Ernie Coombs

Ernest Arthur Coombs, CM (November 26, 1927 – September 18, 2001) was an American-Canadian children's entertainer who starred in the Canadian television series Mr. Dressup (1967–1996). His career began as an assistant puppeteer to Fred Rogers, joining him in Canada when his employer was invited to produce a variant of his local Pittsburgh show for CBC Television, The Children's Corner on a national series, Mister Rogers. When Rogers decided to return to the United States, Coombs chose to stay in Canada on his employer's recommendation, developing the children's show Butternut Square, which later evolved into Mr. Dressup, which went on to become a long-running and iconic presence in Canadian media. He eventually became a Canadian citizen and became an honouree of the Order of Canada, among other honours.