I had so much fun on Canadian Bandstand, i seen my self with freinds on the video you had posted in 1974. If there is a way for me too get this could you please e-mail it to myself or send the video to me on my face book. Thank you for the memories!!!

In the early 60s I went to Sacred Heart School in Kitchener and remember very well running off to be in the audience of the Big Al show. When it was over we would be able to pick from a selection of Dairy Queen products. I always picked the Dilly Bar.

To answer a viewers question. “What happened to George Hewitt?” ….Well OPEN ROADS the TV SHOW, was a ground breaker in many ways right from the first day, mid 1970’s, that Don Wilcox signed the ‘Ol Cowboy and gave me full control and a wide range to bring my cowboy real life adventures to CKCO TV,
Early 1980’s Molson and CBC signed me to do a second weekly program from Windsor Raceway live every Thursday night. I left that as a top rated show after two years. I just did not have the time to do both series plus the TV commercials I was ask to do and I was still involved in Announcing Rodeo and other sporting events.
About the early 1980’s Disney took an interest in me and I agreed to do 3 programs with the Disney Television crew in the USA. In 1998 I was recruited as a member of the Opening Team for Walt Disney’s Animal Kingdom. I stayed with Disney for three years. also as a photographer.
CKCO days. In 1986 I took OPEN ROADS into syndication and was viewed in over 300 markets world wide including the Canadian Armed Forces and ships at sea.
Memories were fond and many over those years. I still talk to Don Wilcox once in awhile and I mention him in the first of two auto biographies I have written about my life and adventures titled “KEEP SPURRING ’til the WHISTLE BLOWS” and “KEEP SPURRING the Sequel” and to quote Don Wilcox “What a wild ride they are.” The books have received rave reviews and a movie offer is being considered.
Present days 2016, at 80 years I’m alive and still kicking. Well honestly the kicks are not nearly as high or as hard as they were way back in the 1970/80’s.
Old RODEO injuries combined with many more horse or hockey related injuries over my life, have followed me and remain an every day reminder of what the life of a rodeo cowboy and of course the breaking and training of horses and my other dangerous adventures can do to the human body.
So thanks for the memories and — So next time some one asks what has happened to George Hewitt you can give the answer…

Until next Time—— I’m George Hewitt. still traveling down the OPEN ROADS…..

Ron Roberts who was an announcer billed as “The Round Mound of Sound” died May 2015.

Thanks Bob Tiffin for telling me about this site. Some great stuff. One show that I don’t see on the lists- was my show- ‘Backstage At The Centre (in the square)’ done in 1980- 81- 1 season of 26 shows- Lionel Shenken & Visual Productions was the producer. They wouldn’t do my show- unless I brought in a ‘reputable?’ producer. We shot at the Centre & at CKCO studios- interviews- clips from shows- original songs etc. We were on Sundays at 6:30 pm- replacing Walter Ostanek- for 1 season. I also appeared with Elaine Cole- Betty Thompson- Johnnie Walters- the news at noon- the local production of the Terry Fox telethon- (I was called & booked to appear on CTV- but then all the stars came out- & I was cancelled for the national production) I wrote a song- ‘So Little Time’ that was used by the Canadian Cancer Society- & I spent time with Terry Fox on the road. Looking forward to reading more good stuff here! Cheers! Randy Stewart Rollo

Just happened on the site. Sad seeing so many familiar names “in memory”. I retired from CBC Vancouver in ’97, and after many fine years in Banff, am now living in Victoria. Cheers to old friends !

Thanks for this site! I came upon this as I was looking for more BG material of Denis Faucon for a memorial site I run for shooters, sorry to see familiar names to add.

Coming out of Humber College’s Creative Cinematography course, in 1978, my first job (part time) was at CKCO. It was in the old building that I met Peter Ferguson. My first shoot was with a Bell & Howell 70 spring wind camera. I was sent on my own to cover a contracts talk meeting at Goodrich. A notepad and a B&H, 100′ of film. The receptionist at the front desk directed me to the meeting room. I entered a large room that had a lot of chairs, empty except for a long table at the front with some people around it. I took a seat, pretty well alone in this cavernous room. The people at the front wre arguing, I started taking notes..not knowing what was going on. I pulled the B&H up, wound and began to shoot. The B&H was known as a stealth camera, the loud whirring attracted the table peoples attention. One person came, asked who I was. I told him…his eyes went a little wide and he said “Son, this is a closed private meeting..you have to leave”. I was escorted out the building. I thought I was in trouble back in the newsroom. Ron Johnston, Gary McLaren and others laughed, it was a gag, no one thought I’d get in. Goodrich called to complain..so started my colourful career as a news shooter.At CKCO, many more experiences with a lot of good,fun people.

Only a few there I guess remember the film room floods!

Thanks for the great work….so many memories ….so many great people…..I was so happy to be a small part of CKCO and its many talented people…… I have some photos you may be interested…….. one of the original Tree House crew…..

Cheers
Ken

Hi, Thanks for the walk down memory lane. Some 43 years ago a friend and I approached Big Al after one of his shows and asked if we could do book reports on his show … he looked at me and said we will see. A couple of weeks later I approached him again and said ok let’s try it but you better read the books.

My friend and I stumble through it on Fridays … eventually we were tired of ready and was let off the hook, shortly after that the Kitchener Library started doing the book reports … we were so proud that we started the ball rolling but were even more grateful that we were done all that reading.

Thanks to Big Al etc.

I remember, and always shall, the day I was acting as the Boom man! I was working as an Engineering secretary under Paul Turchen (pardon the spelling of his name). Nevertheless I did as most of us tried to do, that was to broaden our experiences in all areas of television. So from time to time I’d slip in and do Audio control in the morning and then I promoted myself to Boom operator.

This memorable day I was “booming” for Elaine Cole, on the Elaine Cole Show when someone came out of News during an intermission and told all of us that “President Kennedy had been assassinated “.

In shock and speechless, we all went on and did the show and the guests that day were valiant under the circumstances.

Regards to all and thanks for creating my treasured memories of our great CKCO station and family.

In 1967 I was the features and fashion writer at the Kitchener-Waterloo Record and a member of the swont Press Club. Because of the “revolution” in the music and fashion world, the club decided that its next big shindig would be more modern and I was roped in by Frances Denney (my editor) to put together some entertainment to go with the pigs’ ears. (I loved it. I probably would have begged to do it.)

There was a fellow with a mod clothing store in waterloo, Ross Litwiller, whom I hired to put on a fashion show. He also knew some people who were doing body painting. So to advertise this upcoming event, I went on the Elaine Cole show with a motley gang of hairdressers, dress designers, and a girl in a bikini, who was body painted on Elaine’s show and which – I was told – was a first in that people generally appeared on Elaine’s show dressed.

That episode had a huge viewership and we sold out tickets to the event PDQ.