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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1979-07-25, Page 14 (2)Page 2A Times -Advocate, July 25, 1979 Watch for that white rabbit at the Playhouse Acting in a comedy play is more difficult than doing tragedy, according to Don Porter who is starring as Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey which opens tonight at Huron Country Playhouse. "People say it's just a little comedy', but there's no such thing," Porter says. He explains that true situation comedy is hard to act in. and even harder to write. The things that happen have to be funny, not just the lines the actors say. - • Porter says that the current T.V. hit Three's Company is not true sitcom. He recently - made a guest appearance in an episode of that show.and was appalled at the fact that the writers would think of a funny line and then build a scene around it. The situations themselves aren't funny, and' that's 'why the show sometimes seems contrived, 'he says. Comedy is more difficult to produce than . tragedy becsause-you-have to -work to make the audience laugh. Porter adds. He says that often the actor will think he has a very funny line. and then the audience will sit in silence. Porter says he tests the audience early in the production to see what they find funny. However. Porter an- ticipates no problems in getting laughs -with Harvey. The story. written b; (Mary Chase. has trulv funny situations. As Elwood Dowd. a kind and gentleman with a bit of a drinking problem. Porter's best friend is a giant white rabbit that no one else can see Dowd calls the rabbit Harvey. because that's .his name. But while Dowd befriends Harvey. and everyone else who comes along. he is destroying the social life of his sister and her "lovely" daughter. After Elwood completely ruins as elegant tea party by introducing Harvey to all the guests. his sister Veta decides it's time WE'LL LOOK AFTER car4- (TER WARNER Coll us for • professional service ✓ ENGINE TRANSMISSION c'mo• s our specaty ✓ STEERING we use the 'West alignment equipment ✓• AIR 'CONDITIONING repair'. Or ,n Srallat,O' ✓ TUNE-UP ✓ TIRES our comouter zed bolo^ce• will smooth out those rough tires ✓ BRAKES we have our own b• ,t' ✓ GENiJINE CHRYCO -AUTOPAR PARTS botte-es o woys at ✓ MICHELIN TIRES OO(31,,ov courted ✓ APPEARANCE 7 cr-,U". ,- nr n.nq Quq a .;,.,. . avn-rt A 5 ✓..a. pry r } rind 6 tit)'tr. STOP • WORRYING ABOUT - SERVICE Parts and labour are guaranteed We accept major credit cards SEE U fvvti�'' Direct Parts 6 Service Line 238-8955 I 141414 / A NJ IIQMPSON-N R GRAND BEND 238-2301 • to have Elwood committed. The play continues with the hilarious things that happen as Elwood and Harvey continue their friendship. Plai•ing Elwood Dowd is sotnewhat difficult because Porter has to "see" the rabbit on stage with him all the time He has to make sure that he is smiling at the place where the six and one half foot tall rabbtt's head. would be Besides grinning at Harvey. Porter has to wink at hint. pat his shoulder and adjust his tie He also has to remember not to walk through the vers spot where Harvey is standing } Porter has never played in Harvey before. and says he was glad to• take the role, because it's "a good part for me to have under my bett." Porter left his home in Moil Wood to come to Grand Bend to take the role. Porter is probably know n as :Ann Sothcrn's best bass HARVEY APPEARS Us,ng magic film and a special development process, the i -A staff were able to get this photograph of Harvey the otherwise invisible rabbit. With Harvey is his co-star Don Porter who ploys Elwood P Dowd Come to Huron Country Playhouse this week to find out if you eon see Harvey 'Anglican ladies plan lawn sale in the long running T.V. series Private Secretary and as Gidget's father In that television series. He's also made guest appearances in such shows as Love Boat, Hawaii Five -O, Six Million Dollar Man, Barnaby Jones, Bionic Woman, Phyllis and Three's Company. He enjoys -some television shows, but others he does just to make a living, he says Most recently he starred on Broadway in Plaza Suite with Maureen Stapleton. He has also played opposite Sandy Dennis in Any Wed- nesday, Porter's wife Peggy Converse starred with him. His recent movies include The Candidate, with Robert - Redford, Forty Carats with Liv Ullman, Lucille Ball's Mame, and White Line Fever. Porter says he likes to comeback to stage regularly • because "it keeps you hones t"`Too many tricks are used itl_._Citm._-and __ television and you don't have audience reaction, he says. Porter says he enjoys summer stock. but hasn't been on stage for about two years. In Connecticut two . years ago he did his first Musical. "It was the first time I sang in- -front of anybody in my life, and it scared the hell out of me. I sang two songs." he says. Porter says that singing on stage took a lot of "chautz- pah", which he explains is the Yiddish word for "brass" or "nerve". The definition for 'Chautzpah' is when a man on trial for killing his parents pleads for clemency because he's an orphan," Porter says. Porter was born in Oklahoma and had to quit school earl} during the depression years. He had a Soloist highlites outdoor service By MRS. HUGH MORENZ Guest soloist at Grand Bend United church. Sunday morning. was Mrs Terence Laird. of Thedford. singing "Don't look at me. look at Jesus." Also. Mrs. Laird and her brother Ralph Holland. sang a duet. "Bloom where you are planted " Rev. H. Moore's sermon topic was "The Kingdom that cannot be shaken." with scripture from Chapter 12 of Hebrews. verses 12 to 29 Flowe: decorating the outdoor sanctuary were placed in loving memory of Mrs Etta Baker and Mrs Mabel Gossman. by their families On Sunday ,July 29th our guests at the Grand Bend United church outdoor Service of Worship will be a group of young people known as the Covenant Players -a well known touring troupe whose ministry consists of visual presentation of familiar religious themes and Stories Everyone welcome Come and bring a friend and your lawn chairs Anglican Church' news St ,Johns by the- lake. Anglican church at Grand Bend. on Sunday July 22nd celebrant minister of the popular 8 30 a m service of Holy Communion was the RI Rev Morse Robinson suf- fragan Bishop sat Huron For the 9 30 a.m service of morning prayer was taken by the Rector. the Rev George Anderson - The church was filled with enthusiastic worshippers who heard an interesting sermon on St. Mary Magdalene, Mr: Anderson said Art Mary Magdalene •was a woman who -had been delivered from the worst possible condition that anyone could ever be in. Mrs. Lillian Myers presided at the organ and. Mrs. Blanche Morrice prepared • the altar and flower arrangement. The coffee hour foitowing the service was as always. a time of. fellowship and refreshment. - Hostess of the day was Mrs Dale Marsh. • The ladies group of St. ,Johns Anglican church. met during the coffee hour. Sunday morning to finalize plans for the Parish lawn sale on Saturday August 4th' Next Sunday July 29th. the Ven J M Doidge. of Mon- treal will be elebrant at the 8 311 a.m. service of Holy Communion at St Johns . Visitors are warmly in- vited Anglican sale Don't forget the lawn and hake sale to be herd Saturday August 4th'at the Anglican church More details next week Sunday sale Catholic 1V'omcn•s League members are reminded of their bake aril produce sate coming up on Sunday :August ;th Weekly bridge winners- - Winners tsf last week's duplicate bridge game which is held every Wednesday night at Si .Johns by the Lake parish hall were. north - south. Martel and Ted Punt. east -west. a tie. Elsie and ,John Inglis and irerie %Pard and- Betty Sanders Summer visitors welc„me Personals Air and Mrs Walter Cripps. Cameron and Kevin. of Saskatoon. Saskatchewan are visiting .a couple of weeks in this area with her parents. Mr and Mrs Lawrence Curts. and also with relatives in Sarnia Mrs .Jane Maier. Jennifer and .Jo -:Anne of Farmington. Michigan. visited Thursday evening here with their Morenz cousins Mr and Mrs. Roy. Morenz. Glenda and Tammy attenders the----wedtling Saturday of Mrs •Mor nz's nephew. lloward took. son of Mr. and Mrs Allister C'ok. to Mary Anne Vink. daughter of Mr and Mrs .('or Vink. at Holy Name of Mary Church. St. Mary's [inner and reception followed in St. ,Joseph's Parish hall at :tratford Congratulations to Phillip and Roberta Walker. on the birth of a son last week A brother for two little sisters. More Grand Bend news on page 1 1 A THE BOOK STORE HAVE YOU READ A GOOD BOOK LATELY .. . GRAND BEND 21 MAiN ST., Relatives visiting at Huron Vista this week have been Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Kraft and Craig, Strhierties. New York. Mr and Mrs Doug Burns. Peterborough. Miss Sharon Wilson. Toronto Lorne and Loreen Devine. and Hugh and Annie Morenz attended the. pork barbecue at the Itensall Co-op. Saturday night Reverend and Mrs. John Campbell. Laura Lee and Douglas. have returned from a three week holiday. visiting in :Alberta and spent some time at the mountains in Banff and Jasper. Church of God youth group held it beach party. Thur- sday evening. with swim- ming and lunch refresh- ments Mae `Lorenz and Pat Rayelle attended the funeral service of their friend Mrs. John r Thora Payne. of Oakwood Park. Grand Bend, %Wednesday, w ho was at John T. Donahue Funeral home London. Funeral mass was held at St Michaels Church at 10.30 a.n:. with interment at St Peter's cemetery. Mrs. Payne passed away - at her residence. Sunday July 15 Survived by her husband John Payne. two daughter's Mrs. Robert Beverly i Nightingale, of t tttaw<a. Mrs Dawn Reid and son John Payne Jr. both of Calgary. also one sister. Mrs. Ethel Glenn, Winnipeg. and one brother Neil Hogg, Kelowna B.C. and eleven grandchildren. HURON SANITATION Owned by John J. Hotson CAN OFFER YOU PORTABLE TOILET SERVICE Custom backhoeing 8 power sewer line cleaning. Phone John Hotson of 238.2140 or 238-8240 R.R. 1, GRAND BEND variety of jobs and finally ended up selling beauty shop supplies, making abut 8800 a month, which was very good money in those days, he adds. He was in Oregon and happened to take a part in. the local civic theatre. He quit his job travelling, and took work in a department store at 895 a month, so that he.could go to acting school in the evenings. "Then I went to Hollywood and did the usual starving bit," he says. In 1941 he married Peggy Converse and together they formed an acting company with nine other couples. His wife will be coming to Grand Bend tosee Harvey as soon as she is finished taping an episode of The Ropers. Porter and his wife are no strangers to Canada. A few years ago they played Generation in Toronto, and The Best Man in Vancouver. They travelled across Canada by car. and says .Porter, _"We've-- probably - seen more of Canada than a lot of Canadians." He says his wife will enjoy Grand Bend's sandy beach, and he likes the golf course. Director James Murphy says rehearsals for Harvey are going well. Murphy says he likes working with the large cast. Unfortun ely plays with large are seldom used anymore because of the high expense, he says. Starring with Porter is Araby Lockhart as Veta Louise. Ms. Lockhart is remembered for her role in George Washington slept here and she is also a regular on the Wayne and Schuster specials. • Mary Ashwell who is known for her program on CFPL radio is taking the part of Mrs. Ethal Chavenet. Stanley Coles who played in Pools Paradise has the part of Duane Wilson. Lawrence Benedict who plays Lyman Sanderson will be familiar due to his many television commercials. • John Winston Carroll is playing William Chumley, and Martin Donlevy is -Judge Omar Gaffney. Pat Moffat plays Betty Chumley. -Four---Btembers- from' -the Playhouse's young company have roles in this production. Kim McCaffrey of Exeter plays Myrtle Mae. Cathy Inculet is nurse Ruth Kelly, Mark Flear is E.J. Lofren, and Kathy Kaszas plays Miss Johnson. Notice Village of Grand Bend. Those persons who wish to be licenced as licenced• drain layers for the installation of sewers - please make applications to the village of Grand Bend Box 340 Grand .. Bend, Ont. - Applications will be accepted until 12 noon August 7th. Louise Clipperton Clerk. 1 SERVICE PRESCRIPTION SERVICE HARWOOD DRUGS Ltd. W. Harwood, Phm.B 238-8540 Beside Post Office 22. 81 CRESCENT GRAND BEND, ONT. l jtlki 4-11,iq •- t sun shop ANNUAL SUMMER CLEARANCE Starts 10 a.m. Friday, July 27th F Savings of )20%-50% off entire stock /: of summer fashion,% SWIMSUITS .— DRESSES — BLOUSES HALTERS — PANTS — SHORTS SANDALS — ACCESSORIES ALL SALES FINAL OPEN —7Days A Week— 10 a.m. • 9p.m. VISA — MASTERCHARGE the sun shop 83 MAIN STREET GRAND BEND 238-2511 STOCK ONLY F.F.C. SOLORIAN Mfy Sugg $17 95 1sAtE 1 4.9 5 so YD * * * STOCK ONLY CANDIDE • Mfg Sugg t12 95 SALE $9.95 * * * SOLORIAN TILES 89tt-. AT THE ARMSTRONG FLOOR FASHION CENTRE — WHERE YOU ARE ROYALLY TREATED FLOOR COVERINGS GRAND BEND DECORMING'S BIG, BEAUTIFUL SELECTION HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER — AND OJ10BB,4,UTjFUL SAVfNG§ NEVER BEEN BETTER. Riehrtibrru-tu:t;�`�e.`;s`'> ARMSTRONG HAD SURFACE STOCK ONLY SUNDIAL SOLARIAN Mfg Sugg 512 95 Salo $9.95 so YD * * * if uNDIA(I Mfg Sugg 51895 SALE �$15.95so'D SALE ENDS SATURDAY JULY 28TH. 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