PROSPECT - There has been a huge hole in Deborah Reinke's life since her son died in a motorcycle crash in May. But her grief has been eased a little by the film that is shown several times every day at the Jamestown Settlement theater.

Reinke's son, William Ryan Norton, portrayed English explorer Captain John Smith in "1607: A Nation Takes Root," which introduces visitors to the history of the first English settlement in the New World.

As a teenager Norton, who was 29 when he died in the accident near Prospect in Prince Edward County, had worked backstage for the Waterworks Players, Farmville's community theater group. But he had not done much acting before a friend recommended him to Ernest Skinner, who directed "1607" for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.

"I think the reason they picked him is because he grew such good facial hair," Reinke said, displaying the sense of humor she shared with her son.

Reinke sees a little of John Smith in her son, who was an explorer in his own way, she said. "He had to go and see the world. He loved the outdoors, kayaking, traveling and of course, motorcycles."

Norton often traveled with his mother, a wholesaler's representative, during school vacations when he was a child. After high school he moved around the country, living in Colorado and for a while in Florida, but always coming home to work for his father, Roy Norton, at Norton Concrete in Richmond. Before his death, her son seemed ready to settle down and stay in Richmond, Reinke said. "He was finally there."

Norton replaced an actor who was injured early in the making of the movie, Skinner said. Skinner was looking for "a rougher character, not an actor . . . someone like John Smith, who fought his way across Europe."

He was looking for an outdoorsman, but not the swashbuckling type of character played by Errol Flynn, for example, Skinner said. "He had to be more of a tough guy, but comfortable with different people and quite bright," he said.

Norton turned out to be perfect for the role, Skinner said. "I liked his simplicity, his totally unassuming habit. He had no pretensions. He was content to play himself."

Norton, whose role was not a speaking part, seemed to enjoy the rigors of filming, Skinner said. "It didn't make any difference to him how cold or uncomfortable it was." Some of Norton's scenes included splashing through the Chickahominy River as he is captured by Chief Powhatan's men.

Norton joked with his mother that during the filming of scenes at Agecroft Hall, he kept bumping into things with his sword.

Skinner sent Reinke a DVD copy of the film, which opened at Jamestown Settlement in October. Norton never saw the completed film. Reinke watches it often.

"I am so grateful to have the video. I can watch his face, remember that look," she said.

She cried the first few times she watched "1607."

"My heart was breaking watching it, but I am convinced he was portraying an excellent John Smith. I just boo-hooed, but I am thrilled and honored to have such a neat legacy," Reinke said. At the Jamestown Settlement, she said, "my son will be seen by people from all over the world."