Pat John, First Nations Actor On Long-Running TV Show ‘The Beachcombers’, Dies At 69

etcanada.com:

Pat John, an actor on the long-running Canadian television show “The Beachcombers”, has died at the age of 69. John, a member of the shíshálh First Nation in Sechelt, B.C., was one of the first Indigenous actors to play a contemporary character on Canadian TV and started in his late teens.

He played the role of Jesse Jim, a young business partner with the show’s main character, Nick Adonidas, played by Bruno Gerussi.

They were log salvagers in the series that became a national hit and gained an international audience over its 18-year run, which ended in 1990. Read more: Molly’s Reach, iconic restaurant of ‘Beachcombers’ fame, up for sale Co-star Jackson Davies, who played an RCMP constable, says John suffered health problems in recent years and died Wednesday.

Davies says John had a natural acting ability and his role as an Indigenous character in a modern setting, instead of a historical one, made a mark on Canadian culture. “I don’t think we ever thought, ‘Oh, we are making a statement here,’ or maybe I was just too naive,” Davies said Thursday. “It was a show about this kid who happened to be Indigenous and he ends up getting a partnership with this Greek immigrant guy … and being a log salvager.” View link » Other Indigenous actors later joined the show, which never tried to hide the fact it was Canadian.