John, a member of the Shíshálh First Nation in Sechelt, BC, was one of the first Indigenous actors to play a contemporary character on Canadian television, starting 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 trunk saviors in the series that became a national hit and gained an international audience during its 18-year run, which ended in 1990.

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His co-star Jackson Davis, who played an RCMP constable, says John had been struggling with health in recent years and died Wednesday. Story continues below ad Davies says John had a natural acting ability, and his role as an Indigenous character in a contemporary setting, rather than a historical one, left a mark on Canadian culture. “I don’t think we ever thought, ‘Oh, we’re making a statement here,’ or maybe I was too naive,” Davies said Thursday. Trending Stories

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“It was a show about this kid who happens to be indigenous and ends up working with this Greek immigrant … and being a log savior.” 6:34 Actress Jessica Matten uses her platform to uplift and empower Indigenous youth Actress Jessica Matten uses her platform to uplift and empower Indigenous youth – June 21, 2022 Later, other native actors joined, who never tried to hide the fact that they were Canadian. Filmed on location in Gibsons, BC, where the fictional Molly’s Reach restaurant was later turned into a real restaurant and tourist attraction. John had a warm smile and a calm demeanor, Davis said. The two have been in close contact in recent years. Story continues below ad “We were obviously going to talk about the show. But we would also talk about life, where he was in his life, where I was in my life, our struggles, things like that. And he was a great listener and laughed a lot.” John’s acting career pretty much ended after the “Beachcombers” series, except for a reunion series in 2002. There was no immediate information on the cause of his death. © 2022 The Canadian Press