Richard Francois Donat (June 1, 1941 – March 28, 2026) was a Canadian actor, known for his work in Canadian and American television. He is well known for playing the character Vince Teagues in the Canadian–American television series, Haven. Donat was the younger brother of Peter Donat and the nephew of British actor Robert Donat.
Life and career Donat had a long career playing character roles mainly on television, though he had roles in films such as Tomorrow Never Comes (1978), City on Fire (1979), Gas (1981), Draw! (1984), My American Cousin (1985), Samuel Lount (1985), American Boyfriends (1989), The Weight of Water (2000), The Event (2003) and Amelia (2009). He also narrated several documentaries, including a number of Nova episodes.
Among his television appearances, Donat was Doctor Burnley in the Canadian series Emily of New Moon from 1998 to 2000. He played Colonel Boyle, the fort commander in the Canadian comedy series Blackfly for its two seasons, 2001–2002. Between 2010 and 2015 he played Vince Teagues, one of the editors of the local newspaper in the town of Haven from the TV series of the same name. Although Haven is supposed to be in Maine, the series is filmed in Nova Scotia where Donat hails from.
In 1984, Donat won a Dora Mavor Moore Award for "Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Leading Role" for his work in Brecht's In the Jungle of Cities. In 2007, he won a Merritt Award for "Outstanding Performance – Supporting Actor" for his role in Sam Shepard's Fool For Love.
He was also a director and won the Mecca Award in 2004 for his direction of The Drawer Boy.
Donat died on March 28, 2026, at the age of 84.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRole Notes1976Death WeekendPoliceman1978Tomorrow Never ComesRay1979City on FireCaptain Harrison Risley1981GasFred1985Martin's DaySenior Policeman1985My American CousinMajor Wilcox1985Samuel LountSheriff Jarvis1987Deep Sea ConspiracyMicradyne man1989American BoyfriendsMajor Wilcox2000 The Weight of WaterMr. Plaisted2002Phase IVKarl Dean2002DragonwheelReverend Matherson2003 The EventUndertaker2006 The ConclaveCardinal Pietro Barbo2009AmeliaGallagher2014LureMarshall Spencer2016 The HealerLarry
Television YearTitleRole Notes1971Dr. Simon LockeLamontEpisode: "The Importer"1977For the RecordDanEpisode: "Hank"1979 The NewcomersEpisode: "1911"1979Little House on the PrairieJoe DortmunderEpisode: "The Angry Heart"1979, 1983 The Littlest HoboCharlie / Mac Devlin3 episodes1980 The Great DetectiveIsaac TreadwellEpisode: "The Eye of Clarkie Blackburn"1982NurseStan GeddisEpisode: "Euthanasia"1984ABC Weekend SpecialReuben BrightEpisode: "Cougar!"1984Draw!Sheriff HarmonTelevision film1985EwoksDeej13 episodes1985 The Suicide MurdersVern HarringtonTelevision film1985, 1987Seeing ThingsBarry Cade / Luke2 episodes1986 The Edison TwinsDr. BettermanEpisode: "Heavy Sweat"1986Philip Marlowe, Private EyeWaxnoseEpisode: "Trouble Is My Business"1986AdderlyEpisode: "Capture the Flag"1987WiseguySheriffEpisode: "No One Gets Out of Here Alive"1988T. and T.BennyEpisode: "Sophie a La Modem"1988, 1990Danger BayHunter / Hugh Carver2 episodes1989 The CampbellsJack SpraggetEpisode: "Something's Rotten"1990 The Little KidnappersHans HooftTelevision film1991Deadly Betrayal: The Bruce Curtis StoryJim Curtis1992 The SecretShane1993Life with BillyConstable Snow1994Mary Silliman's WarSelleck Silliman1995Side EffectsDr. DucheneEpisode: "Snap, Crackle, Pop!"1995Net WorthJimmy NorrisTelevision film1996Dangerous Offender: The Marlene Moore StoryRobert Harris1996Calm at SunsetGil1996–1997LexxMegashadow Admiral4 episodes1997Psi FactorCole ConacherEpisode: "The Greenhouse Effect/The Buzz"1997Pit Pony: A Diamond in The RoughRory MacLeanTelevision film1997Major CrimeSgt. Hulce1997Promise the MoonWilbur Bennett1997–2000Wind at My BackEugene MacFarlane3 episodes1998Oceans of MysteryNarratorEpisode: "Slaver, Warrior or Privateer?"1998–2000Emily of New MoonDr. Burnley28 episodes1999Blue MoonJustice of the PeaceTelevision film1999Made in CanadaEpisode: "The Christmas Show"2000Our Daily BreadFather McGregorTelevision film2001Passion and PrejudiceDist. Atty. Bridges2001Sunk on Christmas EveNarrator2001–2002BlackflyCol. Boyle / Earl of Pickersaill26 episodes2002TrudeauMacDonaldTelevision film2002 The Pilot's WifeFather Paul2002Heart of a StrangerPhillip2003Martha, Inc.: The Story of Martha StewartKmart Exec2003Shattered City: The Halifax ExplosionPatrick Collins2 episodes2004Sleep MurderJudge WalterTelevision film2004–2009NovaNarrator / Dr. Robert Darwin5 episodes2005Suzanne's Diary for NicholasEarlTelevision film2005Trudeau II: Maverick in the MakingMonseigneur Desranleau2006Candles on Bay StreetWalter2007, 2018Trailer Park BoysBig Hawk / Judge3 episodes2009Sea WolfClerk #12 episodes2010–2015HavenVince Teagues61 episodes2011Moby DickInn LandlordTelevision film2012Titanic: The AftermathJohn Henry Barnstead2013Republic of DoyleJames Bennett2 episodes2013Rookie BlueGraham WardEpisode: "For Better, for Worse"2015Hemlock GroveMcDougal2 episodes2016Mr. DNarratorEpisode: "Gerry Goes to Prison"2020Trailer Park Boys: The Animated SeriesBig Hawk / Clown2 episodes2023Sullivan's CrossingRoy6 episodes
References
External links
Richard Donat at Northernstars.ca