|
Name: Theresa
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : Also have many fond memories watching as a young girl in Ontario. In the sixties, there wasn't the massive selection of programs available, and this along with Rainbow country were faves. In particular, I just discovered my 2nd favorite singer (Clarice from the Christmas show Rudolph) guest-starred(Season 1, episode 14- Brannigans daughter) Her voice is exquisite, and I recently learned that she came from my province, Ontario, and one hour away from where I live. Sadly, she died a decade ago but I also learned she is buried not far from where I live. As soon as I'm able, I'll go pay my respects. Love this show!
|
|
Home Town: Peterborough
|
|
|
Name: JoAnne Power
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : Portugal Cove/St Philips, Newfoundland is where I live. Just around the corner from Gordons niece. Gordon is also my Brother in Arms. He too was a Veteran. Like me. So sad to have to say goodbye to such an amazing fella. RIP Brother.
From your Sister in Arms JoAnne aka Gunny and your Brother in Arms Keith aka Mr Gunny. You are missed already by so many. Thanks for the memories. I loved Forest Rangers......wanted to be one
|
|
Home Town: Saskatoon
|
|
|
|
Name: Reinhard Lehmann
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : I watched the series in Germany since 1969 ("Indian River" was the name in Germany.), we did not have a TV before....It was interesting to me because the film showed how interesting nature can be, and how dangerous...But what happened to Susan Conway ? I found her on the list, but not what she had done after the "Indian River" seasons. And what she does today...
|
|
Home Town: Rodorf
|
|
|
|
Name: Tim Ainslie
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : I was inspired by the show to get into fish and wildlife. I became a deputy conservation officer with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and retired after 23 years four years ago. I would like to thank the cast and crew for inspiring me to get into this field. I would watch The Forest Rangers every Saturday as a kid and loved the show.
|
|
Home Town: Wiarton
|
|
|
|
Name: John Kerry
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : Many people may not be aware that the British comic weekly Tiger ran a Forest Rangers strip at one time. It would be nice if those could be collected together. Not sure who would own the rights but possibly someone has an idea.
|
|
Home Town: Nanaimo
|
|
|
|
Name: Keith Young
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : Loved the show. glad i found the fan page and facebook site. thankful for the people who organized the reunions and the trek around the studio lot. met new friends and facebook connections because of the show. what a rush.
|
|
Home Town: Collingwood
|
|
|
|
Name: Joan Currie
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : I remember rushing home from school so I didn't miss an episode.
MANY years later I ran into Gordon Pinsent and we had a great chat about the show. Always one of my favourites!
|
|
Home Town: Capreol
|
|
|
|
Name: Terry
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : I attended the reunion in 2013 and it was great to see the cast. I'm an avid fan of the show and it takes me back to my youth. Unfortunately I didn't take any pics with the cast as they were swamped by fans but they were very friendly and gracious.
|
|
Home Town: Hamilton
|
|
|
|
Name: Dan Reid
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : watched the show in my early teens.
At the age of 17, I worked as a real Junior Ranger with the Department of Lands & Forests in 1974.
Wild Goose Lake Camp in Geraldton, Ontario.
It was the best summer of my life.
I dedicated my life to the outdoors & fished & hunted ever since.
Joe Two Rivers was my Idol & Chub was my fave ranger.
Thanx for the inspiration the show gave to me.
Indian River..forever
|
|
Home Town: Toronto
|
|
|
|
Name: John Deakin
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : In the late 2000's I saw episodes of the Forest Rangers on Sun TV. I searched about the Forest Rangers and discovered that a gentleman, Clayton Self had held a reunion in 2004 for the Forest Rangers cast. I sent an email to Clay asking if he intended on holding a 50 year reunion. He said he had no plans to do so, so I informed him, that I would like to hold a reunion.
Clay was good to me. He shared confidential email addresses of several of the cast with me. I wrote one by one to anyone connected with the show. I even had inside help from a gentleman who worked at ACTRA in locating some folks.
In thinking about where to hold the reunion, that was only one place, at the studios where the show was produced. So, I cold called the studios and was greeted by the vice-president of Cinespace Film Studios, and simply stated my case and asked if we could hold a reunion at his studios. He was enthusiastic about helping us hold a terrific reunion.
So on June 15, 2013 we held a 50 year reunion for the Forest Rangers. All nine junior rangers attended, as did family members of the crew and cast, along with Gordon Pinsent.
Another informal reunion is planned for Saturday, June 13, 2015 at 11:00 am at Cinespace Film Studios in Kleinburg, ON.
These reunions would not take place were it not for the help from volunteers, the assistance from Jim Mirkopoulos, vice-president of Cinespace Film Studios, but especially the cast and crew of the Forest Rangers television series. Thank you so much, everyone.
John Deakin
|
|
Home Town: Victoria Harbour
|
|
|
|
Name: Erica
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : So surprised to find this website! I felt like I was the only one who remembers watching this show...brings back so many great memories. Too bad kids today don't have shows like this to watch, it reinforced moral & social responsibility...something that is lost on today's "youth". I actually worked for Dept. of Natural Resources (a.k.a. Lands & Forests) here in NS for 9 yrs and even attended the Maritime Forest Ranger School in Fredericton, NB back in '95.
|
|
Home Town: Lunenberg
|
|
|
|
Name: Ron Stewart
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : I was only 3 to 5 years old when this series was running on our old cabinet style television set back on our farm and yet why is it that this show has such a spot in my heart? Can't figure it out..but I can always remember Rex Hagen and all the cast so well...I would actually like to have the serie on DVD? Does anyone know if its available? I turned 53 on December 6/ 2013 and maybe it just that I need to go back to a simpler time in my life and this series did that for me....it was a wonderful show and even though I was very young when it was on...I still remember and thats what feels good!
|
|
Home Town: Portage la Prairie
|
|
|
|
Name: Bryan
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : In the group photo, who is the woman on the right with pigtails? Is she related to Michael Zenon (Joe Two Rivers)? Who is the guy second-from-the-right; is it Michael Tully (who played Johnny O'Reilly) or Simon Tully (who played Timmy Forbes)?
|
|
Home Town: Calgary
|
|
|
|
Name: Len Birman
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : Your FR archive and all has put a big smile on my face . I'm delighted to
have made the discovery and to send my congratulations. I happened upon
it in the search for a truly special surprise for my wife.
In mid December, about two weeks from now, we will be celebrating the
50th anniversary of our meeting on the set of The Dentist's Dilemma in
Kleinberg.
She was Continuity/Script Supervisor Ruby Renaut and I was guesting as
Benton along with dear Jack Creley.
Needless to say, it would serve as a highlight at that time to surprise her
with a viewing of the show in whatever form is available.
I will look forward to hearing from you as to your best timely
recommendation and to keep it secret, since Ruby and I share email, would
you please refer to the show as 37.
Which leads me to this afterthought in passing FYI :
Your list is a reminder that I guested as Amik in 38 and as John Conaqueese
in 98, as well as a shot in Maxine's Seaway series The Only Good Indian
episode as Rita Moreno"s brother Woody Tworivers. She will be celebrated in
the coming SAG Awards - Lifetime Achievement. And that's her jubilee.
All these finds will be added to the Biog being prepared right now for IMDB
as well as Wikipedia.
Many thanks
|
|
Home Town: Toronto
|
|
|
|
Name: Mike Coady
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : Great web site,
I am sorry I just found it as I would have liked to attend the reunion this past June. As a son of a forest ranger I Could relate to the stories. I later became a forest ranger in 1974 and now in my retirement still enjoy watching the shows which I taped a number of years ago, have most of them.
Will now visit the fan site regularly.
All the best, Mike Coady.
|
|
Home Town: Sheet Harbour
|
|
|
|
Name: Robert Hickey
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : I have memories of the show being screened on a Saturday evening on the ITV network here in England.A number of years ago i met Graydon Gould at a tv event in Torquay,Devon and he was very nice even mailing me a photo of him and some of the junior rangers.Never did i imagine that one day i would travel from England to attend the 50th anniversary,but that is exactly what i did.What a joy to have coffee with George Allen and Matthew Ferguson and their wives in Toronto and to meet the rest of the gang including Gordon Pinsent the following day in Kleinburg.It was an unbelieveable day hearing the storys,meeting everyone and getting the autographs and photos.It was wonderful meeting Syme who for many years i had shared e-mails with.I have memories which will never fade of this fantastic day.
|
|
Home Town: London, UK
|
|
|
|
Name: Mike Ciupa
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : had the privilege of driving Matt and Jan Ferguson as well as Mr. Gordon Pinsent to the reunion. I felt honoured to be among these actors and listened raptly to their reminiscence.
After the fabulous day at the reunion, Mr. Pinsent asked me to drive through Kleinburg and he pointed out places that he had visited all those years ago.
Toronto traffic being what it is, we got bogged down on the Expressway and slowly made our way into the city core. Along Lake Shore Blvd. I noticed that Mr. Pinsent was tired and was resting his eyes. I was chatting with Matthew as we assumed that Mr. Pinsent may very well have nodded off. Matthew asked aloud, " I wonder if Gordon may know about (such and such?)... All of a sudden, Mr. Pinsent lifted his head and answered the question. Matthew remarked , " Just like a true actor! .. right on cue.
|
|
Home Town: Toronto
|
|
|
|
Name: Simon Tully (Timmy)
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : I would like to say it was a fantastic day and thanks to all the fans who were there and all the people who worked so hard to make this reunion possible. Although I only had a minor part, whenever they wanted a small trouble maker to fall down a mine, get lost or get kidnapped, you made us feel special (especially my sons). I was too young when the series was filmed to be able to remember much but for one all too brief moment we were transported back in time. Memories did come back of a very special period in my life thanks to you. Although my acting career ended some time ago I feel privileged to have had the experience.
|
|
Home Town: Ireland
|
|
|
|
Name: Anne
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : Hey there Forest Ranger Folks! Wow,50 years. I just wanted to let you all know that you have been an integral part of my best and oldest friend. Colleen and I became friends in the early 70's when were both at Holy Cross Elementary in Ottawa South. We thought we were pretty average kids but looking back, we were a little different. Colleen came from a family of two really young parents of five kids who were born really close together. Like I said, we were Catholic! I was the youngest of three girls, my sisters were 7 and 9 years older than I and the big kicker was that my mother was a really young widow. So, looking back, Colleen and I had a lot of stuff on our plates (which would go on to get filled to overflowing as the years went on!) but we didn't really give it much thought then. It was just how life was!
One summer day, as we lolled around one of our houses wishing we could be at camp, go swimming or just do something that would end out boredom (money was tight, our parents were pre-occupied with life, and we were 10 year olds seeking adventure. I mean after all, we read Nancy Drew!!!) we flipped on the old tv, black and white and you had to jam a folded matchbook in behind the channel change dial to get the picture to stay put, a show came on CBC called The Forest Rangers. What the heck was this? A bunch of kids, one of whom was named Chub (ya had to love it!), who went to this camp in the woods, had no parents, no real rules except those laid out by Keeley, who was pretty lax, all things considered, and they had adventures in the wilderness in Ontario. We were hooked. These kids were living the dream, as far as we were concerned - they camped, they got into "situations" that you never were sure were going to have a good ending and they drank Coffee, for gawd's sake!!! Cathy was always putting on that coffee pot! We watched them canoe, fight fires, catch poachers, foil skunks, you name it, they (or I guess you guys!) did it. Bu the best part was that Colleen (who later went on to do some acting work) and I were pretty good mimics and so we could get your barely pubescent voices down pretty well. It was hilarious to us and we immediately became Chub and Keeley to each other. She got to be Keeley because she was 4 months older and considerably taller than I and so yes, I need no description but I was Chub. That first summer we discovered you, everything was Forest Rangers. We would ride our bikes for miles through the arboretum at the Experimental Farm in Ottawa, pretending to spot unsavoury loggers. We'd go hiking near "the stream" which was really just a wet culvert area behind a construction site, convinced we seem some illegal anglers. It got kind of ridiculous but we had fun.
Time moved on, Colleen and I went to different high schools, still in Ottawa but we didn't see each other as much and to be blunt, The Forest Rangers weren't that cool when you were just in high school in the mid 70's. Let's face it, we had watched re-runs of your show and made it our own but disco was now on the rise. One thing, however, that never changed were Keeley and Chub. It was as though the names made us our own nerdy alter egos that was just between Colleen and I and it worked. It worked back then and it works to this day.
No matter how long we had gone between speaking with each other, we could just pick up the phone, wherever we were and with one "Hey Chub", I knew it was my very best friend on the other end of the line and visa versa. When Colleen's parents were going through a terrible, nasty divorce, Chub got the call and Keeley came to stay at our house for a bit. When Chub's mother re-married a not so great guy, Keeley was there in a minute to support me. And on it went; a pregnancy scare from some sexual abuse she suffered, when I heard "Chub I need you", I was there. When I called her in Toronto to say Chub needed a maid of honour at her elopement (just because we wanted to be married, not because I was pregnant), Keeley stood proudly by my side. Her marriage and subsequent divorce, the birth of my children, the deaths of our parents, and so on and so forth. To this day, when I pick up the phone and hear "Chub, how the hell are ya!" we both just crack up laughing.
On behalf of my Keeley and myself, I would like to thank all of you for being part of a show that in some ways, saved Colleen and I. Nobody else loved it like we did and it was so quirky, why would they? But it was our thing together and it cemented a friendship that has lasted since 1969/70 until today. In fact just the other day, when I forwarded her the article from the Ottawa Citizen about the reunion, it was only minutes before the phone rang and when I picked it up, that voice all the way from Los Angeles said "A is for Apple, pack the canoe Chub, we've got to get going"! And we were off again.
It never gets old for us and so I guess none of you do either. Have a great reunion from two little grown girls..
|
|
Home Town: Ottawa
|
|
|
|
Name: Al
|
|
Comment (48 words max) : I heard the CBC Radio One interview Saturday with several of the actors about The Forest Rangers reunion later in the day. I didn't know the show had such carriage around the globe and over the years. The interview brought back fond memories as a tween who enjoyed outdoor life and had a very small part in the production.
I was briefly a stand in for the character Mike Forbes because I could paddle a canoe. When I was 12 I lived beside the Credit River, went to Riverside Public School in Port Credit and paddled at the Mississauga Canoe Club across the road. One day someone from the production came to the Club looking for two kids who could paddle a canoe and had some resemblance to the characters 'Mike' and 'Pete'. I was picked for Mike, I think because I was short and fair haired and Donny Smith was picked for Pete, who was taller and had dark hair. My mother even had to dye my hair red to make me look more like Mike.
Several times we were picked up and taken to locations and told to jump in a river or into a canoe and paddle away. Once we were flown to Ottawa and taken to a location in Quebec I believe and stayed in a hotel for a few days with Donny's mother as our chaperone. We were asked to jump into some fast moving water with divers downstream to catch us. Later, paddle away in a canoe. It was a grand adventure for two kids and the bonus was we got paid for it. Certainly more than the paper route paid. Back at school we were celebrities for a day or two. All the kids watched The Forest Rangers. It was great fun. Thanks. Al...
|
|
Home Town: Mississauga
|
|
|
|