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CBC Television Series, 1952-1982by Blaine Allan | |
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A IS FOR AARDVARK
Wed 10:00-10:30 p.m., 7 Jul- 22 Sep 1954 Thu 10:30-11:00 p.m., 30
Sep- 21 Oct 1954 A half- hour summer series, created, produced,
and hosted by Lister Sinclair.
In the first show, Sinclair chose the letter "a" and discussed a number
of subjects beginning with that letter. They included the aspidistra,
the astrolabe, the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci (after whom
"America" is named), and African violets. The initial broadcast also
featured CBC producer Andrew Allan. In subsequent broadcasts, Sinclair
and his guests talked about subjects starting with "b," "c," and so on
up to "m." (James Bannerman took Sinclair's place for the final show of
the series, on "n.") Sinclair worked without a script in an extremely
cluttered set, which presumably reflected the diversity of interests in
the series. A radio series, which ran the full twenty-
six weeks, from "a" to "z," succeeded the television series.
Tue 6:00-
6:30 p.m., 14 Feb-
17 Jul 1956 Sun 1:00-
1:30 p.m., 12 May-
30 Jun 1957 A series of National Film Board productions. The
l956 series included Men of Lunenberg and Windswept Isles; Dick Hickey,
Blacksmith and Peter and the Potter; Ti-
Jean Goes Lumbering and Voices from Acadia; Shadow on the Prairies and
Paul Tomkowicz, Street Railway Switchman; The Newcomers; People of the
Skeena and Arctic Dog Team; Longhouse People; Taxi Driver, Caleche
Driver, and Motorman; Story of Oil and Salt from the Earth. The 1957
series included films on forestry, the 1956 Royal visit, the Six Nations
Iroquois, the Skeena Indians; the people of Newfoundland, and the
Magdalen Islands.
Thu 10:00-
10:30 p.m., 30 May-
29 Aug 1974 Sun 5:30-
6:00 p.m., 13 Jul-
14 Sep 1975 Sun 2:30-
3:00 p.m., 4 Jul-
12 Sep 1976 Sun 4:00-
4:30 p.m., 3 Jul-
18 Sep 1977 Sun 12:00-
12:30 p.m., 9 Jul-
24 Sep 1978 Sun 2:00-
2:30 p.m., 17 Jun-
19 Aug 1979 Mon 2:30-
3:00 p.m., 28 Apr-
30 Jun 1980 Mon 3:30-
4:00 p.m., 17 May-
16 Oct 1982 Also known as CBC Access and Take 30 Access. Produced
by Ain Soodor (l974-
76) and Miles White (l977-
82), with Rob Parker (l974-
77) and Rita Deverell (l978-
82). Consultants to the show included Michael Callaghan and John Kastner
in Toronto, Gordon Babineau in Vancouver, and Nancy McLarty in Montreal.
Modelled in part on the BBC's series Open Circle, and responding
to public access programming on cable television and on local stations,
such as Toronto's CITY-
TV, Access was a public participation series. It provided national
airtime, during the summer months, for groups across Canada to present
their views on current issues. The series producers aimed to put
production into the hands of interested citizens, with the help of CBC
personnel. Groups submitted applications to the CBC and, when approved,
the groups had four weeks to develop their program with the aid of CBC
production staff. Productions were subject to limitations imposed by
CRTC regulations and CBC policy regarding soliciting funding, libel and
political campaigning.
Mon-
Fri 6:30-
6:45 p.m., 12 Apr-
28 Jun 1954 Ad and Lib, a quarter-
hour weekday broadcast, featured Larry Mann and Joe Austin and was
produced by Leo Orenstein. It replaced Let's See, on which Mann had
appeared with the puppet, Uncle Chichimus. Austin played Ad and Mann
played Lib, two men who operated a general store in a "semi-
rural" setting. The actors improvised the dialogue in stories that
aimed to be "gentle satire and quizzical commentary," and which
generally involved the relations between the two merchants and the big
city. CBC Times (l8-
24 April 1954); Saturday Night (l9 June 1954).
Wed 10:30-
11:00 p.m., 3 Jan-
25 Apr 1973 Sun 2:00-
2:30 p.m., 6 Jan-
24 Mar 1974 A series of thirteen, half-
hour films produced by the National Film Board, intended to revise
stereotypes of Quebec for English Canada. In the wake of the October
Crisis of 1970 and during a period of rising Quebec nationalism, the series
offered a survey of Quebec culture instead of politics. The series
included Backyard Theatre, produced by Jean-
V. Dufresne and Ian McLaren (and directed, uncredited, by Jean-
Pierre Lefebvre), on Michel Tremblay and Andre Brossard; Challenge for
the Church, directed by William Weintraub; a two part history of the
newspaper Le Devoir, (Part l, on the years 19l0 to 1945, called Do What
You Must and Part 2, on 1945 to 1973, titled The Quiet Revolution),
directed by Hugues Poulin and Jean-
V. Dufresne; Le Gastronomie, directed by Doug Jackson; In Our Own Way,
directed by Jack Zolov; Just Another Job, directed by Pierre Letarte;
OK. . . Camera, directed by Michael Rubbo; la Quebecoise, directed by
Les Nirenberg; Un job steady. . . un bon boss, about Yvon Dechamps,
directed by Ian McLaren; The Ungrateful land (Roch Carrier Remembers
Ste-
Justine), directed by Cynthia Scott; and Why I Sing (The Words and Music
of Gilles Vigneault), directed by John Howe. The series was produced by
Ian McLaren.
Thu 10:00-
10:30 p.m., 26 Sep 1974-
2 Jan 1975 Adrienne Clarkson and Glenn Sarty had worked together
as co-
host and producer, respectively, of Take Thirty, the popular afternoon
public affairs series. They collaborated on Adrienne At Large, a half-
hour, prime time series of "personalized public affairs reporting."
(Globe and Mail [7 September 1974])
Fri 5:00-
5:30 p.m., 21 Apr-
23 Jun 1967 Wed-
Fri 4:30-
5:00 p.m., 13 Jun-
28 Jun 1968 A series of adventures for children, including, in
l967, Caught in the Net; The Dragon of Pendragon Hall; The Missing Note;
and One Wish Too Many; and in 1968, Peril for the Guy; Eagle Rock; John
of the Fair; and Riders of the New Forest.
Sun 7:00-
7:30 p.m., 20 Sep-
28 Mar 1971 Sun 7:00-
7:30 p.m., 4 Apr-
5 Sep 1971 (R) Tue 7:30-
8:00 p.m., 8 Apr-
16 Sep 1975 Sat 6:30-
7:00 p.m., 22 May-
26 Jun 1976 (R) Sat 5:00-
5:30 p.m., 21 Aug-
5 Sep 1976 (R) Sun 5:00-
5:30 p.m., 5 Apr-
12 Sep 1976 (R) Mon 5:00-
5:30 p.m., 4 Apr-
11 Jul 1977 (R) A filmed drama series, produced by Ralph Ellis,
and starring Lois Maxwell as Nancy Williams, Stephen Cottier as her son
Billy and Susan Conway as her daughter Hannah. Other performers
included Buckley Petawabano as Pete Gawa, Wally Koster as the bush pilot
Dennis Mogubgub, Albert Millaire as Roger Lemieux, and Alan Mills as
Dougal MacGregor. The drama concentrated on the adventures of
the teenager Billy and his Ojibway friend Pete in the bushland of
northern Ontario. The series was highly publicized, capitalizing partly
on the minor celebrity of Lois Maxwell ("Miss Moneypenny" in the James
Bond pictures), and the casting of Wally Koster, a star of CBC musical
variety productions, in a dramatic role. It was also an international
co-
production, enlisting Manitou Productions, the CBC, Television Films,
Ltd. of Britain, and the Australian Broadcasting Company. The series
met with critical disappointment.
Mon 5:15-
5:30 p.m., 6 Oct 1958-
23 Mar 1959 After a three year absence, puppets Uncle Chichimus
and his housekeeper/ secretary Hollyhock (created and operated by John
Conway), retured to television in a fifteen minute, weekly broadcast
produced by Fred Rainsberry. Each program featured a human companion,
chosen from Larry Mann (who had been seen regularly with Chich in the
earlier series, Let's See), Helene Winston, and Tom Kneebone.
A half-
hour situation comedy, produced by Normandie Productions, a Canadian
subsidiary of Television Programs of America, in association with
Associated Rediffusion of the U.K. The series had been pre-
sold for sponsorship by Lever Brothers. It was shot in Ontario,
although the story took place in the U.S. northwest. It featured
Minerva Urecal as Annie Brennan, the captain of a tugboat, and Walter
Sande as her boss, Horatio Bullwinkle.
Mon 4:00-
4:30 p.m., 3 Oct-
19 Dec 1977 Mon 4:00-
4:30 p.m., 10 Apr-
26 Jun 1978 (R) Produced by John Ryan, with Jan Tennant, Larry
Green, and the Christopher Ward Band.
Fri 10:00-
10:30 p.m., 8 May-
3 Jul 1953 Fri 9:00-
9:30 p.m., 17 Apr 1953 Fri 8:30-
9:00 p.m., 24 Apr-
1 May 1953 Tue 8:30-
9:00 p.m., 21 Apr 1953 Tue 8:30-
9:00 p.m., 5 May 1953 Tue 10:00-
10:30 p.m., 7 Apr 1953 Fri 10:00-
11:00 p.m., 2 Jan-
10 Apr 1953 A variety series, written by Frank Peppiatt and John
Aylesworth, with Peppiatt, Aylsworth, Jill Foster, and host Rick
Campbell. Short rehearsal time helped preserve a sense of spontaneity
in this program, which included films of well-
known dance bands and live comedy sketches.
Tue 4:00-
4:30 p.m., 12 May-
23 Jun 1959 A series of filmed dramas.
Mon-
Fri 3:00-
4:00 p.m., 30 Jul-
7 Sep 1979 Tue/Thu 3:30-
4:00 p.m., 21 Sep-
7 Apr 1983 An hour-
long, weekday program on sex and male/female relationships. John
Donabie (then best known as an AOR disk jockey) served as host for a
series that promised to examine the changing state of relationships in
modern society. In particular, the program tried to concentrate on
changes in men and the way they are perceived by women. The series also
featured Max Haines, to discuss crimes of love and passion, and
sportswriter Earl McRae, who was assigned to interview sports
celebrities and their spouses. Afternoon Delight featured music by Jack
Lenz and his band, and guest entertainers. It was directed by Robert
Smith and produced by Cynthia Ann Grech.
Mon 10:00-
11:00 p.m., 28 Mar-
20 Jun 1972 A thirteen week filmed series examining the rise and
fall of industrial society, produced by Adrian Malone and featuring John
Kenneth Galbraith. The principal producer of this $2 million series was
the BBC. Collaborators included the CBC, the Ontario Educational
Communications Authority, and the Public Broadcasting System in the
United States.
See The Nature of
Things.
Wed 7:30-
8:00 p.m., 25 Mar-
20 May 1981 Fri 10:25-
10:58 p.m., 9 Jul-
3 Sep 1982 (R) A ten-
week series of helf-
hour programs, spun off from the successful CBC Radio comedy series, The
Royal Canadian Air Farce. The television series, directed by Trevor
Evans, with assistant director Stuart Northey, featured the same cast as
the radio show: Roger Abbott, Dave Broadfoot, Don Ferguson, Luba Goy,
and John Morgan.
Sat 7:00-
7:30 p.m., 29 Mar-
26 Apr 1980 A thirteen-
part series of nature films, produced by Nielsen-
Ferns International, Ltd. and Jack Kaufman, Ltd. Episodes were directed
by Dennis Saunders and Jack Kaufman, and featured Leslie Nielsen as well
as zoologist and conservationalist Al Oeming. The series follows Oeming
from the prairies to the high arctic as he tries to trap rare animals
and endangered species for preservation at his Alberta Game Farm.
Sat 7:00-
7:30 p.m., 23 Sep 1972-
9 Jun 1973 A variety series that stressed blackouts and slapstick
comedy. Taped in Montreal, the half-
hour program featured guests from the U.S., and was obviously aimed at a
U.S. market.
See Folk Songs.
Sun 2:00-
2:30 p.m., 21 Feb-
21 Mar 1971 A series of five half-
hour segments based on the views of the popular philosopher on the
growing destructiveness of our culture. Produced in Vancouver by Gene
Lawrence, written by Roger Hazan, and featuring Bert Nelson and Alan
Watts.
An Edmonton-
produced series, with Al Oeming, founder of the Alberta Game Farm,
located fifteen miles south of the city. By 196l, Oeming had collected
some l,l00 animals and l,000 birds on his refuge. On the television
series, he showed and discussed a different animal-
- wild or tame-
- each week. (See Al Oeming -
Man of the North)
Sun 9:00-
10:00 p.m., 14 Jan-
28 Jan 1979 A series of three hour-
long melodramas that combined the stories of a number of characters set
against the industries of cattle ranching and petrochemicals. Leslie
Nielsen played Don MacIntosh, an industrialist involved in a three
hundred million dollar international oil deal. Gary Reineke played
Peter Wallen, who had pulled himself up from urban poverty to head his
own construction firm. George Waight played Carl Hardin, whose economic
problems caused him to give up a ranch he had worked for thirty years,
and Frances Hyland played his daughter Marjanne. hardin's daughter-
in- law, Clair, played by Anne Collinge, falls in love with Hans Keller,
the German businessman played by Daniel Pilon who finds himself having
to defraud the business venture of millions of dollars. George
Clutesi played Isaac and Albert Angus his grandson Johnny, two natives.
While the older man Isaac has to learn to deal with changes in the
modern world, Johnny decides to take radical action in regard to
decisions concerning native land claims. Lyal Brown wrote The
Albertans, Ron Weyman directed, and John Trent produced. The executive
producer was Stanley Colbert.
Wed
5:00-
5:15 p.m., 1 Jul-
23 Sep 1959 Albert was a puppet and his place was an attic filled
with trunks, old books, paints, and other paraphernalia in this program
of songs and stories for children, written by Kitty Marcuse and produced
by Len Lauk in Vancouver. Albert's human friends included a handyman
played by Bob Clothier, folksinger John Chappell, and storyteller Nonie
Stewart.
Fri 8:00-
8:30 p.m., 23 Jun-
11 Aug 1967 A seven-
part series consisting entirely of historical still photographs gathered
from public archives across the country. Individual programs dealt with
the Indians of western Canada from l860 to the Northwestern Rebellion in
l885; the construction of the transcontinental railroad; Louis Riel and
the causes of the l885 rebellion; the cowboy in the Canadian west; the
"sodbusters," the immigrants who settled the prairies during the Laurier
administration; the towns that grew out of the western settlements; and
the history of British Columbia. Tommy Tweed wrote and spoke
the commentary for the series (except for the final episode, which
Gordie Tapp narrated). Lester Machan did special research. Ricky Hyslop
was musical director for the series. Loyd Brydon produced and Thom
Benson was executive producer.
Fri 4:30-
4:45 p.m., 20 Jan-
20 Apr 1956 Fifteen minute program produced in Vancouver. Details
unknown.
Thu 10:00-
10:30 p.m., Announced and well publicized, All About Women never
actually appeared on the air. It was to have been a thirteen week
series of half-
hour shows, produced by Diederik D'Ailly, with Margot Lane as host and
co-
producer. News and public affairs chief Knowlton Nash cancelled
production on 2 June 1972, several weeks before the series debut on 29
June because. Nash explained that, as it was planned, the series
overemphasized sex with the guests that had been booked, including lesbians,
transsexuals, bisexuals, and a star of pornographic movies. he expressed
the hope that the same production team could design a series about
women's issues that gave less emphasis to sex.
Mon 5:30-
6:00 p.m., 30 Jun-
22 Sep 1969 Sat 8:00-
8:30 p.m., 26 May-
8 Sep 1973 Various Times, 11 Apr-
22 Jun 1974 Sat 8:00-
8:30 p.m., 29 Jun-
28 Sep 1974 Thu 10:30-
11:00 p.m., 10 Apr-
22 May 1975 Sat 8:00-
8:30 p.m., 21 Jun-
A half-
hour musical variety series, produced in St. John's, and occasionally
other parts of Newfoundland. Its regular cast included Carol Brothers,
John White, Ray Walsh, and Don Randall who, with their weekly guests,
performed principally music of the province. The production was well
received for its perceived spontaneity and authenticity.
Mon 4:30-
5:00 p.m., 2 Oct-
18 Dec 1961 A series of documentary films that succeeded Junior
Roundup as aftertoon informational program for young people. Subjects
included NORAD and a description of the military action that would ensue
if Canada were attacked from the air; Road to the Midnight Sun, about a
l500 mile trip up the Alaska Highway; Bounty in Tahiti, on the crew of
the ship Bounty; and Last Swing, on the caterpillar tractor trains that
haul freight in Canada's far north.
Tue
5:00-
5:30 p.m., 2 Apr-
25 Jun 1974 A program for children. Although a half-
hour long, it was divided into two fifteen minute segments. The opening
segment, called the "Along the. . ." series, was jointly produced in
Canada and the U.K. and distributed by Telefilm Canada. The English
production, Along the River and Seashore, told a story of life in that
area through the adventures of two children, Mark and Bella, and their
uncle. In Along the Trail, two boys, Len and Bruce, follow a forest
ranger on his rounds and discover Canadian wildlife. The second
half of Along the Way featured independently produced Canadian films,
distributed by Film Arts. The first film in the series was For the Love
of A Horse, about a thirteen year old equestrian, Anne Lawson. The film
was produced by Mark Irwin, who would go on to a career as one of
Canada's finest cinematographers and directors of short documentaries on
sport, when he was a student in his third year at York University.
Tue 5:00-
5:30 p.m., 5 Oct 1971-
27 Jun 1972 Tue 5:00-
5:30 p.m., 12 Sep 1972-
4 Sep 1973 Tue 4:30-
5:00 p.m., 11 Sep-
4 Dec 1973 An educational series for children, aged seven to ten,
produced and directed by Dennis Coles for Raymont/Tuffner, Ltd., and
written by Pat Patterson. Each week, host Trudy Young, formerly of
Razzle Dazzle, Marc Stone, and puppet Arbuckle the Alligator welcomed a
couple of guests who would talk about a subject starting with the letter
of the week. On the first show, for example, based on the letter "a," a
model builder and a jet pilot answered questions about airplanes. For
the second season, Young, Mavis Kerr, and Lynn Griffin shared hosting
duties with the alligator, and in the final season, Griffin took over
for Young.
Tue 9:30-
10:00 p.m., 29 Jul-
19 Aug 1975 A three part musical variety series, produced by Dale
Nelson at the Manitoba Theatre Club in Winnipeg. Regulars included
singers Ken Maslowsky, who was also the host, and Iona Iliant, and
musical director Bob McMullin. Guests included Scott Walker, Miriam
Bronstein, Harvey Chochinov, Sara Somner, and the Chai Folk Ensemble.
Sun 1:00-
1:15 p.m., 11 Oct 1970-
27 Jun 1971 Sun 1:00-
1:30 p.m., 26 Sep 1971-
25 Jun 1972 A fifteen minute broadcast, later expanded to a half-
hour, on business, labour, the stock market, and economics, designed for
the layman's understanding. Analog's host was Gordon Jones. Its
producer was Eric McLeery, and its executive producer Doug Lower.
Sun 5:00-
5:30 p.m., 23 Aug-
27 Sep 1959 A series of half-
hour films, most documentaries, produced in Vancouver. They included
Totems, directed by Gene Lawrence; Estevan, about a tender, also by
Lawrence; Portrait of a Harbor, directed by Allan King; The Lacondonnes,
about a primitive, nearly extinct Guatemalan Indian tribe, directed by
Ron Kelly; Object Matrimony, a comedy about an elderly man searching for
a mate, written and directed by Kelly; and Quiet Frontier, about the
Kootenay Lake landing, directed by Tom Connachie.
Mon/Fri 2:00-
2:30 p.m., 21 Oct 1974-
3 Jan 1975 Mon/Tue/Wed 2:00-
2:30 p.m., 7 Jan-
16 Apr 1975 Mon-
Fri 1:30-
2:00 p.m., 23 Jun-
8 Sep 1975 Mon-
Fri 1:00-
1:30 p.m., 8 Sep-
19 Sep 1975 A show about household repairs and improvements,
produced by Kay and Ken Benko, owners of a furniture paint stripping
business, and Dean Judson. In the series, experts demonstrated to
regular Monica Parker how to perform household tasks, such as repair a
vacuum cleaner or paper walls. The program was targeted for low to
middle-
income housewives.
Thu 9:30-
10:00 p.m., 23 May-
6 Jun 1974 A series of three, half-
hour musical variety programs, produced in Winnipeg by Dave Robertson.
It starred Dean Regan, who also choreographed the show, and Dinah
Christie.
Fri 5:00-
5:30 p.m., 5 Jul-
20 Sep 1974 Wed 5:00-
5:30 p.m., 9 Jul-
3 Sep 1975 (R) The CBC compared Aquarium to the U.S. television
series Wild Kingdom, the Jacques Cousteau specials, and its own series,
The Nature of Things. It was produced by Gordon Glynn on location and
at the Vancouver Public Aquarium, with curator Dr. Murray Newman and
host Bob Switzer. Episodes of the series concentrated on such subjects
as the sea otter, the beluga whale, turtles, lizards, killer whales,
dolphins, groundfish, and sharks. A couple of segments demonstrated the
aquarium's educational programs by following Dr. Newman as he led
students on collecting expeditions along the shores of Vancouver harbour
and the west coast of Vancouver Island. Other episodes followed Dr.
Newman on his own collecting trips to the South Pacific and Australia.
Sun 12:30-
1:00 p.m., 28 May-
11 Jun 1961 A three part series, originally broadcast on
Explorations. The three segments were subtitled Architecture for
Worship, on churches, Architecture for Learning, on universities, and
Architecture for Recreation, on museums, theatres, art galleries,
arenas, and the like. Principally photographic essays, these programs
were produced by Vincent Tovell, written by Ronald Hambleton, with
commentary spoken by Robert Christie, Gillie Fenwick, Frank Perry, and
Diane Maddox.
Sat 7:00-
7:30 p.m., 14 Jun-
26 Jul 1975 Thu 7;:00-
7:30 p.m., 31 Mar-
19 May 1977 (R) This summer series included the best of the
hidden camera sequences from All About Toronto and Such Is Life,
produced by Bob Gibbons.
Mon 4:00-
4:30 p.m., 4 Jan-
29 Mar 1982 Mon 4:00-
4:30 p.m., 5 Apr-
28 Jun 1982 (R) Created by and featuring naturalist Gerald
Durrell, Ark On the Move was a follow-
up to his earlier series, The Stationery Ark. Durrell travelled to
Madagascar and Mauritius in search of endangered species that could be
bred in captivity and then returned to their natural habitat. Moreover,
the programs also demonstrated the vocation of naturalism and
contemporary practices, with sound recording and videotape, in the
field. The series of thirteen half-
hours was aimed at an audience of children. It was produced by Paula
Quigley and directed by Alastair Brown for Nielsen-
Ferns and the CBC.
Sat 6:30-
6:45 p.m., 8 Jan-
9 Apr 1955 Also known as Canadians in Khaki, this series of
fifteen minute programs from 1955 featured John Fisher.
Sun 10::30 11:00 p.m., 7 Oct 1959-
11 May 1960 Sun 10:30-
1:00 p.m., 2 Jul-
1 Oct 1961 A series of half-
hour programs for older children, produced in Winnipeg and featuring
George Swinton, artist and professor at the University of Manitoba. The
first series included demonstrations on painting and sculpture and dealt
with basic principles of design, artists' methods, and the development
of art through the centuries. In a 196l summer series, Swinton turned
his attention to the landscape painting. After an introductory
broadcast, Swinton spent seven weeks discussing different contributions
to the genre's development, including those of Chinese art,
Improesionism, Expressionism, Cubism, and Abstraction, as well as
perspective and the decorative use of space. Four subsequent shows
dealt with technique, including pattern and design, tone and texture,
line, composition, and colour theory. Swinton wrapped up the series
with a demonstration of his own methods.
Thu 10:00-
10:30 p.m., 8 Mar-
21 Jun 1973 Sun 4:30-
5:00 p.m., 6 Jan-
30 Jun 1974 Sun 4:30-
5:00 p.m., 5 Jan-
22 Jun 1975 A half-
=hour magazine show, which included three or four items per week on
painting, literature, or other areas and issues in the visual, literary,
and sometimes performing arts. Features in the 1973 series included a
report on Inuit and native sculpture in Canada, a feature on new
plastics, electronics, and design in Japan, and a debate between Malcolm
Muggeridge and Irving Layton. Other guests on the series included
painter A.J. Casson and filmmakers Claude Fournier and Don Shebib.
Moved from prime time (where the series had been interrupted by the
Stanley Cup playoffs) to Sunday afternoon in 1974, the series continued
to have a broad scope of interest. The first show included segments on
the 1973 death of Pablo Picasso, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the
New York City engagements of the National Balley of Canada, the openings
of the Shaw Festival in Niagara-
on- the- Lake and of the Sydney Opera House in Australia. Subsequent
items documented movements in Canadian theatre, illegal trade in stolen,
ancient art, and profiles of painter Jean-
Paul Lemieux and cartoonist Aislin. The 1975 series, again on
Sunday afternoons, started the new year with a look at significant arts
events of the past year, including the Chinese Exhibiion, the World
Crafts Festival held in Toronto, and the movie The Apprenticeship of
Duddy Kravitz. Subjects for profiles included the painter A.Y. Jackson
and radio producer Andrew Allan, both of whom had recently died, as well
as painter Jack Chambers, film historian John Kobal, tapestry maker
Tamara Jaworski, and composer Marek Norman. The series
executive producer was Roger Kennedy, the producers Nancy Ryley (l973)
and Garth Price, the director John McGreevy, and the hosts Helen
Hutchinson (l973), Sol Littman (l974), and Pat Patterson (l974-
l975).
Sun 2:30-
2:59 p.m., 28 May-
30 Jul 1967 A musical variety series, produced in Vancouver by
Roger Kennedy. The program featured the music of Tin Pan Alley and
Broadway show tunes. The host was entertainment writer and radio
producer Tony Thomas, and the orchestra was conducted by Martin Slavin
and featured twin pianos played by Slavin and Bud Henderson. Guests
included Thomas's wife, singer Lorraine Foreman, and other Canadian
talent, such as Lorraine McAllister, David Kendall, Miles Ramsay, Allan
Haythorne, Eleanor Collins, and Pat Rose.
Sun 3:30-
4:00 p.m., 24 May-
16 Aug 1959 A lecture series, written and delivered by Prof. F.A.
Kaempffer, physicist from the University of British Columbia. Kaempffer
discussed present-
day knowledge of the universe in the light of past theories, and
illustrated his talks with draawings and sketches and slides from the
Dominion Astro-
Physical Observatory in Victoria. Gene Lawrence produced the series in
Vancouver.
Sun 10:30-11:00 p.m., 5 Sep-
17 Oct 1954 The CBC constructed a replica of John Newmark's
living room in the Montreal studios for this series of chamber music
performed by the German-
born pianist, already well known in Canada for his CBC radio recitals.
The premise derived from Newmark's European background, which involved
group performances in the home. The apartment set included Newmark's
paintings by Canadian artists, etching by Durer, and his Steinway and
Clementi pianos and, at least once, his Siamese cat. Newmark's guests
included Noel Brunet, Walter and Otto Joachim, D'Arcy Shea, Lucien
Robert, the Masella Brothers, and Irene Salemka. Pierre Mercure produced
the half-
hour program.
Mon-
Fri 4:00-
4:30 p.m., 31 Aug-
11 Sep 1953 A series of actuality reports from the mobile unit at
the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The daily programs Let's
See, with Uncle Chichimus, and Tabloid also originated live from the
l953 CNE later in the day.
Mon-
Fri 1:00-
2:00 p.m., 9 Aug-
1 Sep 1978 Mon-
Fri 3:00-
4:00 p.m., 16 Jul- 27 Jul 1979
A summer replacement for a lunchtime talk show,
Atlantic summer originated two weeks in Halifax and two weeks in St.
John's. (The St. John's show reappeared the next summer.) It replaced
the centralism of Toronto production with local Maritime personalities
and entertainment. The hosts were Denny Doherty, seen most recently in
the variety series Denny's Sho*, and newscaster Sharon Dunne in Halifax,
Shirley Newhook, host of the local afternoon show, Coffee Break, in St.
John's. Jack O'Neil produced in Nova Scotia and Wayne Guzwell (l978)
and Leo Williams (l979) in Newfoundland.
Mon 4:45-
5:00 p.m., 26 Sep 1955- 18 Jun 1956
A fifteen minute children's show, produced by Don
Wilson and written and narrated by Dick Thomas. Aubrey is a puppet
raccoon who speaks with a boy's voice. As a consequence, his raccoon
family cannot understand him. Gus, a boy, befriends Aubrey and together
they search for a boy with a raccoon's voice so they can make a switch.
The program featured Garry Lay and Lloyd Jones, with Norma Macmillan as
the voice of Peter the Skunk. Aubrey was constructed by George Merton
and operated by Elizabeth Merton.
Sat 6:00-
6:30 p.m., 13 Apr-
19 Oct 1968 Sat 6:00-
6:30 p.m., 7 Jun-
21 Jun 1969 (R) Sat 7:00-
7:30 p.m., 28 Jun-
28 Sep 1969 Mon-
Fri 10:00-
10:30 a.m., 28 Sep-
9 Oct 1970 Sun 5:00- 5:30 p.m., 3 Jan- 27 Jun 1971 Sun 5:00- 5:30 p.m., 2 Jan- 25 Jun 1972 Sun 5:30- 6:00 p.m., 2 Jul- 24 Sep 1972 Mon- Fri 1:30- 2:00 p.m., 30 Nov 1972- 18 May 1973 Sun 5:00- 5:30 p.m., 15 Apr- 24 Jun 1973 Mon/Wed/Fri 1:30- 2:00 p.m., 17 Sep-
11 Dec 1973 Mon- Fri 1:30- 2:00 p.m., 11 Dec 1973- 28 Jun 1974
Audubon Wildlife Theatre was produced by KEG Productions Ltd. of
Canada, in association with the National Audubon Society Inc. of the
United States and the Canadian Audubon Society. The series executive
producer was Ralph C. Ellis, and producers were Dan Gibson and Gerald
Kedey. Original music was contributed by Ron Harrison, and W.W.H. Gunn
supervised the use of nature sounds in the film productions.
The first series included of thirty- nine half- hour programs featured
films by both Canadian and foreign filmmakers. The Land of the Loon,
produced by Dan Gibson in Algonquin Park was the first of the
thirty-nine half- hour programs scheduled for weekly broadcast and won a
l967 Canadian Film Award as best television film before the series went
to air. Other Canadian contributions included From the Mountains to the
Sea, by Wilf Gray, on wildlife in the western provinces; Wildlife
Island, on an outdoor science school near Toronto, by Dan Gibson; They
Live by Water, on microscopic organisms to be found in pond water, by
Jack Carey; and Alberta Outdoors, The Lure of the Arctic, and Kenya and
Uganda, all by Edgar Jones of Edmonton. Non-
Canadian films and filmmakers included Nature's Ways, by William J.
Jahoda; New England Saga, by John D. Bulger; These Things Are Ours and
The Living Wilderness, both by Walter Berlet. The CBC was proud
to report critical acclaim for the colour broadcasts, citing reviews by
Nathan Cohen on CBC radio and by Bob Blackburn of the Toronto Telegram.
Subsequent series included more films by Canadians Dan Gibson (Waterfowl
Wilderness, Wildlands Our Heritage); Wilf Gray (Promise of Spring);
Chess Lyons (This England); and Bristol Foster (Down South Up the Nile)
and U.S. nature filmmakers Ty Hotchkiss (Queen of the Cascades) and
Herman Kitchen (Wildlife By Air), among others.
Return to CBC Series Index
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