L'allegra banda di Nick

I grew up in the Muskoka area in Ontario and remember watching The Beachcombers every Sunday evening. It was one of the last shows of the evening we were allowed to stay up and watch before bed time. It really is hard to believe "Nick" and "Relic" are both gone. They will be forever remembered with a fondness that a lot of Canadians felt for the show. So many of our Canadian icons have fallen the last few years that it serves to remind us how quickly time passes. Nick, Relic, Mr. Dressup, Friendly Giant all legends in their own right to a generation of thankful youngsters who are quickly entering into the final leg of their own journey through life. Let the younger "Boomers" reflect on their own childhood and bring The Beachcombers back to Mollys Reach and Edmonton and Bracebridge and Halifax...

This show is dated but it's still a Canadian classic. And who would have believed it would have stayed on anywhere near as long as it did? It's like Coronation Street but just about these people gathering wood on beaches and the adventures they fall into. Crazy.

There is not a Canadian over the age of 25 that is not familiar with Nick and his life in Gibson's Landing as portrayed on The Beachcombers. To me, there is no CBC series that has become an icon as The Beachcombers have. The strongest was the first 5 season, 1971-1976, before the show lost Hughie and Jesse. Of course, as any long running series (Canada's longest), many original cast members left and in the end, it was only Nick and Relic. A bit hokey, but that was the CBC back then. Filmed on location on the British Columbian coast.

The Beachcombers was broadcast on UK children's television in the mid-1970's and I grew to be quite fond of it. Even then I thought Bruno Gerussi seemed a bit long in the tooth to play an action-based role, but there seemed to be good chemistry between him and Pat John as his boat hand, Jesse. Seeing a few episodes which have been posted on the internet recently I find the performances quite wooden, and the character of Relic is such a caricature he's embarrassing. One particular episode I remember had Jesse saving all his money for a potlatch (a Native American ceremony where every guest much receive a gift, however small), then giving it away to someone down on their luck. Chief Dan George (who was the go-to actor for wise Native American elders after his role in "Little Big Man") turned up to say maybe this was a new way of potlatching, giving all you could for your friends. Thanks for the memories Beachcombers, but I think I will let you stay a fond memory.

Wow. Until I stumbled across this entry on IMDB, I had no idea that 'Nick' and 'Relic' were both gone. That is sad. I watched this as a kid growing up in northern Maine, we got Channel 6 outta St John really clear, and of course this, 'Mr Dress Up' and 'the Friendly Giant' were staples of a kid's TV viewing at the time.

They don't make them like this anymore, 'Beachcombers' kinda fit in with the Waltons, Little House, Disney flix, all wholesome kinda family entertainments, nothing too scary or controversial. It was shot right there on location in Gibson's BC, it had many locals-Inuits, Japaneses, French, etc come and go too-which is Realistic for the BC Coast. Not tokenism, just-opening the window and showing what's out there.

Good show, good memories, 'Nick' vs. 'Relic' was always fun.

*** outta ****