Harry Nuttall passed away on Saturday, August 15, 2009.  Harry suffered a mild stroke a few months previously and just a few weeks ago, a fall which weakened him and led to a rapid decline. Harry was born in Newtonbrook, Ontario (now part of Toronto).  He was 83.

Harry Nuttall

 

 Harry's was a familiar face at CBC Vancouver in the 1950's and 60's when he was a freelance news cameraman for the station.  He and reporter Bill Cunningham started together when CBC first went on the air there.  Among the hundreds of stories and events that he covered, possibly the most memorable was the demolition of Ripple Rock, an underwater twin-peaked mountain in the Seymour Narrows of Discovery Passage, B.C. not far from Campbell River.  The planned explosion, which holds the distinction of being one of the largest non-nuclear on record, happened on April 5, 1958 and Harry was there along with Bill Herbert and Ted Reynolds to cover the event on one of the first CBC nationwide live broadcasts.  He was there again fifty years later when a commemorative gathering took place on April 5, 2008.  This time he was on-camera being interviewed for the evening news broadcast rather than being behind the camera capturing the images.

Harry Nuttall photo courtesy Ann Nuttall
Harry's career took him on a path from freelance news cameraman and photographer with CBC Vancouver to CTV in the same city, to Toronto as a reporter for CBC's Newsmagazine and then News Director with CBC Network Television and then back to Vancouver as a freelance photographer for CBC National News (English and French).  In this post he travelled much of the globe on behalf of CBC National News and assignments included coverage of the Vietnam War and launching of the Anik C Communications Satellite out of California in the U.S.  The 1970's and 1980's took Harry to Alberta where he worked at both Access TV and CBC.  In retirement, Harry and wife Ann returned to British Columbia and settled on Vancouver Island where Harry relished the time to enjoy fly fishing, playing a game of golf and - most of all - reading, in his later years.

One of the highest compliments paid to Harry's memory has been the comment by so many to Harry's wife Ann that they always learned something from Harry when they went out on assignments together. He'll be missed.  At Harry's request, there is no service.