Remembering Donald Sutherland: A Tribute to an Acting Legend
Story by Mitchell Smith
Hello everybody today we look back at a long time actor who passed away this past week on June 20th, 2024. Donald Sutherland was born in Saint John New Brunswick in 1935. Sutherland started out his schooling in a one room school house something that was still common in those days in smaller areas. His parents had moved to Hampton for a short while until his father got a top job and moved back to St John Canada. There Donald would attend Victoria school and take up puppetry as well as play on the hockey team. Sutherland got into the University of Toronto and decided to transfer to its affiliate Victoria University where he would graduate with a dual degree in engineering and drama.
Hello everybody today we look back at a long time actor who passed away this past week on June 20th, 2024. Donald Sutherland was born in Saint John New Brunswick in 1935. Sutherland started out his schooling in a one room school house something that was still common in those days in smaller areas. His parents had moved to Hampton for a short while until his father got a top job and moved back to St John Canada. There Donald would attend Victoria school and take up puppetry as well as play on the hockey team. Sutherland got into the University of Toronto and decided to transfer to its affiliate Victoria University where he would graduate with a dual degree in engineering and drama.
Sutherland decided to pursue acting and moved to London and studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. He would soon be acting and making his dream come true. His first big roll came when he landed a spot on the movie The Dirty Dozen. Along side great actors Like Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, and Charles Bronson, Sutherland made this one of the all time greats in WWII movies. Sutherland would land the roll of Hawkeye in the movie MASH which would later become the hit tv war series M.A.S.H. where Allen Alda would take over the roll of Hawkeye on the show. Growing up in a small town in New York I joined the Volunteer Fire Department as many 16 year olds did back then.
Naturally the 1991 film Backdraft was a must see in theaters for me and my friends. I loved Sutherland’s character crazed pyromaniac Ronald Bartel. I think this is one of his best performances that goes under the radar. Sutherland also played President Snow in the Hunger Games. I have not watched any of these movies but I may check them out. Sutherland was still working right up till his death. Among many dominations and awards, and stars on the Hollywood and Canadian Walk of Fame the Canada Post put him on a postage stamp. The world is a little bit sadder today and one of the all time greats will be missed by all who knew him or grew up watching him over the past 60 years. May his legacy live on through all of his great works and may Mr Sutherland Rest in Peace.
