Ray Bellew

{{Short description|Canadian actor}} {{more citations needed|date=March 2016}} {{Infobox person |birth_place=Montreal, Quebec, Canada |birth_date=March 26, 1939 |death_date={{death date and age|2006|10|10|1939|3|26}} |death_place=St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada |occupation=actor, performer |nationality= |education= }} '''Ray Bellew''' (March 26, 1939 – October 10, 2006) was a Canadian actor and performer.

==Early life and education== Bellew was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He had two sisters, Claudette and Majorie.<ref name="teleobit">{{cite web |title=The Telegram Obituaries, October 2006|url=http://ngb.chebucto.org/Newspaper-Obits/tele-obits-oct06.shtml|accessdate=October 10, 2020}}</ref> Claudette, his younger sister, died on January 4, 2012.{{Citation needed|date=January 2012}}

==Career== In the 1960s he moved to Newfoundland to host a teen radio show, ''Now Sound''.<ref name= dies/> He starred as the title character in the TV series ''Skipper and Company'' in St. John's, Newfoundland, which ran on the CBC's Newfoundland affiliate CBNT from 1974 to 1982.<ref name=dies>{{cite news| url= http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/skipper-actor-bellew-dies-at-67-1.576365 |title= Skipper actor Bellew dies at 67 | date= October 11, 2006| publisher= CBC| accessdate= March 3, 2016}}</ref>

Throughout the 1960s, Bellew was in the Canadian series ''Last of the Mohicans'' with Lon Chaney Jr, as well as ''Razzle Dazzle'', featuring puppet Howard the Turtle. Bellew also performed in ''The Forest Rangers'', Gordon Pinsent's ''Quentin Durgens, M.P.'', ''Cannonball'', ''CBC TV Theatre'', ''On Camera'', ''Folio'', and ''Star Time Theatre'', among others. He was in CBC Toronto's production of ''Macbeth'' with Sean Connery (before Connery starred in his first James Bond film).

During the 1990s, he hosted the Weekend Arts Magazine in Newfoundland and Labrador.<ref name=dies /> In the late 1990s, Bellew performed as the personification of P.J. Billington, of the P.J. Billington's restaurants. He made public appearances and voiced radio and TV advertisements.

==Personal life== Bellew and his wife Rose had two daughters, Kelli and Lauren, and a son, Sean.<ref name=teleobit /> He had two sons, Mark and Christopher, and two daughters, Kim and Robyn, from a previous marriage<ref name=teleobit /> to Brenda.

He was a skilled magician.<ref name= dies/>

After retiring from performing, he became depressed, alcoholic, and abusive.<ref name=remorse /> In 2002, Bellew was sentenced to six months under house arrest and two years probation and prohibition from imbibing alcohol. He pleaded guilty to assaulting and threatening his wife.<ref name=remorse>{{cite news| title= Remorse plays role in sentencing of 'Skipper'| url= http://www.newlearner.com/courses/hts/cln4u/blwho97.htm| date= November 28, 2002 | website= newlearner.com | publisher= CBC| accessdate= March 3, 2016}}</ref> The couple reconciled.<ref name=remorse />

Bellew died in St. John's.<ref name=dies />

==Notes== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|68930}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bellew, Ray}} Category:1939 births Category:2006 deaths Category:Canadian male television actors Category:Male actors from Montreal