Actor Jonathan Crombie died of a brain hemorrhage in New York City on Wednesday as reported by his sister Carrie Crombie. The actor was 48 years old.
Jonathan was the son of David Crombie, the former mayor of Toronto and a former federal Cabinet Minister in Canada.
The actor was best known for his role in the Canadian TV drama Anne of Green Gables where he played Gilbert Blythe. His last TV appearance was on a recent episode of The Good Wife on CBS.
"He was funny, he was sweet," recalled Carrie. She also said that her brother loved acting, comedy, dancing and singing.
Carrie remembered how Jonathan was always proud of his role as Gilbert, who became the school rival, boyfriend and eventually husband of the heroine in Anne of Green Gables.
Jonathan appeared in episodes of several TV programs, which include The Campbells (1986), CBS Schoolbreak Special (1987), Mount Royal (1988), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1988), The Hitchhiker (1989), 21 Jump Street (1991), Road to Avonlea (1992), Matrix (1993), Class of '96 (1993), Comedy Now! (1997), Earth: Final Conflict (2002), Slings & Arrows (2003 & 2005), The Jane Show (2004), and The Secret World of Benjamin Bear (2004 - 2010).
"In reality, Jonathan was as generous, as kind, as sensitive and as ambitious, in some ways, as the character he came to be identified with," said Kevin Sullivan, producer of Green Gables.
Jonathan was discovered when he was 17 years old, when he was in high school and performing in a production of The Wizard of Oz.
"We met him and he was cast. It was a perfect storm," said Sullivan. "I think for legions of young women around the world, Jonathan literally represented the quintessential boy next door."
His family is donating his organs and plans to bring his ash back to Toronto on a bus. This is because the actor would usually travel by taking the bus and never really liked to travel by plane.
"We're going to make the trek from New York to Toronto on a bus with his ashes," said Carrie. In the coming weeks, their family will hold a "huge, wonderful celebration of life" in honor of the actor.
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