Herbert ‘Herb’ Finlay Foster of Sag Harbor Dies March 30

Herbert “Herb” Finlay Foster of Sag Harbor died on March 30. He was 86.

He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and grew up in Vancouver.

He was focused on acting and the theater from an early age, and did local shows all through school. After graduating from King Edward High School in 1954, he made his way to England and worked in two regional repertory companies, doing a total of 23 plays.

Returning to North America in 1956, he worked at most of the important regional theaters in both Canada (including The Red Barn Theatre, The Canadian Players, The Manitoba Theatre Centre, The National Arts Center, The Vancouver Playhouse) and the United States (including The National Repertory Theatre, ACT, The Old Globe Theatre, The Mark Taper Forum, The McCarter Theatre, The Public Theater).

He appeared in two operas, and taught Acting-for-Opera-Singers in Aspen. In 1981, he was asked to join The Shaw Festival in Ontario, where he stayed as a leading player until 1991, when he moved to Manhattan full-time.

Over his 50-year career, he has appeared in 21 Broadway shows (both plays and musicals,) 35 Off Broadway shows and 85 shows at various regional theaters. He has appeared in 15 summer theater productions and star-packages. He has appeared on television and on film. At one point, he held the record for the most appearances at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. His clarity of speech and his gift for phrasing made him a favorite for the classics, especially Shakespeare and Shaw.

He was known and loved not only for his talent, but also for his rugged good looks, his piercing blue eyes and his charming, unpretentious manner.

“Herbert will be missed and his memory cherished,” his husband said.

He is survived by his devoted husband Brian Meister in Manhattan and Sag Harbor; his two sisters, Lorraine Swaile and Dorothy Martin; his brother Brian Foster, all of Vancouver; as well as nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his brother Douglas Foster in 2020.