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Ardon Bess

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Ardon Bess
Bess in 2013
Born1941
Occupationactor
Years active1973-present

Ardon Bess (born 1941) is a Canadian actor best known for appearing in a Heritage Minutes short film about the 1958 Springhill mining disaster portraying survivor Maurice Ruddick,[1] and for playing Nestor "The Jester" Best in the sitcom King of Kensington.[2][3]

Early life and education

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Bess was born in Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.[4] After completing his secondary school education in St. Vincent, he became a bank teller.[5] Before moving to Canada, Bess was acting in and directing local amateur theatre in Kingstown. He moved to Canada in 1964[5] and first lived in Oakville, Ontario with his father. He briefly studied architecture at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto. Bess was encouraged by a classmate[6] at Ryerson to go to an acting audition which took place after a soccer practice they were both attending. Following that audition, Bess was offered his first professional theatre role as Sakini in a production of The Teahouse of the August Moon. Subsequently, Bess left Ryerson to attend the National Theatre School of Canada.[5]

Career

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He has also appeared in other films and television roles including Trailer Park Boys,[5] How She Move, Take the Lead, The Ladies Man, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, Prom Night, King of Kensington,[5] and Jewel.[7] He earned a Gemini Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for his role in One Heart Broken Into Song.[8]

In 2000, Bess' role of Don in the short film My Father’s Hands earned him a Golden Sheaf Award in the category of best performance by a male.[9]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1975 My Pleasure Is My Business Ambassador
1975 Lions for Breakfast Police officer Uncredited
1976 Love at First Sight Auditor
1978 High-Ballin' Policeman
1979 H. G. Wells' The Shape of Things to Come Merrick
1980 Prom Night Teacher
1980 Head On Poker Player
1980 Deadline Limousine Driver
1982 Highpoint Freightman Uncredited
1993 Ordinary Magic Barbershop #2
1994 Trial by Jury Albert, Juror
1995 Soul Survivor Papa
1995 Moving Target Jake
1999 The 4th Floor Hardware Owner
1999 My Father’s Hands Don Short film
1999 One Heart Broken Into Song Serious Cromwell
2000 After Alice Lenny
2000 The Ladies Man Stage Manager
2001 On Their Knees Gas Station Clerk
2002 The Skulls II Mr. Beckford
2002 Jack & Ella Darrell
2006 Take the Lead Smitty
2007 How She Move Uncle Cecil
2008 Saving God Officer Earle
2012 Bloodwork Martel
2016 A Sunday Kind of Love Server
2017 Cardinals Stanley Axel
2022 Junior's Giant Cec

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1973 The Starlost Soldier Episode: "The Goddess Calabra"
1975–1978 King of Kensington Nestor Best 63 episodes
1980 The Littlest Hobo Policeman / Ernie 2 episodes
1984, 1985 Hangin' In Errol
1985 Reckless Disregard Jury Foreman Television film
1985 The Park Is Mine Daniels
1985 Check It Out! Clyde Episode: "Love on Sale"
1986 Philip Marlowe, Private Eye Jed Mason Episode: "Pickup on Noon Street"
1987 CBS Schoolbreak Special Mr. McLean Episode: "The Day They Came to Arrest the Book"
1987 Street Legal Percival Episode: "Tango Bellarosa"
1987 The Kidnapping of Baby John Doe Bill Davis Television film
1987 Friday the 13th: The Series Hotel Manager Episode: "Cupid's Quiver"
1987, 1988 Night Heat Gil Johnson / Tago 2 episodes
1988 Hostage Garage Attendant Television film
1988, 1990 T. and T. Smiling Ryan 2 episodes
1989 The Campbells Jake Episode: "Eyes of Angels"
1990 Shining Time Station: 'Tis a Gift Tucker Cooper Television film
1993 Heritage Minutes Maurice Ruddick Episode: "Maurice Ruddick"[10]
1993 Coming of Age Condo Salesman Television film
1993–1996 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Brad Poster / Rawlins / Saul 4 episodes
1994 Spenser: The Judas Goat Winston Boyko Television film
1994 Ready or Not Serjak Episode: "Break Up"
1995 Due South Rudy Porter Episode: "An Eye for an Eye"
1995 Triplecross Ben Television film
1995 Prince for a Day Nix
1996 Mr. and Mrs. Loving Justice of the Peace
1996 F/X: The Series Security Guard Tony Episode: "High Risk"
1998 The Defenders: Choice of Evils Counsel Room Guard Television film
1998 Free of Eden Businessman
1999 The Promise Jury Foreman
1999 Twice in a Lifetime Dr. Harold Roth Episode: "Ashes to Ashes"
2000 D.C. Old Man Episode: "Pilot"
2000 On Hostile Ground Smiley Television film
2000 Soul Food Uncle Pete 4 episodes
2000 Songs in Ordinary Time Earlie's Grandfather Television film
2001 Laughter on the 23rd Floor Cecil
2001 Jewel Nelson
2001 Trailer Park Boys Levi 6 episodes
2001 MythQuest Baba Episode: "The Blessing"
2001 Fortier Dexter Kennedy Episode: "Soupçons et paranoïa: Part 1"
2002 Sins of the Father Minister at Church Television film
2002 Matthew Blackheart: Monster Smasher Blind Sid
2002 10,000 Black Men Named George Daddy Moore
2002 Power and Beauty Thomas
2002 Degrassi: The Next Generation Wayne Episode: "Don't Believe the Hype"
2003 Odyssey 5 Congressman Reddling Episode: "Fossil"
2004 72 Hours: True Crime Patrick Critton Episode: "Hijacked"
2004 Doc Benny Anderson Episode: "Happy Trails"
2005 Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye Oscar Episode: "Bad Girls"
2009 Da Kink in My Hair Pops Episode: "Looks Can Be Revealing"
2009 Guns Sonya's Father 2 episodes
2011 John A.: Birth of a Country Chief Barber Television film
2013 Cracked Attendant Episode: "Swans"
2014 Remedy Henry Kozlow Episode: "Shift/Change"
2016 Four in the Morning Amadeus Episode: "The Music"
2017 Kim's Convenience Arthur Episode: "Resting Place"

References

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  1. ^ "Survivor's song; Miner's bravery honored in heritage vignette" by Alan Hustak, Montreal Gazette (21 Feb, 1993) [Final Edition] Retrieved from ProQuest 432399699
  2. ^ "#22: The King of Kensington (CBC, 1974-80)" at www.theglobeandmail.com
  3. ^ "Waxman a big artist, class act, friends say" by Murray Campbell & Krista Foss at www.theglobeandmail.com
  4. ^ Ardon Bess' bio at www.northernstars.ca
  5. ^ a b c d e "Veteran actor is in fighting trim" by Pat Donnelly, Montreal Gazette (22 Jan, 2011) Retrieved from ProQuest 847078127
  6. ^ "Actor Bess walked right through the white wall" by Pat Donnelly, Montreal Gazette (21 Oct, 2000) [Final Edition] Retrieved from ProQuest 433651017
  7. ^ "Television Review; A Mother's Struggle to 'Fix Things' for a Child With Down Syndrome" by Anita Gates at www.nytimes.com
  8. ^ "Nominees for Gemini Awards" Edmonton Journal (30 Oct, 2000) Retrieved from ProQuest 252757711
  9. ^ "4 Square adds to its Scarred by History library" by Cheryl Binning at playbackonline.ca
  10. ^ Heritage Minutes: "Maurice Ruddick" at www.historicacanada.ca
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