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“He leaves a great big hole in our lives but not in our hearts. A truly beautiful man,” his son Matt said. McPhail s wife Anne had said goodnight to him before going home from the resthome. He died soon after, Matt said. “She said her farewell, and we feel like he was happy. He knew everyone was there and he was ready,” he said. Although his health had taken a bad turn, Matt said his father remained in good spirits. “He was sharp as a tack, one of the most intelligent men I have met and one of the funniest as well. He had that right till the end.”
Later he starred in the Barry Crump-style yarns of
Letter to Blanchy, and as a alarmingly straight-talking teacher in
Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby. Writer and humorist Tom Scott said he had been bracing himself for McPhail s death, given his recent health problems. He said McPhail was the most important of the Christchurch trio that included Gadsby and A.K.Grant, who contributed so much to New Zealand television and theatre. “He was also a terrific stage actor and was fantastic in
Seven Periods of Mr Gormsby. He saved the show and the kids loved him. “He was such a sweet man, a very kind man. He could be the funniest man you could ever meet in your life.”