Jim Bozyk (1954–1990), known professionally as Jim St. James, was a Canadian actor and HIV/AIDS activist. He was best known as the star of a series of public service announcements on AIDS awareness which aired on Canadian television in the 1980s, and as the subject of June Callwood's 1988 book ''Jim: A Life with AIDS''."Hope alive and well in AIDS patient: Book profiles Canada's longest- living survivor of the disease". ''

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...

'', November 1, 1988.

Background

He was raised in rural Southern Ontario in a Jehovah's Witness family, and was briefly married to a woman. He struggled with his sexuality, and undertook at least one

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

attempt before coming out as gay. Many of his family disowned him when he came out, although he remained in occasional contact with his father. He was also excommunicated from the Jehovah's Witnesses, although he remained devoutly religious in his personal life. He worked as a stage actor in Toronto for several years, winning an award from Theatre Ontario as best actor in a musical for his performance in a production of ''

Man of La Mancha ''Man of La Mancha'' is a 1965 musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay ''I, Don Quixote'', which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cervantes ...

'' in 1984."AIDS victim's story of religious agony". ''

Ottawa Citizen The ''Ottawa Citizen'' is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. History Established as ''The Bytown Packet'' in 1845 by William Harris (journalist), William Harris, it was renamed the '' ...

'', January 21, 1989. Just two days after winning that award, he was first diagnosed HIV-positive."Jim St. James: AIDS advocate helped found group to support research". ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

'', March 28, 1990.

Activism

Following his diagnosis, he battled clinical depression for about a year"Acting allows AIDS victim to take his mind off disease". ''

'', January 25, 1987. before deciding in 1985 to get on with life, and renewed his commitment to both acting and HIV activism. He was one of the founding members of Toronto's People With AIDS Foundation, appeared in the AIDS-themed documentary film '' No Sad Songs'' in 1985 and a production of Robert E. Sherwood's play '' Idiot's Delight'' in 1987, and began appearing as a public speaker on HIV and AIDS issues."Frank talk on AIDS is essential". ''

'', March 11, 1987. During this era, he was commonly credited as Canada's longest-living survivor of the disease, and as the country's most prominent HIV/AIDS activist. In 1987, he appeared in an HIV education segment 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 ...

's youth public affairs program '' What's New'', and in 1988 he starred in several HIV/AIDS awareness commercials, funded by

CJOH-TV CJOH-DT (channel 13) is a television station in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, part of the CTV Television Network. It is owned and operated by network parent Bell Media alongside Pembroke-licensed CTV 2 outlet CHRO-TV (channel 5). Both stations share ...

and the Canadian Public Health Association, which aired on television stations across Canada."Actor performs deadly serious role in new AIDS ads". ''

'', February 4, 1988. During this era, he was also meeting regularly with Callwood in preparation for the book ''Jim: A Life with AIDS'', which was published in fall 1988. By this time, he had developed Kaposi's sarcoma. In both 1988 and 1989, he invited the media to cover his birthday party as a news story, to highlight his continued survival and to promote further awareness of the disease."AIDS crusador Jim St. James". ''

'', March 28, 1990. At the time of his 1989 party, however, he was making plans to move into Casey House, Toronto's AIDS hospice, due to his declining health."Time -- and hope -- running out as AIDS patient passes milestone". ''

'', April 7, 1989. He died on March 24, 1990, at Casey House, just a few weeks short of his 36th birthday.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint James, Jim 1954 births 1990 deaths Activists from Toronto Canadian male stage actors Canadian television personalities HIV/AIDS activists Canadian activists Canadian gay actors Male actors from Toronto AIDS-related deaths in Canada 20th-century Canadian LGBT people