'Joyful, generous': Former students reflect on life of Sask. theatre icon Henry Woolf

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Over the years, Henry Woolf taught and mentored hundreds of drama students at the University of Saskatchewan, who are now left to reflect on the impact he had on them.

Woolf died last week at the age of 91.

“He was the most joyful, generous, kind, happy guy,” said former student Marina Stephenson Kerr.

Kerr says she discussed his death with several people over the weekend and the conversations were positive.

“It’s hard to feel sad, every time I think about him I just start laughing. He’s such a delight, such a joy to be around.”

Woolf was from London, England and built a career in theatre, television and film.

On stage, he collaborated with big names like Orson Welles and Harold Pinter. Woolf's screen credits include the Rocky Horror Picture Show and Doctor Who.

“You could just tell people were really inspired by Henry,” said former student James O'Shea.

O’shea paraphrased what the Woolf would say:

“'You know, don’t let the world make you into a mean person,’ you have a spark inside you and you have to guard that, with everything, and don’t ever let that go.”

The U of S named one of its studios the Henry Woolf Theatre in January 2020 to recognize his contributions to theatre on campus.

Woolf also served as the long-time artistic director for Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan.

Part of what his dons Benjamin Woolf describes as his "tremendous legacy."

“Not only in his incredible work on stage and poems and plays that he had written but perhaps more importantly in the people that he met and always encouraged," Benjamin wrote in a message to CTV News.

"He took great joy in seeing others succeed with a lending hand or a gentle nudge in the right direction. Henry had the gift of great friendships that lasted all his life. He was born for joy.”