Archive for the 'News' Category

Our Bill breaks a leg

Posted August 15, 2006 * Comments(3)

William Shatner gets his due.

Montreal’s own William Shatner was making headlines for his acting chops 50 years ago this month. According to the online Canadian Encyclopedia, it was the year of his big break, “when he replaced Christopher Plummer on three hours’ notice in the role of Henry V, after Plummer was hospitalized.” (Plummer — who grew up in Montreal, attending the High School of Montreal — now called MIND High FACE, an arts-intensive public school (thanks for the correction, Kate M) — and learned his craft here, had made his big splash two years before in New York.)

You’ve got to hand it to him: he did very well for himself over the years — a Golden Globe award, a couple of Emmys (as well as three Emmy nominations in ‘06), plus his induction into the Television Hall of Fame. And he’s still going strong.

This Canadian Press item comes from the Montreal Herald, Wednesday, August 1, 1956.

His co-recipient of a 1956 Guthrie Award, Marie Day, is the daughter of a former Toronto mayor. She won for costume design. She is also a published author of children’s fiction.

Fittingly, the man who handed out the awards — Vincent Massey, who was the first Canadian-born vice-regal (i.e., the ceremonial representative of the British monarch to Canada) — just happened to be the brother of Raymond Massey, one of Canada’s greatest movie stars.

Tyrone Guthrie (after whom the award was named) was a pretty interesting chap, too. A legend of the British stage, he accepted an unlikely posting to Canada and helped build the Stratford festival into one of the world’s great Shakespearean attractions.

Who’s that girl?

Posted July 31, 2006 * Comments(0)

Odd fashion wear of the fifties. From the Montreal Herald, Feb. 1953.

Who, indeed! Maybe we’ll never know. But I imagine any paparazzi at the fashion unveiling let out a collective groan. (From the Montreal Herald, Feb. 1953)

Mayor’s brother - accident or suicide?

Posted July 29, 2006 * Comments(10)

Mayor's brother 'falls' -- it's ruled accidental. But an alderman later says he saw the guy climb the rail ... doesn't change a thing. Anyway, the guy died after decelerating rapidly from the Dorchester Bridge -- now the site of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in downtown Montreal. It's a May, 1933, cover story in the Montreal Daily Herald.

Caption reads: “The above photo shows the spot where Charles Rinfret, prominent Montreal businessman, met his death this morning. From the railing of the Dorchester Street bridge the body plunged eighty feet, striking the side of a CNR train which was passing under the bridge and bouncing off to a point beside the tracks indicated by the arrows.” - Front Page, Wednesday, May 10, 1933. The Montreal Daily Herald.

The story:

Charles Rinfret Plummets to death

Instantly Killed by 80-ft. Drop to Railroad Tracks

“Probable accident” was Coroner’s Finding in Rinquest Onquest — No Eyewitnesses of Actual Mishap Called to Give Testimony at Inquest

Body Hits Train

“Probably accident” was the verdict of Coroner Lorenzo Prince this morning after a private inquest into the death of Francois-Louis Charles Rinfret, aged 51, brother of Hon. Fernand Rinfret, M.P. Mayor of Montreal, who was instantly killed shortly before 9 o’clock this morning when his body plunged eighty feet from the top of the railing on the Dorchester Bridge, hit a moving train and caromed* on to the platform.

No Eye-Witness Heard.

No witness who saw the tragedy were called and in closing the proceedings the Coroner said that in view of the lack of testimony from eyewitnesses he would render a verdict of “probable accident.”

Alderman Bell who said at the City Hall this morning the he saw a man climb over the five foot bridge railing and take the fatal leap was not called upon to testify. He said that not until he arrived at the City Hall this morning was he aware that the man was the mayor’s brother.

The deceased, who lived at 4840 Westmount Avenue Westmount, was also a brother of the Hon Justice Thibaudeau Rinfret of the Supreme Court of Canada, and was a past president and director of Munderloh and Company.

Remains Identified.

The crushed remains of the well-known local club member and businessman were identified at the morgue this morning by Mayor Rinfret and by directors of the Munderlog firm.

Saw Body Fall.

Francis Portugais, a Canadian National Railway brakeman who was releasing the steam brakes of some stationary cars near the scene of the mishap sated that he was about 20 feet from the actual spot where the body dropped after striking the side of one of the cars.

He said he was going about his usual work when he noticed a dark object falling. On looking up he realized it as a man’s body falling head first. A moment later it had struck the ground. He immediately went for aid.

The deceased it was stated had been in ill health for several years and was planning a long vacation in Europe.

Before leaving the city Call, Ald. Legault and his confreres repressed deep regrets at the untimely death of Mayor Rinfrit’s brrother. At the meeting tomorrow, a resolution of sympathy will be passed by the council.

* Main definition of verb “to carom,” from Merriam-Webster Online: 1 : to strike and rebound : GLANCE

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