Donald Macdonald, a treasured figure in Australian entertainment and one of the original faces of Play School, has died aged 86 after a courageous battle with cancer.
A gifted actor, screenwriter, and novelist, Macdonald’s career spanned more than six decades, earning him the admiration of generations of Australians. He passed away early Monday morning, surrounded by loved ones, News.Az reports, citing Sky News.
"One of our showbiz greats left us at 12:45am today," longtime friend and entertainment reporter Craig Bennett confirmed, posting a touching tribute accompanied by photos of the late actor. "Donald Macdonald was a stalwart of stage and screen… A dapper delight and always great company."
Bennett said Macdonald faced his illness with “copious good humour,” and shared that in his final days, his hospital room was filled with laughter, bubbly, and even lemon meringue pie, one of Macdonald’s favourites. "On Saturday, we turned his hospital room into a party, laughs and smiles a-plenty," Bennett wrote.
