KINGSTON, Jamaica — Well-known theatre personality Volier Johnson is dead. He reportedly died after suffering a heart attack Friday.

Fellow actor and friend Michael ‘Stringbean’ Nicholson hailed Johnson as “one of the greatest thespians of all time from Jamaica”.

“He will be greatly missed. It was always a pleasure to work with him. He had no issue sharing the craft and sharing his experiences. He was a consummate teacher and friend“  Nicholson told Observer Online.

“He was always giving advice, ‘tone down that, use this method’. When we toured together, it was like traveling with daddy even though he was my peer. Volier was a great family man, one of the greatest thespians of all time from Jamaica,“ Nicholson added.

Nicholson reminisced about his first Pantomime where he had the pleasure to work with Oliver Samuels, Barbara Gloudon and Johnson.

“I had the pleasure of working with him and seeing him at the top of his craft,” he said.

Nicholson worked as a understudy to Johnson and eventually took over Johnson’s role as Papacita in Schoolas when he left the series.

“Those were some huge shoes to fill, that was Volier Johnson, a giant of modern day theatre,” Nicholson said.

Meanwhile, local actor Deon Silvera, who was en route to Johnson’s house when Observer Online called, said she was “floored by the news”.

“He was my everything, he was my friend. I don’t even know what happened. He just suddenly couldn’t breathe and he passed away,” she said.

“He was my bredrin, my real friend. I feel like I have lost a husband because we were paired as husband and wife in so many of Dahlia Harris’ productions, this has really floored me…I am just shocked.”