He had a trunk, a couple of puppet friends, scissors, paper and glue. That's all Ernie Coombs used to make this country fall head over heels in love with Mr. Dressup.

"I think the reason I liked doing the show so much was I was basically doing things I loved doing as a kid," he once said. "I didn't have to grow up, I could just go into the studio, play with toys, talk to puppets, make crafts, draw pictures, dress up and pretend to be someone else. And get paid for it. Great."

Ernie Coombs as Mr. Dressup, with Casey and Finnegan
Ernie Coombs as Mr. Dressup, with Casey and Finnegan

For over 30 years on the CBC, and 4,000 shows, Mr. Dressup was a unique, quiet alternative to the frenetic pace of most children's TV.

"I can't say enough about him, he was a wonderful, special, gentle person. We'll not likely see a person like him again," said Susan Sheehan who produced Mr. Dressup.

Born in the U.S. Coombs trained as a commercial artist.




He started at the CBC in 1963, first on the program Butternut Square, then on his own program Mr. Dressup.

Coombs retired in 1996, but Mr. Dressup didn't. Reruns on CBC still captivate children six days a week, and his Christmas-time stage performances proved Mr. Dressup was as popular live as on TV.

Coombs said he simply acted as a father would with his children. What a wonderful father he was.

Ernie Coombs was 73 years old.