Jan Rubeš
Jan Ladislav Rubeš CM (6 June 1920 – 29 June 2009) was a Czech-Canadian bass opera singer and actor. Life and career Rubeš was born in Volyně, Czechoslovakia, to Ružena (née Kellnerová) and Jan Rubeš. Not long after World War II, he graduated from the Prague Conservatoire and joined the Prague Opera House as a bass singer. In 1948, he won first prize at the Geneva International Music Festival and emigrated to Canada at the end of the year to pursue a career in a wider sphere. Beginning as a singer with the Canadian Opera Company, he subsequently directed and became director of touring, before switching to radio and television, where he became well known as an actor and presenter in Canada. He is noted for his portrayal of Amish patriarch Eli Lapp in Peter Weir's major-market film Witness and Jan in D2: The Mighty Ducks. Family On 22 September 1950, Rubeš married actress Susan Douglas. The couple had three sons: Christopher (died 1996), Jonathan, and Anthony. They remained married until his death in 2009. He is the great uncle of Czech YouTuber Janek Rubeš. Death On 29 June 2009, Rubeš died following a stroke at Toronto General Hospital. Awards and recognition 1989: nominee, 10th Genie Awards, Best Actor, Something About Love 1990: winner, Earle Grey Award 1995: appointed Member, Order of Canada Filmography Motion pictures 1950: Forbidden Journey - Jan Bartik 1963: The Incredible Journey - Carl Nurmi 1975: Lions for Breakfast - Ivan 1980: Mr. Patman - Vrakettas 1981: The Amateur - Kaplan 1981: Your Ticket Is No Longer Valid - Psychiatrist 1983: Utilities - Mort 1985: Witness - Eli Lapp 1985: One Magic Christmas - Santa Claus 1987: Dead of Winter - Dr. Joseph Lewis 1988: Blood Relations - Andreas 1988: The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick - Augustus Glick 1988: This Kiss - Gordon Tobin 1988: Something About Love - Stan Olynyk 1989: The Experts - Illyich 1989: Cold Front - Zoubov 1989: Blind Fear - Lasky 1990: Divided Loyalties 1990: Courage Mountain - Grandfather 1990: The Amityville Curse - Priest 1991: Class Action - Pavel 1991: Deceived - Tomasz 1991: On My Own - The Colonel 1992: Don Gio - Journalist No. 2 1994: Boozecan - Pops 1994: D2: The Mighty Ducks - Jan 1994: Mesmer - Prof. Stoerk 1995: Roommates - Bolek Krupa 1996: Never Too Late - Joseph 1997: Bach Cello Suite #4: Sarabande - Dr. Kassovitz 1998: Music from Another Room - Louis Klammer 1998: The White Raven - Markus Strand 1999: Snow Falling on Cedars - Ole Jurgensen 1999: Nightmare Man - Evan Hannibal 2000: Believe - Jason Stiles 2001: Anthrax - Arthur Kowalski 2002: The Burial Society - Marvin Telekunsky 2003: The Republic of Love - Strom 2004: Daniel and the Superdogs - The Colonel Television movies 1975: Deadly Harvest 1977: The Day My Granddad Died 1978: Catsplay 1985: Charlie Grant's War - Jacob 1985: Murder by Reason of Insanity - Giorgi Denerenko 1986: The Marriage Bed - Max Ehrlich