Monica MacDonald - Recasting History: How CBC Television Has Shaped Canada’s Past

Recasting History

Recasting History

How CBC Television Has Shaped Canadas Past

Monica MacDonald

McGill-Queens University Press

Montreal & Kingston London Chicago

McGill-Queens University Press 2019

ISBN 978-0-7735-5631-7 (cloth)

ISBN 978-0-7735-5632-4 (paper)

ISBN 978-0-7735-5808-3 (ePDF)

ISBN 978-0-7735-5809-0 (ePUB)

Legal deposit second quarter 2019

Bibliothque nationale du Qubec

Printed in Canada on acid-free paper that is 100% ancient forest free

(100% post-consumer recycled), processed chlorine free

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $153 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country.

Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien. Lan dernier, le Conseil a investi 153 millions de dollars pour mettre de lart dans la vie des Canadiennes et des Canadiens de tout le pays.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Title: Recasting history : how CBC Television has shaped Canadas past / Monica MacDonald.

Names: MacDonald, Monica, 1965 author.

Description: Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: Canadiana (print) 20189067179 | Canadiana (ebook) 20189067187 | ISBN 9780773556317 (hardcover) | ISBN 9780773556324 (softcover) | ISBN 9780773558083 (pdf) | ISBN 9780773558090 (EPUB)

Subjects: LCSH: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. English Television NetworkInfluence. | LCSH: TelevisionSocial aspectsCanada. | LCSH: History on television. | LCSH: Television and historyCanada. | LCSH: Television broadcasting policyCanadaHistory. | LCSH: Historical television programsCanadaHistory and criticism. | LCSH: Documentary television programsCanadaHistory and criticism.

Classification: LCC PN1992.6 .M33 2019 | DDC 302.23/450971dc23

Dedicated to the memory of my parents,
Pat and James MacDonald, and Terry Ruddel

Contents

Preface

The idea for this book emerged from my experience twenty years ago as the archival research coordinator at Library and Archives Canada for the CBC/Radio-Canada television series Canada: A Peoples History. Working with the Toronto- and Montreal-based teams on this series exposed me to the many challenges in translating history to television. It led me to explore the origins and development of Canadian history on CBC television as the subject of my PhD dissertation at York University.

History provides us with a means to understand the present and to make informed decisions about the future. This book builds on my discovery that CBC television, from the arrival of television in Canada in 1952, has played an important interpretive role as the primary mass media purveyor of Canadian history. I hope this book encourages television producers to interpret and present history not just as single, uncontested narratives but, rather, as complex accounts arising from multiple perspectives. I hope it also encourages viewers to engage in a critical reading of history on television.

Acknowledgments

This book builds on the work of many scholars, primarily in the fields of Canadian history, public history, communications, and media and journalism studies. Because it is concerned with the relatively recent past, I was fortunate to have been able to conduct interviews with a number of people who have played key roles in producing CBC television documentaries and docudramas on Canadian history. Here I am indebted to the late Eric Koch, the late Vincent Tovell, the late Jack Saywell, the late Knowlton Nash, the late Ramsay Cook, George Robertson, Gene Allen, and Hubert Gendron. Professor Cook and Mr Gendron also graciously allowed me access to some of their private papers.

I would not have undertaken or continued to pursue this work without the encouragement and advice of numerous scholars and colleagues, beginning with the members of my York University supervisory and examination committees: Fred Fletcher, Joy Cohnstaedt, Craig Heron, Ian McKay, Seth Feldman, and Mary Jane Miller, who together made many helpful suggestions. I am also grateful to those who read and commented on whole drafts or chapters of the manuscript: the late Terry Ruddel, Brian Young, and Jerry Bannister. The three anonymous scholars who reviewed the manuscript and provided constructive and detailed criticism helped me to shape and greatly improve the book.

Many thanks to the team at McGill-Queens University Press, particularly my editor, Kyla Madden, and copy editor, Joanne Richardson. Franois Trahan prepared the index. Any factual or grammatical errors in the book are mine alone.

Finally, I am so fortunate to have had the support, encouragement, and patience of many loved ones, especially Terry Ruddel and Gerald Walsh, which has been invaluable throughout the long and difficult process of research and writing.

Monica MacDonald

Donald Creighton poses for a photograph during his interview for A Long View of Canadian History.

Library and Archives Canada/Robert Ragsdale/Henry Fox Fonds/e011202377.

Trial scene in A War for Survival. Jack Saywell is third from right. CBC Still Photo Collection.

Eric Koch, 1960s.

CBC Still Photo Collection.

Barry Morse, as Lord Durham, holding the press conference in Durhams Canada.

CBC Still Photo Collection.

Vincent Tovell, c. 1971.

CBC Still Photo Collection.

Pierre Berton in a publicity photograph for The National Dream.

CBC Still Photo Collection.

Timothy Findley, Louis Applebaum, and William Whitehead during production of The National Dream.

CBC Still Photo Collection.

A scene from The National Dream.

CBC Still Photo Collection.

John Colicos, as William Van Horne, and director Eric Till in a break during filming of The National Dream.

CBC Still Photo Collection.