Jack, Mom and friends

Here is a shot of my Mom Jan McConnell with one of her favorite friends- Jack Layton.
It was fun taking these a while back...who knew at the time...

Canada's new National Film Board Executive Producer English Animation

 Roddy McManus has been chosen to become Canada's next National Film Board Executive Producer of Animation, following in the footsteps of David Verrall, winner of 3 Oscars for 3 short films / producer of 240 films for the NFB . 

Roddy..."spent the past 11 years as executive producer at the indie production outfit Pop6, producing such films as the Spanish-Italian-Canadian thriller Transgression , which plays the World Film Festival and the animated feature Ultramarines : A Warhammer 40,000 Movie... " (Montreal Gazette Aug 15 2011)

Roddy also produced  (via Pop6) last year's documentary - The Montreal Canadians:100 Years-100 Stars.

See bkelly@montrealgazette.com for the full story.

It all had to start somewhere and that somewhere was H.S.B. with other recognized media people we remember ...see below .

Congratulations Roddy - you make us all proud! I know you will add to those Oscars. 

Of the group above, Mark Stafford went on in the world of radio. The last time we met for the last '72 &Friends Reunion' he was at CHOM FM steering behind the scenes in Production, while Richard is an established poet in California. I believe Romy Royko is still involved in the production of music and probably just as good now as was then - if not better. 

And now Roddy has filled some very big shoes and justly so!

Hot Town Summer in the City

I emerged from the cool refrigerated mall which used to be referred to as 'the Shopping Centre', my shiny black tasseled brogues gleaming in the afternoon haze, a wall of heat shimmering off the asphalt. Mr. Business person, i-phone4 tucked neatly into the breast pocket of my peacock blue striped Hilfiger button down, tie left at home for this local excursion to pick up a package left by Purolator at the Hallmark/Bookstore/Librarie Boyer positioned right before the last store - Hart nearest to St.Joseph. That position used to be occupied by Greenburg's back when there was still a Woolworth's, United Cigar Store, and Grover's.

I squinted peering across the parking lot to D'Anjou where an A&W had once been just a few doors down from a once happy Dairy Queen, a pit stop on the way to Papa Spiros owned by the Alvisatos Family. Remember 'Junior'? Or Helen, Chris, Mike - little Marina? Great place and good people.

The afternoon  had begun it's descent, sun beginning to sink behind 'the Orchard', or where it had once been across St. Joseph Street, now replaced by a Yellow Shoe, Bureau-En-Gross (Staples), further down Canadian Tire and then the IGA.

I was about to step off the curb to seek out my 2005 Hybrid V6 when out of the corner of my eye there was a movement of something very familiar - old home and smiling familiar; the movement, the way he walked with her beside him; sashaying, widely toeing out as if about to launch into Barishnikov dance mode. Only one person moved that way- Danny Swafield - the coolest of cool from 1969. The figures of this man and his wife  approached from mid parking lot through the heat as I stared intently the scene changing as my memory came alive. The A& W and Dairy Queen back in place, the Mall disappeared as the outside shopping Centre re-emerged. The United Cigar Store was back with the Alley way between it and the Woolworth's down where the shoe repair shop had been.

I could hear the strains of a passing transistor radio "Hot town...summer in the city.." as the Lovin' Spoonful was palying on CFOX radio, posters dispayed on a window of The Haunted to play this Friday. I looked down, my tanned feet dirty dusty to perfection in their leather Hindu Sandals emerging from my patchwork jeans.

"Ernest ! Ernest!", called out Mrs. Oswald from the shoe repair.
Ossie paid no attention , deep in discussion about the various aspects of Sephiroth involved in the Tree of Life with Stephen Vella and Freddie Saylor, Stephen's ultra straight hair bouncing off his shoulders as he executed his trademark 'bob' of a walk as Freddie did his usual duck and weave motion led by a nose and a smile. "Like, greatest Man!"

The prowling purr of a Triumph caught my attention - Dave Vokey pulled up followed by Bob Saint-Onge on his 'Hog' with the extended forks. Was that Marlene Kelley on the back? And there he was, thick blond halo, sashaying with wide knowing grin -Dan Swaffield! He waved to an approaching John Lennon figure that only Bob Marsh could encompass peering out with meek smile behind his granny glasses, Louise Ranger in toe with Terry Hill and Brenda Boudreau following behind. Coming up from the direction of Steinburg's was Mark Kelly, Karen Degan and Lorraine Marwick, all walking with that up and down 'gait'.

"Hey Les! You going to the party in 'the Orchard' or 'The Beach' or 'The Pines,"  shouted Steve Williams who was aproaching with the afro'd Vaughn.

"Not sure, but Romy Royko is playing at the Raja Mood and I thought I'd catch up with Jimmy Williams and Brian Lawrence over there first."

The man and his wife were getting closer. He spoke perfect joual French, if there is such a thing, without any inflection of English whatsoever.

The spell was broken. It was not Danny after so many years.

The past left me far behind in the shimmering heat of the present, thinking of the markets and the US standoff between Obama and the Republican Tea Party.

I hummed to myself ..

'Hot time summer in the city
Back of my neck gettin' dirty and gritty,
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city...