Witness to Yesterday
{{Short description|Canadian television series}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=October 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| caption =
| genre = Docudrama
| creator = Arthur Voronka
| developer =
| writer = Arthur Voronka
| director =
| creative_director =
| presenter = Patrick Watson
| starring =
| judges =
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer =
| country = Canada
| language = English
| channel = Global
CICA/TVOntario
| first_aired = {{Start date|1974|1|8|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1976}}
| num_seasons = 2
| num_episodes = 33
| executive_producer =
| producer = Tom Moore
Arthur Voronka
| editor =
| location = Montreal
| cinematography =
| camera =
| runtime =
| company = Look Hear Productions
| related = Titans (1981–1982)
}}
Witness to Yesterday is a Canadian docudrama television series which featured staged interviews with historical personalities. It was first broadcast by Global Television Network in 1974 then produced by TVOntario to 1976. A 12-episode revival of the series was produced in 1998 for History Television.
Synopsis
Each episode featured a historical person as portrayed by a guest actor in conversation with host Patrick Watson who took the role of an interviewer.
Witness to Yesterday was among the first series to be broadcast by Global. Original episodes were broadcast on Global in a regular Tuesday 10:00 p.m. time slot from 8 January 1974 to 21 May 1974. The debut episode featured Sandy Dennis as Joan of Arc.
Production
The series was produced in Montreal by Look Hear Productions, a division of the McConnell advertising company.
Laurier Lapierre conducted research for the series. Scripts were written, but the filming often incorporated ad-lib dialogue. Each episode was produced for approximately $6000 with actors paid from $600 to $2500. Host Patrick Watson earned 15% of the international sales income plus his base $500 per episode. Writers included Patrick Watson, Patrick Withrow and Doug Scott.
Global Television Network encountered financial difficulties in its initial months and cancelled most of its original Canadian programming by May 1974. Global owed Look Hear Productions $130,000 for producing 24 episodes of Witness to Yesterday. The last episode filmed prior to Global's cancellation featured Donald Sutherland as doctor Norman Bethune. Global eventually paid 30% of its bill for the series as part of its financial settlement with creditors.{{cite news | first=Jim | last=Bawden | title=Watson Goes Back to Yesterday | newspaper=Toronto Star | date=26 April 1998}}
CBC Television considered picking up the series but by then had booked other productions. Witness to Yesterday was transferred to Toronto educational station CICA-TV (OECA) which planned the production of three new episodes for the 1974–75 season and another 13 for the 1975–76 season, in addition to rebroadcasting the initial 20 episodes.{{cite news | title=Channel 19 takes over Witness | newspaper=The Globe and Mail | date=19 September 1974 | first=Blaik | last=Kirby}}
Episodes
=Global Television Network episodes (1974) =
Global broadcast the series on a regular 10 p.m. Tuesday time slot.
{{Episode table |overall=6 |title=30 |titleT=Title / Historical figure |aux2=25 |aux2T=Starring |airdate=20 |aux4=19 |aux4T=Notes / {{Abbr|Refs|References}} |episodes=
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 1
| Title = Joan of Arc
| Aux2 = Sandy Dennis
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|1|8|df=y}}
| Aux4 = Pilot episode{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PUU0AAAAIBAJ&pg=1944%2C3290628 | title=Joan of Arc grilled... again | first=Frank | last=Penn | date=10 January 1974 | page=31 | newspaper=Ottawa Citizen | accessdate=26 August 2012 }}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 2
| Title = Sitting Bull
| Aux2 = August Schellenberg
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|1|15|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 3
| Title = Queen Victoria
| Aux2 = Kate Reid
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|1|22|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 4
| Title = René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
| Aux2 = Laurier LaPierre
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|1|29|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 5
| Title = Catherine the Great
| Aux2 = Zoe Caldwell
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|2|5|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 6
| Title = Patrick J. Whelan
| Aux2 = Patrick McFadden
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|2|12|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 7
| Title = Sarah Bernhardt
| Aux2 = Denise Pelletier
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|2|19|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 8
| Title = Billy the Kid
| Aux2 = Richard Dreyfuss
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|2|26|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 9
| Title = John A. Macdonald
| Aux2 = Robert Christie
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|3|5|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 10
| Title = Nell Gwyn
| Aux2 = Dawn Greenhalgh
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|3|12|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 11
| Title = Christopher Columbus
| Aux2 = William Hutt
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|3|19|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 12
| Title = William Shakespeare
| Aux2 = Barry Morse
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|3|26|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 13
| Title = Thomas Paine
| Aux2 = Robert Vaughn
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|4|2|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 14
| Title = Walter Raleigh
| Aux2 = Chris Wiggins
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|4|9|df=y}}
| Aux4 = written by Doug Scott{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KVM_AAAAIBAJ&pg=2958%2C2300087 | title=Tuesday evening | newspaper=Windsor Star | page=TV Times | date=6 April 1974 | accessdate=26 August 2012}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 15
| Title = Socrates
| Aux2 = Mavor Moore
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|4|16|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 16
| Title = Judas Iscariot
| Aux2 = Donald Davis
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|4|23|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 17
| Title = Mata Hari
| Aux2 = Maruska Stankova
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|4|30|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 18
| Title = Duke of Wellington
| Aux2 = Christopher Plummer
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|5|7|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 19
| Title = Leonardo da Vinci
| Aux2 = Patrick Watson
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|5|14|df=y}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 20
| Title = Rembrandt
| Aux2 = Robert Markle
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1974|5|21|df=y}}
}}
}}
=CICA/TVOntario episodes (1974–1976) =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%; margin:auto;" |
|
! scope="col" | Historical figure ! scope="col" | Starring {{Episode list | Title = Al Capone | Aux2 = Henry Ramer | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = George Gershwin | Aux2 = Steve Allen | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = Akhenaten | Aux2 = Allan Migicovsky | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = Mohandas Gandhi | Aux2 = Louis Negin | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = Earl of Durham | Aux2 = Colin Fox | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = Emma Goldman | Aux2 = Marilyn Lightstone | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = Lucrezia Borgia | Aux2 = Alexandra Bastedo | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = Adolf Hitler | Aux2 = Robin Gammell | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = Catherine de' Medici | Aux2 = Sydney Sturgess | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = Norman Bethune | Aux2 = Donald Sutherland | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = Mark Twain | Aux2 = Alex Trebek | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = George Bernard Shaw | Aux2 = Barry Morse | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = Grigori Rasputin | Aux2 = August Schellenberg | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = Mary Todd Lincoln | Aux2 = Marian Waldman | ShortSummary = }} {{Episode list | Title = Cleopatra | Aux2 = Jayne Meadows | ShortSummary = }} |} ReceptionWitness to Yesterday was sold to broadcasters in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and on other Canadian stations.{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pW1kAAAAIBAJ&pg=2810%2C3108194 | title=Patrick Watson lives it up... | newspaper=Calgary Herald | first=Paul | last=King | date=26 April 1974 | page=TV Times 38–39 | accessdate=26 August 2012}} Blaik Kirby of The Globe and Mail deemed the premiere to be "flat and undramatic", noting that French-Canadian actress Geneviève Bujold should have been considered for the role of Joan of Arc over the less appropriate performance from American Sandy Dennis.{{cite news | title=Watson's Witness falls slightly flat | first=Blaik | last=Kirby | newspaper=The Globe and Mail| date=9 January 1974 | page=14}} Later, Kirby gave the overall series a favourable review, noting that it "was in almost everyone's opinion, one of the very best of Global's Canadian programs, which were a worthy achievement even as a group."{{cite news | title=Applause, Applause offers lots to look at | first=Blaik | last=Kirby | newspaper=The Globe and Mail | date=24 May 1974 | page=14}} 1998 revival{{Infobox television | image = | caption = | genre = | creator = | developer = | writer = | director = Alan Gough | creative_director = | presenter = Patrick Watson | starring = | judges = | voices = | narrated = | theme_music_composer = | opentheme = | endtheme = | composer = | country = | language = | channel = History | first_aired = {{start date|1998|3|24|df=y}} | last_aired = {{end date|1998|6|16|df=y}} | num_seasons = 1 | num_episodes = 12 | executive_producer = | producer = | editor = | location = Fredericton | cinematography = | camera = | runtime = 30 minutes | company = **XX** | related = }} New episodes of Witness to Yesterday were broadcast by History Television in 1998. Watson again hosted the series and was its primary writer with additional writing by Hugh Graham. 12 episodes were completed of a 13-episode plan under a $700,000 budget.{{cite news | url=http://playbackonline.ca/1999/10/04/26783-19991004/ | title=Agenda grows at MIPCOM '99 | work=Playback | date=4 October 1999 | accessdate=8 October 2012}} Eight episodes were recorded in December 1997 at St. Thomas University in Fredericton. The remaining episodes were recorded in Toronto. Alan Gough directed this series revival with Watson.{{cite news | title=Witness to Yesterday returns to the airwaves | last=Cameron | first= Amy | newspaper=Telegraph Journal | location=Saint John, New Brunswick | date=21 March 1998}} New Brunswick company Cinefile and Toronto's The Film Works co-produced the series revival. Victor Solnicki and Barry Cameron were executive producers from Cinefile and The Film Works respectively. Its budget was supported by History Television, PBS which aired these episodes and a $168,500 credit from provincial agency Film NB.{{cite news | url=http://playbackonline.ca/1998/01/12/20357-19980112/ | title=Atlantic Scene: D'Entremont wins Japan prize and develops situation comedy | date=12 January 1998 | first=Andy | last=Hoffman | work=Playback | accessdate=1 September 2012}} =History Television episodes (1998)={{Episode table |total_width= |overall=6 |title=30 |titleT=Title / Historical figure |aux2=25 |aux2T=Starring |airdate=20 |aux4=19 |aux4T=Notes / {{Abbr|Refs|References}} |episodes= {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 1 | Title = Marie Antoinette | Aux2 = Cynthia Dale | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1998|3|24|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 2 | Title = Niccolò Machiavelli | Aux2 = David Calderisi | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1998|3|31|df=y}} | Aux4 = }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 3 | Title = Marie Curie | Aux2 = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1998|4|7|df=y}} | Aux4 = }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 4 | Title = Genghis Khan | Aux2 = Gordon Tootoosis | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1998|4|14|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 5 | Title = Amelia Earhart | Aux2 = Martha Burns | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1998|4|21|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 6 | Title = Tecumseh | Aux2 = Raoul Trujillo | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1998|4|28|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 7 | Title = Mary Pickford | Aux2 = Charmion King | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1998|5|5|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 8 | Title = Mary Ann Shadd | Aux2 = Sylvia Sweeney | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1998|5|19|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 9 | Title = Vladimir Lenin | Aux2 = Michael Ironside | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1998|5|26|df=y}} | Aux4 = {{cite news | title=Hasselhoff tops the bill as Nick Fury | date=26 May 1998 | page=C7 | first=Bonnie | last=Malleck | newspaper=The Hamilton Spectator}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 10 | Title = William Stephenson | Aux2 = John Neville | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1998|6|2|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 11 | Title = Alexander the Great | Aux2 = Paul Gross | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1998|6|9|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 12 | Title = Sigmund Freud | Aux2 = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1998|6|16|df=y}} | Aux4 = }} }} See also
References{{reflist}} External links
Category:1970s Canadian drama television series Category:Canadian television docudramas Category:Culture of Fredericton Category:Global Television Network original programming Category:History (Canadian TV network) original programming Category:Television shows filmed in New Brunswick Category:TVO original programming Category:1974 Canadian television series debuts Category:1976 Canadian television series endings Category:1998 Canadian television series debuts Category:1998 Canadian television series endings |