Philip Keatley, who helped develop the hugely successful series The Beachcombers and cop show Cold Squad, died of lung cancer on Aug. 6.

Keatley will likely be best remembered for The Beachcombers, a lighthearted drama about a B.C. boat captain, played by Bruno Gerussi. The show aired on CBC from 1972 to 1990 – the longest run ever for a Canadian drama. It went far in terms of establishing a production industry on the West Coast, and sold to many foreign territories. Keatley was executive producer.

The CBC had lured him away from London – where he was trying to establish himself as an actor – with a producer job in his Vancouver hometown in the 1950s. Notable credits would include Word Games and Cariboo Country, which he produced and directed. It followed the contemporary lives of Aboriginal Peoples.

More recently, Keatley co-created the influential cop show Cold Squad with his daughter, producer Julia Keatley. It starred Julie Stewart and ran for seven seasons, wrapping in 2004, by which time he had retired.

Keatley, who was 77, is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, daughters Anne and Julia, and son Christopher.