Chapter Five - Real Life and Back Again

Chapter Five




Real Life and Back Again
For the next ten years or so, I concentrated on developing my regular working career. I progressed through my company to a position as sales manager and then took a chance and became the general manager of a small division of an American electrical company.
A few years after my first retirement, the urge to return to performing just became overwhelming and I joined the Bramalea Little Theatre. I stuck to summer productions and over the years acted and directed several plays. I attended the regular season shows but steered clear of the extensive commitments that had worn me out in my earlier amateur days.
There was one problem that bothered me more and more about the theatre as time wore on. It was after winning a special directors award for comic timing for a production of the two person play ‘Next’, that I finally confronted things and made yet another decision to leave amateur theatre.
I just could not stand the impermanence of the theatre. You would work for months on a production. You would practically live with your fellow actors and the director and the bonds would grow very strong. Then it would be show night. And after that it would all just stop dead.
The next time you saw your cast mates, you might be competing for a role or a director’s position and if you were successful, you would be part of the cool, hip, in group but if you didn’t get a role, you would get to build sets or sell tickets. The camaraderie and fellowship was over until you got back into an acting or directing role, maybe months later or maybe never. Not only that, the play that you had toiled over and worried about and agonized over every word and
agonized over every movement and nuance would be performed and then was gone. Gone too was the special bonds that you thought you had forged.
I just couldn’t take it. I had to get out and so I decided to retire from the performing world for the second time and focus on my business career.
My role as a General Manager got easier and easier and I was building up lots of vacation time. I had things set up across Canada so that agents were taking care of the sales aspect of the business. Profits were good and my staff was competent and capable. In spite of the insane American owner who would only call to scream and denigrate our work every now and then, things were humming along famously. I often joked that things were working so well that I could stay at home and phone in once a week to see if any cheques needed to be signed.
My life was just a little too smooth and I soon started looking for other creative activities to challenge and stimulate me. During this period I became heavily involved in local politics, formed a citizen advocacy organization with friend and neighbor Bud Nolan, took night school courses and managed to stay quite busy with other business ventures as well. Of course my children Joey and Connie were involved in music, dancing and sports. Linda and I were avid supporters and made every effort to attend almost every event. I don’t think our children ever really felt that we were not there for them as they always came first even at the expense of our own personal time together.

Once again a newspaper article about what was now being called “Hollywood North” provoked yet another serendipitous event that would really change my life for the next three years.
The article focused on the re-emerging television and movie business that was helping to provide jobs and opportunities for actors, directors and film techies in Toronto. The writer interviewed a fellow named Scott Mansfield who was casting extras for ‘Street Legal’, ‘My Secret Identity’ and other television shows and movies that were being filmed in and around Toronto. The article concluded with an open casting call for young girls between twelve and sixteen to appear in ‘My Secret Identity’. I asked my daughter Connie if she would like to try out and she said that she would like that. Connie, her best friend Shawna and I drove down to the movie studio that had been set up in the old Planters Peanut facility at DuPont and Lansdowne. I drove into the lot and saw a reserved spot for “Mr. Cronenberg” and thought “he’s not going to be here today”. I parked in his spot.
Connie and Shawna were exactly right for the scene. It was a pool party at a set in a posh section of the Kingsway in the west end of Toronto and we received the details and were ready to leave when I spotted Scott. I quickly realized that I knew him from ten years earlier when he was working for Peter Lavender who had recently died. Scott had formed his own extra casting company.
We chatted and I told him that any time he needed young girls for films I could help him as Connie had lots of young fellow students from her dance school.We had a bit of a laugh about what I seemed to be offering and making myself clear, was saying goodbye when Scott asked, “What are you doing these days?” He was sizing me up like a Thanksgiving turkey and I laughed and said that I had retired from the movie business. “That’s a pity because you sure look like a ‘cop’ and I can have you working quite a bit.”
Now I have noticed that I have a peculiar talent that I have inherited from my Mother and that is the ability to develop an almost instant rapport with some people. That coupled with an ability to make a quick decision was in full force that day and I was suddenly sizing Scott up like he was the Thanksgiving turkey.
I said, “Scott. If I get back into the business, I am going to do it right, this time. If I come to work for you can you recommend an agent?”
“Sure.” He said. “When you get a voucher, (the ACTRA union slip that is the difference between being viewed like a chunk of scenery and actually being treated like real human being), you can put down Toronto Casting.
A friend of mine, Ann Marie Stewart owns that agency.”
“OK. I am in. Where do you want me?” I asked.
Scott told me to show up a few days later at the old Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital for a role as detective in a show called ‘Top Cops’. And just like that I was back in the movie business and about to start the next phase of my professional acting career.
When the girls and I went back to the car, there was a big silver Mercedes idling with a miffed-looking David Cronenberg, waiting for his parking spot.
“Connie, Shawna, smile and wave at Mr. Cronenberg.” I whispered.
“Who is he?” they asked. But they did as I asked and Mr. Cronenberg smiled back and waved as we drove away.