Denny Doherty, RIP

From CNN today comes the word that Denny Doherty has passed away.

Denny Doherty was a member of the Mamas and the Papas in the '60s, but I will remember him most fondly as the Harbormaster on Theodore Tugboat.

When C was very small, Theodore Tugboat was a show on PBS. Produced in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, it was about the inhabitants of the Big Harbour (note that Canadian spelling). Theodore was similar to Thomas the Tank Engine, but - I think - far more enjoyable and appropriate for young children. Where the inhabitants of the Island of Sodor were grumpy and crabby, Theodore and his friends were mostly soft-spoken and kind. I used to enjoy watching the show with C because we both were calmer at the end of the half hour.

Doherty, as the Harbormaster, exuded a certain gentleness without being smarmy. (Meanwhile, the American narrator for Thomas is...George Carlin. Fitting, I guess.) Doherty was perfect for the role on many levels, including because he was a native of Nova Scotia and the characters and locations in Theordore were based on his childhood home. That brought a certain extra fondness, I think, that came through in his role. (I also loved that there were strong female characters.)

C used to make us sing the Theodore song to him as we were driving places. I can still sing it from heart:

Theodore, he's a tugboat and a friendly tugboat, too
Oh Theodore likes to do that things that friendly tugboats do
Pushing and a pulling in the great big harbor
In the great big world its so much fun
So many brand new things to discover
Waking with the sun gotta get the job done
Oh Theodore, and Emily
Foduck, Hank, and George and the Harbormaster, too...(ending musical flourish)

When we moved south we were disappointed that Theodore was not on the local PBS station. I had my brother-in-law tape numerous episodes for us. We watched those over and over and over. M, once born, became a fan, too, and now S likes to watch the tapes.

We went to Nova Scotia for a vacation several years ago and spent a couple of days in Halifax. They have a tugboat there decked out at Theodore for harbor tours. We took the boys out on the boat and they had a blast. It's one of my favorite memories from that trip.

Theodore Tugboat ceased production about five years ago. We were disappointed. We were sad that a really good children's show couldn't make it. Instead we get insipid shit that grates every nerve (big purple dinosaurs and flying dragons - don't get me started!).

When I told C this afternoon about Denny Doherty, he was sad. He said, "Oh, so now Theodore really can't come back."

For Denny Doherty, the Harbormaster, a moment of silence please.