Ernie Coombs
Encyclopedia
Ernest "Ernie" Arthur Coombs, CM
(November 26, 1927-September 18, 2001) was a children's entertainer that starred in the Canadian
television
series Mr. Dressup
.
Ernest Coombs was born in Lewiston
, Maine
, and pursued a career in children's entertainment after attending North Yarmouth Academy
in Yarmouth
, Maine. As an understudy to Fred Rogers, he travelled to Canada in 1963 to work for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
on an early version of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
. Rogers moved back to the United States the following year, but Coombs decided to stay in Canada, joining a new show called Butternut Square
. Butternut Square ran from 1964 to 1967. During the run, Coombs appeared as the character in a stage show at the Poor Alex Theatre
.
After Butternut Square
ended, Coombs developed Mr. Dressup
, which became one of English Canada
's longest-running and most beloved children's programs. As Mr. Dressup, he presented arts and crafts, songs, stories and games for children with his friends Casey and Finnegan, a child and a dog who lived in a treehouse in Mr. Dressup's back yard. Casey wasn't given a unisex name
intentionally, but it was a serendipitous
choice because the character's childlike voice left Casey's gender ambiguous. Over the years, when viewers would ask Coombs whether Casey was a boy or a girl, he would ask, "What do you think?" However the questioner responded, he would say, "You're right!"
Later in the series, when the show's principal puppeteer, Judith Lawrence
, retired, Casey and Finnegan were replaced by a small cast of anthropomorphic
animal puppets. Coombs believed very strongly in gentle, wholesome children's programming that encouraged kids to use their creativity and imagination. In each episode, Mr. Dressup would dress up (hence his name) in a costume from his Tickle Trunk, and lead children in an imagination game. Many times his puppets would also appear in costume as well.
Coombs became a Canadian citizen in 1994. The series continued production until its final taping in February 1996, when Coombs retired. The same year, he was named a Member of the Order of Canada
. Repeats continued to be shown on CBC Television
until they were discontinued in 2006.
After retirement, Coombs continued to work as an entertainer, playing roles in Ross Petty
's Christmas pantomime
s of Peter Pan
, Cinderella
, and Aladdin
, and acted as a spokesman for children's charities.
Coombs also did a travelling stage show called "Tales from the Tickle Trunk." In this show he would share stories about the making of the Mr. Dressup show, as well as the origins, and fates, of some of the characters.
Coombs lived with his family in the Toronto suburb of Pickering
. His wife Marlene ran a day care
in downtown Toronto, called the Butternut Day Care. She was killed in a traffic accident in 1992; she was walking on the sidewalk of Yonge Street
in Toronto
, when a car hit her. The driver may have had a seizure causing the vehicle, resulting in a loss of control.
Coombs suffered a stroke
on September 10, 2001, and died on September 18, 2001 in Toronto
, Ontario
when he was seventy-three years old.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(November 26, 1927-September 18, 2001) was a children's entertainer that starred in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series Mr. Dressup
Mr. Dressup
Mr. Dressup is a Canadian children's television series produced by CBC Television that ran from 1967 to 1996.The series starred Ernie Coombs as Mr. Dressup. The show aired every weekday morning, and each day Mr...
.
Ernest Coombs was born in Lewiston
Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, and pursued a career in children's entertainment after attending North Yarmouth Academy
North Yarmouth Academy
North Yarmouth Academy is an independent, co-ed, college preparatory day school serving students in grades 5-12 located in Yarmouth, Maine. The school offers a structured program that sets clear standards and high expectations in an environment that emphasizes values of mutual respect, trust and...
in Yarmouth
North Yarmouth, Maine
North Yarmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,565 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, Maine. As an understudy to Fred Rogers, he travelled to Canada in 1963 to work for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
on an early version of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, also known as Mister Rogers, is an American children's television series that was created and hosted by Fred Rogers. The series is aimed primarily at preschool ages, 2-5, but has been stated by Public Broadcasting Service as "appropriate for all ages"...
. Rogers moved back to the United States the following year, but Coombs decided to stay in Canada, joining a new show called Butternut Square
Butternut Square
Butternut Square was a Canadian children's television series which aired on CBC Television between October 19, 1964 and February 10, 1967.The cast featured Ernie Coombs as Mr...
. Butternut Square ran from 1964 to 1967. During the run, Coombs appeared as the character in a stage show at the Poor Alex Theatre
Poor Alex Theatre
Poor Alex Theatre is a theatre company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.The Poor Alex was opened in Toronto's Annex neighbourhood in the 1970s in a property owned by Ed Mirvish and took its name as a parody of the Mirvish owned Royal Alexandra Theatre...
.
After Butternut Square
Butternut Square
Butternut Square was a Canadian children's television series which aired on CBC Television between October 19, 1964 and February 10, 1967.The cast featured Ernie Coombs as Mr...
ended, Coombs developed Mr. Dressup
Mr. Dressup
Mr. Dressup is a Canadian children's television series produced by CBC Television that ran from 1967 to 1996.The series starred Ernie Coombs as Mr. Dressup. The show aired every weekday morning, and each day Mr...
, which became one of English Canada
English Canada
English Canada is a term used to describe one of the following:# English-speaking Canadians, as opposed to French-speaking Canadians. It is employed when comparing English- and French-language literature, media, or art...
's longest-running and most beloved children's programs. As Mr. Dressup, he presented arts and crafts, songs, stories and games for children with his friends Casey and Finnegan, a child and a dog who lived in a treehouse in Mr. Dressup's back yard. Casey wasn't given a unisex name
Unisex name
A unisex name, also known as an epicene name, is a given name that is often given to either a boy or a girl. Some countries, however, require that a given name be gender-specific or have enough names with male and female versions...
intentionally, but it was a serendipitous
Serendipity
Serendipity means a "happy accident" or "pleasant surprise"; specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful without looking for it. The word has been voted as one of the ten English words hardest to translate in June 2004 by a British translation company. However, due to its...
choice because the character's childlike voice left Casey's gender ambiguous. Over the years, when viewers would ask Coombs whether Casey was a boy or a girl, he would ask, "What do you think?" However the questioner responded, he would say, "You're right!"
Later in the series, when the show's principal puppeteer, Judith Lawrence
Judith Lawrence
Judith Lawrence is a Canadian puppeteer associated with the long-running CBC children's television program Mr. Dressup. Her best known characters were Casey and Finnegan, although she also created other occasional characters, such as Aunt Bird and Alligator Al...
, retired, Casey and Finnegan were replaced by a small cast of anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
animal puppets. Coombs believed very strongly in gentle, wholesome children's programming that encouraged kids to use their creativity and imagination. In each episode, Mr. Dressup would dress up (hence his name) in a costume from his Tickle Trunk, and lead children in an imagination game. Many times his puppets would also appear in costume as well.
Coombs became a Canadian citizen in 1994. The series continued production until its final taping in February 1996, when Coombs retired. The same year, he was named a Member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. Repeats continued to be shown on CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
until they were discontinued in 2006.
After retirement, Coombs continued to work as an entertainer, playing roles in Ross Petty
Ross Petty
Ross Petty is a Canadian actor and theatre producer. He is best known for his eponymous production company, which stages family theatre productions in Toronto every holiday season.- Early career :...
's Christmas pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
s of Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
, Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
, and Aladdin
Aladdin
Aladdin is a Middle Eastern folk tale. It is one of the tales in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights , and one of the most famous, although it was actually added to the collection by Antoine Galland ....
, and acted as a spokesman for children's charities.
Coombs also did a travelling stage show called "Tales from the Tickle Trunk." In this show he would share stories about the making of the Mr. Dressup show, as well as the origins, and fates, of some of the characters.
Coombs lived with his family in the Toronto suburb of Pickering
Pickering, Ontario
Pickering is a city located in Southern Ontario, Canada immediately east of Toronto in Durham Region. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, the largest metropolitan area in Canada.- Early Period :...
. His wife Marlene ran a day care
Day care
Child care or day care is care of a child during the day by a person other than the child's legal guardians, typically performed by someone outside the child's immediate family...
in downtown Toronto, called the Butternut Day Care. She was killed in a traffic accident in 1992; she was walking on the sidewalk of Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, when a car hit her. The driver may have had a seizure causing the vehicle, resulting in a loss of control.
Coombs suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
on September 10, 2001, and died on September 18, 2001 in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
when he was seventy-three years old.
External links
- Ernie Coombs' Order of Canada Citation
- Ernie Coombs' CBC personalities page
- Canadian Connections' Ernie Coombs page
- The Mr. Dressup Pictures and Sound Page by Buffalonian Steve Cichon
Multimedia
- CBC Archives Remembering Mr. Dressup - CBC News 2001