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January, 1958 1 - 1987
Originally from New Brunswick, Terry was in the Paul Donovan films Siege and South Pacific 1942.
Alan LeBlanc writes:2
Terry and I met in our home town of Moncton NB Canada. He was about 18 months younger than me, but he moved to Montreal and Toronto before I 'came out.’
I remember as a 16 year old, we would 'play' but I didn't label it as gay or homosexual at the time. At one point, Terry asked me to be his boyfriend, and I freaked out, because now, it had a label. The year was approximately 1972 - he was way ahead of me as far as knowing exactly who he wanted to be.
Terry became an actor, having credits on 2 movies, which he was very proud of (and he should be). When I finally decided to 'come out' in 1983, while living in Toronto ON, I wrote to his parents in Moncton asking if he was still in Toronto and if so, how could I reach him? When I finally got the nerve to call, he was happy to see me and showed me around the gay village, including all the current bars (and there were many).
Terry used to work at Stages (above The Parkside Tavern on Yonge Street), when one day, as I was helping him prepare the club for later that day, I heard a lot of noise outside - it was the end of June, and: The Gay Pride parade. I had privy to being in Stages as it opened for the evening and my first experience seeing 2 guys kiss. I was shocked - a naïve small town boy adjusting to gay life.
Thank you Terry for showing me around, taking me under your wings and being patient with me while I explored this new life.
Terry-David Déspres had 2 idols: Anthony Perkins and David Bowie. He was deathly ill in hospital when David Bowie came to Toronto in 1987, and was determined to go see him in concert. He never made it, despite an attempt to escape the hospital. He passed away a day or two later.
In 1986, Terry designed a t-shirt for the Toronto Toolbox.3