Playwright David French dies

Last Updated: Sunday, December 5, 2010 | 4:47 PM ET Comments11Recommend41

CBC News

David French was an officer of the Order of Canada. (David French website)Canadian playwright and actor David French died in Toronto on Saturday night after a long battle with brain cancer, CBC News has learned. He was 71.
French was born in the small Newfoundland outport of Coley's Point on Jan. 18, 1939.
He is best remembered for his tales of the fictitious Mercer family, characters inspired by his early years living in Newfoundland.
What became known simply as the Mercer plays included Leaving Home, Salt-Water Moon, Soldier's Heart, 1949 and Of the Fields, Lately.
Leaving Home is considered a landmark play in Canadian theatre. After premiering in Toronto in 1972 at the Tarragon, the play went on to be produced at almost every regional theatre in the country — the first Canadian play ever to do so.
The play, one of the most familiar and adored Canadian plays, continues to be taught in schools and universities across the country.