final credits - john mackin
After serving in Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve during World War II (an experience he described as alternating between unremitting boredom and unmitigated terror), Ontario-born John Mackin ended up working in radio in Alberta.
He made his way along Highway 2 with stints at Calgary's CFAC, CKRD in Red Deer and Edmonton's CJCA.
While in Alberta, the budding actor got a role in Anthony Mann's 1954 film "The Far Country." The James Stewart/Walter Brennan film was shot in Banff and Jasper National Parks.
Mackin soon moved his family to Toronto to continue his career and became a regular on such Canadian TV classics as "The Forest Rangers," "Wojeck" and "Front Page Challenge."
Mackin still did radio work, as can be heard in this CBC Radio report heralding the arrival of Direct Distance Dialing in Canada.
For several years in the mid-1960s Mackin worked in England for the BBC and Rediffusion. He returned to Canada and by 1971 he made his way to Victoria, joining CKDA/CFMS as a news commentator, open line host and Legislative Bureau Chief.
In 1976 he began working for the provincial public service in public affairs, a position he held until his retirement.
John Mackin died January 10th, 2006 at the age of 84.