FLASHBACK: SWITCHBACK WRAP PARTY 1989

PHOTO FLASHBACK
SWITCHBACK CBC VANCOUVER WRAP PARTY 1989

The latest Photo Flashback comes from Patsy (MacDonald) Gill's collection and was taken at a wrap party for Switchback at Puccini's Restaurant on Main Street in Vancouver in 1989.

We asked producer Herb Baring to come up with some memories of the popular children's series:

"Switchback seems like a lifetime ago. Good memories but fading!  I took over the show from Phil Savath. Floyd Lansing was the director. The host was teenager Andrew Cochrane but his contract was coming up. Budgets were tight and cutbacks were severe in Vancouver. Host negotiations (if over budget) must be approved by the Director of Television (Ron Devion). I tried to make it work but it fell apart fairly quickly. Stu Jeffries filled in as host. He brought energy, style and personality....a keeper in my books! He was able to make it work with his commitment as host to Good Rockin' Tonite. I asked Patsy MacDonald to direct and we had a new team that resulted in several years of fun and entertainment for B.C.'s pre-teens.

I believe there were 6 different shows across Canada ... Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax.  Each had their own style, host and format but all targeted the same demographic.

We shared ideas and in the final year graphics, promotion and self-contained items. The original show was produced in Vancouver in 1981 by Nijole Kuzmickus with host Rick Scott, and was a weekly Sunday morning live broadcast.

Angela Bruce was the Head of Children's programming and was involved in the coordination of the project.

My production team changed over time but here are a few details...

"Broadway" was the dog! (Actually he was Stu's dog).

I contracted Ramona Mar as an on-camera contributor.

Lisa Bervan-Kant was the production secretary and I had her do some on-camera character work.

Karen Swantje and Donna Jaggard were the production assistants.

Kimberley Dutchak became a production coordinator.

Cindy Leany acted as a talent coordinator and casting director.

Leora Kornfeld did some writing.

Steve Nixon and Alex Pappas.were the floor directors. Alex also produced some field items.

Neil Simpson was the Production Manager.

The show involved live skits, exotic animals, magic, music videos, contests and interactive segments.

The focus was on having fun.... heck, you might even win stuff like a stereo, bike or walkman !!" 

To see a promo of Switchback with Andrew Cochrane, click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6onW4ImgXA 

The following email came from a fan:

"Switchback started in 1981, The show was live, and was a mixture of celebrity interviews, music videos, jokes, and sketches for pre-and early teens. In the 1st season, kids could call in to trade their comic books.  Almost every major city in Canada had their own version, but it is the Vancouver edition that is most famous."  Give him the walkman, Herb!

L to R: Karen Swantje, Neil Simpson, Cindy Leany, Patsy (MacDonald) Gill, Leora Kornfeld, Herb Baring.

NEXT PHOTO FLASHBACKS:
November 15:    TBA
December 1:       TBA

Do you have group photos of five or more people from your time with CBC Vancouver?  We’d love to post them as future Flashbacks.  Whether you can identify everyone or not, please send them in (we might resolve some of the mysteries!).  Contact us at https://goo.gl/QNvaxu  to arrange for loan of photos.