TORONTO - Jan Rubes, who played the Amish grandfather in the 1985 Harrison Ford film "Witness," has died at age 89.
Rubes was born in the former Czechoslovakia and emigrated to Canada in 1948.
In addition to his film work, he was an accomplished singer who performed for the Canadian Opera Company over 1,000 times.
"Witness," directed by Peter Weir, was nominated for eight Academy Awards and told the story of a detective protecting a young Amish boy who was witness to a murder.
Other film roles included "The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick," "Snow Falling on Cedars" and "D2: The Mighty Ducks." He also did TV work, appearing in shows including "The X-Files," "Due South" and "Stargate SG-1."
Rubes was married to his wife Susan for almost 60 years. He also leaves behind two sons and three grandsons.
His family announced the death Tuesday through a news release.
Accolades for Rubes include honourary degrees from the universities of Windsor and Guelph and the Earl Grey Award at the Geminis for lifetime achievement in television. He was also a member of the Order of Canada
Rubes was also known for his weekly radio show called "The Songs of My People."
