Ardon Bess (born 1941) is a Canadian actor best known for appearing in a Heritage Minutes short film about the 1958 Springhill mining disaster portraying survivor Maurice Ruddick,"Survivor's song; Miner's bravery honored in heritage vignette" by Alan Hustak, Montreal Gazette (21 Feb, 1993) [Final Edition] Retrieved from and for playing Nestor "The Jester" Best in the sitcom King of Kensington."#22: The King of Kensington (CBC, 1974-80)" at www.theglobeandmail.com"Waxman a big artist, class act, friends say" by Murray Campbell & Krista Foss at www.theglobeandmail.com
Early life and education Bess was born in Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.Ardon Bess' bio at www.northernstars.ca After completing his secondary school education in St. Vincent, he became a bank teller. Before moving to Canada, Bess was acting in and directing local amateur theatre in Kingstown. He moved to Canada in 1964 and first lived in Oakville, Ontario with his father. He briefly studied architecture at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto. Bess was encouraged by a classmate"Actor Bess walked right through the white wall" by Pat Donnelly, Montreal Gazette (21 Oct, 2000) [Final Edition] Retrieved from at Ryerson to go to an acting audition which took place after a soccer practice they were both attending. Following that audition, Bess was offered his first professional theatre role as Sakini in a production of The Teahouse of the August Moon. Subsequently, Bess left Ryerson to attend the National Theatre School of Canada."Veteran actor is in fighting trim" by Pat Donnelly, Montreal Gazette (22 Jan, 2011) Retrieved from
Career He has also appeared in other films and television roles including Trailer Park Boys, How She Move, Take the Lead, The Ladies Man, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, Prom Night, King of Kensington, and Jewel."Television Review; A Mother's Struggle to 'Fix Things' for a Child With Down Syndrome" by Anita Gates at www.nytimes.com He earned a Gemini Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for his role in One Heart Broken Into Song."Nominees for Gemini Awards" Edmonton Journal (30 Oct, 2000) Retrieved from
In 2000, Bess' role of Don in the short film My Father’s Hands earned him a Golden Sheaf Award in the category of best performance by a male."4 Square adds to its Scarred by History library" by Cheryl Binning at playbackonline.ca
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1975My Pleasure Is My BusinessAmbassador1975Lions for BreakfastPolice officerUncredited1976Love at First SightAuditor1978High-Ballin'Policeman1979H. G. Wells' The Shape of Things to ComeMerrick1980Prom NightTeacher1980Head OnPoker Player1980DeadlineLimousine Driver1982HighpointFreightmanUncredited1993Ordinary MagicBarbershop #21994Trial by JuryAlbert, Juror1995Soul SurvivorPapa1995Moving TargetJake1999 The 4th FloorHardware Owner1999My Father’s HandsDonShort film1999One Heart Broken Into SongSerious Cromwell2000After AliceLenny2000 The Ladies ManStage Manager2001On Their KneesGas Station Clerk2002 The Skulls IIMr. Beckford2002Jack & EllaDarrell2006Take the LeadSmitty2007How She MoveUncle Cecil2008Saving GodOfficer Earle2012BloodworkMartel2016 A Sunday Kind of LoveServer2017CardinalsStanley Axel2022Junior's GiantCec
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1973 The StarlostSoldierEpisode: "The Goddess Calabra"1975–1978King of KensingtonNestor Best63 episodes1980 The Littlest HoboPoliceman / Ernie2 episodes1984, 1985Hangin' InErrol1985Reckless DisregardJury ForemanTelevision film1985 The Park Is MineDaniels1985Check It Out!ClydeEpisode: "Love on Sale"1986Philip Marlowe, Private EyeJed MasonEpisode: "Pickup on Noon Street"1987CBS Schoolbreak SpecialMr. McLeanEpisode: "The Day They Came to Arrest the Book"1987Street LegalPercivalEpisode: "Tango Bellarosa"1987 The Kidnapping of Baby John DoeBill DavisTelevision film1987Friday the 13th: The SeriesHotel ManagerEpisode: "Cupid's Quiver"1987, 1988Night HeatGil Johnson / Tago2 episodes1988HostageGarage AttendantTelevision film1988, 1990T. and T.Smiling Ryan2 episodes1989 The CampbellsJakeEpisode: "Eyes of Angels"1990Shining Time Station: 'Tis a GiftTucker CooperTelevision film1993Heritage MinutesMaurice RuddickEpisode: "Maurice Ruddick"Heritage Minutes: "Maurice Ruddick" at www.historicacanada.ca1993Coming of AgeCondo SalesmanTelevision film1993–1996Kung Fu: The Legend ContinuesBrad Poster / Rawlins / Saul4 episodes1994Spenser: The Judas GoatWinston BoykoTelevision film1994Ready or NotSerjakEpisode: "Break Up"1995Due SouthRudy PorterEpisode: "An Eye for an Eye"1995TriplecrossBenTelevision film1995Prince for a DayNix1996Mr. and Mrs. LovingJustice of the Peace1996F/X: The SeriesSecurity Guard TonyEpisode: "High Risk"1998 The Defenders: Choice of EvilsCounsel Room GuardTelevision film1998Free of EdenBusinessman1999 The PromiseJury Foreman1999Twice in a LifetimeDr. Harold RothEpisode: "Ashes to Ashes"2000D.C.Old ManEpisode: "Pilot"2000On Hostile GroundSmileyTelevision film2000Soul FoodUncle Pete4 episodes2000Songs in Ordinary TimeEarlie's GrandfatherTelevision film2001Laughter on the 23rd FloorCecil2001JewelNelson2001Trailer Park BoysLevi6 episodes2001MythQuestBabaEpisode: "The Blessing"2001FortierDexter KennedyEpisode: "Soupçons et paranoïa: Part 1"2002Sins of the FatherMinister at ChurchTelevision film2002Matthew Blackheart: Monster SmasherBlind Sid200210,000 Black Men Named GeorgeDaddy Moore2002Power and BeautyThomas2002Degrassi: The Next GenerationWayneEpisode: "Don't Believe the Hype"2003Odyssey 5Congressman ReddlingEpisode: "Fossil"200472 Hours: True CrimePatrick CrittonEpisode: "Hijacked"2004DocBenny AndersonEpisode: "Happy Trails"2005Sue Thomas: F.B.EyeOscarEpisode: "Bad Girls"2009Da Kink in My HairPopsEpisode: "Looks Can Be Revealing"2009GunsSonya's Father2 episodes2011John A.: Birth of a CountryChief BarberTelevision film2013CrackedAttendantEpisode: "Swans"2014RemedyHenry KozlowEpisode: "Shift/Change"2016Four in the MorningAmadeusEpisode: "The Music"2017Kim's ConvenienceArthurEpisode: "Resting Place"
References
External links
Theatre Museum Canada Legends Library