Passages 2021
by Ralph Lucas – Publisher
(December 31, 2021 – Toronto, ON) There are certain attachments that come with fame, and while the loss of anyone is a complicated mixture of sadness and happy memories, the passing of someone who had attained star status always overshadows other less well-known people. In the year now ending we have lost some of the truly great performers in front of and behind the cameras. They include Christopher Plummer, Martha Henry and, just a few days ago, director Jean-Marc VallĂ©e.

Two days later actor Walter Boone died. Born on May 4, 1944 as Theodore Nicoloff, he attended the McGill University Faculty of Law and became a teacher. He pivoted to acting and landed his first role in the 1980 movie Deadline. He was 76 when he died on January 29.

Marcia Diamond was born on November 23, 1925 in Calgary, Alberta. She attended school in Vancouver and became interested in acting when she was part of a school broadcast on radio. She made her first television appearance in 1955, but her career didn’t really start until 1970 when she began to work regularly on both the small and large screens. Marcia Diamond was 95 when she died in Toronto on February 12.
Raymond Lévesque was a singer-songwriter, poet, and occasional actor. We list only 13 credits in front of the cameras. He was 92 when he died in Montréal on February 15 due to COVID-19.
March brought the passing of two actors. Jahmil French, best known for his role as Dave Turner on Degrassi: The Next Generation appeared in 149 episodes of the series between 2009 and 2013. His work on the series brought a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Performance in a Children’s or Youth Program or Series in 2013. Jahmil French was just 28 when he died on March 1.
Jacques Brouillet was born in l’Assomption, Québec in 1937. He landed his first role in 1965 and made his 10th and last appearance in 2000. Seven of his 10 credits were for work on episodes of television series. In addition to acting he also taught theatre at the Conservatoire LaSalle à Montréal. He also did French voice work in versions of films like Porky’s, Ladykillers, This is My Father, Making Love and many, many more. Jacques Brouillet was 84 when he died in Montréal on March 10, eight years after a devastating stroke in 2013.