Ken Taylor’s heroics in helping six American diplomats escape from the besieged US embassy in Tehran ensured he was always a hero in North America.

The Canadian ambassador’s valiant actions in 1979 courted worldwide attention when they featured in the acclaimed documentary Our Man in Tehran and later the Hollywood film Argo.

But Mr Taylor also forged strong links with Bermuda; he served as the Canadian Commissioner to Bermuda for a brief spell and as a regular visitor to the Island made many friends.

Yesterday as the world mourned the death of the 81-year-old, whom Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper hailed as “the very best that Canada’s foreign service has to offer”, friends in Bermuda paid their own tributes to Mr Taylor.

One Bermuda Alliance MP, Mark Pettingill, had first met Mr Taylor through a close friend 20 years ago, and spoke to him just this week when he heard that his health had deteriorated significantly.

“Over the years he would often travel to Bermuda and we would meet up and I would also see him in New York from time to time,” said Mr Pettingill. “He loved Bermuda and the people, he had made many friends here over the years.

“Ken was a wonderfully laid back gentleman. He was a lot of fun, very witty, but also very humble. He was always the life and soul of the party and would always look immaculate.

“He always knew everyone in the room and he lit the room up.”

The former Attorney-General added: “I called him earlier this week when I heard that he had been sick. We talked about having lunch the next time I was in New York, and he was still cracking the usual jokes.

“I was extremely sad to hear that he had passed away soon after we spoke. He was just an infectiously cool guy.”

Mr Taylor was awarded the US congressional gold medal for the role he played in ensuring the safe return of the American hostages. He was also made an officer of the Order of Canada in 1980.

On his return from Tehran he served briefly as Commissioner to Bermuda, and until 1984 as Canada’s consul general in New York.

Just last year he attended the screening of Our Man in Tehran at the Bermuda Documentary Film Festival in Bermuda.

Duncan Hall, director of Bermuda Docs, said: “As someone who grew up in Canada, I was very aware of the role that Mr Taylor played in the Iran hostage crisis — and so it was a great honour to welcome him to Bermuda Docs.

“As anyone who attended the Q and A session can attest, he was a warm and engaging man as well as someone who played a central role in one of modern history’s most dramatic events.”