Stars Of The Town
(Rev. Roy Massecar - How one man's 8 m.m. movie camera got him through seminary school)
Approximately 10 years before Wolf Dog was filmed, Markdale was one subject in a series of small-town Ontario films (at last count, well over 110) by the Rev. Roy Massecar. The Markdale film was made in the summer of 1948. Unlike Wolf Dog (yet), DVDs of "Stars Of The Town" are available for sale by the University of Western Ontario, in London Ontario. A Markdale Standard of August 1948 reported it was screened to a full house, who got "a kick" out of seeing local sights, themselves and others.
Its
possible people mixed up WOLF DOG with the Markdale STARS OF THE TOWN
film. In fact, who knows how many enterprising others had the same idea
as Rev. Massecar: to make "community home movies", then show them in
town for a small admission fee?
From my school days of the late-1960s, I recall Mrs. Freda Hunt, our library teacher at Beavercrest Public School in Markdale, talking about appearing in a film with her infant daughter (Barbara Hunt Arthur). Like others, I misunderstood her role to have been as an extra in the film WOLF DOG.
In fact, the production she related was STARS
OF THE TOWN. A youthful Mrs. Hunt is seen pushing her infant daughter Barbara in a
stroller (her older daughter appears elsewhere in the film), while another scene features Walt Playter and his truck. Yet
another scene has F. T. Hill shown in conversation with someone on a
street corner, while elsewhere W. W. Alcox and future car dealership owner Fred Alton are shown barbering. Russell Hill plays percussion at a dance. Also spotted are Constable Jack Johnston, Sam Sawyer and Walter Plewes, A plethora of other Markdale folk are also prominent.
In September of 2024, the custodian of this website and the WOLF DOG 1958 Facebook page, Jeff Wilson shared a running commentary, as "Stars Of The Town" (1948) and "Wolf Dog" (1958) played to an audience of about 70, utilizing the facilities of Middle Grey Events at Annesley United Church sanctuary. The screening was one of the 2024 Markdale 175 Jubilee committee celebration events.
From dancing to a 3-piece jazz combo at the bygone Armoury, to slow-motion
diving at the Markdale Pond, to a man delivering milk with a horse-drawn
cart, to farmers about town buying dry goods, twenty dollars + $5 shipping/handling buys a
fun, educational...and inexpensive time warp, back to Markdale's bustling
post-war era.
Can you name some of the people from the video stills in the below galleries? Please enter the names in the text window below.
To order the Markdale DVD, or browse the other
great videos in the Massecar family collection, click the link below...
STARS OF THE TOWN, or just Google "Stars Of The Town" and you'll be taken to their fascinating website.
I can identify the following persons/people
Stills from Stars Of The Town pgs 11 to 20
