Jan Rubes

To movie fans, Jan Rubeš is best known for his portrayal of the stern Amish father in Peter Weir's Oscar-winning thriller "Witness." Yet Rubeš is more than a well-established character actor; he is an internationally renowned opera singer. Following World War II, the Czechoslovakia-born performer graduated from the Prague Conservatory and was soon performing at the Prague Opera House. In the late 1940s, he emigrated to Canada, where his career in opera flourished. Shortly thereafter, Rubeš broke into film with the lead role in the espionage drama "Forbidden Journey." Yet he didn't return to movies until 1963, when he accepted a supporting role in the animal adventure "The Incredible Journey." Since then, he's proven prolific, appearing in nearly 100 film and television productions, chief among them 1985's "Witness." Shortly after this eye-catching performance, Rubeš won a series regular role on the short-lived medical drama "Kay O'Brien." His next major film role came in 1994, when he played lovable father figure Jan opposite Emilio Estevez in Disney's ice hockey comedy "D2: The Mighty Ducks." Rubeš continued to balance work in the opera with appearances in film and television into the 2000s, with parts in such popular series as the Canada-set crime comedy "Due South," the paranormal series "The X-Files," and the Las Vegas-set drama "Tilt." He made his final television appearance in 2005, playing Pope John Paul II in the controversial drama "Our Fathers." Rubeš died four years later, leaving behind a lengthy filmography and a legacy of music.