'He Literally Kept The Lights On': Stephen Amell Pays Tribute To Arrow Crew Member And Pal Dave McLean After His Death
Stephen Amell is several years removed from his stint on Arrow, the hit CW show that launched the Arrowverse (and is available for Netflix subscribers to stream). However, the series and those involved still seem to hold a place close to the actor’s heart. That shines through in the way that he continues to discuss the superhero series and pay tribute to it. Unfortunately, Amell recently found himself in the position of having to memorialize one of his colleagues. He revealed that a crew member (and his friend) Dave McLean died. With that, the star lovingly paid tribute to the man who he says “literally kept the lights on.”
It was on Saturday that the 42-year-old Canadian star took to his Facebook account to announce his friend and colleague’s passing. The star – who portrayed Oliver Queen during the show’s eight-season run – explained in a video that his buddy was with the program starting in the first season. He also shed some light on what the late crewman’s job was on set and why it was important for the production. From there, the Heels alum also emphasized the father of two’s commitment to his role:
On October 9, we lost an Arrow crew member, Dave McLean. Dave was a day-oner on Arrow. That’s not true, I don’t know that he was on the pilot, but he was with us in Season 1. Dave was the genny [operator] on Arrow. What’s a genny op? You don’t know? Don’t feel bad. I didn’t know for a while. The genny op, Dave and his team were responsible for making sure that when we were on location or at the studio, that we had power, that things didn’t burn to the ground. You know, the basics. I don’t know that there was anyone on the show that worked longer hours than Dave. He was a lovely guy. He was funny, he had a fashion sense that seemed to be uniquely his – a lot of plaid.
According to Stephen Amell, Dave McLean went missing after his 50th Birthday and explained that he’d hoped for the best with the situation. Sadly, as the visibly emotional Amell himself conceded, that didn’t prove to be the case. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles star didn’t get into specifics regarding the circumstances of McLean’s death, though he did stress the importance of talking to someone if “you’re feeling down.” With his caption, he also encouraged fans to donate to a GoFundMe page set up for the late genny operator’s wife, Linnea, and their two kids:
There’s no donation too small. The power of us a collective will have a lasting impact. I appreciate any consideration you can give Linnea, Isla & Mattias. We all miss Dave — he literally kept the lights on.
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The star deftly portrayed a do-gooder for nearly a decade, and Stephen Amell could play even more superheroes as time goes on. Despite that though, I don’t think he could be any more noble than he was when sharing this video. Not only was this a sweet tribute to someone who was integral to producing the Arrowverse’s inaugural series, but the appeal to fans to seek out help, if needed, was also admirable. It’s also commendable that he used his platform to aid the McLean family in the midst of their loss.
Stephen Amell definitely has no problem sending out messages to his fans via social media, regardless of what the reason is. Some of his most notable ones, though, have involved the comic book-inspired show that made him a true star. He shared an emotional address ahead of Arrow’s series finale in 2020. He also dropped a message confirming his return for The Flash’s final season, which was part of the 2023 TV schedule. You have to appreciate the fact that Amell doesn’t mind getting raw with his fans, especially when it comes to honoring friends.
We here at CinemaBlend extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Dave McLean during this time.
