Jonathan Crombie

Fans knew Canadian actor Jonathan Crombie for his memorable turn as Gilbert on the historical miniseries "Anne of Green Gables" (CBC, 1985). He found his way to the legendary role when casting director Diane Polley noticed him performing in a production of "The Wizard of Oz" at Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute. The son of a federal cabinet minister, Crombie's acting experience had been limited to youth theater and school plays. But when Polley introduced Crombie to the "Anne of Green Gables" producers, they knew before he even screen-tested that he was perfect for the part. Crombie would go on to act in other Canadian film and TV projects, though he would also enroll at the University of Toronto's Victoria College, graduating in 1995. Crombie also performed improv with the troupe Skippy's Rangers, and participated in a tremendous amount of theater. He starred in a string of plays at the renowned Stratford Shakespeare Festival, including an acclaimed 1997 production of "Romeo and Juliet," and later made his Broadway debut in a 1997 production of "The Drowsey Chaperone." Crombie also wrote, directed, and produced a 2015 documentary about the troubled production of the movie "Ishtar" (1987) entitled "Waiting for Ishtar" (2015). Tragically, Crombie died on April 15, 2015 of a brain hemorrhage. He was 48 years old.