists and curators. Known for her keen ability to relay the stories of French Quebec to Anglophone listeners, Kelly retired in 2016.
Brian Elston, 73, suddenly on March 16. Elston started his broadcast career working as an operator and studio technician at CBC Radio, while attending Ryerson’s Radio Television Arts program. Shortly after graduation, he was hired by Buzzed Radio Communications to travel North America, transitioning on-air radio operations to the new Top 40 format at stations from Chicago to San Diego. He returned to Toronto in 1972 and after a year-long stint on-air at 680 CFTR and 98.1 CHFI, went on to a 32-year career at TVOntario. Elston rose to the position of Senior Production Editor, embracing new technologies over the years like digital television editing and TVO’s Online Group, managing the creation of the broadcaster’s digital asset management system. After retiring from TVO in 2005, Elston excelled as a part-time Macintosh specialist at The Apple Store in Eaton Centre.
Stuart Robertson, 74, on March 27. Robertson was called to the Ontario bar in 1974, starting his career with CBC’s legal department and eventually becoming Director of Litigation. Specializing in media law in Toronto and Ottawa, he went on to found partnership, O’Donnell, Robertson & Sanfilippo in 1994. Evolving into an expert on newsroom legal crisis management, contempt of court and defamation, Robertson spent his career assisting outlets including the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and the National Post, and had spent the last 30 years working with The Canadian Press, including overseeing CP’s transition to a for-profit entity in 2010. Among his more well-known cases was a successful 1982 CBC challenge that went to the Supreme Court of Canada after a Halifax provincial court office refused to hand over search warrants tied to an RCMP investigation into allegations of political corruption. Robertson was recognized by the Ontario Community Newspaper Association in 1999 with their President’s Award for his service to the Canadian Newspaper Industry in Ontario, and by the National Newspaper Awards in 2019 with the Governors Award in recognition of his work to uphold and defend the integrity of journalism.
Brenda Large, 79, on March 25 after a brief illness. As the daughter of the late Bob and Betty Large, Brenda got her start in radio at age 13 working at family-owned CFCY Radio and CFCY-TV Charlottetown. She went on to study journalism at King’s College in Halifax, and worked for the Ottawa bureau of the Canadian Press for five years assigned to the Parliamentary Press Gallery at the young age of 21. In 1970, she married Nick Fillmore, editor of alternative newspaper The 4th Estate, which was owned and published in Halifax by the Fillmore family, becoming an associate editor and then co-owner and co-publisher with her husband. Evolving into a weekly, Large became sole owner and publisher in 1976, before the paper folded a year later. She went on to work for CBC-TV in Toronto, also holding roles over the years at the Ottawa Citizen, The Globe & Mail, and The Kingston Whig Standard.
Fred Walker, 82, suddenly on March 18. Walker started his broadcast career in 1961 as the first overnight host on CHNS Halifax, helming the show Music Til Dawn. He moved to CBC Halifax a year later, and then Montreal, calling Montreal Canadiens’ Sunday night games, alongside Danny Gallivan for five years on CBC Radio, before moving to CBC Toronto in 1980. Over the years, he gained recognition as a sportscaster with range, calling everything from the World Series to Golf, Diving, Swimming and Tennis, among many other sports and events. He covered the Stanley Cup finals for 28 years and Canada’s first World Junior hockey gold medal in 1982, among other career highlights. Walker retired from CBC in 1995 and established his own communications and media training company. He was inducted into the CBC Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.
Paul Pope, 63, on April 14. Over a four-decade career, Pope produced roughly two dozen films and series, under the banner of Pope Productions, including 2001 feature film, Rare Birds, starring William Hurt, and 2016’s award-winning Hunting Pignut, with Taylor Hickson and Joel Thomas Hynes. Most recently, he was the Executive Producer of Citytv series Hudson & Rex. Pope worked as a second unit director or assistant director on more than a dozen other projects, including The Shipping News (2001), and more recently CBC comedy/drama Little Dog (2018/19). A founding member of the Newfoundland Filmmakers Cooperative (NIFCO), where he served as president for over 20 years, Pope was known as an industry advocate and mentor, passionate about independent production. Over the years, he served on the boards of the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), St. John’s Resource Centre for the Arts, and was Vice-Chair of the Canada Media Fund (CMF) from 2008-10. In addition to numerous awards garnered by Pope Productions, Pope was personally recognized with the Arts Achievement Award from ArtsNL, the Douglas James Dales Industry Builder Award, and an honorary Doctorate from Memorial University. Last year, he received the City of St. John’s Legend Award for his contributions to the tourism sector through his work in film and television. Read more here.
Hugh Fraser, 54, on March 18, following a heart attack. Fraser started his journalism career as a summer sportswriter at The Chronicle Herald in Halifax. He joined the morning show at CBC Newsworld in 1992, as a lineup editor, news writer and producer. After a brief foray into communications for the Nova Scotia government and Health Canada, he returned to CBC as a show producer for both radio and TV, working on programs including The Docket, Canada Now, and Information Morning. In 2004, he was appointed Press Secretary to Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm. In 2006, he transitioned to Bristol Communications as Senior Public Relations Counsel, going on to found his own consultancy, Fraser + Sons Communications in 2010. In late 2019, he joined client, Property Valuation Services Corporation, full-time as a Senior Advisor. Since Jan. 2022, he’d been Vice President, Stakeholder Relations and Communications.
Chuck Camroux, 81, on May 11. Camroux planned to pursue law at the University of Alberta, but caught the radio bug in high school, starting part-time as a disc jockey in 1957 at age 17. In 1970, he joined Rogers as manager of CHAM Hamilton and a year later was elevated to VP of Rogers Radio and GM of CFTR and CHFI-FM Toronto. Camroux left the company in 1979 to become CEO/President of CKLW-AM/FM Detroit/Windsor. In 1983, he formed his own consultancy and moved to Victoria. He went on to found the Canadian Radio Network, the first licensed satellite network in Canada, which was sold to Rogers in 1993. In 1998, Camroux began a six-year term as President and CEO of CJRT-FM Toronto, transitioning the station to JAZZ.FM91. He ushered in both 24-hour broadcasting at the not-for-profit station as well as its rebrand to all-jazz in 2001. He retired after nearly 50 years in broadcasting in 2004.
André Arthur, 78, on May 8. Arthur began his radio career at Québec 800 (CHRC-AM) Quebec City in 1970. He went on to host on French-language stations CJRP, CJMF-FM, CHOI-FM, CKNU-FM, and CIMI-FM Quebec City, and CKAC, CKVL and CJMS Montreal, among other stations. Arthur also spent time in television, serving as a news anchor for Télé-4 – the TVA affiliate in Quebec City – from 1972-79, while also being heard on CHRC. He successfully ran and was elected as an Independent Member of Parliament for Portneuf-Jacques-Cartier in 2006. He retained the seat until 2011.
Peter Goodwin, 67, on April 8. Goodwin’s foray into broadcasting started at University of Waterloo campus radio station, CKMS, in 1973. He would go on to pursue Radio Broadcasting at Humber College, landing a gig at CHYM/CKGL Kitchener as a newscaster and reporter. Goodwin joined CFNY-FM in 1981 as a newscaster and co-host and producer of weekly indie music program “The Streets of Ontario.” His co-host Liz Janik would become his future wife. He left the station in 1989, working as a media consultant. Goodwin was most recently a producer and lineup editor at CHCH Hamilton from 2004 to 2015.
Patrick Grierson, on May 16, after battling an undisclosed illness. With a broadcast career spanning more than 40 years, the radio advertising pioneer retired in 2017 as leader of the largest national radio sales organization in Canada, Canadian Broadcast Sales (CBS). He started his career with Standard Broadcasting in the 1970s and was eventually appointed president of the Standard Broadcast Sales Radio division, following the Slaight family’s acquisition of the company in 1985. In 1987, Grierson founded United Broadcast Sales (UBS), which saw Standard Broadcast Sales merge with Western Broadcast Sales (WIC). He served as President and CEO of UBS until 1993, when he brought together UBS and All Canada to create one dominant Canadian radio sales company. Grierson was honoured by the Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB) with its 2015 Ontario Hall of Fame Award. He was inducted into the Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB) Hall of Fame in 2017. Read more here.
Andrew Simon, 84, on April 28. A Holocaust survivor, Simon immigrated to Canada after escaping Hungary with his parents in 1950. Simon started his career with CBC as a tour guide, going on to report, produce and manage at the public broadcaster. He was the founding producer and creator of national open line radio program Cross-Country Check-Up, alongside producer Moses Znaimer and host Brad Crandall, which began airing in 1965. In 1966, while at CBC Montreal, Simon famously offered Leonard Cohen the job of hosting television current affairs program “Seven on Six.” Cohen was all but signed when he called Simon to tell him he had decided to pursue songwriting. Simon went on to work in management at CBC TV Calgary and later served as Executive Director of Radio Canada International from 1989-91. He took early retirement following the 1990-91 budget cuts.
Andrew Krystal, 63, on May 22 in Toronto. After graduating from the University of Toronto, Krystal started in broadcasting creating syndicated entertainment content for Sonic Workshop, and contributing travel content to programs like CNN’s Travel Guide. He went on to host various talk radio timeslots on AM 640 (CFIQ-AM) and Newstalk 1010 (CFRB-AM) Toronto. Known for his volatility at times, he gained a reputation as a “radio bad boy.” Krystal was part of the launch team for Rogers’ Halifax all-news station, News 95.7 (CJNI-FM) (now CityNews Halifax), where he hosted “Maritime Morning” for the station’s first five years bringing the show to #2 in the market. He returned to Toronto in 2010 where he went on to work with Sportsnet 590 The Fan (CJCL-AM) and CityNews, where he served as the Toronto City Hall reporter during Mayor Rob Ford’s first few years in office. Krystal had most recently been hosting “Krystal Nation” on SiriusXM Canadian current affairs channel, Canada Talks, and running his own digital content and communications firm, working with clients like Tourism Ontario. Read more here.
Edward ‘Ted’ Eadinger, 81, on May 17. Born in Saskatoon in 1940, an early love of film spurred Eadinger’s decision to pursue broadcasting. By the age of 19, he had landed a job as a DJ in Prince Albert and soon moved into television, trying his hand as a children’s host (Captain Jolly), producer and director before joining management. He served as Vice President and Station Manager at CFQC-TV from 1974 to 1988, overseeing the transition to computer technology. In 1988, he became VP and General Manager of CFPL-TV in London, a position he held until 1997. In 1994, his contributions to the industry were recognized with the Broadcaster of the Year Award from the Central Canada Broadcasters’ Association. In addition to being involved in many charitable and civic endeavours over the years, Eadinger served as President of the Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB) in 1983.
Arthur Weinthal, 90, on May 14. Weinthal began working in advertising and radio news following his graduation from McGill University. His first job in broadcasting was in 1953, as the night news editor for CFCF Radio. A year later, he was promoted to Program and Production Manager. In 1960, he was hired by Ronalds-Reynolds, before moving his family to Toronto where he joined CTV in 1962 as Executive Producer of Daytime Programs. He went on to a 36-year career, rising through the ranks to Program Director in 1966, Vice President and Director of Entertainment Programming in 1973, and Vice President of Programming in 1994. In 1997, he was named Group Vice President and Creative Director. Among the shows that fell under his purview were Stars on Ice, Circus, Night Heat, Swiss Family Robinson, E.N.G., Neon Rider, and Due South He went on to serve as a consultant to the industry, notably for Alliance Atlantis. In 1997, the Arthur Weinthal Award was endowed in his name at Ryerson University. In 1999, he was inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) Hall of Fame as a pioneer. Other accolades included a special Gemini Award, to recognize his contributions to Canadian television.
William (Bill) Dawkins, 79, on May 11 at Hospice Wellington, after a fight with cancer. Dawkins had a 63-year broadcasting career, best known for his time in Guelph, ON where he served as General Sales Manager, Station Manager, and minority owner of MAGIC 106 (CIMJ-FM) and 1460 CJOY. He retired as Senior Account Manager in Sept. 2021. Dawkins was a consummate salesperson, but more importantly a mentor and coach to upcoming talent and colleagues. He never met a silent auction he didn’t like, or a client golf tournament he wouldn’t play in. His commitment to clients assisted in the growth and development of many local businesses across the region and led to lifelong bonds with clients who would become friends.
Roy Hennessy, 80, on June 7, after suffering a stroke on May 27. Originally from Ladner, BC, Hennessy started his broadcast career doing evenings at CKOK Penticton in the early 1960s. Six months later he was hired to do the all-night show at CHQM Vancouver. In 1964, he joined CKLG Vancouver – first as host of Real Roy Hennessy evenings and later morning drive where he had a 12-year run – establishing himself as one of the best-known DJs on the West Coast. Hennessy took over as program director in 1976 and was instrumental in the station’s transition to the CFOX-FM call letters in 1979. Hennessy signed LG off with “The End” by The Doors, followed by a few minutes of dead air, signing “The Fox” on with “FM” by Steely Dan. Hennessy then made the move to Edmonton with Moffatt Broadcasting and accepted his first General Manager role in Winnipeg at CKY/CITI FM. That was followed by CKXL and CHFM Calgary. He joined Standard Broadcasting in the early ’90s, helping usher CFRB 1010 Toronto into an all-news format. After five challenging years at CFRB, Hennessy formed radio advertising agency RadioWorks with David Bray. In 2008, he went on to become part of the ownership group that launched Shore 104 (CHHR-FM) Vancouver. Hennessy was awarded the inaugural Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB) President’s Award in 2005. Read more here.
Ed Needham, 90, on May 31. Needham began his career in New England and the American Midwest, with stops at WCBS-AM and WINS-AM New York City, and a stint as a war correspondent for ABC in Vietnam. He immigrated to Canada in the 1970s. Best known for his long-running, highly-rated evening show on 1010 CFRB Toronto, which ran from 1986 to 1993, Needham’s trademark was his bloviated, yet captivating style. In addition to CFRB, he also worked for CKO-FM, CFRA-AM and CBC-TV in Ottawa.
Tom Gauthier, 85, on April 17. Gauthier had a long broadcast sales career, starting out in Montreal at CFCF and later Standard Broadcasting and CJAD. His career also included stops as sales manager at CKTB and HTZ-FM in St. Catharines, in addition to CKLW Windsor, and CHML and Y95 in Hamilton.
Jim Nihda, 92, on June 7, after suffering a debilitating stroke in August 2021. Nihda’s nearly four-decade career in broadcasting began after receiving radio training with Toronto’s Central Tech High School in 1949. His first position in radio broadcasting was with 1050 CHUM Toronto, as a daytime engineering trainee. He left CHUM that fall to join Oshawa’s CKLB as a broadcast technician. In 1951, Nihda returned to Toronto to work with L.J. Hagerty Advertising in their production department. He joined CBC later that year, helping launch CBLT-TV in 1952. He eventually moved into radio and became a top-ranked technician, working with The Happy Gang, The Rhythm Pals, Tommy Hunter, and Juliet, to name a few legends of Canadian radio and television. During the 1950s and ‘60s, Nihda traveled extensively with the “Canada Entertains” group who performed shows for Canadian UN and NATO troops in the Gaza Strip, England, Germany, France, Italy, Churchill and Resolute Bay. He single-handedly produced these shows for Canadawide re-broadcast on radio. During this time, aviation was an integral part of his life that allowed him to fully enjoy two of his interests – aircraft and photography, resulting in a remarkable portfolio of photos depicting RCAF aircraft from a golden age in Canadian aviation. Over the years, Nihda helped produce radio broadcasts of numerous historic events including royal visits, the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, and the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959. In 1966, he was promoted to Duty Manager for Radio & Television at CBC Toronto’s Jarvis Street studios, where he took responsibility for CBC Network TV and Radio weeknight and weekend programming decisions. He retired from the CBC in 1985.
Fred Cole, 87, on May 9. The longtime chief engineer at Victoria radio stations CKDA and CFMS, Cole began his career in Ontario working at the Toronto AM stations of broadcasting icons Jack Kent Cooke and Ted Rogers. He went west at the behest of David Armstrong in 1967, remaining chief engineer of both Capital Broadcasting stations until their sale and dissolution in 1995. Cole went on to work as a technician at The Q (CKKQ-FM) Victoria, in addition to continuing to do contract tech installations on Vancouver Island.
John Beveridge, 89, on June 15. After working for the Canadian High Commission in Wellington, New Zealand, Beveridge started his career in broadcasting with the CBC in 1959. He went on to join CJOH-TV Ottawa where he was hired just 10 days before the station went on-air in 1961. He started as film librarian, staying with the station for 33 years through successive promotions to Program Manager, and later Vice-President of Programming. He retired in 1995. Beveridge was an active participant in Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) committee work prior to his retirement.
Doug Ackhurst, 77, peacefully at home on June 24, following a seven-year battle with metastatic melanoma. Ackhurst started his broadcast career in 1961 at CFOX 1470 “Lakeshore Family Radio”, working for Gord Sinclair Jr. He quickly rose to become Program Director, then Manager. He then joined the new Northern Broadcasting, owned by Jack Schoone, and worked as manager of CFCH and CKAT, overseeing the Timmins stations for over nine years. When Telemedia took over, he was moved to Toronto to run CJCL, where he instituted “Music of your Life” and later “All Sports.” After eight years, he moved to CFOR Orillia and CKMP Midland and was responsible for switching them to FM under the KICX brand. He also had responsibility for Bracebridge, Timmins and Stratford. From Orillia, he moved to Sudbury for two years, managing CIGM and CJRQ. He then returned to Toronto to run The Fan 590 for more than six years until Telemedia was sold to Rogers in 2002. He retired as Vice President and General Manager. Ackhurst served on many boards over the years, including FACTOR and the Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB). He was proud that his grandson Matthew Maynard followed him into broadcasting (Algonquin College 2019) and is currently employed by AMI.
Jody Porter, on July 18, after battling cancer. Best known for her two decades as a reporter with CBC Thunder Bay, Porter was a graduate of Centennial College and a former William Southam Journalism Fellow at Massey College. She started her career as an editor with the Wawatay Native Communications Society, based in Sioux Lookout. She joined CBC in 2000. Porter was the recipient of a Debwewin Citation from the Anishinabek Nation for excellence in reporting on First Nations issues and was Massey College’s Clarkson Laureate in recognition of public service in 2014 whose “social justice work, not just as a reporter, but as an engaged citizen, has created numerous opportunities to build bridges with the First Nations in the Northern communities, including the radio/social experiments that take ordinary people out of their cultural comfort zones and bring them to cook and share a meal with members of the First Nations.” In addition to journalism, Porter worked as an acquisitions editor with McGraw-Hill Ryerson. She’d been battling cancer since 2017.
Nadège St-Philippe, 47, on July 16 after a battle with cancer. A weather presenter for Groupe TVA in Montreal for 15 years, starting in 2006, St. Philippe was first diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer in 2011. She had most recently been on leave since last December. In addition to her television work, St-Philippe was a group fitness coach and owned her own jewelry line. She also lent her time to volunteering with the Canadian Cancer Society and Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation.
Paul Hanover, 96, on July 11. Born Solomon Yanover in Hamilton in 1926, Hanover’s radio career started at age 17 in Sault Ste. Marie right out of high school. He soon returned to Hamilton to join CHML, where he landed a job on the morning shift. In 1956, a parade of former mayors led by Mayor Lloyd D. Jackson, appointed Hanover “Mayor of the Morning” in recognition of his service to the community. A fixture on CHML’s morning show from 1945 to 1982, he spent a total of 41 years at the station. Hamilton woke up to his signature sign on “Hi y’all, this is Paul”. With his radio sidekick Jolly Cholly, he delivered the 3 T’s – time temperature and tunes. He signed off with a reminder to be a good neighbour and “Do as you would be did by.” Hanover also served as the host of early game shows like “Showdown”, “Paycards” and long-running charades competition “It’s Your Move.” He left the CHML morning show in 1982 and worked in promotions before returning to radio in 1986 to help launch CKOC’s new FM station, CKLH (now known as K-Lite). He retired in 1991.
Robert W. Knight, 69, on July 10, from injuries sustained in a scooter collision. Born in Montreal, Knight began his career at CFOX. Following the station’s format flip to all-news, he made the move to CFGO Ottawa in the late 1970s in the 10 p.m to 2 a.m. time slot. When CFGO flipped to sports, he moved on to weekends on The Bear (CKQB-FM), and eventually went on to host afternoon drive on CHEZ 106 (CHEZ-FM). Knight also dabbled in television in the early 1980s, hosting a weekend music video show for CHRO-TV.
Patrick Watson, 92, on July 4. Born in Toronto, Watson’s first broadcast job involved playing a character in CBC Radio’s daily children’s series, The Kootenay Kid, in 1943. He went on to the University of Toronto, and then started his PhD in linguistics at the University of Michigan before abandoning a career in academia to work at the CBC in 1955. He began hosting The Four Corners travel series in 1957 and gained notoriety as the co-host and co-creator of current affairs program, This Hour Has Seven Days, alongside Laurier LaPierre. After the popular program was cancelled, Watson did a brief stint in 1969/70 at CTV Ottawa affiliate CJOH as Vice-President, Programming, before going out as an independent which saw him produce The Watson Report, Witness to Yesterday, Venture, and 1989’s The Struggle for Democracy, the most expensive docuseries made for Canadian TV, spanning five years and 30 countries. Watson went on to serve as Chairman of the CBC from 1989 to 1994. He was also the creator, writer and narrator of the CRB Foundation’s iconic “Heritage Minutes.” Watson was invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1981 and promoted to Companion in 2002.
Dave Fisher, 71, on July 20, after suffering a heart attack. Fisher began his radio career in Lindsay, ON, followed by stops in Peterborough, Winnipeg and Ottawa, before landing in Montreal in 1984. Fisher began hosting CJAD 800’s weekend shows, including The Trivia Show, Dave’s World, and The Home Improvement Show. He was the voice of the weekend morning time slot for 32 years up until his retirement in 2016.
Shelley Hartman, 69, on July 17. A highly-rated jock on CHEZ 106 Ottawa from 1977 until the late 1990s, Hartman was one of the station’s original DJs at launch. Hartman had a 21-year career at CHEZ before moving on to follow her passion for Greek and Roman Studies at Carleton University. She went on to become an archaeologist and member of Carleton’s Classics Society.
Jean de Grandpré, 100, on July 31. Instrumental in transforming the telecommunications industry in Canada, de Grandpré joined Bell in 1966 as General Counsel, going on to hold progressively senior leadership roles. He was appointed CEO and Chair of the Board in 1976 and played a key role in the creation of Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE) in 1983, guiding Bell through a transformative period that included the launch of mobile phone services, the introduction of fibre optic technology and the rise of personal computers. The creation of BCE allowed the company to be active not only in communications, but also in the natural gas, petroleum, printing and commercial real estate sectors. In 1985, BCE became the first Canadian corporation to break the billion-dollar barrier in profits. de Grandpré was a Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor Emeritus of McGill University, a lifetime member of the Canadian Bar Association and a member of the Bar of Québec. He was inducted into the Academy of Great Montrealers in the Economic category in 1987 and was named a Commander of the Ordre de Montréal in 2016. His biography, L’héritage d’un géant, was published in 2019.
Jeff Allan Galbraith, after a battle with ALS, on July 31. Born in Port Colborne, Allan grew up in London, ON and attended university in Buffalo, London and Toronto, before starting his radio career in 1987 at Q107 (CILQ-FM) Toronto. He went on to work in morning radio in Owen Sound, London and Winnipeg, before landing at Regina’s 104.9 The Wolf (CFWF-FM) where “The Bill and Jeff” show was born in 1997, which Allan co-hosted alongside Bill Toffan. Allan went on to work for 106.9 The Bear (CKQB-FM) Ottawa and later 570 News (Now CityNews 570) where he hosted weekday talk show, “The Jeff Allan Show”, which was also simulcast on Rogers TV Cable 20. Allan was a proud member of the Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 530 in Waterloo and an avid war history buff, serving as Master of Ceremonies at many Remembrance Day events. He was among those awarded a Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Medal in 2012, marking the 60th Anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne.
Janet Wright, 84, on July 28. Prior to emigrating to Canada, Wright attended the Central School of Speech and Drama in London where she studied stage management, going on to work for Granada in Manchester and the BBC in Glasgow. She left England for Ottawa in 1966 where she joined Budge Crawley’s Crawley Films as a producer. She signed on with the CBC a year later, going on to a more than 30-year career with the public broadcaster. Wright held roles from producer and director to television host, working on shows including Scene from Here, Country Report, Switchback, and Rockburn & Company. She also served as Senior Producer of Ottawa’s Newsday.
Melvin “Mel” Hoppenheim, 84, on July 27. After quitting school at 17 to help support his family, Hoppenheim earned his high school certificate studying at night at Sir George Williams University. His career in the film industry began with providing cameras and equipment to Montreal cinematographers. He founded Panavision in Montreal in 1965 and established offices in Toronto and Vancouver in the 1970s. Hoppenheim acquired the historic Theatre Expo de la Cité du Havre in 1988 and created Mel’s Cité du Cinéma (now MELS), one of the most modern facilities available to Canadian film and television producers at the time. In 1997, Hoppenheim made a $1 million donation to Concordia University to support student film development in the Faculty of Fine Arts. The department was subsequently renamed the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema. He also co-founded the National Institute College of Image and Sound (INIS), a private school aimed at developing writers, directors and producers. In 2012, the Montreal World Film Festival paid tribute to Hoppenheim by giving him a Special Grand Prix of the Americas, in recognition of his career. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 2015 for his contributions to the vitality of movie-making in Canada and for his support of a wide variety of educational and community organizations, including sitting on the boards of Montréal Children’s Hospital and the Montréal Heart Institute Foundation.
Jackie Gioconda Pagliarello, 58, on June 8. Pagliarello had a 35-year career with the public broadcaster, starting in 1987 as an Associate Director for English regional news. She went on to work as a Director on programs including CBC Ottawa NewsDay and NewsDay Final, in addition to working as an Associate Director on Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts for over a decade. Pagliarello was additionally part of the Ottawa team that established the initial CBC Newsworld bureau in the Capital Region. Fluent in four languages, she also joined the broadcast team for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy.
Andy Sandilands, 64, on Aug. 12, after a short battle with cancer. Sandilands graduated from Ryerson’s Radio and Television Arts program in the early 1980s, going on to a career in radio broadcast sales. When Standard Broadcast Sales and Western Broadcast Sales merged to create United Broadcast Sales (UBS), he was one of the first members of the UBS sales team. UBS eventually became Canadian Broadcast Sales (CBS), Canada’s largest radio rep house. While Sandilands briefly left for CBC, he returned to his CBS family where he wrapped his more than three-decade career, retiring in 2019.
Allan Myers, 59, suddenly on Aug. 10. Originally from One Hundred Mile House, BC and a graduate of BCIT, Myers started his career at BCTV (now Global BC). He went on to roles at Al Jazeera, Washington, D.C. CBS affiliate WUSA 9, Temple Street Productions, and TVO, among other freelance work. Myers also worked as a producer/director for National Geographic Canada from 2000-07, directing series “Inside Base Camp” and 2004 documentary “China’s Lost Girls.” He took up the position of Senior Director, CTV National News in 2014. He also directed more than 50 episodes of CTV’s W5 and 2012 reality series, “Canada’s Great Know It All,” in addition to 2012 docuseries “Over the Rainbow,” which aired on CBC and followed Andrew Lloyd Webber as he searched Canada for the girl to play Dorothy in Mirvish’s production of The Wizard of Oz.
Terence McCartney-Filgate, 97, on July 11. Born in England, Macartney-Filgate joined the Royal Air Force as a flight engineer during WWII, flying more than a dozen operations in Europe. After attending Oxford University, he immigrated to Canada. A longtime fan of National Film Board of Canada (NFB) documentaries, he was eventually hired as a script assistant in 1954 and by 1956 had directed his first film. Among his early projects was NFB’s “Candid Eye” series, 14 half hour shorts that were broadcast on the CBC between 1958 and 1961. In 1963, he was tapped to direct “Robert Frost: A Lover’s Quarrel with the World” when original director Shirley Clark left the project. The film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, however Macartney-Filgate was not credited. Among other accolades, he won a Peabody Award for his 1964 documentary, “Changing World: South African Essay.” In the 1970s, he taught in the film department at York University. He eventually retired, but continued to work with Adrienne Clarkson on her CBC-TV program, Adrienne Clarkson Presents. Macartney-Filgate was presented with Hot Doc’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2011 and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada the same year.
Ian Power, 63, on Aug. 23, at Richmond General Hospital, from advanced Glioblastoma. Power’s broadcast career started in 1978 at CFUN Vancouver as part of the cruiser team. By 1980, he was hosting evenings and weekends at CISL Vancouver, followed by stints at CISQ-FM and CISW-FM Squamish/Whistler, CJVB Vancouver, and CIOF/CKXY Vancouver. He joined Rogers in the late 1980s as a creative consultant for several years, before returning to an on-air role at Pattison Media Vancouver in 1994 where he hosted weekend/swing on JR FM (CJJR-FM) and afternoon drive on CKBD. After 15 years with Pattison, Power moved over to 980 CKNW weekend program, The Home Discovery Show, in 2009 where he was a host and producer for seven years. More recently, he’d been hosting the morning show on 107.7 Pulse FM (CISF-FM) Surrey.
Gerald Potterton, 91, on Aug. 23. Born in London, England and a student of the Hammersmith Art School, Potterton emigrated to Canada in 1954 to work alongside the pioneers of NFB animation. He created animation for NFB films throughout the ‘50s before directing his own shorts, including Stephen Leacock adaptation My Financial Career (1962) and Christmas Cracker (1963, co-directed with Norman McLaren, Jeff Hale and Grant Munro), which were both nominated for Academy Awards. He made his mark in live-action comedy with The Ride (1963) and the The Railrodder (1965), starring Buster Keaton in one of his last film roles. In 1968, Potterton returned to England to work on the Beatles animated feature Yellow Submarine, followed by a collaboration with Harold Pinter on NBC TV special Pinter People. Upon his return to Canada, he formed independent production company, Potterton Productions, which turned out projects including Oscar Wilde adaptation The Selfish Giant (1972), an animated short that netted him a third Oscar nomination. In 1981, he directed animated cult classic Heavy Metal for Columbia Pictures, supervising more than 65 animators in Canada, England and the U.S. In later years, Potterton took up painting, also continuing to develop film and TV projects from his home base in Knowlton, Que. A member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, he was selected by the World Animation Celebration in 1998 as one of “Ten Men Who Have Rocked the Animation World.” There have been over a dozen retrospectives and lifetime honours for his work in recent years, including at the Ottawa Animation Film Festival (1994) and Seattle Film Festival (1997).
Nelson Branco, 48, on Aug. 22. Originally from Winnipeg, Branco graduated from Ryerson University’s Radio & Television Arts program in the mid-’90s, starting his career working with publications like Soap Opera Update and Xtra Magazine. He continued in entertainment journalism with In Touch, where he helped launch the magazine in 2003 under editor Richard Spencer. Around the same time, he started writing for TV Guide, Weekly Scoop, and Hello! Canada. Branco also ventured into television with short stints as a writer on The Marilyn Denis Show and CTV News Channel, and as a segment and chase producer at Breakfast Television. He went on to serve as the senior producer on Sun News Network’s “Straight Talk with Adrienne Batra” from 2013-15. He then took up the role of Editor at Postmedia commuter paper, 24 Hours. Since 2017, he’d held the title of National Video & Digital Lead for the Toronto Sun and Canoe. Branco was caught up in layoffs this past June when his position was eliminated. Over the years, he was also a contributor to HufPost, Closer, and Zoomer Magazine, among other publications.
Dave Biro, 70, on Aug. 23 after a long bout with cancer. Biro got his start in journalism writing for The Vancouver Province, while still attending high school at Burnaby North Secondary. After studying at the Columbia Academy of Broadcasting, he started his broadcasting career in 1973, reading news at stations including CFVR Abbotsford, CJIB Vernon, and CKIQ Kelowna. He landed at CKNW in New Westminster in 1978, before moving into television in 1980 at CKVU-TV Vancouver, first as assignment editor and then news director where he won a Peabody Award in 1987 for the documentary, Aids and You. In 1988, he returned to radio briefly at CKWX as news director, before going back to television to serve as the assignment editor and senior news producer at CHEK-TV Victoria. After a two-year detour serving as a provincial ministerial assistant under the NDP government of Dan Miller, Biro joined CBC Radio in Victoria as an associate producer and host, before taking up the role of assignment editor at CTV Vancouver Island. After 10 years, he semi-retired in 2015, continuing to work with CBC as a casual news reader. In 2011, Biro was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Radio-Television News Directors Association.
John Christopher Rose, 74, died peacefully on Sept 2, of kidney failure with the help of MAID. Born in East York, ON, Rose started his journalism career at the Associated Press (AP) typing copy from the dictatype machine. He worked his way up, eventually becoming a radio reporter with AP in both Toronto and Ottawa. Rose went on to become an editor and political reporter with Broadcast News (BN). In the mid-1980s, he joined CBS as part of a newsroom videotext development trial. He returned to Canada in 1986 to work for CTV National News and was involved in the development and launch of their 24-hour news channel in 1997. Following several years of teaching broadcast journalism and film production in Toronto, Rose trained as a chef. He retired to Vancouver Island in 2013 to pursue another passion, golf, but confessed, unlike his professional career, he never got better.
Bill Onn, 93, peacefully at Greater Niagara General Hospital on Aug. 26. Born in London, ON, Onn was an avid electronics buff who started working for a local radio shop and local radio station, CFPL, at their transmitter site in his early teens. He went on to join General Electric Canada as an electrical parts salesman, getting his first major position in radio at CHLO St. Thomas where he would meet his future wife, Ruth Carless. Onn joined CKEY Toronto in 1964 as an electrical engineer where he stayed until his retirement in 1990 as VP of Engineering. He concurrently ran his own business, BES, which specialized in supplying radio transmitter apparatus, much of which he built himself, in addition to installing mini radio antennae transmission towers in the Toronto area. In 1993, Onn was named Engineer of the Year by the Association of Central Canada Broadcast Engineers (CCBE).
Fred Locking, 73, on Aug. 23. Locking began his broadcast career in Brampton at CHIC-FM, which would later become CFNY. He joined CFRB Toronto as part of the station’s sports team in the late 1970s and for a time served as the Toronto Argonauts arena announcer and as part of the broadcast team for the Toronto Blue Jays, alongside Bill Stephenson and Dave Hodge. Locking went on to work at TSN from 1991 to 2004 after which he joined Skywords as a morning traffic announcer. He retired from Skywords in 2019.
Bob McCord, 82, on Sept. 12, at his home in California. McCord got his start in radio at CKLC Kingston in the early 1960s. Stints at WIFE Indianapolis, Indiana and WONE Dayton, Ohio doing the 8 p.m. – midnight show followed before he landed at 630 CHED in the summer of 1965. He left CHED in early 1966 to work at KLIF Dallas before returning to Edmonton later that same year to take over the afternoon show. He remained with the station until 1978 when he attempted to obtain a licence for a new rock station in the city. The application was denied, but he found success a few years later, in 1981, when he was awarded a licence for a contemporary country station. CISN-FM was launched on June 5, 1982 as “The Big 10-4.” McCord had long been retired to Laguna Beach, California where he moved after retiring from radio in 1988, concurrent with the sale of CISN-FM to Shaw. Read more here.
Matthew Rodrigopulle, on Sept. 8, suddenly at his home in Regina. A 2020 Ryerson University (Toronto Metropolitan University) graduate, Rodrigopulle started pursuing a passion for sports journalism while he studied contributing to The Ryersonian as a sports reporter, as well as FanSided. He joined Sportsnet in 2020 writing scripts and putting together highlight packages, while also acting as an ongoing contributor to Leafs Nation and working as a teaching assistant in the School of Journalism. Rodrigopulle left Sportsnet this past March to join Global News Regina as a reporter and digital broadcast journalist.
Elmer Tippe, 89, on Sept. 7. Originally from Eatonia, Saskatchewan, Tippe began began playing banjo and fiddle at the age of eight and started entertaining professionally at 15, playing dances up and down B.C.’s Fraser Valley with his two older brothers as “Ray’s Harmony Five.” After his brother Clarence was killed by a drunk driver, he and brother Ray went on to form The Pine Mountain Boys. After moving to Pitt Meadows, BC, Tippe began his broadcasting career at CJJC Langley in 1969, the province’s first full-time country music station. He moved over to Supercountry CKWX Vancouver in 1975 as the all-night DJ, later moving into middays where he stayed for 25 years until 1991. “The Elmer Tippe Show” featured segments like star phone-ins from Nashville and “Elmer’s Choice,” a special song chosen by Tippe each day. He concurrently recorded several albums and had three charting singles in the 1970s. Tippe was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002, in addition to the B.C. Country Music Hall of Fame (which in its inaugural year awarded Tippe both Male Vocalist of the Year and Disc Jockey of the Year in 1977), the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame, Western Swing Society Hall of Fame, and numerous Country Music Broadcaster Awards.
David Ward, on Sept. 27, of cancer. Ward, the longtime Senior Producer and Program Director at Alberta’s CKUA Radio Network, started working with the community radio station in 1982 as a record librarian in its Edmonton studios. He went on to host and produce, eventually establishing himself as the community radio network’s “point person” in Calgary after the network established a studio there in 2001. “For over 40 years, David was a colleague, mentor, inspiration and friend to so many in the immediate CKUA community. He was also a friend to untold thousands more, forging close connections with listeners, donors and volunteers as host of some of our most popular programs,” CKUA wrote in a tribute on its website. Among the shows Ward hosted over the years were The Afternoon Edition, Freeway, Sounds Live and Time for JazzMusic.
Fred Blair, 82, on Aug. 24. Blair started his career as a reporter at CFNB Fredericton in the late 1950s. He eventually moved over to CBC Radio and later television, where he rose to the position of Senior Editor and Newsroom Supervisor, in addition to serving as the face of political reporting in New Brunswick. After many years of reporting, Blair joined the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick as its Executive Director. He eventually moved on and tried his hand at private consulting before going to work for Conservative Member of Parliament Greg Thompson. Blair ended his career running Thompson’s constituency office in St. Stephen, NB.
Mike Oldfield, 83, on Sept. 17, of lymphoma. Born in London, England, Oldfield grew up in North Bay, ON, starting his broadcast career at local TV station CKGN-TV in 1958 as a trainee audio operator, switcher, cameraman, director, producer and program host. He remained with CKGN-TV until 1962 when he moved on to Kitchener to work as a technician at CKCO-TV. Oldfield then joined CFTO-TV Toronto doing sound for many of the musical variety shows and remote broadcasts produced for the CTV Network. He eventually left Toronto for Vancouver and worked sound on several Hollywood movies shot in 1970 – The Grove, later released as A Name for Evil with Robert Culp and Samantha Eggar; The Return of Charlie Chan with Ross Martin, Leslie Neilson, Richard Haydn and Louise Sorrel and McCabe and Mrs. Miller with Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. He joined CBC Vancouver in 1971 as a temporary Film Sound Technician and then did a brief stint with BCTV before filling a permanent Film Sound position with CBC. He continued work there in film recording and sound effects until 1991 when the department was shuttered, moving on to oversee audio on the nightly newscasts from Studios 42 and 44. Oldfield retired in 1995.
André Chagnon, 94, on Oct. 8. Chagnon was born in Montréal in 1928. The son of an electrician, he took up the family trade, training as an electrician technician at the École technique de Montréal, before establishing his own electrical contracting company, E.R. Chagnon et Fils Ltée. He sold the business to his employees in 1964 when he founded Videotron. The company went on to become a cable television market leader in less than three decades, instituting innovations that increased consumer demand like an expanded channel offering from five to 35 channels. Videotron also introduced the first pay-per-view service, Sélecto–TV in 1969. The company carried out a public offering in 1985, followed by the acquisition of Télé–Métropole. Chagnon was committed to supporting various education, health, arts and sports causes. In 2000 when Videotron was sold to Quebecor, the Chagnon family created the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation, dedicated to finding sustainable ways to prevent poverty and helping young people in Quebec develop their full potential. Chagnon’s achievements have been recognized with numerous awards, including being named the first Grand Lauréat du Prix des Communications by the Québec Communications Ministry in 1983. In 2009, he was inducted into Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1992 and to the Ordre national du Québec in 2003, among many other accolades. Read more here.
Gordon Beattie Martin, 90, on Oct. 4. Beattie Martin’s own athletic background and interest in sport propelled him into a broadcasting career, starting with CFSL Radio Weyburn, SK. He moved on to CJME Regina in 1959 as sports editor and was named sports director, before briefly working for CKRM. He landed at CBC Regina as sports director in 1964, where he covered numerous sporting events and traveled the world covering Olympic and Commonwealth Games. While he was offered promotions in Toronto and Halifax, he turned those down, eventually deciding to run as a MLA in Saskatchewan. Beattie Martin represented Regina Wascana from 1986-91. Among the posts he held in his time in government were Minister of Environment and Public Safety, Minister of the Family, Minister Responsible for Seniors, and Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Recreation.
Jeff Barnaby, 46, after a year-long battle with cancer. Born and raised on the Listuguj Reserve in Quebec, Barnaby studied film at both Dawson College and Concordia University. Heavily influenced by horror and sci-fi, he began directing short films, including 2004’s From Cherry English and 2010 Genie-nominated dystopian short, File Under Miscellaneous. Barnaby’s first feature film, 2013’s Rhymes for Young Ghouls had its premiere at TIFF and was given independent release in both Canada and the U.S. A residential schools abuse revenge story told through the story of its main character Aila, the film inspired the creation of “The Aila Test“, a litmus test named after the strong protagonist played by Devery Jacobs, used to analyze representation of Indigenous female characters. Barnaby received a Best Canadian Director nod for the film from the Vancouver Film Critics Circle. His sophomore feature, Indigenous horror film Blood Quantum – depicting a zombie uprising on a First Nations reserve – premiered at TIFF in 2019 and was named second runner-up for the Grolsch People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award. The film garnered 10 nominations and seven wins at the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards, including a Best Editing nod for Barnaby. Read more here.
Henry Pike, 93, on Oct. 19. Pike was the oldest volunteer at VOWR 800 AM St. John’s, NL, gracing the Wesley United Church community station’s airwaves for more than 60 years. Pike started volunteering with VOWR in 1958 after picking up a date at the station following her Sunday evening shift. Pike, who drove a 1955 Pontiac at the time, was recruited by the station manager to transport some equipment the following week. He married Frances a few years later, acting as her show’s operator. Their two children also went on to volunteer at VOWR. In recent years, Pike continued to host on the station on a bi-weekly basis, including “Music for Relaxation.”
Kelsa Kinsly, on Oct.17. Kinsly got her start in broadcasting at CFOX Vancouver in 1990, also contributing to Corus Vancouver stations Rock 101 (CFMI-FM) and MOJO Radio (CHMJ-AM). She moved to Toronto in 1998 to act as the contributing Canadian host of the Howard Stern Show during its brief run in syndication on Q107 (CILQ-FM). Kinsly went on to briefly host Breakfast Television at CTV Halifax before heading stateside in 2003. Stints in news and traffic followed at WLUP and WFLD FOX32 Chicago, NBC 10 WCAU Philadelphia, and The Weather Channel. From 2008 to 2018, she held various roles with iHeartMedia in Los Angeles, including reading news for KNX, K-EARTH, KFI, The Wave, and KFMB San Diego. She also had numerous acting credits to her name.
Alan Black, 64, on Oct. 17. A longtime journalist and editor with The Canadian Press (CP), Black joined the wire service in 1987 after starting his broadcast career in radio, including several years at CJAD and FM 96 (CJFM-FM) Montreal. He started in the sports department at CP, holding roles over the years in the Ontario bureau, national desk, and later overnight editor – his last position with the company which he held for eight years, before retiring in 2018. Among Black’s career highlights was covering 17 Olympic Games during his 31 years with CP.
“Tom Allen” Labanowich, 63, on Oct. 10. Allen had a more than 45-year broadcasting career, working throughout Ontario, including CKPC 1380 Brantford, ON and Energy 108 Hamilton. He also did a brief announcing stint with the Canadian Traffic Network (CTN).
Gary Wilkinson, 50, on Oct. 28, following a short illness. Hailing from North East England, Wilkinson started his radio career in the mid-1990s in Ireland at Atlantic 252 under the on-air pseudonym of “Pizzaman.” From there, he joined Chrysalis Radio and Galaxy North East before crossing the pond to Canada and landing in swing at Power 92 (CKNG-FM) Edmonton in 2001 and later Power 107 (CFGQ-FM) Calgary where he was on-air as “Mojo.” He eventually returned to the UK, going on to roles with Wyvern FM Worchester, Metro/TFM and BBC Newcastle, Zetland FM Redcar, and Merge 104.8 Muscat, sometimes on-air as “Nick Jordan.” He’d most recently been heard on Frisk Radio and YO1 in the North East, in addition to other freelance and voiceover work.
Alan Dever, 72, on Oct. 18, from spinal cancer. Following his graduation from McGill, Dever worked with CBC for over two decades, starting in 1979 in Montreal as a television reporter and assignment editor. He went on to work on The National in Toronto, before heading to the West Coast to manage the network news bureau in British Columbia. Dever left the public broadcaster in 1999 to accept a communications and community relations position with BC Rail. He held a similar role as Vice-President, Government and Community Relations with Vancouver’s Canada Line Rapid Transit project from 2005-09. In more recent years, he’d been operating his own creative and editorial service from his home base in Port Moody, BC.
Dan DuGas, 70, on Oct. 7. DuGas got his start as an all-night operator at CKLG Vancouver in 1974 that whet his appetite for a career in broadcasting. After time as a student at BCIT, he headed north and joined CJCI Prince George in 1978. A short time later, he became Music Director and Program Director of the newly-launched CIBC-FM. After moving away from broadcasting for a period in the late ‘80s, DuGas returned to the business in 1991 with CKPG Prince George as a part-time announcer and later joined the sales department, while continuing his Sunday show. He retired from Pattison Media in 2017 and moved to Vancouver Island.
René Proulx, 73, on Oct. 27. With the public broadcaster for more than 35 years, Proulx started his career with CBC Vancouver. He went on to work as an editor for CBC National News, before eventually moving over to the Parliamentary Bureau in Ottawa. He retired in 2011.
George Gallagher, 92, on Oct. 30. Gallagher began his career in broadcasting at CJGX Yorkton, SK as a teenager. After a few years as morning announcer, he was given the opportunity to help launch new radio station, CKDM Dauphin, MB. Following a stint at CJOB Winnipeg, he returned to CJGX in 1957 as Commercial Manager and by 1960 had been promoted to Station Manager. In 1966, Gallagher and two other senior staff members bought the station. He became President of Buffalo Broadcasting Co. in 1969 with the purchase of CKRM Regina, which he owned for a little more than a decade before selling to Harvard Broadcasting in 1981. He became sole owner of CJGX in 1989. He also briefly owned CFQC Saskatoon in the early 1990s. Throughout his life, Gallagher was involved in organizations dedicated to creating strong communities. He served a term on Yorkton City Council, in addition to involvement in the Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB), the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), and was President of the Senior Yorkton Terrier Hockey Club. In the early 2000s, he contributed to the creation of the Gallagher Centre, Yorkton’s sports and entertainment hub.
Garnet Anthony, 87, on Oct. 27. Born in Dartmouth, NS, Anthony started his working life as a commercial pilot. He moved to Edmonton in 1957 where he briefly worked as a crop duster before pursuing a less hazardous career in broadcasting. He began working at CHCA-TV Red Deer in 1958, with a stop at CFRN-TV Edmonton to follow, before going on to a 26-year career with CBC. Working across radio and television, Anthony worked on shows including This Land, Country Canada, and Points West. He retired as co-host of Alberta Today on CBC Radio One in July 1991. His passion for reporting on wildlife, earned him induction into the Alberta Government’s Wildlife Hall of Fame, known as The Order of the Big Horn, with the Garnet Anthony Award of Excellence later founded in his name.
Jack Farr, 81, Oct. 17, in Windsor, ON. Born in Winnipeg, “Captain” Jack Farr earned a law degree at Osgoode Hall Law School, before following friend and fellow lawyer Danny Finkleman to the CBC. Farr appeared on Finkleman’s Saturday Morning Show and This Country in the Morning with Peter Gzowski, before going on to host national Saturday afternoon program, The Radio Show, produced out of CBC Winnipeg from 1983 to 1992. Initially a summer replacement for CBC Radio’s Metropolitan Opera broadcasts, by the program’s third season it was airing year-round. Known for his surreal, off-beat sense of humour, The Radio Show would take on topics from champion pumpkin growing to ongoing news spoofs. Contributors that got their start on Farr’s show included Bob Robertson and Linda Cullen, who were later given their own program, Double Exposure, in addition to comedy troupe, The Arrogant Worms.
Elmer “Billy Bob” Phillips, 78, on Nov. 24. Phillips was the maintenance man at the iconic Queen Square Building in Dartmouth, NS, the home of Q104 (CFRQ-FM) Halifax at its launch in 1983. Morning show host Brother Jake Edwards decided to put him on-air propelling “Billy Bob” to become part of the “Morning Zoo,” alongside Edwards and Hal Harbour (Doug Barron). He went on to co-host the show into the late ‘80s with Bob Powers. Following his foray into radio, Phillips continued to head up maintenance at Queen Square. Billy Bob last joined BJ & The Q Morning Crew on-air in December 2019.
David Hammond, 77, on Nov. 23. Originally from Montreal, Hammond started his career in sales and marketing working for Geoff Stirling at CHOM-FM. He ultimately rose to the position of sales manager there before moving into radio syndication. An opportunity to help build the Blue Jays Baseball Radio Network motivated him to move to Toronto, where he remained for 25 years. With a longterm goal to produce and syndicate radio programs, Hammond went on to found TranSound, launching two long-format music shows including the popular, The Pringle Program. He went on to accept a position with the Air Miles loyalty program as part of the strategic development team that assisted with its launch. He left Toronto and moved to New Brunswick in the early 2000s to help start up marketing company, Vaka Strategic, before relocating to the West Coast to work as an international yacht broker. He later returned to Toronto and explored his fascination with the e-bike market at Gears Bike Shops.
Joan Anderson, 73, on Nov 9, with MAiD. Born in Nokomis, SK, Anderson was a competitive curler prior to starting her journalism career. Part of the team that won the 1970 Canadian Ladies Curling Association Championship (later inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame), Anderson began working as a reporter and producer at CBC Vancouver. She eventually moved into hosting, going on to positions as a senior producer for The National in Toronto and Washington, DC Bureau Chief. She returned to CBC Vancouver in 1999 as Director of Radio and Director of Programming and was instrumental in seeing the bureau transition to integrating its news gathering across radio, television and the web. She retired from the public broadcaster in 2009.
Wayne Mock, 82, on Nov. 4. Born in Regina, Mock started his career with CKCK-TV. Over the years, his camera skills took him to Toronto, Vancouver, and Edmonton. Among the shows he worked on were The Pig & Whistle, The Irish Rovers, Mr. Dressup and Hockey Night in Canada. He also spent time behind-the-camera on iconic kids’ show, The Friendly Giant, and was known to speak about the challenging opening shot as the drawbridge was lowered and the front doors were opened…all on live TV. Joining ITV Edmonton in the late 1970s, he shot Oilers hockey, the In Concert series that was broadcast worldwide, and numerous episodes of SCTV. He was so well-liked on the SCTV set that the cast often mentioned “Mocker” as a character in their skits. In retirement, he moved back to Regina and dedicated himself to collecting coins and brass, which turned into a successful business.
Michael Blake, 66, on Nov. 29 after a year-long battle with cancer. Prior to entering broadcasting, Blake had a goaltending career that began with the Waterloo Siskins and the Guelph Platers (Biltmore), followed by Ohio State University (1977-81), and the Los Angeles Kings (1981-84). Blake infamously let in Wayne Gretzky’s record-breaking 92nd goal in 1982. Following his hockey career, he pivoted to radio sales and sales management. Over a 20-year period, he worked with CJOY Guelph, CHYM-FM Kitchener and the FAN 590 (CJCL-AM) Toronto. He went on to co-own local company, Don’s Produce, with his brother, Gerry.
Norm Slater, 68, on Nov. 29, after a six-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Slater spent four decades in the cable and telecom industry, starting in 1976 after his graduation from the University of Western Ontario. He joined Cablesystems Engineering, the forerunner of Rogers Engineering, assisting with Rogers expansion into the U.S. in the early 1980s. He later joined Comlink. In 1993, he helped found Capella Telecommunications Inc., going on to serve as president of the broadcast/cable/telco solutions provider for 23 years. He retired from the company in 2016.
James Watson, 80, on Nov. 17. Watson left school to join local radio station CFAR “The Voice of the North” in Flin Flon, MB, getting an education along the way as a disc jockey, newsman, sportscaster, copywriter and salesperson. From there he landed at CFSL/CJSL in Weyburn/Estevan, and CKRC Winnipeg, before heading to the West Coast to join Selkirk Communications’ sister station, CJVI Victoria. He stopped at CJIB Vernon on his way to Victoria where the station manager convinced him to stay and do the mid-morning show. Within a short period of time, he was promoted to production manager. Watson went on to spend many years working with CKOV Kelowna, while also operating a small restaurant. He eventually moved to Vancouver to take a job with All Canada Radio & Television. He spent a decade with the company before joining Frank Griffiths’ Western Broadcast Sales. Using his combined media skillset, he went on to run a number of capital campaigns for not-for-profit organizations. Among his accomplishments was serving as Chair of the Rick Hansen Man in Motion World Tour. He was also Past National President of Kinsmen Clubs of Canada. In 2018, he was awarded the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers by Governor General Julie Payette.
Nikos Evdemon, 82, on Oct. 30. An award-winning cinematographer with a career spanning more than three decades, Evdemon got his start in the mid-1970s working on Canadian series like CBC’s For The Record. He went on to serve as cinematographer on numerous series and TV movies, including Seeing Things (1981-87), La Femme Nikita (1997-99), Mutant X (2001-02), Monk (2002) and ReGenesis (2004), among many other projects. Evdemon had numerous Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC) and Gemini Awards to his name, including a 2003 CSC Award for Best Cinematography in TV Series for Mutant X, a 1998 CSC Award for Best Cinematography in a TV Drama for Peacekeepers, and Geminis for Best Photography in a Comedy, Variety or Performing Arts Program or Series for The Lust of His Eyes (1996), TV movie Glory Enough For All (1989), and two Geminis for Seeing Things in 1986 and ‘87, among other nominations.
Daryl Stevens, 61, suddenly on Dec. 5. Stevens started his broadcasting career while in high school, working at University of New Brunswick (UNB) campus station CFNB-FM Fredericton. He eventually joined CIHI-FM Fredericton as Music Director, the start of a more than two-decade career with Newcap Radio. He went on to become Operations Manager at Newcap in Cornerbrook, NL and then Program Director at Newcap’s stations in Sydney, NS in 2008. Stevens semi-retired in 2017 and moved back to Steeves Settlement, NB, but continued to work for Geeks Unlimited in computer service.
