Listen to Shelagh Rogers's 2010 interview with Basic Black host Arthur Black

Arthur Black, a humorist and longtime radio personality, died on Wednesday, Feb. 22, after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Black spent almost 20 years hosting his signature variety show Basic Black on CBC Radio One. He was a master of the mini-essay. Every Saturday morning, about 600,000 listeners would tune into the program to hear his colourful monologues and humourous interviews with guests from all over. He retired from hosting in 2002.

In January, Black announced that he had been diagnosed with "the Mike Tyson of cancers." 

During his career, he also penned 19 books, many of the titles cunningly featuring his last name, including Back to Black, Pitch Black, Black is the New Green and his most recent collection A Chip Off the Old Black. He won the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour three times, in 1997 for Black in the Saddle Again, 2000 for Black Tie and Tales and 2006 for Pitch Black.

Black described his CBC career as a "cavalcade." 

"But it's always been fun. Better than having to work for a living," he said.

In November 2010, Shelagh Rogers talked to Black about his books and asked him the Proust Questionnaire on location in Gabriola Island, B.C. You can listen to that interview in the audio player above.

— With files from CBC News