‘Talent’ to be distinctly Canadian
Martin Short believes Canada’s Got Talent truly will come across as Canada’s Got Talent, rather than merely America’s Got Talent, Canadian Edition. Read more.
Degrassi’s Wheels: The lost years of Neil Hope
In early November 2007, Neil Hope walked into Cheapies Records & Tapes for the last time. The former star of Degrassi Jr. High was a frequent visitor to the Hamilton music store. Sometimes, he’d have his PlayStation 2 in hand, selling it for cash only to buy it back a few weeks later. Read more.
Heartland, CBC – “Breaking Down and Building Up”
When tragedy strikes Amy must find a way to save Mr. Hanley’s rescue horses from kill buyers.
Wrath of Grapes: The Don Cherry Story II, CBC
The continuation of an iconoclastic and extraordinary career as Don Cherry moves on and becomes a legendary hockey broadcaster.
Lost Girl, Showcase – “Fae-nted Love”
Kenzi and Trick must race to save Bo from the fallout of a steamy night gone awry before it binds the Succubus for a millennium. In its wake, Bo poses very uncomfortable questions to Trick about her origins. Written by Shelley Scarrow, directed by Michael DeCarlo.
Less Than Kind, HBO Canada – “Jerk Chicken” Sheldon hosts the victory celebration for the wrestling team and Tina becomes his girlfriend. Josh is forced into being a reluctant chaperone by a frightened Anne. Danny and Miriam crash the party.
Million Dollar Neighbourhood, OWN Canada – “The Kids Are Alright”
While kids control family spending, look for savings in their parents’ budgets and land part-time jobs, the adults start up a free child care service and protect their families’ futures by refinancing their mortgages with the help of Jessi Johnston and his team.
Canada’s Got Talent, Citytv – Series premiere We start the search for Canada’s talent in Toronto. Meet our host and judges as the show kicks off it’s cross Canada tour.
Walking into Vancouver’s Shark Club for an interview with the man who plays Don Cherry in a CBC miniseries, I could be forgiven for expecting someone who looks a little like Don Cherry.
27-year-old Jared Keeso, star of tonight’s Wrath of Grapes: The Don Cherry Story II, is proof that television makeup and hair artists deserve more recognition.
“Oh my goodness I’m glad you asked,” he laughed to a question about the transformation. “It really is something.”
The first miniseries, Keep Your Head Up Kid: The Don Cherry Story, ended as Cherry began Coach’s Corner. In this one, airing in two parts on March 4 and 11, Keeso plays the man into his 70s – a makeup process that took five hours each morning. “They poke and prod you like a lab rat, gluing stuff to your face.”
Even more remarkable is that Keeso didn’t know until two weeks into shooting that he would end up playing a man three times his age. “They originally entertained the idea of Don playing himself in the final two acts of the movie,” Keeso revealed.
Wrath of Grapes focuses on “Don’s tumultuous relationship with the CBC,” Keeso explained. “What it comes down to is: fire him or shut up.”
As a youth, Keeso himself played for the Strathroy Rockets of the Western Ontario Hockey League and the Listowel Cyclones of the GOJHL. “I was a bit of a suitcase,” he said, meaning he was frequently traded. He never missed Coach’s Corner, and watched Cherry’s Rock’em Sock’em Hockey series on the team bus.
But perhaps surprisingly, he added: “I’m a big Don Cherry fan, but I’m a huge Ron MacLean fan.”
As thrilled as he was when Cherry called after the first part of the first miniseries aired to express his love for it, Keeso was even more thrilled when MacLean mentioned Keep Your Head Up Kid on Coach’s Corner the night before.
Keeso won a Gemini for that role, but he won’t copy MacLean’s habit of giving his awards away. “I respect his principle but I’ll squeeze that thing until the day I die.”
Check out the full video interview with Jared Keeso:
Spinning off the success of the MMA events that have taken the world by storm, Shaw Media & Global TV are bringing us LIL’ WARRIORS, a one-hour documentary that follows kids 8 & under and their families, to provide an explosive behind-the-scenes look at competitive fighting in Canada and the US.
Currently in the treatment writing and casting stages, LIL’ WARRIORS will take a look at the ambition, and competitive nature of martial arts coupled with the personality of each lil’ warrior, going behind the scenes to see what really lies beneath the surface of kids competitive martial arts.
Shark Teeth Films is an independent production company which incorporated in late 2008 by Tom Mudd and Adrian Carter. They produce content for both film and television and have recently expanded to include to live-action, animation and visual effects.
Written by Tom Mudd, Adrian Carter, and John Turner (who will also direct) LIL’ WARRIORS is part of Global’s Close Up strand - a series of one-off documentaries that looks at the unusual that lies just beneath the ordinary right outside our doors.
The Documentary Series is slated to begin in January of 2013.
