On tapping feats

According to its own website, "Canada’s Walk of Fame is the most prestigious recognition of achievement in Canada."

http://www.canadaswalkoffame.com

Okay. Let's take a look at how well Ottawa-born big screen talents are represented:

The first Canadian movie to win Film of the Year from the Canadian Film Awards - eventually renamed the Genie Awards - was the 1948 short The Loon's Necklace (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250512/), produced for the National Film Board by Ottawa's Crawley Films (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crawley_Films). 

 http://www.onf-nfb.gc.ca/eng/collection/film/?id=15159

Crawley Films would win it again in 1952 for Newfoundland Scene, and its Ottawa-born helmer F.R. "Budge" Crawley (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0187008/) would win a 1986 Genie Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Canadian Film Industry. Beyond Canada, Crawley Films' 1975 feature The Man Who Skied Down Everest (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073340/) won the Oscar® for Best Feature Length Documentary.

http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ampas_awards/DisplayMain.jsp?curTime=1291010870444

An Academy Award, two "Film of the Year" Awards, plus additional recognition from the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Impressive. No star for Budge or for Crawley Films, though.

Next...

Ottawa-born Suzanne Cloutier (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167235/) starred as Desdemona in Orson Welles' 1952 big screen adaptation of The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice, and in actor/director/husband Peter Ustinov's comedy Romanoff and Juliet (1961).

http://www.life.com/image/50510244

She was also featured on the cover of Life magazine (inset cover image found on ebay). Very cool. No star for Suzanne Cloutier, either.

What about Rockliffe Fellowes (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0271503/), featured in the Joan Crawford silent The Taxi Dancer (1927) and The Marx Brothers' Monkey Business (1931)? How about Andrew and George Holland, the Ottawa brothers - mentioned in this blog before - who opened North America's first movie house in New York City? Perhaps Lucie Mitchell (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0593549/)? Born in Ottawa, she starred in what some consider to be one of the important early films made in Québec: Little Aurore's Tragedy (1952).

Nope. No star on Canada's Walk of Fame for Rockliffe. Or for the Holland Brothers. Or for Lucie.

So, has anyone from Ottawa been awarded a star on the shiny sidewalks around Roy Thomson Hall after-all?

Yes.

Any movie stars? 

Yes. And, maybe.

Famed impressionist and TV/movie actor Rich Little (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0514648/) was one of the first Canadian-born celebrities to be awarded a star on Canada's Walk of Fame, back when it began in 1998. Dan Aykroyd (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000101/) was awarded a star in 2002. Alanis Morissette (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001551/) has done some film work but her 2005 star was awarded for her music. Same goes for longtime Las Vegas headliner and sporadic big screen personality Paul Anka (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001912/), inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame that same year.

A few books by 2001 CWF inductee and renowned Ottawa-born author Margaret Atwood (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0041194/) have been adapted for film. Daniel Lanois (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0487011/) was born in Gatineau (formerly Hull), has produced several movie soundtracks and was awarded his CWF star in 2005.

Nice.

There's now some indication that Lorne Greene (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001296/) was posthumously nominated this year for induction, for his legacy in Canadian broadcasting. Greene actually worked for Crawley Films way back when, incidentally.

Another interesting tidbit is, if awarded a Toronto star, Greene will become only the third Ottawan - after Little and Anka - celebrated by both Canada's Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

http://www.hollywoodchamber.net/

CAPITAL REEL ROUND-UP:

Old Ottawa South Community Association: Christmas screenings at the Mayfair Theatre - Dec. 12, 1 and 7 pm
Join OSCA in a celebration of the holiday season with your friends and neighbours on Sunday, December 12th for two great Christmas movies.
http://www.oldottawasouth.ca/index.php/oos-news/1199-christmas-movies-at-the-mayfair


Rainbow Cinemas Ottawa: Free screening - Dec. 11 & 18, 11 am
http://www.rainbowcinemas.ca/A/?theatre=Ottawa


Ottawa Folklore Centre: Ukulele Day at the Mayfair Theatre - Dec. 5, 1  pm
http://www.ottawafolklore.com/2010/11/dec-5th-is-ukulele-day/


Breathless Ottawa: BDSM Movie Screening - Dec. 2, 7 pm
Breathless is a community centre and private club that caters to alternative lifestyles such as BDSM, swinging, GLBTQ, goth, pagan, and many more.
http://www.breathlessottawa.com/events.html


Thanks for checking in.