"HAPPY MOTORING"

Every great commercial has a catch phrase specifically written to remain in the thought process of consumers. During the early years of Hockey Night in Canada, the all important catch phrase for Imperial Oil-Esso (the sponsor) ads was "Happy Motoring." And the actor given the role of playing an Esso serviceman and delivering the parting line of "Happy Motoring" was Murray Westgate.

A resident of the Sunnybrook Veterans Wing in Toronto, Westgate passed away on August 27 at the age of 100.

It was at Sunnybrook that I first met Westgate. It became an annual tradition for the Original Six Alumni to visit the Veterans and I was grateful to organizer Al Shaw for extending an invitation to attend the gathering. On my first trip, it became obvious how popular Westgate was with his fellow Veterans. In fact, the festivities wouldn't get underway until Westgate finished his lunch and made his way down to the hall.

At the website Independent Movie Data Base, Westgate is listed as appearing in 72 productions beginning with HNiC in 1952 and ending as George Kellum in the 1991 film Scanners 2: The New Order. He performed in several popular Canadian tv shows, including Seeing Things and The Littlest Hobo.

But for a generation of Canadians, Westgate will always be remembered for his role as the smiling gas station attendant in the Esso commercials. Across Canada, some people believed that Westgate actually worked at an Esso station, which was a testament to his acting skills. Besides doing the commercial, Westgate would introduce those appearing on the Hot Stove League. This was an intermission piece that featured hockey personalities discussing various topics.

During World War Two, Murray Westgate served in the Canadian Navy and patrolled the sea for hostile submarines. Like everyone, he was glad to see the end of the war. He told writer Paul Hunter in 2012, "Thank God, that was the war to end all wars."

Two Legends: Former Toronto Maple Leaf goalie Johnny Bower (R) with Murray Westgate

Two Hockey Night in Canada colleagues, Brian McFarlane (L) with Murray Westgate

In April of this year, the Original Six Alumni looked forward to throwing a party at Sunnybrook to celebrate Murray's 100th birthday. Unfortunately, Toronto was under the grip of a brutal ice storm that made it impossible to travel. Thus, we all gathered on May 1 to pay tribute to the birthday boy. Little did we know, it would be his last birthday.

Yours truly with Murray Westgate on May 1, 2018

Murray Westgate was born on April 16, 1918, in Regina Saskatchewan. He passed away on August 27, 2018, in Toronto, Ontario.