Title and statement of responsibility area
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- Textual record
- Graphic material
- Sound recording
- Moving images
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Dates of creation area
Date(s)
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1973-1999, predominant 1980-1999 (Creation)
- Creator
- Forsyth, Rob
Physical description area
Physical description
4.2 metres of textual records
ca. 115 photographs : b&w and col. ; 20 x 24 cm or smaller.
22 audio cassettes
74 videocassettes ; VHS and Beta
1 film reel : 16 mm
1 audio reel
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to Austin and Ethyl Forsyth, script writer Robert William Forsyth (10 September 1949 -- 13 September 1999) studied arts and psychology at York University from 1967 to 1971.
Rob Forsyth began working in television in the nineteen seventies, writing scripts for episodes of CTV and CBC crime dramas such as "Sidestreet" and "Night Heat". In the 1980s and 1990s, Forsyth wrote for such television series as "Beyond Reality", "The Campbells", "Cold Case", "Due South", "Emily of New Moon", "E.N.G.", "North of 60" and "Outer Limits". Forsyth also wrote and developed a number of made-for-television movies and mini-series, including "John Ware", "Murder Most Likely" "Race For The Bomb", "Vanderberg" and "The Winnings of Frankie Walls".
Forsyth is perhaps best known for his script adaptation of M.T. Kelly's novel "A Dream Like Mine", which was made into the controversial independent film "Clearcut", staring Michael Hogan and Graham Greene. He also wrote the scripts for the films "Conquest" (1998), "Murder Most Likely" (1999), "Marine Life" (2000) and "Dr. Lucille" (2000).
Forsyth received several awards for his writing, including best writer in 1998 for his work on "North of 60". In 2000 and 2001 he received two posthumous awards for "Dr. Lucille", one The Margaret Collier Award, the other from The Writer's Guild of Canada. He died of cancer 13 September 1999.
Custodial history
Scope and content
Fonds consists of script drafts, outlines, pitches, research notes, oral history interviews, personal material and correspondence created and accumulated by Rob Forsyth, related to his activities as a script writer for television, film and radio.
Highlights include research material and drafts for Forsyth's writing projects, many which focused on social issues, including : homelessness, unemployment, racism, Indigenous culture and land rights, labour and mental illness. Also includes historical research, photographs and oral history interviews made with WWII veterans for his film projects "Gunners", "D'Artois", and "P.O.W./U.S.A."; research material on John Williamson, founder of the Williamson David Diamond Mine in Mwadui, Tanganyika (now Tanzania); material regarding John Ware, a former slave who established successful cattle ranches in Alberta at the turn of the century; and photographs and research regarding Dr. Lucille Teasdale and St. Mary's Hospital in Lacor, Uganda. Also includes scripts submitted to Forsyth for editing, script-doctoring and appraisal by other writers, producers and directors; personal day journals; teaching materials; creative writing and video recordings of pre-production filming and network broadcasts of his work.
Notes area
Physical condition
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Script of material
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Restrictions on access
Some material is located off-site and requests for access must be made in advance of your visit to the archives.
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Finding aids
Associated materials
Accruals
The fonds comprises the following accessions: 2008-050. Further accruals may be expected.
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Dates of creation, revision and deletion
2009/02/02 A.St.Onge:. (Creation)
2009/02/02 Awaiting review by the Data Collection Archivist.
2009/02/18 A.St.Onge. Correcting Finding Aid URL.
2009/11/12 Anna St.Onge. Confirming information for final transformation. Updating access. To the best of my knowledge, the fonds is open.
2014/07/22 Migrated to AtoM.
2020/04/22 KCP. Post-migration metadata clean-up. Addition of GMD and accession numbers. Added offsite storage notes. Published description and generated finding aid.