CHRIS DOTY HAD PASSION FOR LONDON

Chris Doty, the historian whose plays and documentary films
chronicled London's past, was found dead in his home after taking his
own life. He was 39. A staple on the local cultural scene, Doty's
death comes just before the latest play he wrote and produced, about
London-bred pot activist Marc Emery, was to end its week-long
downtown debut run last night.

"No one knows what he was battling . . . Forget about the ending and
remember all the great things that led up to that," said Grant Doty,
Chris's younger brother.

It was his love of his hometown that defined Chris Doty, those who
knew him best said.

"Because he loved London so much, he wanted to find things that were
interesting about it and promote it," Grant said.

Once called an "incisive, opinionated dynamo" by The Free Press, Doty
started his own production company, Doty Docs, in 1995 and found a
niche in telling London's all-but-forgotten stories.

His work included award-winning documentaries on the Grand Theatre,
London's disastrous 1937 flood and the 1939 royal visit.

He also focused on more commercial fare, including a film chronicling
the London Knights. In the past year, he wrote The Donnelly Trial,
about the famed local slaying of the Donnellys, and Citizen Marc,
about Emery's formative years in London.

Reached in Vancouver yesterday, Emery -- who first met Doty decades
ago and saw him last week at the play's premiere -- was stunned by the news.

"He had many movies left in him to make and many, many more plays,"
said Emery, who remembers Doty as an intelligent, young customer at
his City Lights bookshop.

"He was a wonderful person and a great credit to the London
community. I'm honoured that his last work was the play about me."

John Gerry, who directed Citizen Marc, heard of Doty's death Friday
night from Jason Rip, the play's co-writer. A pre-arranged cast and
crew party let all involved talk about Doty hours later, Gerry said.

"It was pretty tough," he said. He expressed enormous respect for
Doty's work, calling him -- in reference to a famed U.S. documentary
film maker -- "the Ken Burns of London. He presented (stories) the
best way possible, and the most honest way possible."

The cast and crew "talked . . . about the incredible amount of spirit
he gave (London)."

The final show of Citizen Marc's week-long run went ahead last night,
Gerry said. "I just think, you know, out of respect for Chris -- this
was his show. The actors, they wanted to do it."

Another Doty project was the annual Brickenden Awards recognizing
achievement in London's arts community. The latest ceremony was held Monday.

"Chris was a perfectionist. He always had high standards and
expectations for every work," brother Grant said. "Myself and my mom
were so proud of him. All the accolades he got, he deserved every bit."

Visitation is tomorrow at the John T. Donohue Funeral Home, 2 to 4
p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. The funeral is Tuesday at Metropolitan United
Church, 11 a.m.

FOR HELP

- - Distress Centre (24 hours): 667-6711, 667-6600 - London Mental
Health Crisis Service (24 hours): 433-2023. - Canadian Mental Health
Association: 434-9191.