Once Upon a Time in Hollywood North
Knockabout Media
Recent Episodes
In this episode, we explore the 50-year legacy of Toronto’s kids’ programming — from Uncle Chichimus and Canadian Howdy Doody to Razzle Dazzle, Today’s Special, The Kids of Degrassi Street, and the birth of YTV. Ed and Ryan discuss the early days of CBC children’s programming, the influence of Sesame Street, Francophone broadcasting in Ontario, and even the role of Christian programming in shaping the media landscape.
If you love production history, nostalgia, and behind-the-scenes stories of classic CanCon, this episode is for you.
Order Ed’s book, Imagination: The Golden Age of Toronto Kids’ TV, from Dundurn Press or your favourite bookseller.
Written & Hosted by Ryan Barnett
Produced by Ryan Barnett & Sonia Gemmiti
A Knockabout Media Production
Archival audio courtesy of Retrontario.
*This program and all relevant content is for educational purposes only and to the best of our knowledge is being used under Fair Dealing/Fair Use Act guidelines and within Canadian and United States standards of fair dealing/fair use*
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What if your middle school English project became a published book? That’s exactly what happened to Gordon Korman. At just 12 years old, he turned a classroom assignment into This Can’t Be Happening at Macdonald Hall—the start of a legendary career in children’s literature.
Featuring insights from cultural historian Ed Conroy (Retrontario) and Gordon Korman himself, this episode is a nostalgic, funny, and inspiring look at how a kid from Thornhill, Ontario became a household name in children’s literature.
For more reading:
Snoop by Gordon Korman here.
ImagiNation: The Golden Age of Toronto Kids' TV by Ed Conroy available here.
Follow us on our socials: Instagram, Bluesky, LinkedIn, YouTube
Written & Hosted by Ryan Barnett
Produced by Ryan Barnett & Sonia Gemmiti
Recorded by Tyler Rauman
Featuring Gordon Korman & Ed Conroy
A Knockabout Media Production
Additional audio material:
Newspapers.com, CBC
*This program and all relevant content is for educational purposes only and to the best of our knowledge is being used under Fair Dealing/Fair Use Act guidelines and within Canadian and United States standards of fair dealing/fair use*
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Author Paul Myers talks about his new book John Candy: A Life in Comedy—exploring what made Candy funny, with anecdotes about Chevy Chase, Richard Pryor, Dave Thomas, and more.
Paul Myers is a Canadian writer and musician living in Berkeley, California. His previous books include The Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy, which was the source for the Canadian Screen Award-winning documentary The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks from Amazon Studios, and the critically acclaimed A Wizard a True Star: Todd Rundgren in the Studio; It Ain’t Easy: Long John Baldry and the Birth of the British Blues; and Barenaked Ladies: Public Stunts, Private Stories.
More About:
John Candy: A Life in Comedy
Drawing on extensive research and exclusive interviews with many of Candy’s closest friends and colleagues, including Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Steve Martin, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, and many more, John Candy: A Life in Comedy celebrates the comedian’s unparalleled talent, infectious charm, and generosity of spirit. Through ups and downs, successes and failures, and struggles with anxiety and self-doubt, Candy faced the world with a big smile and a warm demeanour that earned him the love and adoration of fans around the world.
Written & Hosted by Ryan Barnett
Produced by Ryan Barnett & Sonia Gemmiti
Recorded by Tyler Rauman
A Knockabout Media Production
*This program and all relevant content is for educational purposes only and to the best of our knowledge is being used under Fair Dealing/Fair Use Act guidelines and within Canadian and United States standards of fair dealing/fair use*
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What makes a John Candy classic? Ryan Barnett invites Joe Ramoni (Hats Off Entertainment) and Tracey Morgan (author of Searching for Candy) to take a joyous, laugh-filled tour through John Candy’s entire filmography — from beloved hits to forgotten gems. Along the way, they debate, reminisce, and wrestle with the impossible task: narrowing it all down to the 10 essential John Candy movies. Biting The Big Picture's beloved format, this special episode is a celebration of heart, humour, and the man who could make anyone smile.
About our guests:
Tracey Morgan is an animal lover and John Candy biographer. She lives in Shrewsbury, UK, with her cats, boyfriend and chicken.
Joe Ramoni is a filmmaker and content creator, presenter of Hats Off Entertainment on YouTube and Co-host of Almost Cult Classics the podcast.
See John in Career Opportunities here!
John Candy: The Lou Gehrig of Comedy is a series that honours the timeless humour and heartfelt performances of John Candy, star of hits like Splash, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and Home Alone.
Follow us on our socials: Instagram, Bluesky, LinkedIn, YouTube & Substack
Written & Hosted by Ryan Barnett
Produced by Ryan Barnett & Sonia Gemmiti
Recorded by Tyler Rauman
A Knockabout Media Production
*This program and all relevant content is for educational purposes only and to the best of our knowledge is being used under Fair Dealing/Fair Use Act guidelines and within Canadian and United States standards of fair dealing/fair use*
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.