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Although born in New Brunswick, the late Canadian actor Donald Sutherland cultivated a deep affection for Quebec and Montreal, a love that was reflected in his unwavering support for the exhibition.
Sutherland, who died Thursday at age 88, had a home in the Eastern Townships and spent time there regularly.
Neighbor Terry Hague said Sutherland was a proud Canadian and Quebecker who never became a US citizen or embraced the Hollywood lifestyle.
“He’s lived all over the world in different places, but this is where he felt most at home, in the towns, in Quebec. He loved Quebec and he’s married to a French Canadian, so he better love it,” Hague said. This is referring to Sutherland’s wife, the actress Francine Rust.
Haig lived as a neighbor for over 30 years in the town of Georgeville, about 140 kilometers southeast of Montreal.
“The last time I saw him was when he won the last ball dropped in Georgeville, and I remember him saying it was the greatest honor he had ever received. He was so Canadian,” he said. “He was so proud to be Canadian.”
Haig was consistently struck by Sutherland’s inexhaustible curiosity and deep intellect, a testament to the actor’s lasting influence.
“He once told me that his hero was Giacometti, the great Swiss sculptor, who stripped everything down and had nothing but this kind of dumb stuff he did. And that’s how Donald, I think, approached his parts. He stripped everything down to find the humanity and the truth of the characters which he did,” said Haig, who is also an actor. “He was a brilliant guy from start to finish. He was smart as a whip.”
Terry Hague and Donald Sutherland have been neighbors in the Eastern Townships for 30 years. (Terry Hague)Haig said Sutherland was also generous with acting advice.
“Even as the short player I was over the years, he was always generous and always willing to help me with something,” he said. “I had a problem with an audition or something, he would always say ‘Well, why don’t you try it this way?’ And certainly, I will be brilliant.”
Since Haigh was once an Expos announcer, they also shared a love of baseball. Calling him “the liveliest man I ever met,” Hague said he would miss his friend.
“I’ll miss his laugh. I’ll miss his generosity of spirit — or going to ball games,” he said.
Montreal cartoonist Terry Mosher, known as Eileen, also shared a love of baseball with Sutherland.
He sat next to Sutherland at an Expos game and said Sutherland was perhaps the most famous Expos fan the city has ever had.
In his latest book about the exhibitions, he included a picture of Sutherland in the dugout and added the words ‘Put me in the coach’.
In his book about the exhibitions, cartoonist Terry Mosher (Aislinn) included a picture of Donald Sutherland in a dugout and added the words, ‘Put me in the coach’. (Aislin / Terry Moshe)For all his fame, Moshe said he found Sutherland somewhat shy and private.
“I didn’t know him that well. He is a very private guy… very shy,” Moshe said. “When it came to baseball, he wasn’t shy. He had his own opinion. A very knowledgeable fan.”
Cartoonist Terry Mosher and Donald Sutherland at a Montreal Expos game. (Terry Mosh)Mosher drew a cartoon for the “Shabbat” newspaper in tribute to the late player and his love for the team.
(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
source link https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/donald-sutherland-s-quebec-connections-a-home-in-the-eastern-townships-and-a-love-for-the-expos-1.6935331
