Jonathan Crombie

Jonathan Crombie
Crombie in 1986
Born(1966-10-12)October 12, 1966
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DiedApril 15, 2015(2015-04-15) (aged 48)
New York City, New York, United States
Years active1982–2015
Parent(s)David Crombie and Shirley Crombie

Jonathan Crombie (October 12, 1966 – April 15, 2015) was a Canadian actor and voice-over artist, best known for playing Gilbert Blythe in CBC Television's 1985 telefilm Anne of Green Gables and its two sequels.

Early life

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Crombie was born on October 12, 1966, in Toronto, Ontario, the son of David Crombie, who was the mayor of Toronto from 1972 to 1978 and a Canadian federal Cabinet Minister in the 1980s.[1][2] Crombie attended Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute, where he was spotted by casting agent Diane Polley performing in a production of The Wizard of Oz.[3][4]

Career

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Television

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Crombie had no previous acting experience and used a photo he took at a kiosk in Union Station when he auditioned for the role of Gilbert Blythe in the 1985 TV miniseries Anne of Green Gables.[5] He reprised the role in the 1987 TV movie Anne of Avonlea, the 2000 TV movie Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story and an episode of Road to Avonlea in 1992. His role was so popular that he answered to the nickname "Gil".[5]

Crombie was also a comedian and in 1998 performed on the Canadian TV series Comedy Now! as part of a sketch comedy group.[3] His other television credits included a guest appearance on an episode of the Vancouver-filmed TV series 21 Jump Street in 1991, voicing the title character in the animated series The Secret World of Benjamin Bear (2003–2009), along with its 3 prequel films, and appearing in the second season of Slings & Arrows (2005), as playwright Lionel Train.[5] In 2015, he had a guest role on The Good Wife and Haven.

In 2014, Crombie and John Mitchell wrote, produced, and directed a documentary titled Waiting for Ishtar about the 1987 film Ishtar.[6] The documentary was financed by an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. It premiered at Cinecycle in Toronto on December 14, 2017. It was dedicated to the memory of Jonathan Crombie.[7]

Theatre

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Crombie appeared on stage in The Dishwashers by Morris Panych (Tarragon Theatre, 2005) and The Oxford Roof Climbers Rebellion by Stephen Massicotte (Tarragon Theatre/Great Canadian Stage Company, 2006). He spent four seasons at Ontario's Stratford Shakespeare Festival appearing in A Comedy Of Errors, Hamlet, As You Like It, Taming Of The Shrew, and as Romeo in Diana Leblanc's Romeo and Juliet. He was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for his role in the Canadian Stage Company's 1997 production of Tom Stoppard's play Arcadia.[5]

Crombie debuted on Broadway in the Canadian musical The Drowsy Chaperone as "Man in Chair", from March to April 2007.[8][9] He returned to the production beginning August 21, and performed the role during the show's tour through the United States.[10]

In 2013, Crombie performed at Centerstage, Baltimore, in Clybourne Park and Benetha's Place for the Rasin Cycle featured on PBS.[11] His final appearance on stage was playing two roles in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Theatre Company's 2015 world premiere of Benediction, based on the novel by Kent Haruf.[1][5]

Death

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Crombie's family announced on April 18, 2015, that he had died suddenly three days earlier of a brain hemorrhage in New York City. His organs were donated.[12] News of his death led to "Gilbert Blythe" trending on Twitter as fans shared their condolences.[13]

Personal life

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Crombie never married and had no children. At his memorial service in 2015, livetweeted by TVOntario journalist Steve Paikin, his sister Robin said that "Jonathan was also a gay man who didn’t come out until his 40s ... He was a very private person."[14]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1982 Class of 1984 Extra in final auditorium scene
1985 Anne of Green Gables Gilbert Blythe TV movie
1986 The Campbells Kevin Sims Episode: "The Face of a Stranger"
A Judgment in Stone (The Housekeeper) Bobby Coversdale
Bullies Matt Morris
1987 CBS Schoolbreak Special Barney Roth Episode: "The Day They Came to Arrest the Book"
Anne of Avonlea Gilbert Blythe TV movie
1988 Mount Royal Rob Valeur 16 episodes
Alfred Hitchcock Presents Rick Garrison Episode: "Fogbound"
1989 The Jeweler's Shop Christopher
The Teddy Bears' Picnic Benjamin Bear (voice) TV movie
The Hitchhiker Kenny Episode: "Coach"
1991 21 Jump Street Bill Howard Episode: "The Education of Terry Carver"
1992 Road to Avonlea Gilbert Blythe Episode: "Old Friends, Old Wounds"
Cafe Romeo Bennie
The Teddy Bears' Christmas Benjamin Bear (voice) TV movie
The Good Fight Sam Cragin
1993 Matrix Cumberland Episode: "Conviction of His Courage"
Class of '96 Sam Clive Episode: "They Shoot Baskets, Don't They"
1997 Comedy Now![9] Various Episode: "Skippy's Rangers - The Show They Never Gave"
1998 The Waiting Game Matt TV movie
SketchCom Various
The Teddy Bears' Scare Benjamin Bear (voice) TV movie
1999–2000 Power Play Hudson James 5 episodes
2000 Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story Gilbert Blythe TV movie
2002 Earth: Final Conflict Dr. Field Episode: "Deep Sleep"
2003–2009 The Secret World of Benjamin Bear Benjamin Bear (voice)
2003 Slings & Arrows Episode: "Playing the Swan"
2004 The Jane Show Dave Episode: "Pilot"
2005 Slings & Arrows Lionel Train 3 episodes
2006 Empty Room Short
2013 Cottage Country Dan Mushin
2015 The Good Wife Inspector Bill Frazier Episode: "Hail Mary"
Haven Young Dave Episode: "Just Passing Through"

References

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  1. ^ a b Moore, John (18 April 2015). "Actor Jonathan Crombie of Benediction has died at 48". Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  2. ^ "Crombie, Hon. David Edward, P.C., B.A. | Encyclopedia.com". Archived from the original on 2019-04-25. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  3. ^ a b Shulman, Michael (18 April 2015). "'Anne of Green Gables' star Jonathan Crombie dies at age 48". CTV News. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  4. ^ Vlessing, Etan (19 April 2015). "'Anne of Green Gables' Star Jonathan Crombie dies at 48". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 21 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d e Kennedy, John R (18 April 2015). "'Anne of Green Gables' actor Jonathan Crombie dies at 48". Global News. Archived from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  6. ^ Terrero, Nina (18 April 2015). "Anne of Green Gables star Jonathan Crombie dies at 48". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  7. ^ "Waiting For Ishtar". Archived from the original on 2018-12-28. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  8. ^ Broadway.com Staff (17 August 2007). "Jonathan Crombie Returns as Drowsy Chaperone's Man in Chair". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  9. ^ a b Pelley, Lauren (19 April 2015). "Actor the classic boy next door". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 23 May 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  10. ^ Jones, Kenneth (17 August 2007). "Hot Seat: Crombie Will Be Back in Broadway's Drowsy Aug 21". Playbill.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  11. ^ "A Raisin in the Sun Revisited". Pbs.org. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  12. ^ "Jonathan Crombie, Anne of Green Gables actor, dead at 48". cbc.ca. CBC News. 18 April 2015. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  13. ^ Omar, Mohamed (19 April 2015). "Jonathan Crombie Dead: Anne Of Green Gables Actor Was 48". Huffington Post Canada. Archived from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  14. ^ Paikin, Steve [@spaikin] (15 June 2015). ""Jonathan was also a gay man who didn't come out until his 40s," says sister Robin. "He was a very private person."" (Tweet). Retrieved 25 August 2021 – via Twitter.
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