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Dying for a good part

It’s a good day to die, according to Red Deer actor Larry Reese, whenever you’re “shot” by Tim Roth.Reese plays a Yukon dress shop owner in the new TV miniseries Klondike. His character was killed this week by Roth’s ruthless character, The Count.

It’s a good day to die, according to Red Deer actor Larry Reese, whenever you’re “shot” by Tim Roth.

Reese plays a Yukon dress shop owner in the new TV miniseries Klondike. His character was killed this week by Roth’s ruthless character, The Count.

“Tim Roth murdered me,” said Reese, after wrapping up a small role in the Discovery Channel series that’s to air this fall.

The series about greed and ruthlessness around Dawson City during the 1890s gold rush was shot southwest of Calgary. It also stars Sam Shepard (Swordfish, the Assassination of Jesse James), Abbie Cornish (Bright Star, Seven Psychopaths) and Richard Madden (Robb Stark in Game of Thrones).

Discovery Channel’s first-ever scripted series is based on Charlotte Gray’s novel, Gold Diggers: Striking It Rich In The Klondike. It will tell the story of six strangers and their fight for survival and wealth in a remote northern frontier town.

Reese said he took the role of McDonald, the dress shop owner, to get to work with “name actors,” such as Roth (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction).

Although his five-minute scene ends badly for Reese’s character, the local actor said it was a great experience to be part of the miniseries, produced by Ridley Scott.

Reese, who co-chairs Red Deer College’s Motion Picture Arts program, was particularly pleased that one of his students also landed a role in the miniseries — Justin Brunelle plays a young Mountie and not only has a speaking part, but gets to partake in some “violent action,” too.

Reese recently wrapped up another film project in which he plays a shop owner — but this time, a baddie.

His larger role in Haunting Melissa involves Reese portraying Mike Cole, a hardware store manager who becomes an evil stalker after being possessed by the devil.

The project, produced by Neal Edelstein (Mulholland Drive, The Ring), is destined to become an app for electronic mobile devices.

Overall, it’s been a good month for Reese, who’s was also one of 37 visual artists chosen from Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan to be part of a Cenovus by-invitation-only art competition in Calgary.

Even though he wasn’t one of the three winners, he considers it an honour to be recognized.

lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com