Harvey David Popowich

Harvey Popowich

Aug 13, 1945 - Jan 07, 2024

Writing an obituary about a person in the audio production industry can be a challenging task especially when you know him personally and he is your brother. On film, television or in concert - the importance of sound cannot be overstated - as sound professionals play a critical role in capturing the dialogue, effects and music that bring a production to life. In this case is hard to be impartial when your brother was noted throughout his career to have been one of the best in the industry in television, film and concerts.

Harvey was born in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and grew up on a family farm east of Yorkton where he developed a work ethic that would carry him throughout his illustrious career as a sound producer and film editor.

Harvey attended RCA Training Institute in New York City in 1964, and apprenticed at CBS and NBC Studios. His professional journey started in Moose Jaw Television, then took him to Kitchener - Waterloo TV followed by some years at CBC TV Toronto where he worked on such diverse projects as Wayne & Schuster, the Friendly Giant, Mr. Dressup, plus earlier years of SCTV. In the early 1970's, Harvey moved to CBC TV in Edmonton from where he worked and toured for many months across Canada with Stompin' Tom. He continued on in 1974 to ITV Edmonton where he spent many years working on ITV Superstar Concerts with the Edmonton Symphony led by Tommy Banks. Concert engagements included capturing sound and completing the mix in post production for such talented artists as Neil Sedaka, Henry Mancini, Tom Jones, Tina Turner, Harry Belafonte, Burt Bacharach and more. In 1980, Harvey worked again with SCTV in Edmonton and was known to many as the "laugh man". Harvey once said "A laugh track is like music it has low quiet spots up to crescendos, you create the flow - it is not all one big laugh."

Harvey embarked on the final phase of his career by starting his own freelance audio and editing firm and worked on various projects in Alberta such as Wild Rose (100th anniversary of Alberta as a Province) and Disney Channel broadcasts of "Cowboys of America" and working in Tuktoyaktuk teaching a program to help students learn about audio and editing in film production.

Spending time with Harvey on projects meant engaging in minimum 10 - 12 hours editing, conversing and continuously perfecting till the job was done. He was equipped with a hard-headedness which he used to pursue his work to perfection; the tenacity and resilience that carried him through many difficult times in his life was an inspiration to those that knew him.

Harvey was predeceased by his parents Bertha and Harry, brothers Doug, Jim and Alvin.

"Harvey - if I did not say it enough to you throughout the years - I was very proud to be your sister" - Arlene

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at COAST Nisku Inn & Conference Centre (1101 4 Street, Nisku).

Bring with you to share - your stories of Harvey.

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