Star Wars actor Richard Donat dead at 84: Beloved thespian hailed from iconic showbiz family

by

Richard Donat, best known as the voice of Deej in the 1980s TV series Ewoks, has passed away at 84 years old.

He came from a family deeply involved in the entertainment industry – his uncle was the celebrated actor Robert Donat, an Oscar winner, and his brother, Peter Donat, was a well-known soap opera star.

He was well-known for playing Vince Teagues, a character from the Syfy series Haven, which was filmed in his home province of Nova Scotia.

Every Christmas, he was a beloved presence on CBC Radio in Canada, known for his reading of Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem, ‘Christmas at Sea’.

Donat passed away on March 28, surrounded by his wife, Maggie Thomas, and their sons, Owen and Morgan, as announced by the funeral home.

In the final two years of his life, he was reportedly unwell and received medical care at a hospital on Nova Scotia’s South Shore, where he had resided since 1989.

As a lifelong observer of interesting backgrounds, let me tell you about Donat. He came into this world in Nova Scotia back in 1941, and creativity was definitely in his blood! His family was full of artists, and he actually had a very famous uncle – Robert Donat, a celebrated English actor. You might recognize his work from classics like The Count of Monte Cristo and even an Alfred Hitchcock thriller, The 39 Steps. It’s amazing how family history can shape a person, isn’t it?

Robert Donat received an Academy Award for his leading role as Mr. Chips in the 1939 film of the same name, where he starred alongside Greer Garson.

I always loved discovering talented families, and the Donat brothers were a prime example! Many of you might remember Peter Donat, the elder sibling, from some classic TV shows. He was a familiar face on ‘Flamingo Road’ back in the ’80s, and then later, he had a memorable run on ‘The X-Files’ in the ’90s. It’s wonderful to see how talent can run in families!

Richard Donat launched his acting career after graduating from Canada’s National Theatre School in 1967, quickly becoming a well-known stage performer.

In Michel Tremblay’s influential 1973 play, Hosanna, Donat played a gay biker who shares a home with a drag queen. The play was a hit in Montreal and quickly moved to Broadway the following year, with Donat continuing in his original role.

Throughout the 1970s and 80s, he also appeared in several Canadian movies, including the horror film Death Weekend with Brenda Vaccaro and the satirical comedy Gas, which featured a young Howie Mandel.

Read More

2026-04-14 20:33