Ralph MELLANBY

1934 - 2022

RALPH MELLANBY Legendary Canadian television producer, Ralph Mellanby, passed away peacefully on January 29, 2022 from heart failure. He was 87. Born in 1934 to Marie and Edgar Mellanby, Ralph grew up in Essex where he was a star athlete. After graduating university, he merged his love of sports with the television business and the rest is history. Mellanby is best known for his two decades at Hockey Night in Canada, where his name became synonymous with quality and innovation. Mellanby's vision gave Hockey Night its true style, and his courage and intuition as a storyteller set him apart from others. Ralph also had a unique aptitude for selecting on-air talent, 13 of whom are in the Hockey Hall of Fame today. Ralph himself is in several Sports Halls of Fame for his body of work. The thrilling '72 and '76 Canada-Russia Series had his stamp on it, as did all Olympic Hockey from 1976 to 1994. Of special note, it was Mellanby in the chair directing Miracle on Ice for ABC Sports in Lake Placid (1980), coverage which earned him one of his 5 Emmy awards. Based on his track record collaborating with American broadcasters, CTV hired him to head up their ambitious world feed coverage for Calgary '88, which he did to great acclaim. Ralph was like no other. His jovial disposition earned him lifelong friendships across the globe. He was a supportive father who encouraged his kids to always follow their dreams. His grandchildren recall songfests injected with silly lines that made them giggle. And he was husband to two incredible women. After wife Janet passed in 2001, Ralph married again, and settled in Niagara with Gillian, where they enjoyed many happy years together. He will be deeply missed by all. Ralph is survived by wife Gillian (nee Victor), children Scott (Sue) and Laura (Bryan), brother Jim (Margaret) and sister Louise (Michael) and their families, as well as the grandchildren Courtney, Carter and Nicholas. He will also be missed by the Victor and Cochrane families. As a special note, we are forever grateful to staff at the Ste. Catherine's cardiac care unit who gave Ralph great care and compassion in his final days. A funeral service is not planned at this time.