Longtime Toronto bureau chief Sid Adilman (adil) passes away

by PETER BESAS

We were grieved to learn of the death of Variety’s former Toronto-based bureau chief for Canada, Sid Adilman, last Saturday (Oct. 14).

Sid had gone through a bout of serious operations about two years ago, but nonetheless, to our delight, managed to attend last year’s 100th Anniversary celebration at Sardi’s restaurant, and also showed up at the following day’s round of drinks in The Boathouse in Central Park.

Many of the muggs used to run into Adil during the many years that we all attended the Cannes Film Festival, which Sid usually covered for his home paper, “The Star”. When we didn’t run into him at the screenings, we’d sometimes share a table with him in the evenings at one of the many scrumptious eateries on the Croisette or down near the harbor. Sid was always a very discriminating and demanding diner, quite a gourmet, and he picked his dishes carefully. His criticism of food was as expert as it was on the films he reviewed.

The following article was forwarded to us by the ever-vigilant Bob Marich, and we reproduce it in its entirety verbatim.

For those who knew Sid, please feel free to send me whatever comments or reminiscences of him you wish, for posting on the Simesite.

(My e-mail address is: pbesas@hotmail.com.)