Pat John: remembering Jessie from “The Beachcombers” and more

Three of the main characters on "The Beachcombers". From left are Relic, played by Robert Clothier; Nick Adonidas, played by Bruno Gerussi; and Jessie Jim, played by Pat John.
Source: https://www.cbc.ca/archives/last-beachcombers-filmed-1.6526226
(David Gray/CBC Still Photo Collection)
(May be subject to copyright)

It was can’t miss television back when there were only three channels to choose from. Coming on Channel 9 on Sunday nights at 7 p.m., right after “The Wide World of Disney”, “The Beachcombers” was a true Canadian drama.

Set in Gibson’s, B.C., it told the story of Nick Adonidas, who salvaged logs for a living, and the friends – and rivals – that inhabited Gibson’s and occupied his life.

His partner, from the very first episode airing in 1972 when they formed their partnership, was Jessie Jim, played by Pat John. Together they worked closely salvaging logs, outwitting Relic, a rival with a jet boat, and hanging out at Molly’s Reach, the local coffee shop.

“The Beachcombers” was a trail blazer, having one of the first, if not the first, First Nations actor in a main role.

All these “Beachcombers” memories, and what Pat John’s performance on the show really meant, came back recently when I heard that Pat John had died. He was 69.

Hard way to make a living
The premise of “The Beachcombers” was the salvage of logs, which had broken away from logging booms and barges. Nick and Jessie travelled up and down the coast northwest of Vancouver on Nick’s tug called the Persephone.

They were always knocking heads with Relic, a rival salvager who was not above doing whatever it took to get to a log first, or even steal the logs Nick and Jessie had salvaged.

Coffee time
Everyone would spend their down time at Molly’s Reach at Gibson’s, a coffee shop owned by Molly who was a mother figure. It was kind of neutral ground, because everyone hung out there.

Molly’s Reach was a Canadian icon, as synonymous with “The Beachcombers” as that opening sequence where the log rolls down a bank and into the ocean, pulled by the Persephone.

In person
In 1993, my uncle and aunt moved to the Sunshine Coast, eventually building a house carved out of rock, equidistant from three communities – Gibson’s, Sechelt, and Wilson Creek.

About 10 years later I accompanied my parents to visit my uncle and aunt. They were incredible hosts and tour guides, and took us into town. We toured around Wilson Creek, where they used to co-own a campground with their daughter and her husband, then Sechelt which was the economic hub of the area.

Then they took us to Gibson’s. We walked around the community then I saw it in the distance – Molly’s Reach.

It looked just like it did on TV.

“Can I buy you a coffee?” my uncle asked.

So we went inside, and it was pretty much exactly as I expected with one exception. I did not expect to see an old, square colour TV in the corner – playing episodes of “The Beachcombers”.

After coffee, I took a photo of my parents and my uncle and aunt in front of Molly’s Reach.

My brush with Canadian TV history was complete – and it was awesome.

Parting thoughts
“The Beachcombers” ran until 1990, for a total of 387 episodes, and quite simply became a Canadian institution. It was the epitome of appointment watching. Everyone in the nation, partly because we had just a few channels, watched the show Sunday nights at 7 p.m.

It was also a trailblazer. Jesse Jim was the first major First Nations role that was not a caricature. Yet, I don’t ever recall thinking of Jesse as First Nations. He was Nick’s partner. Pat John would go on to blaze a trail for other Canadian First Nations actors such as Graham Green, Tom Jackson, Dakota House, Adam Beach, Nathaniel Arcand and more.

Interestingly, when I mentioned to people that Pat John had died, no one knew who I referred to.

Then I said, “Jessie from ‘The Beachcombers’”.

Everyone, to a person, responded, “Ooooooohhh yeah, I remember him.”

Pat John was a great Canadian actor who should be remembered fondly, as a trailblazer, and as an important part of pop culture and Canadian history.