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Actor Pat John passed away on July 13 at the age of 69. News of his death was revealed on Facebook by his The Beachcombers co-star Jackson Davies, who said that John was facing some health issues for a long time.
Davies added that Pat, who plays the character Jesse Jim in the show, was sitting outdoors looking peaceful at the time of his death. In his post, the former also said:
"He was funny, kind, and although he didn't get the credit he should have, he was also a very good actor. He had the greatest laugh ever, and it was my goal in life to get him to laugh, just to hear it. Somehow when PJ laughed the world was OK again."
Pat John's role in The Beachcombers
Pat John gained recognition for his appearance as Jesse Jim in the popular CBC show, The Beachcombers. He was a teenager when he was cast in the series.
John was a part of the show for 19 years which ran from October 1972 to December 1990. It is one of the longest-running dramatic series airing in around 350 episodes.
The show was first broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom, SCTV in Indonesia, and PBS in the United States. It was also shown in other countries like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, Egypt, Italy, and others.
It was later rerun on other popular channels including the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (ATPN).
Everything known about Pat John
Born in 1953, John first became popular for his performance in the CBC comedy-drama series, The Beachcombers. He was a member of the shíshálh First Nation and was one of the first indigenous people to play a non-caricature role.
Besides the series, he also appeared in a 2002 made-for-TV movie, The New Beachcombers, which was a renewal of the show. It was broadcast in November 2002 on the occasion of CBC's 50th anniversary and the 30th anniversary of the original show's first episode.
He completed his education at St. Augustine's residential school in Sechelt and later joined a local sawmill. Following the end of The Beachcombers, he began doing clam and shellfish harvesting.
Shirley McLean, a TV producer from Carcross/Tagish First Nation in Yukon, stated that she grew up watching John. She also called him a trailblazer for indigenous actors and representation and said:
"Seeing an Indigenous character on TV was something that we were proud of, something that normalized us in mainstream society."
Fans pay tribute on Twitter
Although he appeared in only one series and one movie, Pat John was still appreciated by everyone for his performances. Twitter was flooded with tributes when people heard about his death.
Several fans remembered him as the first indigenous actor they recall seeing on TV and one of them added that "seeing yourself represented matters."
Meanwhile, some fans called Pat a "groundbreaker" as they saw themselves in a "positive contemporary way on Canadian TV" due to his role in The Beachcombers. Others spoke about how the show was the highlight of their Sundays while admitting to having a crush on the actor when they were kids.
Additional details of his personal life, career, educational background, and parents are yet to be revealed.
