THE service of thanksgiving for the life of veteran stage and screen actor Volier Johnson will be held on August 10.
In keeping with the protocols governing such gatherings the service will be a private one and limited to family and close friends, however the public will have an opportunity to pay their respects to the late actor as there will be a viewing of the body at Roman’s Funeral Home in St Andrew on August 9 between 10:00 am and 12 noon.
Johnson’s close friend and fellow actor Deon Silvera told the Jamaica Observer that the theatre community will also pay their respects to the celebrated artiste.
“We in the theatre community will be paying our tribute to Volier on August 9 with a celebration of his life at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre. Again, due to protocols, this event will be by invitation,” said Silvera.
Johnson suffered a heart attack on July 9 and was pronounced dead at Kingston Public Hospital. He reportedly began complaining of being unable to breathe on Friday evening and was rushed to the downtown Kingston-based medical facility. The actor had suffered heart-related issues in the past.
A staple on the local scene for nearly 50 years, Johnson became known for his work as the character Maffie alongside comedy king Oliver Samuels. The two renewed their partnership in 2017 with the stage work Frenemy.
In a previous interview with the Observer, Samuels, while forgetting the name of the play in which they were first cast in the early 1970s, shared that from that initial meeting a solid bond was formed which stood the test of time.
“We always worked well on stage as we had great chemistry. So even after all those years of not working together, we still understood each other. On stage, we could talk to each other by just using our eyes. That communication is vital between actors, especially in comedy. He was great on stage… and in life,” said Samuels.
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