RONNIE LEITCH THE MAN WHO ADORED ARTS AND ARTISTES

The first death anniversary of ace entertainer Ronnie Leitch falls tomorrow, October 1. The news of Ronnie Leitch’s sudden death came as a shock to all Sri Lankans living in all parts of the world. He had just completed a musical mission in Perth, Australia and was to return to Sri Lanka when death snatched him away from us exactly a year ago. Ronnie was a total entertainer and there is no argument about the fact. But many people who knew him and associated him closely would mourn the loss of a good human being – a total human being to be precise. He was a man who was ever ready to help anybody who needed his assistance, be it relating to music or otherwise. He never declined invitations. He was seen at all functions, funerals of artistes and never wanted to grab attention. There were many times when this man bought tickets and patronised musical shows. He was an ardent lover of music and films of all genres and languages. His knowledge about local films and artistes was indeed stunning. You ask him details of any film of the fifties, sixties or seventies, he will tell you all details instantly including the songs, cast and crew. He was in fact a data bank when it came to the history of films and music. As an artiste, he always stressed that a true lover of arts would always love his profession and the people who strived to enrich it. He proved it in an exemplary manner by paying homage to senior artistes of this country, but never sought publicity. He was an enthusiastic fan of the ‘unforgettables’ column of this section and would also provide vital inputs to such stories. But we believe he himself never expected to be part of the ‘unforgettables’ column so soon.

As a n artiste, he always stressed that a true lover of arts would a lways love his profession