Charlie Farquharson ready to bow out

Charlie Farquharson is preparing to hang up his trademark sweater and cap after almost 60 years entertaining Canadians. 

The character famous for his malapropisms is the creation of actor Don Harron, who has satirized Canadian events and culture as the opinionated old codger from rural Ontario.

Harron, 86, plans to play Farquharson for the last time in Canada on Sunday, at a reunion at Vaughan Road Academy, the Toronto high school he graduated from in 1942.

Harron, who had worked on farms as a teenager during the Second World War, first created the lovable character for 1952 CBC TV revue, The Spring Thaw.

Charlie Farquharson also appeared on The Red Green Show and U.S. variety show Hee Haw, and made numerous stage appearances to weigh in on the absurdities of pop culture and politics.

Harron plans to retire Farquharson and donate the sweater and cap to the Theatre Museum of Canada.

Harron himself plans to stop performing, but he will be working this summer on the script for the movie version of Anne of Green Gables, the Musical and possibly another book, according to his partner Claudette Gareau.

Harron is an actor, writer, comic and producer who was host of CBC's Morningside from 1977 to 1982.

Anne of Green Gables lyricist

He wrote the lyrics for Anne of Green Gables: The Musical, which has been performed annually in Charlottetown since 1965.

His acting career includes a lead role opposite Alec Guinness at the Stratford Festival's legendary inaugural season in 1952 and he has performed in London's West End and on Broadway.

He also directed the 1956 television film Anne of Green Gables, has had a CTV afternoon talk show, and has appeared on TV series such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Adventures in Rainbow Country.

He was named a member of the Order of Canada in 1980.