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Okay, okay--it's actually Fort Liard. :-) It's hard to find weather reports for fictitious towns.... |
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Quick Links Current Air Schedule DVDs/Videos Appearances Episode Guides FAQ Interviews TV Movies Cast & Characters Fun & Games Photos Links 
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Hot News!Have you written to CBC yet?? CBC has ordered a TV movie spinoff of the series "Da Vinci's Inquest." Let's let them know that a final "North of 60" movie is worth their investment, too. Jump to the writing campaign section of this page for valuable information on what to say and where to send your comments. Thank you!! February 20 - Showcase is airing "In the Blue Ground" today and "Another Country" next Wednesday. January 27 - Some upcoming Nof60 movie airings for you: Tantoo Cardinal was spotted in the first episode of Global's new series "The Guard." She played the desk clerk at the hotel where one of the main characters lives, so it seems as though she might be back in future episodes. However, she isn't listed on the show's website, so I don't know whether she'll be a recurring character. January 22 - My apologies for not updating this page for a few weeks. We discussed the change in the TVtropolis schedule on the Nof60 Yahoo Group, but I forgot that I hadn't posted it here. A couple of days before their new schedule was due to go into effect, they changed it, putting "Due South" in the 10:00 a.m. slot and a single episode of Nof60 at 11:00. So be sure to catch Nof60 weekdays on TVtropolis. The show is also airing twice each weekday on Mystère. The company previously known as Alliance Atlantis Communications is being divvied up by its new owners, CanWest and Goldman Sachs. No word yet on the fate of the Home Video group, but I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything. If any of you in Canada run across any information about it, please let me know. A Vital Message for "North of 60" FansCBC has funded the development of a script for a sixth--and final--"North of 60" movie. But that's only half the battle! We now need CBC to fund the actual production of the movie. Nof60 writer/producer Peter Lauterman told me, "I think what has to happen needs to come from the fan base, not the producers." That means: WE, THE FANS OF NOF60, MUST CONVINCE CBC TO FUND MOVIE 6! Because you're a "North of 60" fan, I don't have to convince you how important this project is. It would give the writers a chance to bring the remarkable history of this series to a well-thought-out closing. Even better, as I mentioned in my original note about the project, series co-creator Wayne Grigsby has agreed to edit the script. This is an opportunity we cannot let pass. So what can you do? Simple: Tell CBC why you want them to fund Movie 6. Send letters, make phone calls, do whatever you can. And ask your family, friends, and any other Nof60 fans you know to do the same. The next section of this message gives you some tips on what to say in your letters. If you prefer, just skip ahead to the "Whom should I contact?" section and start typing up those envelopes!"What should I say?"You know best why you want to see a final "North of 60" movie. What has the series meant to you? What have you learned from it? Has it given you a view into another culture? Or, if you're Native or of Native ancestry, has it strengthened your understanding of your own culture? I know from the comments I've seen on the Nof60 Yahoo Group and the email I've received from my website visitors that this show affects many people very deeply. Tell CBC in your own words why the series is important to you, and why you think it's important for CBC to let the residents of Lynx River tell their story one last time. Here are some topics and quotes you might want to incorporate into your letter:DiversityCBC has a mandate to showcase the diverse cultures of Canada. Yet most of their series and movies take place in Toronto or Vancouver, and Native characters are infrequent. "North of 60" is unique because its characters are almost all Native, it takes place in a rural area, and it's set in the Northwest Territories. On a website for independent television producers, the CBC said: "We place a high value on programs from and about communities currently under-represented on television...Some highlights of that history, which began with the casting of Jesse Jim in The Beachcombers, include North of 60, Drop The Beat, Ekhaya: A Family Chronicle, Jinnah On Crime, This Is Wonderland, Human Cargo, and Whiskey Echo..." "As costs of production rise, we are accepting fewer projects in development, and are limiting our acceptance to proposals that are brilliant creatively, serve an important public broadcasting initiative and show clear promise of audience success." We all know that Nof60 has a brilliant creative staff; that it serves the initiative of diversity by showcasing Native, rural characters; and that it has a proven record of bringing in an audience. Let's make sure that CBC remembers all that, too.Canadian StoriesIn February, 2005, CBC Television executive vice president Richard Stursberg gave a speech entitled "Television Drama: English Canada's Most Important Cultural Challenge." Here are some quotes from his speech that you might find useful: "The 'drama' I'm referring to is English-language televised dramatic programming. To us at CBC, that means dramatic series, comedy and entertainment programming. It means the kind of shows that are not only produced in Canada, but that are made for Canadians and reflect our unique sensibility." "With a few notable exceptions, we have yet to make a real breakthrough in terms of drawing large audiences on a consistent basis to see our own stories brought to life on the small screen." "Some people contend that the audiences for English TV drama are small because Canadians don't want to watch Canadian programming. We think this is untrue. What Canadians don't want to watch is bad Canadian programming. But when they are offered great shows--shows like H20, Shattered City, Corner Gas, Rick Mercer's Monday Report, Trudeau, or Canada, A People's History--they respond with enthusiasm and in large numbers. They respond well when they are offered beautifully made, engaging programming that is designed for them, that is rooted in their sense of humour, their values, their lives and their history." "...CBC also has the mandate, the skill, the DNA and the vision to significantly increase and sustain the level of English dramatic programming. It is our job. It is precisely what our shareholders want us to do." "We will have to foster a culture that celebrates greatness and success." In August, 2005, Stursberg was interviewed for Maclean's magazine. (You can see the full interview on the Maclean's website.) During the interview, he said, "One of the things we're working on is to see if it's possible to create great entertainment that will really deeply resonate with Canadians. We think that's a profoundly important cultural objective." In your letters, point out that "North of 60" is perfectly aligned with CBC's goals of producing truly Canadian stories that bring in solid audiences. You can use some of Mr. Stursberg's quotes if you think they'll help."Whom should I contact?"There are several key people at CBC who could influence--or even make--the decision to fund Movie 6. They are: Richard Stursberg, Executive Vice President, CBC TelevisionKirstine Layfield, Executive Director, Network Programming Fred Fuchs, Executive Director, Arts and Entertainment Programming Susan Morgan, Creative Head, Drama You can reach them all at: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation P.O. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON M5W 1E6 Please, please, please consider writing and mailing these people real letters, using the above address. Because they take more effort, letters carry more weight than phone calls, email messages, or web response forms. I'm going to give additional contact information, but again, I urge you to send a letter instead. Use the following methods only if you absolutely cannot write a letter. Email addresses: richard_stursberg@cbc.ca kirstine_layfield@cbc.ca fred_fuchs@cbc.ca susan_morgan@cbc.ca CBC main phone (to reach those people's offices): 416-205-3311 CBC Audience Relations phone (toll-free; works only within Canada): 1-866-306-4636 (1-866-306-INFO) CBC Audience Relations email: cbcinput@cbc.ca CBC Audience Relations website: www.cbc.ca/input Final thoughtsThank you for reading this far! I have just a few final comments.Thank you, everyone. Now, off to your computers/writing desks/whatever! |
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Current Air ScheduleWhere to find "North of 60" on TV |
North of 60 can be seen at the following times:
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DVDs/VideosThe latest information about Nof60 DVD releases |
| In October, 2004, Alliance Atlantis cancelled its plans to release Nof60 DVDs. We Nof60 fans have been trying to get them to change their minds again. However, it appears that AAC's home video plans are currently on hold pending the sale of the whole company. Please check back here occasionally for updates. There is one bit of DVD news: AudioVision Canada is selling a described-video version of "Dream Storm." I verified with them that there is not an alternate audio track, so you cannot turn off the description. Nonetheless, if this is something you're interested in having, you can order it from their website. It's available in DVD and VHS formats; also, you can get just the audio track on either CD or cassette. |
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AppearancesWhere to see your favorite "North of 60" actors in other shows and movies on U.S. and Canadian television |
| Ongoing appearances
Check your local schedules for the airtimes of these shows. Remember to check your TV listings for the exact airtimes in your area. You may also want to subscribe to Annie's Native celebrities mailing list to get other information about your other favorite native actors from Canada and the U.S. |
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Episode Guides
Essential "North of 60" reference information |
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I've written three different North of 60 episode lists and guides. Choose the one that meets your needs! |
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InterviewsTranscripts of my chats with "North of 60" cast and crew members. |
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Over the past couple of years, I've been lucky enough to visit the Nof60 set twice to interview cast and crew members. I've also conducted some additional interviews by telephone. Here's what's available: -- A greeting from Lawrence to Nof60 fans -- A greeting from Tina Louise to Nof60 fans -- A greeting from Tom to Nof60 fans -- A greeting from Michael to Nof60 fans -- A greeting from Tina to Nof60 fans -- A greeting from Lubo to Nof60 fans -- A greeting from Wilma to Nof60 fans -- A greeting from Michelle to Nof60 fans -- A greeting from Tim to Nof60 fans In addition, Montreal journalist Hélèna Katz interviewed John Bean (formerly known as John Oliver) in January, 2001 and kindly provided excerpts for my web site. And not actually an interview, but I ran into Tina Keeper, Gordon Tootoosis, and Tantoo Cardinal at the American Indian Film Festival in November, 200, and have posted a report with photos. |
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TV MoviesNews about the latest movie plus links to information on the previous ones. |
| The first North of 60 TV movie, entitled "In the Blue Ground," aired on CBC in March, 1999. "Trial by Fire" premiered in January, 2000. "Dream Storm" was broadcast in October, 2001. "Another Country" aired in February, 2003. "Distant Drumming premiered in January, 2005.
Click to see more information about the "North of 60" movies. |
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Cast & CharactersInformation about Lynx River residents and visitors |
| This information is now on my "Cast & Characters" page.
Or click on one of the links below to go to the specified section. |
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Fun & Games"North of 60" miscellany |
Fan map
Where do Nof60 fans live? Check out my North of 60 fan map to find out! If you have Javascript enabled in your browser, you can click on a state or province to see the names of the fans who've reported in from that location. Here's how you can get on the map:1. Send an email to patty@wintertime.com with the subject of "Fan map."
2. Copy and paste the following lines into it:
Your first name:3. Fill in the requested information and mail the message to me. If you are within 50 miles of a good-sized city, please provide that name instead of your actual town. That's because the scale of the map doesn't allow me to place markers with any great detail. Notice how the dot I've put on the map to indicate my location takes up all of the San Francisco Peninsula and South Bay! Also, if you're in Grinnell, Iowa, it's a lot faster for me to find Des Moines on a map than Grinnell. So, for example, if I were filling out this survey, I would put "San Jose" rather than "Sunnyvale." The 2005 Flood and Lynx River Map In June, 2005, several rivers in the Calgary area raged over their banks. There was extensive damage to the "North of 60" set southwest of Calgary along the Elbow River. You can see flood reports and photos on my 2005 Flood page. The page includes a map showing which areas of Lynx River were affected by the floodwaters. As a companion to the flood map, I've posted a regular map of Lynx River. Hope you enjoy it! Quizzes Try your luck at these North of 60 quizzes developed by Helena Katz and me. There are some spoilers in the answers (although not major ones), so you may not want to read them unless you've seen the whole series. Slavey Click here to see translations of some of the written Slavey that appeared under the opening credits of "Trial by Fire." |
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Photos"Lynx River" and related photos contributed by fans |
I've put all the set photos contributed by Nof60 fans on a new photos page. There are also some photos of the actual Canadian north.
In September, 2003, I had another great visit to Lynx River. This time, I took my new digital camera and took some high-resolution photos suitable for your computer desktop.
Band hall |
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LinksMore information about Nof60-related topics |
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