I met one of the actors in 1996 Ivan Nesbitt He was living alone in a rented house, by the sea in Bangor N Ireland, by this time he had fallen on bad times,and living off gov benifits. I got to know him well over about a six month period. A very photogenic man of about 6ft.6 . He told me he had been in several foreign movies ,I later found out they were mostly soft porn, and in 1999 while i was in Spain on holiday i spotted him in a Spanish western dating back to late 60s or early 70s, Clint Eastwood spaghetti type. I found him a very friendly and approachable fellow, extrovert type. I remember the last time I saw him , was one night in late summer 1997 in Bangor on the sea front,he was taking photos of advertising posters which had been pasted on unused shop windows . After that I lost contact, as I moved around the world a little. But I often wondered what became of him : If anyone has any news on him I would love to hear from them . hope someone finds this little story interesting
JUST FOUND HIS OBITUARY
I. Nesbitt MR. Harold Ivan Moore Nesbitt, who lately lived on Lismore Road, Bishopscourt, died on Saturday, September 5. He was 67. Born in Lisburn, at an early age he moved with his parents to Bangor, County Down, where he attended Bangor Grammar School. Graduating from secondary level education he worked as a sales representative for Gallagher’s, Belfast, until he moved to Gallagher’s London Sales Department. With all the instincts of an artist and performer he attempted to break into film acting, initially in advertising and then with various mainline film production companies, where he appeared in various walk-on parts, mainly filmed in Spain Italy and Germany. Unfortunately the ‘big break’ did not materialise, but he enjoyed the Continental way of life so much that he settled in Spain, based mainly in a remote mountain village and travelling throughout Spain and Italy as a sales representative — fluent in Spanish and with more than passable Italian. In the 1970’s, suffering from ill health, he returned to Northern Ireland and eventually settled in Lecale, where he found country life much to his liking. An open hearted man he said that he much appreciated the relaxed friendliness of local people. Although suffering physically and mentally he maintained a positive appreciation of life, rejoicing in the natural beauty of the area, working as an artist in his ‘Seasculpt Studios’ and teaching art to young people of the community. In June of this year he fell and broke a hip — at 6’5” tall and weighing 20 stone he hit the ground with massive force — and in the course of treatment in the Downe Hospital it was discovered that cancer of the oesophagus, which had appeared to have been successfully treated, had returned. Within a few short weeks of intensive care in the Ulster and Downe Hospitals his doctors had to inform him that his cancer was inoperable and untreatable. “I don’t want to go,” he said, ruefully, remembering the beauty of the world and the people he had met, but with a morphine drip killing the pain and with a profound faith in the person of Jesus he passed away peacefully some four days later. His friends will long remember him as a cheerful and positive man who thoroughly enjoyed the whole business of living, despite the pain and suffering involved. Following requiem Mass in St. Nicholas’ Church, Ardglass, celebrated by Fr Stephen Quinn from Downpatrick, his remains were buried in the adjoining cemetery. “H. Ivan Nesbitt - A Friend to Many”. Michael O’Shea
