Canadian TV personality and children's entertainer Nerene Virgin, shown in this undated handout image, has died at age 77. An online obituary says she died Monday in Burlington, Ont., not far from her hometown of Hamilton. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO- TVOntario.  **MANDATORY CREDIT**

Canadian TV personality and children's entertainer Nerene Virgin has died at age 77.

An online obituary says she died Monday in Burlington, Ont., not far from her hometown of Hamilton.

A fixture of TVO, then known as TVOntario, Virgin was best known for her role on the children's series "Today's Special," which ran from 1981 to 1987. She portrayed Jodie, the affable display designer at the department store where the show was set.

"Nerene achieved remarkable success, captivating audiences with her versatile performances that showcased both depth and authenticity," a statement from Ontario's public broadcaster said Friday.

"She has left an indelible mark on many who grew up watching the show and on everyone she encountered and who had the privilege of working with her."

The series also aired in the United States, and was played in Canadian classrooms as an educational aid.

Virgin also made appearances on TVO's "Polka Dot Door" and CTV's "The Littlest Hobo." She'd go on to work as a journalist, hosting CTV's "Eye On Toronto" in the late '80s and early '90s.

"Nerene was a trailblazer in many rights, especially at a time when she was one of few Black women on Canadian television," the TVO statement said.

Cheryl Thompson, a professor of media and culture at Toronto Metropolitan University who researches Black performance, said Virgin was the first Black Canadian woman she can remember seeing on TV. Growing up, she'd watch "Today's Special" weekly.

"And she wasn't at all like any kind of stereotype that we were told that existed. She was just like a normal, nice, sweet, loving person," Thompson said of the Jodie character.

Virgin was also an educator, who championed diversity and Black history.

"There's so many Black Canadians of her era that just laid foundations we just don't know about," Thompson said. "They've kind of been forgotten by history."

That was something Virgin fought against, working with the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board to add Black history to the curriculum.

Virgin is survived by her husband Alan Smith, her daughters Yvette and Nicole Virgin, her son Thomas Toliver Smith and her grandson Jackson Virgin.

A celebration of life is set for June.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 19, 2024.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2024