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June 1995, Week 1

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Subject:
From:
"Richard J. Leskosky" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 31 May 1995 17:08:09 -0500
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Many of Donald Sutherland's more obscure and/or dubious credits came about
as a result of erstwhile Canadian laws dictating that American companies
filming in Canada (because it was cheap) had to have a certain percentage
of Canadians among its major talents. Canadian actors with American
followings such as Sutherland and Lorne Greene, for example, found
themselves in demand for such productions and for original Canadian
productions hoping to crack the US market, and they would sometimes receive
star billing for what were actually minor roles or walk-ons.
 
SCTV lampooned this practice in one of their superb spoofs of Canadian
films (which, in turn, were part of the requisite Canadian content
similarly mandated for television shows, like SCTV, originating in Canada).
 I can't recall the title of the ersatz film or which specific Canadian
film it might have referenced, but it was a tale of a young man trying to
make it in the world of hockey and the "credits" proclaimed that it starred
(or had a special appearance by) Donald Sutherland. At one point, the new
player (John Candy) and his mentor (Rick Moranis) go on a shopping spree in
the big city, and one of the things they buy and proudly display is a
poster of Donal Sutherland--which constituted his entire presence in the
"film."
 
--Richard J. Leskosky
 
Richard J. Leskosky office phone: (217) 244-2704
Assistant Director FAX: (217) 244-2223
Unit for Cinema Studies University of Illinois
 
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