''The Beachcombers'' is a Canadian
comedy-drama
Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...
television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
series that ran on
CBC Television
CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French-l ...
from October 1, 1972, to December 12, 1990. With over 350 episodes, it is one of the longest-running dramatic series ever made for English-language Canadian television.
Series overview
![Persephone tug(9057203305)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Persephone_tug%289057203305%29.jpg)
''The Beachcombers'' followed the life of Nick Adonidas (
Bruno Gerussi), a Greek-Canadian log salvager in
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
who earned a living travelling the coastline northwest of
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
with his partner Jesse Jim (
Pat John
Pat John (1953 – 13 July 2022) was a First Nations actor from Canada. He played for 19 years in ''The Beachcombers'', the second-longest running series in Canadian television history.
John, a member of the shíshálh First Nation, was one of ...
) aboard their logging tug
''Persephone'' tracking down logs that broke away from barges and
logging booms. Their chief business competitor is Relic (
Robert Clothier) (whose actual name is Stafford T. Phillips), a somewhat unsavoury person who will occasionally go to great lengths to steal business (and logs) from Nick. The series also focused on a supporting cast of characters in Nick's hometown of
Gibsons, often centering on a café,
Molly's Reach
Molly's Reach was a fictional restaurant in the real community of Gibson's Landing, British Columbia, during the nineteen years the Canadian television series ''The Beachcombers'' was set there. The building is now a real restaurant.
The show's f ...
, run by Molly (Rae Brown), a mother figure to virtually all the characters in the series (including Relic). Molly had two grandchildren living with her, Hughie (Bob Park) and his younger sister Margaret played by Nancy Chapple in the first season then by Juliet Randall from the second season onward.
The series'
pilot episode
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...
was called "Jesse's Car" and was turned down by CBC for broadcast. The first episode to air was called "Partners" and described how Jesse and Nick formed their business ties.
During the run of the series, storylines became more complex as the characters developed. Many episodes focused on Nick's Greek heritage.
The series made Bruno Gerussi a highly visible star on Canadian TV, and between 1975 and 1984 he hosted a second series, ''
Celebrity Cooks
''Celebrity Cooks'' was a Canadian cooking show independently produced by ''Initiative Productions'' and aired on CBC Television from 1975 to 1979 and on Global from 1980 to 1987. It was syndicated throughout Canada and the United States from 19 ...
'' which aired initially on the CBC and later the rival
Global network
A global network is any communication network which spans the entire Earth. The term, as used in this article refers in a more restricted way to ''bidirectional'' communication networks, and to technology-based networks. Early networks such as int ...
.
The series' title was shortened to ''Beachcombers'' in 1988 (with the CBC announcing that the intent was to give the aging show a new look), coinciding with the replacement of the show's original theme music with a new composition. Subsequent funding cutbacks at the government-supported CBC, however, led to ''Beachcombers'' being cancelled even though it was still popular in its homeland and syndicated around the world, though attempts to revamp the series by giving it more suspenseful storylines and making it more action-oriented met with fan criticism.
![Molly's Reach(7714239258)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Molly%27s_Reach%287714239258%29.jpg)
Music for the long-running series was composed and orchestrated by Canadian composer and producer Bobby Hales and later by Vancouver-based composer,
Claire Lawrence
Claire Lawrence (born 1939) is a Canadians, Canadian musician who was a founding member of the Canadian band The Collectors (Canadian band), The Collectors, and remained with the group when it transitioned to Chilliwack (band), Chilliwack in 19 ...
. Numerous Vancouver-area musical artists appeared on the soundtracks of this long-running series, including Cos Natola.
The show was an active window into Canada's multicultural heritage. Gerussi's character, Nick Adonidas, as noted, was a Greek (Gerussi was of Italian heritage and born in Alberta) and one storyline in a later season chronicled Nick's return to his homeland, while Clothier's character, Relic, was of
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
ancestry. Other characters included Nick's
Indigenous business partner and friend Jesse Jim (Pat John), and
RCMP
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal and national police service of Canada. As poli ...
Constable John Constable (played by
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
-born
Jackson Davies).
Jackson Davies, Pat John and Charlene Aleck were the only original cast members who had speaking parts in the show's follow-up television movie ''
The New Beachcombers'', produced in 2002, a pilot for a revived series that ran for two years. Bob Park (Hugh) and Dion Luther (Pat) appeared in
cameo role
A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly eit ...
s. By this time, Gerussi, Clothier, and Brown all had died, so new characters were introduced played by (among others)
Dave Thomas Dave may refer to:
Film, television, and theater
* Dave (film), ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver
* Dave (musical), ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film
* Dave (TV channel), a digital ...
,
Graham Greene
Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...
,
Cameron Bancroft, and
Deanna Milligan
Deanna Milligan (born January 1, 1972, Vancouver, Canada) is a Canadian actress. She has appeared in numerous Canadian and American films and television shows.
Career
Milligan had a major role playing Dave Thomas' daughter in ''The Beachcomber ...
. A sequel, ''A Beachcombers Christmas'', was also produced, though this too failed to spark a new series.
A short-lived spin-off television show called ''Constable Constable'' ran in 1985. The show was based on Jackson Davies's ''Beachcombers'' character Constable John Constable. The series was filmed in Vancouver and starred Jackson Davies and
Walter Learning
Walter John Learning (November 16, 1938 – January 5, 2020) was a Canadian theatre director, actor, and founder of Theatre New Brunswick.
Biography
Walter Learning was born in 1938 in the small village of Quidi Vidi in the Dominion of Newfound ...
.
A documentary about the show called ''Welcome Back to Molly's Reach'' aired in 2002. On July 27–29, 2007, former cast and crew gathered in
Gibsons, British Columbia
Gibsons is a coastal community of 4,605 in southwestern British Columbia, Canada on the Strait of Georgia.
Although it is on the mainland, the Sunshine Coast is not accessible by road. Vehicle access is by BC Ferries from Horseshoe Bay in West ...
, for the show's 35th anniversary.
A best-selling book, ''Bruno and The Beach: The Beachcombers at 40'' celebrating its 40th anniversary was released in December 2012. It was co-written by Marc Strange, co-creator of the series, and Jackson Davies, who starred in the series as Constable John Constable.
In October 2022, it was announced that ''The Beachcombers'' will be remade as an animated series that will air in Spring 2023.
Filming locations
The series was filmed on location in
Gibsons,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
, and the surrounding area. The café featured in the show was built as a hardware store in 1934 and served various retail functions until rented as a film set for the series, used mainly for exterior shots and storage.
Google Street View image
/ref> The building only became a café after the series ended. After ''The Beachcombers'' was cancelled in 1991, the building sat vacant for a time with an uncertain future. Eventually, private investors converted it into a functioning restaurant under the television-inspired name "Molly's Reach
Molly's Reach was a fictional restaurant in the real community of Gibson's Landing, British Columbia, during the nineteen years the Canadian television series ''The Beachcombers'' was set there. The building is now a real restaurant.
The show's f ...
".
''Persephone'', the boat used by Nick Adonidas during filming was a tug
A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...
and work boat named ''John Henry'' built in 1965. The tug was chartered during series production from Harry Smith, who donated it to the town of Gibsons in 1991. The vessel sat outside at a town works department gravel pit where it deteriorated quite badly until it was restored by the Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives. ''Persephone'' was installed in a small park near Molly's Reach in 2007.
There were two jet boat
A jetboat is a boat propelled by a jet of water ejected from the back of the craft. Unlike a powerboat or motorboat that uses an external propeller in the water below or behind the boat, a jetboat draws the water from under the boat through a ...
s used by the character Relic. The one most fans remember was called ''Hi Baller II'' and was used from the second season until the end. The first craft, ''Hi Baller I'' was used for just the first season. She was slightly smaller than her successor and had more square windows. She did reappear for an episode called "Jet Boat Gemini" in 1974. Both boats were seen together as the man in the second craft was impersonating Relic. He was stealing logs and hassling local residents until Relic saved the day at the end in a duel of jet boats.
International broadcasts
The series was syndicated around the world and was shown by ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
in the United Kingdom, SCTV in Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
and on PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
in the United States. It has also been shown in Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
, South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
, Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
, Seychelles
Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (french: link=no, République des Seychelles; Creole: ''La Repiblik Sesel''), is an archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, V ...
, Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, Brunei
Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely sur ...
and Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
. The West German
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
television station ZDF
ZDF (, short for Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen; ; "Second German Television") is a German public-service television broadcaster based in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate. It is run as an independent nonprofit institution, which was founded by all fe ...
also broadcast the series, as ''Strandpiraten'' ("Beach Pirates").
The show was seen in reruns on Vision TV
VisionTV is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel that broadcasts multi-faith, multicultural, and general entertainment programming aimed at the 45 and over demographic.
VisionTV is currently owned by ZoomerMedia, a company ...
and the pre-news channel version of Sun TV in Canada as well as the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) in Canada and ALN
Aluminium nitride ( Al N) is a solid nitride of aluminium. It has a high thermal conductivity of up to 321 W/(m·K) and is an electrical insulator. Its wurtzite phase (w-AlN) has a band gap of ~6 eV at room temperature and has a potent ...
in the United States.
Media references
*The show was featured in the 2001 video for ''Same Thing Twice'' by The Flashing Lights.
*The show and its main characters were referenced by some of the characters on a 2007 episode of '' Corner Gas'' called "Cable Excess" in a failed attempt at comparing themselves to the show. The character, Brent Leroy, rhetorically asks "You think maybe ''The Beachcombers'' was the best Canadian TV show of all time?"
*The show was referenced in a 2019 episode of ''The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
'' called ''D'oh Canada
"D'oh Canada" is the twenty-first episode of the thirtieth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'', and the 660th episode overall. The episode was directed by Matthew Nastuk and written by Tim Long and Miranda Thompson. ...
''.
References
External links
*
*
Punk Rock Theme 1994
from the Sick Sick Yeah son
National Film Board Security Guard
on the making of the series, plus a "where are they now?" for the cast members.
* ttp://www.museum.tv/eotv/beachcombers.htm Museum of Broadcast Communications: ''The Beachcombers''br>Fernsehserien: ''Strandpiraten''
(German language
German ( ) is a West Germanic languages, West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and Official language, official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Ita ...
page)
– ''The Beachcombers'' honoured by MasterWorks (2004)
Bring Back the Beachcombers!
petition to bring back the Beachcombers to the CBC
-The 40th Anniversary ''Beachcombers'' Exhibit at the Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives in Gibsons, BC
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beachcombers, The
1970s Canadian comedy-drama television series
1972 Canadian television series debuts
1980s Canadian comedy-drama television series
1990s Canadian comedy-drama television series
1990 Canadian television series endings
CBC Television original programming
Nautical television series
Television shows filmed in Vancouver
Television shows set in British Columbia