A4 CASTLEGAR NEWS, August 9, 1981 His crusading does not His acting wins praises By Trish Worron TORONTO (CP) — Dressed in his wig and pin- striped suit, Don Francks — an actor described by sup- porters and detractors alike as talented, versatile and profesional — wouldn't cause a second glance in any Bay Sireet accounting firm. But off camera, the actor switches to his worn blue jeans, dons his Indian jew- elry, wears his long hair loose and becomes a vocal sup- porter of environmental and humanitarian causes. And the same people who praise his acting -- which has won him two consecutive ACTRA awards — admit he can be theatrical and exaggerated with a tendency “to put people off.” However, no evidence ex- ists in the file of new clippings documenting _ his checkered career — which has run the gamut from jazz musician, poet, singer, dan- cer, foundry worker, mer- chant seaman and an adopted Cree Indian — that anyone has ever accused Francks of being pollution; how can anyone criticize me for that?” asks Francks, whose work for en- vironmental causes includes joining in crusades to save the whales, old buildings and wildlife in British Columbia and narration of films’ on solar heating and nuclear re- aciors.3 The Vancouver native has a gaunt, lined face, which makes him look every bit of his 48 years and is a stertling contrast to pictures of the clean-cut young man of the early 1960s who left Canada to conquer Broadway. He reached New York in 1964 in a blaze of publicity, heralded as a major new find when he starred in the block- buster musical Kelly. A Mac- Leans’ magazine article from that year says that “even the sourest of critics are con- ceding that only a major disaster, such as a nuclear attack . . can prevent Francks from becoming the biggest, fastest-rising enter- talher since Sammy Davis “The show, however, was “If you have certain par- ameters that define normalcy in this society, Don couldn't be contained within them,” notes John LaPointe, pro- ducer of the CBC-TV show This Land which Francks has narrated for the last four seasons. “He exaggerates ennor- mously and he'll do whatever he can get away with to get his point across,” says La- Pointe. “But he’s absolutely sincere.” Francks simply prefers to call himself a dreamer and a Utopian. ACTOR A CRUSADER “I believe there doesn’t have to be war or hunger or by the critics and lasted a single night on Broadway. Francks moved on to Hollywood and the short-lived TV series Jericho, the movie Finian's Rainbow, another Broadway show which flopped, and finally film and TV spots. Then in the early 70s, saying that he was tired of playing “nuts who were about to starr World War Three” and sick of the pol- ae in Los Angeles, he ed up his wife Lili and Infant daughter and moved to Saskatchewan's Red Phea- sant reserve, where they were adopted by the Cree tri ibe. The family — which has grown to include a_ son, Rainbow Son — lived on the reserve in a log cabin for several years and still visit, although Francks's work now requires that they spend most of their time in their Toronto home. NAMED BEST ACTOR Among his projects in the last two years was the hard- hitting CBC drama about drugs and prostitution, Dry- ing Up the Streets, which earned hin: best acting hon- ors in 1980 from the Asso- ciation of Canadian Tele- vision and Radio Artists. This year he again took the ACTRA award for best act- ing in a TV series for his performance in The Phoenix Team. In an interview, Francks controls the conversation, frequently steering away from discussions about him- self, explaining that he likes to “use the media to philo- sophize about things I think are important.” “The basic requirements of life on this planet are in jeopardy and people don't know it,” he says. “If they did know it I think they would go about the business of living their lives in an entirely different way. “But people won't care about things until it affects them. People won't care about acid rain until it’s the Jake beside their cottage.” His thought patterns have the stability of a firefly as he flits from topic to topic. One mement he is explaining the need to develop an interna- tional language to break down barriers among people, the next minute he is explain- ing the consequences of acid rain and breaks into song: “Everytime it rains, it rains acid from heaven.” Then he is describing a dream he has of distributing @ questionnaire worldwide, asking people whether they want an end to war, hunger and pollution and then taking the results to the United Nations, ATRUE PROFESSIONAL Doth LaPointe and Stanley Colbert, executive producer of The Phoenix Team, chuc- kle when told that Francks is hard to keep on track. But they say that when he is working he is “the total professional.” “He's of that school that I like to call the thinking ac- tor,” says Colbert. “He is Haid is moving ahead as actor LOS ANGELES (AP) - When the screen actors guild an- nounced a benefit during its strike last year and in- troduced Charles Haid as the producer, reporters smiled at him politely then fell all over themselves to interview more famous union members like Alan Alda and Henry wi ” Haid's face may have been familiar to he'd been studied directing at Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh with the goal of becoming a producer WOULDN'T HIRE HIM “People are always running around jn this business say- ing they won't hire me, they don't understand me, they don’t see my talent. Well, I decided very early on that I was ‘they.’ “ Haid. Haid has built | uP an guest starring on TV shows for years and even had regular roles in two short- lived series—but his name obviously wasn't. ‘Two things have happened this year to change that. First, Haid had a major ig role as a Harvard very of himself and ist other people.” is Land, Francks an the producers “don't treat me with kid gloves.” “They know I would like to say things that would cause controversy in Parliament. Td like to be harsh and fence with people.” Says LaPointe: “He is will- ing to supress his ego for what we are doing on the show; he takes directions wonderfully.” “Left to himself, he might scare people; he might put them off. It’s my job to make him a little warmer than he might appear ot be; to show that there is a genuine and loving human being there. “But the fact that he cares passionately (about the topics covered on This Land) also means that he is able to convey that feeling.” One celebrity who has known Francks for years flatly refused to discuss the actor, and while admitting to his talent, left no doubt that Francks's motives were sus- pect and aimed at gaining him attention. Old records a golden opportunity “WINNIPEG (CP) - Few people realize the value of old records, says Doug Sulipa, owner of a downtown Winni- peg shop that specializes in collectors’ item discs. Sulipa, who launched his store, Rock Revival, about two months ago with only 200 albums, now has expanded his collection to more than 3,000 albums. “We almost ex- clusively rare, out-of-print or hard-to-find albums,” he said. “If it’s common we don't want it.” But not all old records are collectors’ items. Sulipa said he has paid $5 for 80 badly- scratched records, but also paid one seller $226 for 15 albums. “What makes the true value of an LP is the demand for it, how rare it is and the condition it’s in,” he said. The prices are set partly by catalogues and record collectors magazines. Just because a group is popular doesn’t mean its albums will Mexicans upset about movie. by RICHARD BOUDREAU TEPOTZOTIAN, Mexico (AP) — The Soviet director of War and Peace is making an ambitious double feature about the Mexican and Rus- sian revolutions. The movie has an American hero played by an Italian, thousands of extras on horseback, and epic struggles both on and off camera. In nearly three months of filming, Sergei Bondarchuck entertained bystanders with bat- be worth a lot of money. For example, Sulipa finds more demand for albums by the British rock band, The Yard- birds, than for records by the Beatles. ‘ CONDITION VARIES The value of an aibum is also determined by its condi- tion. Sulipa said he uses seven categories, ranging from mint, for albums which are generally flawless, to poor, which covers records which are warped and un- playable. Albums that have had changes made in either the cover or the songs are especially valuable. The Rolling Stones’ album. Some girls, used to have a picture of Lucille Ball on the cover until Ball objected and the cover was changed. There was another cover switch with the Beatles’ yes- terday anc today album. The original cover, which showed a picture of the group in bloodied butchers’ aprons holding decapitated dolls, by Emiliano Zapata's rebels in Tepotzotlan Square. But Mexican producers, actors and critics weren't impressed. Even before shotting ended, the Mexican part of the movie was being panned as an overpriced, shallow treatment of the country’s peasant upheaval, a trivialized prelude to the Russian Revolution that Bon- darchuck will film next in Leningrad. The success of Campanas Rojas (Bells of Freedom) is tles at five set locations around Mexico. Hundreds of townspeople, awed by simu- lated mortar fire and choking on cannon smoke, got to see six takes of the same victory Tues.-Sat. Columbia Steakhouse Pizzes: Eot-In or Take-Out 602-18th St. 365-2421 was changed to a wholesome shot of the four. Sulipa said an unopened copy of the first version is worth about 000. Other potential gold mines include albums by Elvis Presley, The Guess Who, and Early punk and new wave bands. The most expensive item in the store is a $300 Presley extended play-a type of 45 rpm record, no longer in production; that has two cuts, on each side instead of just one. NOTES BOOTLEG MARKET Sulipa said there is also a small market for bootleg albums, which are illegal copies of the originals, but he refuses to have anything to do with them. He said if a bootleg record manufacturer is arrested, the albums he produced will acquire parity value and can increase in price by 1,000 per cent. Sulipa said his store carries everything from rock important to the Mexican government, which invested $1.25 million to co-produce it. The film is the pet cultural project of President Jose Lopez Portillo's administra- tion and the first of several co-productions planned with Spain, France and the Soviet Union. music, country and weatern, blues, jazz and easy listening albums such as James Last. Sulipa, who also runs a comic collectors’ store called Comic World, said he got the idea for the shop from visiting other comic shops which also sold collectors’ records, “In cities such as Los Angeles, there are 20 to 30 collectors’ record stores,” he explained. “Winnipeg is a virgin city when it comes to collecting records. I've seen albums in used record stores that are worth $50 and being sold for $1.” Sulipa. said his competi- tors aren't particularly pleased with his operation. “Ive had both favorable and unfavorable reactions from the used record stores,” he said. He said some stores are angry because he pays more for used records than they do, consequently picking up the best albums. Others, he said, are glad there is such an operation to identify valuable records. professor ‘from West Virginia in the film altered states. And he's parlayed a guest appearance on the pilot for Hill Street Blues into a reg- ular slot as the hot-headed Officer Renko on last sea- son’s most critically accl- aimed new series. Haid has not always been an actor. The barrel-chested, rusty-haired ‘36-year-old list of credits, notably as mcsute producer for the musical Godspell and co-producer with longetime friend Wink- ler of the 1979 Emmy and Oscar-Winning documentary Who are the DeBolts and Where Did They Get 19 Kids? He began actively seeking television and film roles in the mid-1970s, landing a role as a priest in the series Kate McShane. Haid is delighted to be a part of Hill Street Blues, which has earned the admi- ration not only of critics but police officers who like its unique comedy-drama approach. Gerussi longs for TO’s fas TORONTO (CP) — It’s one of those stinking hot summer days in Toronto with the humidity reading topping the scale and irate drivers blast- ing their horns at anything that moves. With this backdrop, it doesn’t take much for actor Bruno Gerussi to convince an intervierwer that Gibsons, B.C, — the isolated commun- ity about an hour's ferry ride where he ter pace When we're filming (nor- mally from March until Oc- tober), I get on a midnight plane to come to Toronto and arrive at 7 in the morning, get a couple hours sleep, have a shower and then I hit town.”” Lest some west coasters take offence at his remarks, Gerussi is quite prepared to admit that they have a health- ier approach to life. It simply isn’t for him an dhe makes no from lives half the year in his spa- cious mountaintop home alongside the rugged Pacific Coast — must indeed be God’s country. And if it weren’t for the CBC technicians strike, Ger- ussi would be in Gibsons now, working’ on” néxt, sex: son’s episodes of The Beach- combers — the longest-run- ning drama on English-Cana- dian television. The actor stars as Nick Abondias, the owner of Nick’s Salvage Co. in the fictional town of Gib- sons Landing. But when an interviewer sympathizes with his rotten luck at being stuck in this sweltering city, Gerussi prac- tically jumps out of his chair and snaps: ‘‘Are you kidding — I can’t wait to get back to Toronto.’” "Everything out there (in B.C.) is so goddamn slack and laid back it drives me bananas. Sure, it’s beautiful but I couldn’t live there all the time. There’s nothing to do.” And Gerussi, soudning somewhat shocked at the no- tion, adds: ‘‘Everybody takes lunch at the same time.’” “Even Vancouver — it’s very beautiful — but it’s really just a big town. It doesn’t have the energy and drive of Toronto. logies for being a bigcity creature who likes hustle and bustle and needs to be with friends. He looks fit and tanned and has always thrived on living hard and playing hard. Still, Gerussi, 53, who is in his 10th season with The Beéachcomers — reaching the series by way of classical acting at the Stratford Fes- tival and an early-morning ra- dio show on CBC — believes that he has mellowed with age. “When I first started The Beachcombers, I used to bang the table and rant and rave everyday about scripts or whatever. Now I just wait for awhile and store it up and then I let them have it.”” He is proud of The Beach- comers success and will do it for another 10 years as long as the quality of the scripts and the ratings don’t drop drastically. The effects on the show of the CBC technicians strike, which began May 21, is not yet known. “‘it’s not the greatest show in the world and I’m not going to try to convince any- one that it is,” he says. And although Gerussi says he has been criticized for ‘‘copping out,’’ he believes the show can hold its own against any other popular North Ameri- can series. , To Advertise Your live Entertainment, Music, Dance, Etc. . . «CALL 365-5210 Different types of he need different When your hair needs help, don’t try to do it yourself. Let us examine your hair (we suggest a hair For An Evening Out Come To The Located under the Fireside Dining Room, Castlegar Open from 8 p.m. - 2 a.m.- The“"Night Spot of the Kootenays" Come and Enjoy — then con- dition it professional- ly with the Redken product we believe will do your hair the most g When you need help pelt your hair, you someone whose profession is hair care. Make an appointment fora professional Redken conditioning treat- HAIRLINES types of care. aval for ona THUR. bres and FRIDAYS. . HAIRLINES is your Redken iy Hair Care Centre here we not only ll like to you a great cut, but fits fel you to have hoir # looks good ind feels free Pecado i's In great sh eppointment Beth Kaye or Level today €PREDKEN’ 620 Columbia Ave. Castlegar, 365-6700 WOODEN SHOE RESTAURANT International Cuisine Min a Doteh Setting Mon. - Sat. 6 p.m. to Mid. to 10 p.m. Our Goal Is 12,500 To be matched by the Uincouver Foundation) We Now Have Raised $7,800 v and renovations to the SPECIAL Needs A Gre nearly comp! and appliances are or- der Thank: you to: Robson Women’s Institute Dr. David & Sally Williams -P.W.C. For Your Donation. Boeations can be made ct Castlegar Savings Gear Union. HOBBIT HILL CHILDRENS CENTRE Bulletin Board LL GOSPEL BUSINESSMEN 'S FELLOWSHIP Banquet vmoetinn on Wed., Aug. 12 at 6:30 p.m. — Fireside Place. Special quest speaker is Chattra Tamang of Sikkim. lease reserve tickets early by phoning 365- 5443 or 365-: PALEC ES CEAOUE MESTING. Wed., Aug. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Suzanne Polovnikoft’s home o at 1443 Wishlond Drive, fom ond Third ina series = he Baby A\ ", “The Far Breostted Boby" For Fa Intaematton am pep Parsons at 365- 2a Arla Rourke at 365-7671 or Patti McMillan at 352- IOR CITIZEN'S ASSOCIATIO! Members As finned ona bus trip to the Blaylock Estates, on Wed., Aug. 12, leaving the centre at 9:30 a.m. reservations, phone 365-5039 or 365-6729. VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Grace Presbyterian Church, 2605 Columbia Ave., Aug. 17 to 21, 9a. 19 12 noon, Ages 4 to 12. Theme: Jesus, Your Word lives! in Me. Coming events ‘of Casilegar and Djstrict/non:protit * organizations are listed here through the courtesy of BC Timber’s Celgar Pulp and Celgar Lumber Divisions. Please submit notices directly to the Castlegar News by 5 p.m. Thursdays. A Public Service of Celgar Pulp Division-and-CelgarLumber Division BC Timber Ltd. enne —_ Travel Tours RENO BUS TOURS 7 DAYS DEPARTURES: Sept.26 Pick Hobson's Riverside Oct. 3 Pick Hobson's Riverside Oct. 17 Ramada Hotel and Casino Oct. 24 Pick Hobson's Riverside Nov. 14 Colonial Inn and Casino Nov. 21 Colonial Inn and Casino Nov. 28 Colonlal Inn and Casino Prices fos Based on sraveietnaanite® SPOKANE SHOWS LORRETTA LYNN Sept., 23, Deluxe Tour, Sheraton Hotel, $75. PHYLLIS DILLER Sept., 26, Deluxe Tour, Sheraton Hotel, $75. . 1Winats end George lami Winette and George, Oct. SOs tobertea Oct 30 2 in Thai ving, fe Steve. Allen a Christmas Shopping e. & +». Plus More. CALIFORNIA SUN TOUR 16 DAYS — DEPARTS OCT. 3 We visit: Reno — Las V. _- Tivjana, Mex. — San Francisco — 0: eal iman $244 $244 $244 $244 $229 $229 $229 The above prices are per 1 Canadi Funds based on sharing Gccoradetioees We Bick Up passengers in Nelson, Castlegar and FORMORE INFORMATION PLEASE PHONE 368-5595 HENNE TRAVEL 1410 Bay Ave., Trail But not conquered Mt. Terry Fox climbed VALEMOUNT (cP) — Mountaineers don’t’ conquer peaks; they conquer the weakness in themselves, says Joe Lang, a weathered clim- ‘ber who recently tackled Mount Terry Fxo. “The true point, I believe, is that a mountain is so big ‘and so awesome that we have @ reverence toward it,”’ said Lang, who climbed the cast- ern B.C. peak, which stands at 2,656.5 metres in ele- vation, 52 degrees S6 minutes North, 19 degrees 14 minutes West, 11.2 kilometres north of Valemount in the Selwyn range of the Rockies. The mountain was B.C.'s highest unnamed peak until early July when the provincial government announced it would be named after the Marathon of Hope runner. he ee =Police f VANCOUVER (CP) — City polley say ¢ say they receive about missing petson reports each month — two-thirds concerning juveniles. Some are runaways, some _ are simply late returning from parties and many, with histories. of family and per- sonal blems, are caught up in thé dead-end atect life: are only. five reports still out- senting in Vancouver this * Tnvestigators say a big with their children missing — and their failure to inform police when . the have Fox, who lost a leg to can- cer and then ran. halfway. across the country to raise’ money for cancer research, died June 28. : Lang, 47, grew up. near Frankfurt, and’ got his first look at mountains when he went to Munich at 17. “I don’t buy this idea of conquering mountains,’ Lang said. ‘‘You don’t con- quer a mountain, you get a chance to conqyer the weak- ness in yourself."’ The highest point of the mountain is a small cone of, perhaps 30 metres. At its top there is only fog and the remains of a repeater site: three concrete pilings and a roughly poured helicopter pad. Including his juice break, it took Lang only two hours and ind most said Det. Glernn Clemmett of the Vancouver police missing persons detail. ‘‘And when they return, many don’t even report it to us.” POLICE HARD PRESSED Local departments are hard pressed to keep up with the number of reports and in some cases legitimate inves- tigations are” ‘delayed, he said. Police concerns about miss- ing persons come-in:the wake of investigations into eight missing or slain children in southwestern British Colum- bia. ‘Twenty senior. police offi- cials from seven forces met Wednesday to discuss’ strat- egy and preventive measures their 15-year-old’ tnissing at midnight jf he or she. fails to return at 11 p.m. as expected. Often they call police instead of first calling their’ child’s lends. s “The bulk (of missing per- sons) return or are located within 24 hours, but some © should never be reported (missing) in the first place,” d by the RCMP serious crime squad. Investigative strategy was not discussed. : y RCMP Snpt. Bruce Nor- thorp:. said. an RCMP com- puter would be used to store all..relevant information on the eight cases ‘‘so we can get rapid answers to queés- tions if we need them:”” |” Data such as, descriptions of suspicious-