Remembering Jay Benedict
On 18th March 2020, Jay was unlucky enough to contract Covid 19. This was before the first lockdown; before the government had any idea the virus was airborne and suggested washing our hands would keep us safe; before anyone realised the victims of this scourge were not just those who were elderly or had underlying health conditions; before the medical profession discovered steroids and anti-virals could be effective and, instead, put folk on ventilators knowing 1 in 2 would never wake up, before end-of-life visits were allowed and people died alone while families waited for the phone to ring.
Our lovely man fought a battle to stay with us for two and a half weeks, but to no avail and he drew his last breath three years ago on 4th April. But today we want to set aside painful memories and celebrate a life well-lived, a man adored by his wife, cherished by his mother, treasured by his children, loved by his family and friends. Please find attached a link to a showreel and photo gallery, showing the highs and, sometimes lows, of his life and career! Enjoy!
For those of you wondering why his reel has such a curious title…
When Jay left Central School of Speech and Drama in 1973, he wrote to tons of producers, casting directors and theatre companies, sending everyone a 10 x 8 photo and cv. We still have his favourite response:
“Dear Miss Joy Benefit
We do not have any parts for young ingénues at this time.
Good luck!"
As many of you know we are raising money not only to honour Jay’s memory but to honour those who work in the world of sound.
If you wish to contribute and have not had a chance to do so,
Scroll
