Calgary mourns passing of Ron Barge, creator of iconic TV show Buck Shot

Ron Barge, the creator of Buck Shot, has died, at the age of 87.

The news broke Saturday evening that Barge, who played Buck Shot on CFCN in Calgary for 30 years, passed away.

From the moment he went to air on CFCN in 1967, Buck Shot was a part of every Calgary kid’s childhood.

The show ran every weekday at noon for almost three decades.

The show was hosted by Barge, otherwise known as Buck Shot, and his sidekicks, Benny the Bear and Clyde the Owl, and featured cartoons and content aimed specifically at children.

Calgary children appeared on the show, including Laureen Harper, wife of the former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

The show was cancelled in 1997 but Buck Shot and Benny continued to have a large presence in the community, often emceeing events and making special appearances around town.

Buckshot and Benny were at the Silver Point Pub and Eatery on the weekend posing for photos and celebrating their 50th anniversary.

Barge was known for his tattered and well-loved cowboy hat that he wore everywhere.

“Every day, and I don’t have to have my hat on for that to happen. I go to the shopping centre and people say, ‘aren’t you that?’ and I say ‘yes, I am’, thanks for noticing,” he said, in a 2017 interview with CTV News. “Most of the people say, ‘we grew up with you’ and love all of it so it’s just great.”

That included former Calgary Mayor and current Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi, who posted his memories of Barge Saturday night.

“So sorry to hear of the passing of Ron Barge, known to generations of Calgary kids as’ Buck Shot. I never got on the show when I was young but always got a thrill when I would meet him around town as an adult. Rest in peace, Ron, and love to your family and friends. We are all so grateful for your legacy.”

‘A lot of fun to be around’

Darrel Janz, longtime CTV News anchor, worked with Barge over the course of three decades.

“He was a lot of fun to be around,” Janz said on Saturday night. “My first ever public appearance with him was at the 1974 Little Britches parade in High River. I saw that day what a huge celebrity he already was just six years into his 30-year run as Buck Shot.

The Buckshot Show

“We became pretty good friends at work,” Janz said, continuing. “One day we were talking about where we’d come from and he mentioned that he started at CJFB-TV Swift Current as a cameraman then went to CFQC in Saskatoon.

“I said, my first TV appearance ever was on CJFB. Our little Main Centre Glee Club had won the Swift Current Kiwanis Music Festival and one of our prizes was an appearance on the Don Hoskins Show on CJFB. He said “I remember that. I was the cameraman on that.” So he was the cameraman on my first-ever TV appearance!”

The Buck Shot Show has been off the airwaves since 1997, but Ron Barge still gets noticed by fans.

“He had endless patience with kids,” Janz said. “When we had the big tent at the Stampede the kids would swarm him and he’d patiently sign every autograph.”

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also posted to social media about Barge’s passing.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of a true Alberta legend and beloved children’ entertainer, Ron ‘Buck Shot’ Barge,” she posted. “For decades, Buck Shot and his sidekick Benny the Bear brought joy, laughter, and countless memories to generations of children and families across Alberta.

“Rest in peace, Buck Shot. Thank you for all the smiles and laughter.”

This is a developing story that will be updated  throughout the day as more information becomes available.

With files from Colleen Schmidt