 In late January 2017, it was formally announced via the "Imagination Theatre" Facebook page that, due to age and health issues, Jim French and his family would be closing down their production company, Jim French Productions, and discontinuing all broadcasts of "Imagination Theatre" at the end of March 2017.French died on December 20, 2017 at age 89.He was predeceased by his wife Pat, who had died earlier the same year.