Gary'sGlimpses

Drinking with Richard Burton  "During the making of 'Circle of Two', I had the privilege of being Richard Burton's drinking companion. While I wasn't part of the actual filming, my company UDO Productions had owned the movie and sold it to Bill and Hank and I had been finishing some details. Every day, I would be sitting in the 22, and at the end of the day, Bob Harris, Richard's valet, would come in and hand me a crisp twenty-dollar bill. It was my winnings from our ongoing bet on the World Series. Richard had chosen the Phillies, while I went for Kansas City. As part of my ritual, I would always buy the loser a drink. And as soon as I pocketed the twenty, Richard would slip into the booth to collect his drink. But when he won, he would show up alone, collect his twenty, and buy me a drink in return. (The series went for seven games, with Kansas City ultimately emerging victorious.) Our friendly competition wasn't about the money, it was just an excuse f...

In the heart of Toronto, I ran an exclusive after-hours bar, a hidden gem known for its unique clientele and enigmatic charm. Gaining entry to this clandestine establishment wasn't easy; you either had to be a celebrity, most notably a musician, or have the privilege of knowing me personally. This unwritten rule provided a layer of secrecy that kept the authorities at bay for a long time. It was a sanctuary for those who craved anonymity and the freedom to unwind without the scrutiny of the public eye. One memorable evening, as I was tending to the door, a tall man donning braids and a large white cowboy hat appeared. He introduced himself in a confident yet humble manner. "Gary, you don't know me. I am Gordon Tootoosis," he said. "I am an actor, and a good actor too, I can play any tribe." His earnest declaration and imposing presence were enough for me to grant him entry. Gordon's reputation preceded him, particularly for his role in the movie Alien Th...

Michael Snow SALUTE Michael Snow a Canadian Icon has passed away. Condolences to family and friends I had the pleasure of knowing Michael personally and even attending a few of his art openings. We would often share a glass or two, and maybe even a toke or two, while listening to the talented Jazz band he would bring along. Though I must admit, I did suffer through a couple of his more experimental films. But let's not make this story about me. It's about the incredible party I was invited to after a Michael Snow retrospective at the AGO. Held in a lavish mansion in the affluent neighborhood of Rosedale, Toronto, I couldn't help but feel like a stranger in a strange land. The party had all the makings of a great time with delicious food and an abundance of booze, but it seemed like the usual crowd was missing. Even my attempts to strike up a conversation with Michael were thwarted by the never-ending line of admirers. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, I excused myself to find ...

I met Farley in the 60's we had the same Hair Stylist (Chris Beacom) and we had a few drinks at the Pilot and talked of Newfoundland. i remember one of his lines. I would like to go back to Newfoundland, maybe when Joey dies.

I met Vera Lynn at the start of a parade in Toronto. the parade was forming at the legislature grounds on University Ave. I was tooling around on my bicycle and chatting with some people I knew in the parade. (Elwy Yost for one) When a bus with an American marching band arrived late. This held up the parade and I peddled slowly on down by the waiting parade. And There was Vera Lynn sitting alone in the back of a huge old Bentley limo convertible. She asked me if I knew why the parade hadn't started so I told her why and she just started chatting asking questions about Toronto etc. and we chatted for about 10 minutes until the parade started. She was very natural gracious and open and I was thrilled to meet her

Roy Payne does not get his due as a great Canadian songwriter. he wrote two truly great songs. 'I wouldn't take a million dollars for a single Maple Leaf' which he wrote when he was in the Canadian Army in Egypt. And 'There are no price tags on the doors of Newfoundland ' both of which can be considered anthems No question that he was a character I met him in Toronto in the summer of 75. The Horseshoe was still Country and Western. I had moved in across the street in June and the Horseshoe had become my local and by then I had set up an after-hours club. (booze can). It came to pass that Roy owed Morty Star (The manager of the Horseshoe) $3,000.00. so Morty hired Roy for the whole month of August. the idea that he could get his money back. He made strict rules that Roy could have no bar privileges and that he wasn't to drink. So I am sitting in a booth in the east half of the huge bar. Drinking jugs of drafts with a couple of friends Roy was just setting up fo...

I saw and met Dick Nolan and had a drink or two with him  when I was hanging out with Roy Payne at the horseshoe in Toronto. He had one of those great voices. CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR MUSIC

Me and Keenan Wynn Spent the afternoon chatting with him in between takes of the 'Littlest Hobo shoot at my parent's place. ( The Balloonist 1980) I wish I knew then what I know now. So many movies of 40s and fifties have Keenan in them that i watched on TCM. I had no idea he was so versatile and prolific. he did not give autographs because of Parkinsons I think. But had continuity girl take a Polaroid

I met Norman at the Club 22 at the Windsor Arms in Toronto sometime around 78 79 I forget exactly how we met but I think we were both drinking alone in a slow afternoon in the bar. It took me a few minutes but I remember his eyes lit up a bit when I recognized him. I was very young when he was the figurehead of CBC News. I knew both of his children David from Hippie days and Suzanne from the movie biz. He had seemed a little bit sad and a bit lost but brightened to have an avid listener. He had great stories and enlightened opinions. For about six months or so I would see him once a week or so and always happy to chat. One afternoon I happened to be sitting with a couple of CTV people when he came in I invited to our table and introduced him. I remember his smile as he received words of admiration. I was saddened to see some weeks later that he had been mugged and beaten badly. He died not long afterwards

I don't remember how or where I met Gerry but it was in 1967 at one of the many Art party openings etc. Somehow i became Gerry's poor struggling artist and he liked buying me a few drinks and a chat at occasional meetings we became good friends over the years and in the eighties when he had moved to Beaverton he usually looked for me at the Club 22 for an hour or so of drinks and talk. I was also friends with his wife Sheila and I even silkscreened some material for her fashion designs. I remember one night at the old pilot i came in a Gerry invited me to sit with his large party which included a renowned heart surgeon and Eric Nesterenko the hockey player. They were buying rounds which were fairly expensive so when it was my turn Gerry said I will pay for the poor artist. As it happened I had $6000 in my pocket for a group cannabis deal. So I couldn't help but bring out the roll and pay the round. Mostly we met at Art openings but later he would seek me out at the 22 and...

I was soon good friends with Jerry Santbergen who was at least a bit of a media star. He had moved to Toronto with his girlfriend Kaaren Blatchford. Jerry rented the former Bohemian Embassy as his studio. I worked with Jerry a lot of the time and we moved a little dope to pay the bills One of the more fun things was The Electro-Magnetic Spectrum Band also known as the silicon control or the Solid State Waste Removal Company orchestra and chorus. the rule was you weren't allowed to have ever played a musical instrument So Tom Sinew was kicked out and I took his place. Bart Scoales. Ziggy Blazer, Jerry Santbergen, Moses Smith, and me had an avant-garde band in 1967 We played Tape recorders, movie and slide projectors, and strobe lights and a wind machine and incense, etc. Sam The Record Man let Jerry and I use any of his records we wanted to tape. We had Philips 2 track tape recorders and taped different music on each track and blended it. We played one gig at McGill University in Ha...

RON BERKELEY Ron Berkeley, an Emmy-winning makeup artist who worked with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor on such films as Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Taming of the Shrew, has died. He was 86. Ron and I became friends during the shooting of 'Circle of Two" He was Richard Burton's personal Makeup Man. Ron and I hung out together for most of the movie too and stayed in touch for some years. he had great stories and he wrote me great letters  He told me He first worked for his father who was also a make-up man when he was 15. His father gave him the job of shaving Marlene Detriche's legs I became Richard Burton's Drinking buddy during the shooting of Circle Of Two. (1979)I also became friends with Richard's make-up man Ron Berkely. They had a script Ron had been working on for a project they wanted to do. I made a few suggestions during one of the discussions and they asked me to write a scene for them The scene involved Billy Connelly in Paris. s...

I spent a couple of afternoons chatting with Kitty Wells. This was in the country heyday of the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. She would have been in her fifties then. Her touring band was run like a tight ship. Everybody in the band or on the bus had like 3 jobs. It was eye-opening to watch an old pro in action. She had every money-making gimmick in the bag. The act was slick and tight, She had a thin voice and a bit off-key but she knew how to use it and people loved it. CLICK ON PHOTO FOR MUSIC

I went to a couple of parties at Footsies thanks to Cathy. I knew Gord well enough to have a couple of drinks. I met him on the street one day and we went to a bar. I ordered a beer and he ordered a pitcher of martinis. I had backstage passes to one of his shows at Massey hall. for some reason he always called me Mike. lol Time is catching up with all of so sad to see him go.

"Experienced the legendary charm of Peter O'Toole at the Toronto Film Festival in 1977. As host of the Hospitality suite, I had the privilege of chatting with the renowned actor. But that's not all - Donald Sutherland himself approached me, requesting a private place for Peter and him to meet for the first time. As I opened a bedroom and set up a mini bar, I couldn't help but feel like I was part of a special moment in Hollywood history. Later on, I ran into Peter at Club 22 at the Windsor Arms. He gave me a nod as he passed by with his girlfriend/keeper. But little did she know, he had a mischievous plan up his sleeve. As soon as she left for the washroom, he slyly ordered two no. 4, no. 6 shots of rum and finished them off before she returned. It was clear that Peter O'Toole was a true rebel with a charming smile to match."

Rick McCarthy I knew Rick since 1965. We were next-door neighbours for a year in Toronto. I had several artworks of his that were lost when I lost my house. I knew Rick in his drinking days. He could be obnoxious and rowdy  As it was he found my after-hours bar and drank on a never pay Tab . I didn't really care too much until one night. He drank a snoot full and vomited all over the floor. Now I ran a place for drunks and i had the equipment to clean it up which i did quickly. I didn't really get upset until he cleaned himself up sat back on the bar stool and turned to the person beside him and said" I think they put something in the drinks here." It was then that I threw him out and barred him. I ran into him a few years later. He had quit drinking and after spending an afternoon with him I much preferred him when he was drinking. anyway, it seems he is still at it, and good for him. Canadian artist Rick McCarthy was born in Montreal, Quebec in September 1941, liv...

Lou Miles was a famous Toronto Tailor and a man about town. We became great friends and went out on many parties dinners and the like with his girlfriend Wendy. They also spent many nights at my bar.

Austin Clarke Another old friend bit the dust. I met Austin in the pilot in 1965. We assumed he was a student he looked studious always neatly dressed in a shirt and tie and a blazer. with dark-rimmed glasses, He kept pretty much to himself usually sitting in the front with enough light to read. Somehow we got together and had many great conversations over a year or so. He had unassuming intelligence, and curiosity and was a great storyteller.  He mentioned writing a book I had never heard of. Then suddenly he wrote a piece for the Telegram or Maclean's or something entitled " I Have No White Friends". I confronted him "Hey I thought we were friends." " ya we are friends he grinned and bought he drinks." I didn't mean it that way more political like' and we continued our friendly talks until he published a book and disappeared from the scene. A few years later I met him at the track with his wife and we had a pretty good day and went out for ...

 Dianne was a regular good looking and engaging. She moved to L.A. about the sametime I moved to the movie biz. She Edits and Publishes  an online magazine there

Dianne spent many nights at my bar and we had a close personal relationship that in another time and place could have gotten very serious. Dianne Mae Heatherington  (May 14, 1948 – October 22, 1996) was a  Canadian  singer of several genres, particularly rock, whose musical career spanned nearly two decades. In the latter part of her career, she became a successful businessperson in the film security industry, while at the same time enjoying modest success as a Canadian film and television actress. She was nominated for a  Juno Award in 1981  in the category of  Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year . She also hosted her own national  CBC Television  series,  Dianne , in 1971. [1] In May 1993, she was diagnosed with  ovarian cancer  from which she died on October 22, 1996, aged 48, in Toronto. [2] CLICK ON PHOTO FOR MUSIC

I met Peter when he was doing his TV Show. I guess it put him under a lot of pressure. He would come to my bar a couple of times a week to unwind. We spent many a night just the 2 of us in my backroom playing pinball for 20 bucks a game. We talked about a lot of things. One morning for some reason we ended up back at his place, some lady making breakfast or something. At eight o clock in the morning we were sitting at his kitchen table on Yorkville Ave. with a bottle of wine on the go. We were very very drunk. Out of the blue he stops and says. "Want to know what is the most important thing I ever did in my life?" Of course I said "Sure." he proceeded to tell me about a hockey game he had played. Something about beating a really tough team from another town. I don't remember how old he was when he played this game or anything. I just thought of all the things he had accomplished and that is what he thought of. It was not long after this that Peter wrote "...

I always had time for Reiner. Not long before he died he messaged me apologizing for not talking to me more and I would second that. We had a couple of little adventures together and a few great get-togethers. I was part of a conspiracy with MacLean & Maclean to say fuck on his show.

 Burton Cummings is no longer talking to me. I have had a troubled history with Burton Gary MacLean was a friend of Burton's and he brought him to my after-hours bar and introduced him. I bought him a drink e chatted for a while and i drifted off to tend to some bar business. Suddenly there is an awful racket screaming and yelling. It is Burton and he is attacking Peter Gzowski. I can't believe it. At his time Peter was doing his TVshow and he and his crew were my best customers They were there every night the show was on (not always peter) They were the major source of my Income and there was no question. I escorted Burton out the door. 15 Minutes later Burton shows up and apologizes profusely saying he won't do it again.  I buy him a drink. In 15 minutes he's yelling at Gzowski again. (I have no idea what the problem was. It was beside the point.I escort him out. He came back and apologizes profusely says he won't do it again.  I buy him a drink. In 15 minutes he...

  Nick St. Nicholas, My dear friend Lesley McDonell married Nick. One night at my club she mentioned that Nick was starting a new band and he needed a space to rehearse and could he rent my space during the day. Anything for Lesley I agreed. I gave her a key and didn't give it another thought until Monday morning. I wake up to loud solo Bass. I forgot I slept upstairs during the day. One week of Bass. Next week Bass and Drums next week would have been Bass, Drums, Rythem Guitar. ETC. By then I had moved out to a Hotel for the next 2 months.  

Wow Patrick Watson died on my birthday. I was always a big admirer of Patrick from 'this hour has seven days" I met Patrick through Robert Markle. Patrick often showed up in the Toronto Art scene and we became casual friends. Then one day he called me to meet for drinks and he said his son had been going to my after-hours bar and had told Patrick how much he liked our late-night conversations with me. (I am not sure if I even knew he was Patrick's son) Anyway, Patrick just wanted to thank me for friending his son and hoped I would continue the friendship. I eventually lost contact with his son and I heard he died tragically. I felt lucky to know Patrick he was an oner, one of those guys who was brilliant and creative. unquestionable integrity. he was a great guy to talk to. I will always regret not being able to have spent more time with him.   

I was Henry Winkler's Bodyguard. (Would you believe minder?) At the second Festival of Festivals Film Festival in Toronto. I was a friend of Bill Marshals and ended up with all sorts of odd jobs. Like I was the host of the Hospitality Suite. However, at one of the celebrity parties, Bill asked me to accompany Henry. My job was to distract over-attentive fans and stop photographers from taking pictures of him smoking. I regret to say I didn't get much time to talk to him. I was kept busy with fans. When Henry had enough of talking to one. He would give me the nod. and I would enter the conversation giving Henry time to slip away.

"I sat in the dimly lit Grossman's Tavern  sipping on my drink, when in walked Cliff Bastien, the talented frontman of the band I managed.  he asked if I wanted to join him in seeing the legendary Fats Domino, who was performing at the El Macambo just a block up the street. I eagerly accepted and we made our way to the venue. As soon as we arrived, the energy in the air was electric. Fats Domino took the stage, effortlessly entertaining the crowd with his famous hits. Cliff and I were mesmerized by his performance, tapping our feet and singing along. After the first set, Cliff led me to the dressing room, where he confidently knocked on the door. To my surprise, Fats opened it with a warm smile and welcomed us inside. As Cliff introduced us, I couldn't help but feel starstruck in the presence of such a musical legend. To my amazement, Cliff and Fats were old friends. Cliff started telling Fats stories about Fat's relatives. Fats turned to me and said " Man he kn...

  Mike and my Mother  MICHAEL IRONSIDE(my crazy friendship with him.) I used to be in the movie business but when I met Michael I was  Toronto's leading  'bootlegger' I owned an after-hours club that was basically for musicians but I expanded it to the famous. And I had been notorious in the 60s for my lavish parties and I slowly built up an illegal business it was a lot of fun and very profitable and I met everybody and their dog. Mike was at the Art College of Ontario and had made this acclaimed 8mm film that won an award and thought he was somebody.  Meanwhile, I was the King of Toronto in those days (lol) and we clashed often, it took a couple of years for us to become friends he kept after me. Finally, when we did become friends, we were good friends.  People have often asked me how mike got his scar. Mike got his scar before I met him.  He told me he was sitting in his girlfriend's house having a beer and waiting while she changed as they were go...

I had known Ian for a bunch of years and he was a good friend of Morgan Vice who lived in one of my upstairs rooms. (Only musicians could live above an after hours club) Ian was going through a rough time when his marriage was breaking up and spent a lot of time in the bar and Morgan's place. One night Gary MacLean comes by. The Macleans had started as the folk group the vicious circle and Gary was a big fan of Ian's. SoI told him Ian was there. He was very excited to meet him and when I couldn't find him I led Gary up to Morgans's room. The door was open and in the dimly lit room, Ian was passed out on the floor. what could I do? "Ian Tyson, meet "Gary MacLean, "Gary Maclean, meet Ian Tyson.' Gary bent down, "Jesus he said That is Ian Tyson." (sorry Ian it was a long time ago) Some weeks later Ian came in with Christine Wookie. He was schmoozing and I got into a long talk with Christine. We hit it off pretty well in a friend like fashion an...

 I knew Al from the early sixties. he was a talented folk singer. He got involved in Scientology and seemed to lose it. He was mostly driving Cab when he hung out at my place in the seventies. He talked about a comeback but it never happened.