TORONTO - Actor Wayne Robson, who played Mike Hamar on "The Red Green Show" for 12 seasons, has died at age 64.
The Stratford Shakespeare Festival, which announced Robson's death, said the actor was to make his debut with the company this season in "The Grapes of Wrath."
Robson appeared in over 100 Canadian theatre productions, 30 feature films and 120 television productions.
He won Gemini Awards for his roles as Wally in "And Then You Die" and Christie Logan in "The Diviners."
The actor received Genie nominations for playing Shorty in "The Grey Fox" and Hank in "Bye Bye Blues."
On "Red Green," Robson was known for his portrayal of the handyman and thief who frequently visited Possum Lodge. He reprised the role of Mike Hamar in the 2002 film "Red Green's Duct Tape Forever."
Stratford general director Antoni Cimolino said that during rehearsals for "The Grapes of Wrath," Robson had colleagues in "stitches and tears."
Stratford artistic director Des McAnuff noted that he met Robson more than 30 years ago.
"I offered him a part in 'A Mad World, My Masters' at the St. Lawrence Centre in Toronto -- which he had to turn down in order to accept a role in Robert Altman's movie 'Popeye,"' McAnuff recalled in a statement.
"I'd been looking for another opportunity to work with him ever since, so I was naturally delighted when he agreed to join our 2011 company.
"Now I am utterly heartbroken that he has been taken from us so prematurely, with such an important contribution still to make. Wayne was an outstanding artist who had a diverse and accomplished career on stage, in film and on television, and his loss will be heavily felt not only here in Stratford but across our country."
Robson also appeared in Altman's "McCabe and Mrs. Miller."
In recent years, his TV appearances included "Murdoch Mysteries," "Little Mosque on the Prairie" and "The Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town."
He also voiced the role of Mr. Mantis on the children's program "Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends."
