Beloved Canadian comedian, actor and writer Don Harron, who rose to fame in the late 60s and 70s while starring in the hit series “Hee Haw,” has passed away. He was 90 years old.
Harron’s oldest daughter Martha confirmed the actor’s death over the weekend to the Canadian Press. “He was still sharp,” she said of his battle with cancer. “He was still capable of being funny even though his voice was barely above a whisper,” she said. “It’s horribly sad, but it’s beautiful too.”
Harron first hit people’s radars playing Charlie Farquharson on the series “Hee Haw” for an incredible 18 seasons. He is also known for bringing the “Anne of Green Gables” book series to the stage. A Toronto native, he was well-respected as a theatre actor (appearing in a number of Broadway shows), and he wrote more than 15 books. “He’s one of the few people that I would describe as a true polymath,” his granddaughter, freelance journalist Zoe Cormier, told the CP. “Anything he ever put his hand to he excelled at.”
In a February 2012 interview with CBC’s Island Morning, Harron said he decided to walk away from performing after his short-term memory began to fade and he could no longer remember his set material in front of a live audience (CBC News).
Photo: Don Harron/Hee Haw
