AceShowbiz - Richard Donat, the Canadian actor best known for his role as Vince Teagues on the supernatural series Haven, has passed away at the age of 84. His family confirmed that he died on March 28 in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, where he had been a longtime resident.

Richard Donat hailed from an esteemed acting family. His uncle was the celebrated British actor Robert Donat, famed for his work in Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps (1935) and his Oscar-winning performance in Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939). His older brother, Peter Donat, was a veteran stage actor who appeared in films by Francis Ford Coppola and played Agent Fox Mulder’s father on The X-Files. Peter Donat died in September 2018 at the age of 90.

On the television series Haven, which aired from 2010 to 2015, Richard Donat portrayed Vince Teagues, the co-publisher and editor of the local newspaper, the Haven Herald. His character worked alongside his on-screen brother Dave, played by John Dunsworth, as they covered strange events in the small town. The show, though set in Maine and inspired by Stephen King’s 2005 novella The Colorado Kid, was filmed on Nova Scotia’s south shore, close to Donat’s home.

Reflecting on his role in Haven, Donat noted in 2012, "I have always lived here and then this show comes along and suddenly your life is changed. It is quite extraordinary really."

Besides Haven, Richard Donat was also recognized for his roles in Canadian television series such as Emily of New Moon, where he played Dr. Burnley from 1998 to 2000, and the sitcom Blackfly, portraying Colonel Boyle during 2001-2002. His film credits include Tomorrow Never Comes (1978), My American Cousin (1985)—which earned him a Genie Award nomination—Kathryn Bigelow’s The Weight of Water (2000), The Event (2003), and Mira Nair’s Amelia (2009).

Born Richard Francois Donat on June 1, 1941, in Kentville, Nova Scotia, he was inspired by his family’s acting legacy. After graduating from the National Theatre School of Canada in 1967, he performed on stages nationwide. In the mid-1970s, he moved to Toronto, where his acclaimed lead role in Hosanna—a two-person play by Michel Tremblay about a man living with a drag queen—earned him a spot on Broadway in 1974.

Donat's theatre accomplishments included winning the Dora Mavor Moore Award for his performances in Bertolt Brecht’s In the Jungle of the Cities and His Greatness. He also appeared in productions of Stone Angel, Our Town, Driving Miss Daisy, The Drawer Boy (which he also directed), and Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love.

He was also a familiar voice during the holiday season, often reading Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem Christmas at Sea on CBC Halifax radio each Christmas morning.

Richard Donat and his family lived on Nova Scotia’s south shore since 1989. He is survived by his partner Maggie Thomas, their sons Owen and Morgan, and grandchildren Charlize, Nadia, Mira, and Taran.

In memory of Richard Donat, donations can be made to the South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater. Online condolences have been made available by his family to honor his legacy.