tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34798599.post8983887639382217095..comments2023-11-14T11:44:10.396-05:00Comments on The Legion of Decency: Lazy Sunday # 238: Winstonjimhenshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07815834271470133872noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34798599.post-50262985021272942632014-10-19T16:24:43.957-04:002014-10-19T16:24:43.957-04:00Something I want to amend about my comment. Almost...Something I want to amend about my comment. Almost immediately upon posting it, I felt "left us" was an inaccurate word choice and regretted it. I'm finally back to say so. I don't believe Winston has left anyone. Love. Peace.Magicalauriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09033537450878730563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34798599.post-13006957278504116072013-03-06T20:31:33.016-05:002013-03-06T20:31:33.016-05:00Was never a big "Neon Rider" fan but I L...Was never a big "Neon Rider" fan but I LOVED "Adderly" and caught every episode I could (shame it never came out on DVD). Winston Rekert played my absolute favourite TV spy, and I am saddened to hear he is no longer with us.<br />As a small side note the castle at the beginning of the episode also appeared as Maljardin in the seventies Canadian "Dark Shadows"-style soap opera "Strange Paradise", another fave show of mine in my younger days which I watched whenever I was home sick from school.Jeff Taylornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34798599.post-69251437133888644502013-02-14T17:35:37.380-05:002013-02-14T17:35:37.380-05:00I am a long time US fan of Winston Rekert. I absol...I am a long time US fan of Winston Rekert. I absolutely loved Adderly. I got my parents in Pittsburgh, PA to tape Neon Ryder in syndication because I couldn't get it in Milwaukee where I lived at the time.I was perusing the web today, and was stunned to see that this great guy was gone. I found out so late. I've been looking for articles to tell me about the man, and there was so little there. And then I stumbled on this. What a joy to read. I am happy to know he had an interesting and productive life. I always wanted to meet him. I guess I will someday. Thank you. L. DeYoung Laura DeYoungnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34798599.post-55369760247918203372013-02-05T00:55:46.979-05:002013-02-05T00:55:46.979-05:00Wow. I'm very sorry to hear this. I'm a b...Wow. I'm very sorry to hear this. I'm a big fan and this is the first I've heard about Winston's death. That shocks me. He was special. We were blessed to have him here with us and to think the country hasn't even been made aware he's left us saddens me. He was a peaceful and wise man.<br />Great comedic talent- such wit! And those eyebrows. Thankyou, Winston, for Neon Rider, especially. Magic. Magicalauriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09033537450878730563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34798599.post-47225071083556030022012-09-26T12:10:20.255-04:002012-09-26T12:10:20.255-04:00What a huge loss to our actors' community and ...What a huge loss to our actors' community and to our nation. Winston was a fine actor and human being and an inspiration to us all. He will be missed. Thomas RickertThomas Rickertnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34798599.post-56538632339441935672012-09-24T01:11:25.617-04:002012-09-24T01:11:25.617-04:00I can't remember which show I've seen Wins...I can't remember which show I've seen Winston Rekert before, but I know I have, because that face- its warmth- is hard to forget. <br /><br />I posted this on my Facebook as well, just so people could get a chance to read it.Prestbanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34798599.post-20697678894075219852012-09-19T01:41:07.019-04:002012-09-19T01:41:07.019-04:00It's amazing how every generation we keep lear...It's amazing how every generation we keep learning the same lessons. I hate to do this to you, Jim, but when I first saw him on Adderly I was a kid. He was a guy on TV. He was great to watch. He was great to watch on every guest shot I saw him on too. It's nice to hear that he was so decent.<br /><br />But I'm weary by the lack of coverage; and I'm weary that we have to prosecute the same argument over and over. I'm weary of the NY Times having to tell us when we're good. I'm weary. DMchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15105351826851407562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34798599.post-61453779839321768662012-09-18T19:27:08.098-04:002012-09-18T19:27:08.098-04:00It saddens me deeply to hear of it.deeply, and way...It saddens me deeply to hear of it.deeply, and way to young to make any sense...nick mancusonmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17351617594314639625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34798599.post-83449779678731356222012-09-18T18:46:21.716-04:002012-09-18T18:46:21.716-04:00Jim,
I never met the man I’m embarrassed to say. ...Jim,<br /><br />I never met the man I’m embarrassed to say. I never saw “Adderly”. I actually had no idea, Jim, that you were a writer, story editor and senior story editor on the show. But I remember the face. Full of so much character, pathos and wisdom. A face the screen loved. My spouse worked with him on a couple of Neon Rider episodes including the pilot. <br /><br />I actually never put the name with the face until 2009, when the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, in celebration of 30 years of Lead Actors, announced that Winston Rekert was in the top-ten list in the Academy’s 30-year history. He was 1 of 4 actors from English Canada; 6 in the top-ten category were from Québec. I believe it’s based on total nominations and wins. As we know awards mean little to us a far as the work is concerned. But the thought came to me that any actor in the U.S. or in any country in the western world, even in Asia, who makes a top-ten list in a film Academy’s 30-year history would be a face AND a name many people in a country would know.<br /><br />Today, I ran into a couple of actors. All of them middle age. Out of 4, only two immediately knew who he was. The other, after seeing his picture online, immediately recognized his face. They all had the same reaction: “Oh, no, he died?! When?! How?!” None had heard that he had died. As of yesterday only the Vancouver Sun and the Province reported his passing. Today, the Ottawa Citizen followed suit. One of the actors said: “That’s really too bad. A nice guy, but not a good actor.” He apparently saw him in a play years ago, and didn’t think much of him, but never saw him in “Adderly” or on screen, I believe.<br /><br />I gave him my view. I told him that last night after I read your post in The Legion of Decency: Lazy Sunday # 238: Winston via Facebook, having been so touched by it, I watched the “Adderly” episode you posted. It was my way of honouring the memory of a colleague I never met and whose work I hardly knew. (Without taking anything away from the other actors) I was immediately arrested by his presence and simple humanity and how powerful it resonated on the screen. I then watched three more episodes… the first three of the first season. What became immediately apparent was how amazingly solid, Zen-like and at home he was in the first three episodes as he was in the 22nd episode of the 2nd season. And when he wasn’t on screen I couldn’t wait to see him back on. He was not acting, but anti-acting. And he kept my focus, as a viewer, not on himself but on the story. Those who do that on screen manage, it seems, to carry a story’s narrative within their character’s DNA, even when they don’t say anything. The minute a viewer’s eyes fall on such an actor s/he feels at home, ushered safely through the narrative and compelled to watch. That’s a screen quality not many actors possess on. It’s a gift and an immense talent.<br /><br />So it struck me today that the actor who said “A nice guy, but not a good actor” hails from the very country that – for the most part - has yet to hear of Winston Rekert’s passing, a country so fast at passing judgment without giving talent or culture much of a chance… or chance to fail - even once. How Canada ever got it’s peace-loving rep I’ll never know (no doubt the ‘60s Lester B. Pearson). There is often something nasty in the Canadian ethos. Put-downs, dirty digs and jabs often stand in for critical thinking (and comedy). It is essentially adolescent, reflects a country and an acting community collectively (still) fighting acne.<br /><br />As for success and failure, they are both often subjective. What remains however is the work. And I’m glad that Winston Rekert’s work on screen – notwithstanding that Canadian TV drama was young and green in the ‘80s – remains and pulsates with such simple and integral humanity and integrity. It’s like I discovered a brand new talented actor who sadly died way too soon. It’s strange to miss someone I never knew. But it’s right.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05933490589119938298noreply@blogger.com