This past week we lost a few friends.

Movie star Mickey Rooney checked out at age 93. It has been reported that his net worth at death was a mere $18,000. Sad when you consider he was the big box office attraction at the movies in the 30s and 40s. Mickey spent some time in Vancouver when the movie Black Stallion became a television series and was filmed in our town. Mickey could be seen at Exhibition Park racetrack on many an occasion. He loved the ponies. When asked who he thought was America’s greatest actor, Sir Lawrence Olivier said, “Mickey Rooney” because he was so versatile. He could do it all. The curtain has fallen on a truly great entertainer.

Good friend and announcer extraordinaire John Barton has passed away at age 82. John and I always had a great relationship. I recall when he came to Vancouver from CHED/Edmonton in 1964. At the time I was program director and on-air personality at CFUN. It was Breakfast with Barton and he was truly a wonderful morning host. In 1967 he was off to CHFI in Toronto but returned to Vancouver in 1971 hosting a couple of television shows including What’s The Good Word and Hot Hand. In 1973 he was off to CKDA/ Victoria as morning man and his CHEK-TV talk show Barton and Company.

In 1992 John retired to Qualicum Beach, where he worked at his favourite hobby and taught illustrations at Malaspina College in Parksville and the Old School House in Qualicum. John also was the announcer for Pitfall, a syndicated game show hosted by Alex Trebek. Vancouver production company Catalina Productions went bankrupt in 1982. Trebek, Barton, and the contestants were never paid, which left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. I always felt that John Barton was the consummate professional and would eventually end up in the U.S. He was a great, great talent and will be missed.

Sev Morin may not be a familiar name to most but he gave so much of himself to the hospitality industry and got things done in general for corporations, government and individuals. He was a lifetime friend of the late deejay Jack Cullen. He hosted celebrities and sports people at his Gai Paree nightclub in Burnaby. It later became known as Severin’s. His name appeared on many boards including Capilano University, the SFU senate, the B.C. Gaming Commission, and the list goes on for pages. Sev was also mentor to Burnaby’s Michael J. Fox and a good friend of the Fox family. Through Sev I had the pleasure of having dinner with Michael and the Fox family at the annual Michael J. Fox Golf Tournament. Sev was a highly respected man. Sportswriter Greg Douglas called Sev “Great Friend” in his tribute. That he was!