Richard George Mason

Rick Mason, born in Guelph, Ontario, a longtime resident of Toronto and Vancouver’s North Shore, passed away at age 87 in Vancouver, BC on Friday, December 9, 2022. Rick was a lifetime cinematographer and member of IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees), as well as CSC (Canadian Society of Cinematographers), commencing his career as a camera operator in sports broadcasting television, in Toronto in the mid 1950’s. Combining his love for the ocean, this accomplished scuba diver, expanded his repertoire to include underwater cinematography, and enjoyed working on several underwater film projects in the Bahamas; and most notably several times under the Arctic ice, on one of those expeditions with National Geographic’s Dr. Joe MacInnis and HRH Prince Charles in the 1970’s. During this expedition, he was the second human being to scuba dive under the Arctic ice. He also was the first human being to record an underwater photograph of a Narwhal in its natural habitat under the Arctic ice. He was awarded the Cherry Kearton Bronze Medal from the Royal Geographic Society for his underwater nature photography during this expedition. He moved his camera onto dry land working on a variety of film projects, and television series across the globe, throughout the 80’s and 90’s; including Tom Hanks first film Mazes and Monsters, MacGyver, The Edge, Legends of the Fall, Look Who’s Talking, Double Jeopardy, I-Robot, Far from Home, and many others. Legends of the Fall, won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography in 1995. He spent his retirement in North Vancouver, and helped out with his son Taylor’s High School Football Team taking on the role as the equipment manager at West Vancouver Secondary School. He would also take occasional fishing trips to the icy waters of the Queen Charlotte Islands in northern British Columbia, with his son Taylor.

Rick was predeceased by his brother Frank Mason, mother Edna Mason and father George Mason. He is survived by his Sisters Judy Mathus, and Jane Mackenzie, ex-wife Heather Weyman, daughter Janet Sproule, son Peter Mason, ex-wife Jane Lillico, and son Taylor Mason. As well, his three grandsons, Benjamin, Jonathan & Thomas Sproule.

The family would like to thank Rick’s best friend Jim Miller for his devoted decades of friendship to Rick, as well as Rick’s caregivers at the Finnish Home Retirement community in Vancouver where Rick resided for the past few years. In addition we appreciate the attention he received from the medical practitioners who cared for Rick as he transitioned from this earthly plane.

We wish you Godspeed Rick. You will be missed. Rest In Peace, and may the elusive happiness we all struggle to find, be found in your next chapter.