Tribute to a departed friend/ film critic

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following tribute to Now magazine's fearless and much-respected film writer John Harkness was written this afternoon by David Helwig, SooToday.com's founding news director. More than 37 years ago, the budding journalistic careers of Helwig and Harkness crossed in Sarnia, Ontario.

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In the 26 years since Toronto's Now magazine started in 1981, film critic John Harkness (shown) had never missed a deadline.

Until Tuesday of this week.

Something clearly was wrong and a Now staffer was sent to Harkness's home, where he was found dead at the age of 53.

Cause of death was not immediately known, however Harkness was known to have had difficulties with cholesterol.

"John Harkness was simply the best film critic in Canada over the last 26 years,” Now founder Michael Hollet said in a news release.

The last time I saw John Harkness was on September 19, 1970.

We were both in high school, both members of the Sarnia (Ontario) Youth Press Co-operative, an informal group dedicated to the production and distribution of periodicals ranging from underground magazines of dubious legality to officially sanctioned school newspapers.

The day before, Jimi Hendrix had been found dead in the basement flat of London’s Samarkand Hotel.

John, deeply moved, was excitedly showing me an unpublished draft of a tribute that he’d spent most of the night writing.

This was a Saturday morning.

There was no deadline.

John had pulled an all-nighter only because there was an article he cared about rattling around his cranium and he had to get it on paper.

Even as a teenager, he was so passionate about his craft that he'd sooner write than eat or sleep.

There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that John Harkness would become a critic, and an exceptional one.

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Funeral arrangements for John Harkness

Friday, December 28

Location: Morley Bedford Funeral Home

Phone: 416-489-8733

159 Eglinton Avenue West

On Eglinton between Avenue and Yonge.

Time: 1:30pm service, followed by reception at the same location.

Non-denominational ceremony.

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