Paul Gross news archive

Nov 2000 - December 2003

PLEASE NOTE: Links in this news archive are not updated and information may be out of date

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29th December
Many thanks to BJC for this extra info about Men With Brooms on TV:

Found this on Zap2It for Rogers Digital Cable (in Ontario, at least):

Title: Men With Brooms
Description: Four friends put past grievances behind them in order to participate in the sport of curling.

Date Time Channel
17th January 6 am 201 M
17th January 3 pm 204 MESC
17th January 9.45 pm 202 MFUN

It's also listed on Channel 204 on the 12th, 14th, and 16th.

Kim writes:

MEN WITH BROOMS will be aired Monday January 12, 2004, on SHOe Channel 140 at 7:45 Mountain time, please get the word out ASAP

We have no idea which channel that is, but at least we tried, dear reader!

27th December
Victoria has discovered that at tvshowsondvd.com you can vote for both Chasing Rainbows and the recent TV series Slings and Arrows to be put on DVD. Hurry along there!

If you would like to see screencaps from Slings and Arrows, you will find an excellent selection on Bast's CallumKeithRennie.net website.

24th November
Men With Brooms Region 2 (Europe, including France, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Arabia, Japan and South Africa) is now available for pre-order at at amazon.co.uk!

16th November
due South series 3 will be released on Region 1 DVD on 27th January 2004.

2nd November
There's lots in the press at the moment!

  • From the Ottawa Citizen on 1st Nov, an article about the political drama The Last Prime Minister that Paul mentioned in his IRC chat in September - thanks to Elaine for the heads up. (This article is no longer available online)
  • Slings And Arrows, which starts tomorrow, is reviewed in today's Toronto Star
  • Paul will be presenting at the Giller Gala on Tuesday night - 9 pm on CBC
  • A Lawyers Feed The Hungry In Toronto gala fundraiser will be held on 16th November at the Carlu Theatre. The guest list includes Sarah Polley, Gordon Pinsent, Brent Carver, Paul Gross, Michael Burgess, Louise Pitre, Martha Burns, Susan Coyne, Karen Kain, Nancy Palk, Eric Peterson, Fiona Reid, Albert Schultz, Sonja Smits and Kate Trotter.

30th October
Slings And ArrowsAll you could possibly want to know about Slings And Arrows is now on the TMN website - and there's a contest!

News from Khadija for Paul's Aussie and Region 4 fans:

"I just saw this on the ezydvd website and thought you might like to put it on your news page. Aspen Extreme (224698) Coming Soon! Pre-Order Now - Available Wednesday 26th November 2003"

22nd October
Many thanks to Françoise who spotted an article about Slings And Arrows in today's National Post.

20th October
Slings And Arrows premieres on The Movie Network and Movie Central on 3rd November at 10 pm ET. "A prestigious theatre festival must comply [with] the last requests of their cynical artistic director when he is hit by a bus." Starring: Martha Burns, Paul Gross. Look out for the ads appearing now on Canadian TV!

14th October
Thanks to Wendy for unearthing the cast and production details of Mozart Loves Me, the Movie Co-op's forthcoming comedy.

13th October
Spotted by Felicity in a Globe and Mail article: "The Movie Co-op is a fledgling business partnership that combines high hopes and big-name clout. So far, its 16-member roster includes Eugene Levy, Gordon Pinsent, Wendy Crewson, Maury Chaykin, Saul Rubinek, Paul Gross, Martha Burns, Mark McKinney and Colin Mochrie."

Paul was in Ottawa again last Tuesday drumming up support for Canadian TV drama production - thanks to Satoko for the link to this Globe and Mail article.

Mary Walsh: Open Book - Series ll has begun on CBC TV. The discussion of Tooth and Nail by Ian Rankin will be on Sunday 14th December at 11 pm with guests Paul Gross, Jerome Kennedy (criminal lawyer) and Alison Gzowski (columnist/producer).

26th September
It's Call of the Wild! Bast from CallumKeithRennie.net has sent along this news regarding DVD Pacific's listing for the DVD called due South.

I have just heard from Armando in the customer service department. He says: The vendor has finally responded to our numerous enquiries for verification on this title if it is in fact the "pilot" as had originally been solicited. Turns out it is not and is an episode titled Call Of The Wild parts 1 and 2.

15th September
Congratulations are in order - at last night's Canadian Comedy Awards Gala in London, Ontario, Paul won the award for best direction for Men With Brooms. Thanks to Maria for letting us know

14th September
Couldn't make it to our online chat with Paul yesterday? Nil desperandum - we have the transcript for you!

  • Paul will NOT be playing Macbeth at the Stratford Festival next year and isn't sure how the story started that he would be
  • He hopes to start shooting Passchendaele in late 2004

12th September
Bast has spotted that the due South pilot is also due for release and can be pre-ordered from dvdpacific.com for the very low price of $7.98 US - we do hope it's true, but as you can see from this thread in the alt.tv.due-south newsgroup there is some confusion over whether the DVD released on 16th September will be the Pilot or Call Of The Wild (see next entry) ... maybe we'll get lucky and it'll be both!

10th September
Call Of The Wild, the feature-length last episode ever of due South, can now be ordered on DVD from amazon.ca - release date 16th September.

4th September
News just in for people in the Toronto area! Paul Gross will be hosting a fundraiser for HIV/AIDS orphans on Friday night, September 5th, at the Berkeley Church Dance Hall at 315 Queen Street East.

3rd September
Haven't we been here before? ... no sooner do we hear that due South Season 3 is coming out on DVD in November than a reader on the alt.tv.due-south newsgroup receives this from Amazon:

"Unfortunately the November release date for Due South Season 3 has been pushed to January 2004. I do not have an episode list at this time but that information should be available closer to the street date."

Paul will be appearing on stage in Art at the Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts Theatre Gala on Saturday 27th September, alongside Kenneth Welsh and Gordon Pinsent. Thanks to Felicity for this news!

"Paul Gross with co-star and real life wife Martha Burns ride in a swan boat in a scene from the Shakespearean-theatre satire Slings & Arrows, to air this season on The Movie Network." Click here to see the original article and here to see a higher-quality picture. Thanks to Maria and Wendy for letting us know.

13th August
What! can the Toronto Star speak true? Will Paul be playing Macbeth at Stratford in 2004? Read on ...

24th July
Many thanks to Cally for the news that 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is being screened by Channel 5 in the UK on 3rd August at 6.10 pm.

21st July
"I was absolutely alarmed" says Paul Gross about the ongoing crisis in Canadian TV funding. Read his interview in this week's Maclean's.

Martha Burns (Mrs Paul Gross) talks to the National Post about her latest theatrical role - Winnie in Samuel Beckett's Happy Days.

Many thanks to Jenny who sent in the news that Series 3 of due South will be released on DVD by Alliance Atlantis on 18th November 2003 - more at tvshowsondvd.com.

Wendy let us know that Daniel MacIvor's website is now showing cast details of Wilby Wonderful - Paul is there, along with some other familiar names!

Paul Gross as Geoffrey Tennant and Stephen Ouimette as Oliver Welles in Slings and ArrowsAnd more from Wendy ... acording to this news release Slings and Arrows will be broadcast on the Movie Central premium cable channel in November 2003.

12th July
It is confirmed that Paul has a role in Daniel MacIvor's Wilby Wonderful, with shooting taking place in Nova Scotia in July and August. This Halifax Herald article is now slightly out of date but gives more details of the film.

6th July
Getting Married in Buffalo Jump starring Paul Gross and Wendy Crewson will be shown on Showcase (Canada) on Monday 14th July at 1 pm ET - thanks to Maria for letting us know.

4th July
Many thanks to Tate for the news that amazon.ca are now taking orders for due South series 2 at the discounted price of $70.69 Cdn for the set of 3 DVDs - release date 5th August.

Autographed copies of series 2 will also be available from Badlands Books for $99.99 Cdn.

14th June
The long-awaited Region 2 DVD release of due South seems to be on hold. A writer to the alt.tv.due-south newsgroup recently received this message from Alliance Atlantis: "Unfortunately due to legal issues this title has been postponed, but we are hopeful it will be released soon - although no date has been set at this time." Please note, this is the REGION 2 release of SERIES 1 we are talking about, not the REGION 1 release of SERIES 2 which is still expected on 5th August!

12th June
Paul has been elected onto the Board of Directors of the Canadian Television Fund. Thanks to Yvonstlouis for this news!

And thanks to Bast for letting us know that Married To It, in which Paul plays yuppie Jeremy Brimfield, is now available on DVD. More details at amazon.com and amazon.ca.

4th June
Murder, Most Likely
will be showing in the US on Court TV on 7th June at 3 pm ET.

31st May
Maria has spotted an article about Slings and Arrows in today's Toronto Star - Pub special: Hamlet on wry by Rita Zekas.

29th May
Many thanks to Tony for letting us know that the due South Series 2 DVD can now be pre-ordered from videoflicks and that the release date of 5th August is confirmed.

28th May
At the ACTRA website you can now see a high quality video (6 MB) of Paul's address to the April news conference about cuts in Canadian TV funding. Thanks to Jill for the link.

27th May
The word from Badlands Books is that the DVD release date for due South season 2 is now 5th August. Well, at least we'll have them in time for Christmas!

Thanks to Santa Satoh for letting us know that Paul will be in the studio as a guest on the Mary Walsh: Open Book programme on Monday 2nd June, where he will be discussing Tooth and Nail by Ian Rankin. We don't yet know when this will be broadcast.

26th May
Globe and MailThere's a very good picture and article about Paul and Slings and Arrows in today's Globe and Mail - thanks to everyone who let us know!

John has sent the sad news that the current run of due South on Arena TV in Australia will be the last, as they are losing the rights. (But the good news is that Men With Brooms will be available to buy in Australia on 14th July according to EzyDVD.com)

23rd May
Thanks to Lyds for the news that Buried On Sunday (aka Northern Extremes) is available on video from fye.com.

22nd May
Jazz reports that Paul will be hosting a CTV Sick Kids special at 7 pm ET on Saturday 31st May. This is not yet in the online listings so check your TV magazines!

18th May
Two interesting bits of news about the release of due South series 2 on DVD and it'll be interesting to see which is correct! A writer to the alt.tv.due-south newsgroup claims to have been told the release date is 20th June but Rob has noticed that cduniverse.com are going with 20th May which is only two days away! Update 22nd May - cduniverse.com now have DS2 on "backorder".

CTV's Canada AM interviewed Paul in Ottawa on 13th May via remote hookup. A video of the interview and related news stories can be accessed on the CTV web site. Thanks to Sandi for this news!

8th May
Good news - Manifest Destiny/H20 received the funding it needed from Telefilm, including the shortfall from the CTF, so now filming can go ahead in September!

5th May
The crisis in Canadian TV funding is threatening two of Paul's current projects. Manifest Destiny - whose former working title was H20 - is awaiting a funding decision from Telefilm following a shortfall in what was needed from CTF; and the fate of The Just Society is also in the balance while an attempt is made either to agree finances with CTV or to find an international distributor or foreign co-producer. While we wait to find out what will happen, you can read more about Canadian TV's 'cash crunch' here.

Play.com are listing DS season 2 on DVD with a release date of 12th May. As far as we can tell, they only ship to the UK. To view the details select "R1 DVD title" on the search option and type in "due South". Thanks to Angela for the news!

1st May
Want to win a Men With Brooms t-shirt, book or signed poster? The Movie Network is running a trivia contest to coincide with tomorrow's 9 pm ET airing of Men With Brooms! ... more

30th April
A new miniseries written by Paul is mentioned in an article by Brian D Johnson in this week's Maclean's magazine. It's going by the name of Manifest Destiny but sadly is one of those dramas affected by the latest cuts in Canadian TV funding.

24th April
For Canadian TMN cable subscribers - Men With Brooms is premiering on TMN1 on Friday 2nd May at 9pm ET. Although the monthly cable magazine hasn't come out, online TV listings do show the movie now. Thanks to Maria for the news!

18th April
If you'd like to hear Paul's contribution via videolink to the news conference about Canadian TV funding, go to newswire.ca's webcast and click one of the two links at top right of the page. The file is 37 minutes long - you can hear Paul from 2 mins 23 secs to 4 mins 44. There is also a video link on the CTV website. Thanks to Maria and Felicity for the links.

17th April
Paul recently spoke at a news conference about the latest cuts in Canadian television funding, saying, "This is a catastrophic collapse. We are in freefall" ... more

11th April
Picture by Gary Yokoyama, Hamilton SpectatorMany thanks to Tracy for the news that Paul's photo was on the front page of the Hamilton Spectator this morning . He is acting in a forthcoming TV drama series called Slings and Arrows about a festival theatre company. Martha Burns is also working on the project which is being produced by Rhombus Media. There is more information at c21media.net.

23rd March
Confusion reigns over the release date of the due South series 2 DVD - amazon have now removed it from their listings. We'll pass on anything we hear.

20th March
Bob and Renie Gross have redesigned their website and it is now to be found at http://www.badlandsbooks.com - please update your bookmarks!

18th March
Amazon.ca are now showing 29th April as the release date for the due South series 2 DVD!

11th March
Thanks to all those who have written to say that the DVD release of due South series 2 has been indefinitely delayed. The same thing happened with Series 1, we seem to remember, but it came out in the end so we're not unduly worried - yet!

25th February
If all goes according to plan, Paul may soon be back on Canadian TV screens starring in a four hour miniseries from Haddock Entertainment and Whizbang Films. Providing funding is obtained, shooting will begin in September. Paul is writing, with Chris Haddock and John Krizanc. More details at Canoe - thanks to Wendy for spotting this article!

15th February
due South returns to Australian TV! It will air daily on the Arena Channel (Foxtel) at 3 am starting on 24th February with the first half of the pilot episode.

10th February
Cheryl reports that XXX's & OOO's will be playing in the US on the WE network on Friday 21st February at 11.00 am.

4th February
Videoflicks has the due South Season Two DVD box set (Region 1) available for preorder - release date 29th April. To see details in US$ go here; for Canadian go here. Thanks to Cyan for the news!

24th January
Here's a chance to see Paul on the recent Canada AM show. Go to http://www.ctv.ca/generic/WebSpecials/Shows/eleventhhour/extra.html, scroll down until you find Paul's name in 'Cast Interviews' and click on the link.

Thanks to Lisa for this: Buried on Sunday can be seen on Mpix (Canada) on 5th February at 6.45 pm and on 13th February at 2.30 pm. Cold Comfort can be seen on Mpix on 4th February at 2.00 pm and on 19th February at 10.45 pm.

And Bast reports that Tales of the City is scheduled for release on DVD (Region 1) on 25th February 2003. It can be ordered from amazon.com and amazon.ca.

19th January
DirecTV
, a satellite channel in the US, is showing Men With Brooms on various dates this month on channel 155.

It is being reported around the internet that due South Season 2 will be released on DVD (Region 1) in April this year - anyone with definite news, please send it in!

16th January
Maria sends news that TV Ontario is going to show the 1988 series Chasing Rainbows starring Paul as a post-WW1 speakeasy owner. The first episode is on Tuesday 21st January at 00.30 am (ET) - late Monday night, that is. Episodes continue daily after that.

3rd January
Happy New Year! Sheila reports that Paul is going to appear on CTV's Canada AM on Monday 6th January (we've been told it's at 8.10 am) to promote Tuesday's episode of The Eleventh Hour.

29th December
Place of Miracles: Inside The Hospital for Sick Children has aired across Canada since November. The programme features moving appeals by celebrities including host Paul Gross, Jackie Chan, Mike Myers, Sonja Smits, Gordon Pinsent, Sheila McCarthy, Sherry Miller and Sarah Chalke. A RealPlayer version of the programme can be seen online at the Hospital for Sick Children website.

11th December
We've just heard that Paul will appear in The Eleventh Hour on 7th January!

Thanks to Elaine for the news that Men with Brooms has been nominated for two Genie awards - Best Actress (Molly Parker) and Best Original Screenplay (Paul Gross and John Krizanc).

27th November
Messages have been coming in from fans who are disappointed that the long-awaited DVD release of "Season One" of due South doesn't include the pilot episode.

25th November
Re yesterday's news about The Just Society, we have been told that although Paul would write for and executive produce the series, there are no plans for him to appear in it.

However, the good news is that Paul is returning to TV as guest star in a forthcoming episode of The Eleventh Hour, the only new Canadian drama series this year. The show premieres in Canada tomorrow (Tuesday) evening on CTV but there's no news yet on when Paul's episode will air.

24th November
From the latest Playback magazine:

[Paul Gross], seen most recently in the Alliance Atlantis curling comedy Men with Brooms, is currently in development with writer John Krizanc on a new show for CTV.

Little is known about The Just Society except its working title. CTV is expecting a script from the pair but has not placed an order for any shows, says spokesperson Mike Cosentino. It is one of roughly 100 shows CTV has in the works.

Krizanc co-wrote Men with Brooms with Gross and is also among the writers for Da Vinci's Inquest. He was also on the writing team for Due South, sharing a best drama writing Gemini with Gross and Robert B. Carney in 1998.

23rd November
Paul will be at the Eaton Centre branch of Indigo on Saturday 30th November at 2.30 pm to sign DVDs of due South and Men With Brooms. (No other memorabilia will be signed.)

Evelyn reports that videoflicks are now shipping the due South DVD.

Thanks to Helene for the news that Murder, Most Likely will be on CTV on Sunday 24th November at 3 pm ET.

21st November
Darrell reports that Men with Brooms is available to own in Newfoundland on DVD at Walmart!

6th November
The due South DVD set is now re-available for pre-order and to be released on 26th November, according to the videoflicks website.

2nd November
Carol writes:

"I was surfing the actratoronto site today & found the transcript of Paul's speech given at the June 21st ACTRA Toronto Members Conference. If you are following the issue of disappearing Canadian drama, as I am, you'll find it interesting." [You need Acrobat Reader to read the transcript.]

Thanks to Bast for the news that Tales of the City is now available as a Region 4 or Region 0 release. Different prices/regions may be seen here.

1st November
Elvira reports that she picked up a copy of Men With Brooms at her local Blockbuster in Buffalo, NY.

31st October
Yzerbear writes:

"I live about 2 hours from Detroit, in Michigan and was able to purchase Men With Brooms on DVD today at Media Play. Best Buy and Circuit City didn't have it, but both websites list it. So it does appear to be out in the United States, you just have to look for it."

28th October
News from Canada about the Men With Brooms DVD: "I can confirm that Oct. 29 is indeed DVD day here in Canada - I don't know about the US or overseas, and I presume web retailers also start shipping tomorrow - as I personally checked out a "Rogers Video" store today and watched them tear open the cartons to stock the shelves tomorrow."

22nd October
From today's Toronto Star:

Shakespeare Work: On Board With The Bard, a four-year-old rotating troupe of about 130 actors that brings Shakespeare to schools, has secured a permit from the City of Toronto for a tent at Ashbridges Bay to stage Shakespeare plays for a low $25 a person admission charge. The tent will seat 500. The actors include R.H. Thomson, Rosemary Dunsmore, Peter Haworth and Paul Gross.

Badlands Books are taking orders for autographed copies of the Men With Brooms and due South DVDs - more details on our merchandise page.

19th October
There's a rare opportunity for Americans to see In This Corner, written by Paul Gross, as part of The Museum of Television & Radio's salute to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in New York from 5th-10th November and Los Angeles from 6th-10th November.

Videoflicks have sent out the following news about the delayed due South DVD:

"We have just been notified that the release of this title has been delayed indefinitely. According to the studio - they are hoping to be able to announce a street date for a Christmas release. The hold up was the packaging."

Existing orders will be kept open by Videoflicks, unless purchasers contact them to cancel. Purchasers will not be charged for the DVD until Videoflicks have it.

6th October
Paul Gross was one of five people to receive University of Alberta Distinguished Alumni Awards on 2nd October. Read this Edmonton Journal article about Paul's visit to Edmonton.

29th September
The release date of the Men With Brooms DVD and video now appears to be 29th October, not 15th, according to the US amazon website. Videoflicks have removed both items from their current catalogue.

28th September
Following the recent withdrawal of the due South series 1 DVD set from the Videoflicks catalogue, the Canadian DVD Users Group says: "Originally slated with October 29th, the anticipated set has been delayed to an undetermined date. Stay tuned on that as I'll post the new date as soon as Alliance releases one."

22nd September
Wendy reports that Men With Brooms makes its European debut in Norway on Wednesday 24th September as part of Canadian Film Week and to celebrate the Oslo Cup 2002 curling tournament!

21st September
Men With Brooms sweeps relentlessly across the USA! Thank you for all the messages saying that the movie is showing in Houston, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Washington and a host of other locations. (What nobody seems to understand, however, is the lack of promotion ....)

20th September
Men With Brooms hits the Big Apple! Thanks to JaC for letting us know that MWB is playing at the AMC 25 (off Times Square). Reports are coming in also that the movie is showing in Atlanta, Detroit, Orange CA, Chicago .... check your local paper or click here to see if it's on in your area of the US!

Wendy reports that Men With Brooms is showing at a multiplex in Cleveland, Ohio for the next few days (and thanks to Amanda for this link to the Cinemark Valley View theatres).

15th September
Maria
sends this news from the Humber College website: John Krizanc is working with Paul Gross on a series called Convictions for CTV. It's about a group of outsiders pursuing justice on their own terms.

10th September
Thanks to Wendy for the news that Paul is the featured guest at a luncheon on Thursday 19th September at the Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Cost is $25.

"Multi-talented Paul Gross (Due South, Gross Misconduct) is a writer, director, producer and one of the most well-known actors on the Canadian scene. Refusing offers from CBS and Disney, he’s chosen to stick it out in Toronto and be the front-man to lobby for regulation changes by the CRTC. With many dimensions at work on any single project, he has experienced Canadian production on a number of different levels - as well as the issues - the lack of a Canadian star system, struggling Canadian dramatic series and the hopes for more feature length hits like Men With Brooms. Join Laurie Brown as she hosts one of Canada’s favourite former men in uniform!" Box office information.

3rd September
Cynthia reports that according to an NBC commercial last night, Men With Brooms is being released in Denver on 20th September. It is believed that the US distributors, thought to be Artisan Entertainment, are market testing the movie in about 20 theatres.

28th August
Aspen Extreme will be released on DVD (region 1) on 3rd September.

20th August
DVD news again! First, for Europe and all other Region 2 countries:

Momentum Pictures in London are planning to release due South on DVD in the first half of 2003 (not late 2002 as previously stated) and have started discussions with UK retailers on dating the release. They are watching with interest the Canadian release and hopefully will have a Region 2 disc as good as if not better than the region 1 disc! For details of exactly which countries are in Region 2, go to http://www.blackstar.co.uk/help/help_dvd_regions.

Nicole reports that the Region 1 due South DVD set can be pre-ordered from videoflicks.ca (availability date 29th October). Non-Canadians, try videoflicks.com.

18th August
More DVD news, this time from Mary! Men With Brooms will be released on 15th October and can be pre-ordered from the US amazon website (Region 1 version only).

14th August
This could be the news we've been waiting for! The Canadian DVD Users Group reports that Alliance Atlantis will be releasing the complete first season of due South on DVD. Said to be scheduled for release on 29th October 2002, the 3 disc set will contain all 22 episodes of the first season, with features and audio tracks still to be decided upon.

11th August
Many thanks to Stephanie for this news - on 20th August at 7 pm CBC TV will be showing Stratford Gold - The Shining Years. "Hamlet is Shakespeare’s greatest role. Since Stratford began 50 years ago, it has been played by seven actors, six of whom are still living. In this episode the six surviving Hamlets are interviewed, including Christopher Plummer, Kenneth Welsh and Richard Monette and the more recent actors to tackle the role: Brent Carver, Stephen Ouimette and Paul Gross."

10th August
Wendy reports that Murder, Most Likely will be shown on Court TV (in the US) on Sunday 11th August at 5 pm and Monday 12th August at 2 am.

23rd July
Thanks to Daniela for letting us know about these pictures of Paul at the 2002 World Curling Championships!

19th July
Paul's contribution to this year's Hospital for Sick Children Miracle Weekend is now available on the HSC Website as two Real video files. Click on Meet Olivia to see the videos.

Thanks to Judyk for the news that on 13th August at 7.30 pm CBC TV will be showing Stratford Gold - The Shining Years. "Richard Monette begins an era of unabashed populism and record box-office. Interviewees include: Cynthia Dale, Paul Gross and Richard Monette."

25th June
Thanks to Lisa for the following Moviepix news for Canadians: Buried on Sunday is playing on 1st July at 2.15 pm and again on 17th July at 7.15 pm. Cold Comfort is playing on 23rd July at 1.15 am and again on 31st July at 10.45 pm.

Paul Gross has become an inaugural member of The Canadian Patron Council for Volunteering, a Volunteer Canada initiative. Each member of the Council will use their public profile and stature as a role model for Canadians to highlight the invaluable contribution of volunteer effort in Canada and will give what time they can to engage people in their networks, speak publicly and participate in events that support Canada's existing cadre of volunteers, while encouraging more people to volunteer.

Paul has been speaking out as part of the campaign by ACTRA to promote home-grown Canadian film and TV - thanks to tpecora for the link to this article.

11th June
SantaSato reports that Aspen Extreme is to be released on DVD (Region 1) in September. Details at amazon.com!

1st June
On Saturday 1st June at 7 pm ET, CFTO and the Hospital for Sick Children's Foundation will begin their 18th annual broadcast with Sick Kids Miracle Weekend 2002. The programme aims to raise money for Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children and will be broadcast straight through until 7 pm ET on Sunday 2nd June. Celebrity appearances will include Celine Dion, Mike Myers, Kurt Browning, Gordon Pinsent, Sonja Smits, Paul Gross, Colm Feore and Catriona Le May Doan.

28th May
Thanks to Fiona for the news that Murder, Most Likely will air on Australia's Showtime Channel on 3rd, 10th, 15th, 16th and 20th July!

SantaSato reports that Series 3 of due South returns to BBC2 (UK) on Sunday 2nd June 2002 at 11.15 am.

26th May
According to TVNow Aspen Extreme and Murder, Most Likely will be shown on various dates and channels in the US in June. Thanks to Julia for alerting us to this.

20th May
Paul is currently visiting the Cannes International Film Festival promoting Men With Brooms - there is a small mention in today's Toronto Sun.

19th May
Thanks to Wendy for the news that the US premiere of Men With Brooms will take place at the Seattle Film Festival on 7th June with a further showing on 11th June!

6th May
Murder, Most Likely is showing on the UK's Living channel on Tuesday 7th May at 9 pm.

22nd April
More on the Landmine Survivors fundraiser on 26th April:

The event on Friday April 26 at Toronto's Capitol Theatre is a fundraiser for the Landmine Survivors Network and the Canadian Landmine Foundation. Tickets, priced $150, are tax deductible and include dinner and the short monologue presentation. Others in the show are the stars of the Alliance Atlantis series, THE ASSOCIATES as well as Sonya Smits from TRADERS and STREET LEGAL. Alyson Feltes is well-known for her producer/writer talents on TRADERS, STREET LEGAL and the TV movie/pilot JUSTICE. Martha Burns (Mrs Paul Gross) is a Stratford alumnus and co-founding member of Soulpepper Theatre Company.

Call Canadian Landmine Foundation 416-365-9461 for reservations.

Elaine reports that the current issue of Canadian Screenwriter (Spring 2002) has Paul Gross and John Krizanc on the cover and a 4 page article/interview with them on Men with Brooms.

17th April
Paul will be among those interviewed in a profile of actor Kenneth Welsh on StarTV on Wednesday 24th April, 8.30-9.30 pm ET. Thanks to Maria for the news.

Toronto Arts For Youth auction update: Paul's Men With Brooms sweater raised $500!

13th April
Spotted by Wendy in today's Globe and Mail: Paul Gross and Martha Burns will be among those taking part in a 20 minute play by Alyson Feltes on 26th April at Toronto's Capitol Theatre. The play, entitled Raising Our Voices, is about landmine survivors.

9th April
Bid for Paul's Men With Brooms sweater! We have received this auction news from Toronto Arts for Youth who are having a "Spring Fling".

Toronto Arts for Youth is hosting a silent auction and sale on April 12th at 8 pm. Jazz music, light food and drinks round out the evening. Please join us at the Arts and Letters Club, 14 Elm St, Toronto. Admission $20.

Martha Burns, the founder of Toronto Arts for Youth and married to Paul Gross, has generously arranged a Men With Brooms donation for our silent auction that we thought might be of some interest to fans. It includes: a military style black wool, ribbed sweater that Paul Gross wore in the movie, along with an autographed poster and collector pins. We are starting off with a suggested bid of $200 for the package (this is just a suggested opening bid - you may bid lower).

If you are unable to attend the auction in downtown Toronto you can bid on line up until midnight on Thursday. To bid on line simply e-mail toronto_arts_for_youth @yahoo.com with your bid and contact information and we will contact you if your bid is the highest. We will then take the highest bid from the internet and continue to take bids at the auction on Friday night. If your bid is the highest we will contact you and make arrangements to ship the package to you and receive payment by cheque, cash or visa. Good Luck!

8th April
Badlands Books, the website of Paul's parents, has been updated with details of how to purchase the Men With Brooms soundtrack CD.

Joanne writes to say that Paul is to visit Bismarck, ND (in the US) on 11th April for a special screening of Men With Brooms during the 2002 Ford World Curling Championships. More details

31st March
Judy reports that the latest edition of Take One magazine has a great photo of Paul on the cover.

21st March
The Men With Brooms soundtrack CD is now available from Badlands Books. To order: phone [1]780-420-6367, fax [1]780-421-8465, send an email to rgross@primus.ca or send snail mail to:

Badlands Books, #203, 10009-102 Avenue, Edmonton AB, T5J 5B6, Canada.

You may pay by Visa or Master Card or by International Money Order.

The cost of the CD is $20.00 Cdn.

Mailing and handling charges for up to two CDs are:

• anywhere in Canada $4.60 Cdn
• anywhere in the USA $7.25 Cdn
• anywhere international $8.45 Cdn

For orders of more than two CDs please ask for shipping charges. Please note that this CD is not autographed.

18th March
SJ writes: "I wanted tell you that I saw Paul Gross and Leslie Nielsen on the comedy show This hour has 22 minutes on CBC. Their appearance was very short, but it was funny . I think that they are going to reshow it tonight (March 18) at 7.00 pm, but I'm not sure."

13th March
The latest instalment of Movie Television features Men With Brooms. It airs this Thursday at 7.30 pm 8.30 pm EST and will be repeated during the following week on StarTV.

11th March
MEN WITH BROOMS TOPS CANADIAN BOX OFFICE!

7th March
Check out this message from Paul - and don't forget to go and see Men With Brooms during its important first weekend!

Thanks to Lisa for letting us know about a half-hour STAR! Close-up on Paul tomorrow, Friday, at 6pm on Star! TV.

CBC's flagship nightly news show The National will show a 15-minute feature on Men With Brooms tonight (Thursday). This show, with anchor Peter Mansbridge, runs on CBC from 10 pm to 11 pm EST, with a preview showing on CBC Newsworld from 9 pm to 10 pm.

Paul Gross, Leslie Nielsen, Michelle Nolden and Kari Matchett join Pamela Wallin for a chat about Men With Brooms on Saturday 9th March from 4-5 pm ET on CTV.

Fiona reports that Tribute TV has been showing a 4 minute piece on Men With Brooms. This is also available online.

Canadians who get the Rogers station should try to catch Reel to Real as their half hour segment this week is believed to be completely about Men With Brooms. They have interviews with the cast, movie clips, as well as 'behind the scenes' shots.

Famous Players put out a magazine called "Famous" that you can pick up at their movie theatres. The March 2002 issue has an article with Paul Gross on Men With Brooms.

2nd March
Rock Stars: The World of Curling will air on CBC on Tuesday 5th March at 7 pm. "Hosts Leslie Nielsen, Paul Gross, Colleen Jones and George Karrys take you on an entertaining journey into the world of curling."

Meet Paul Gross and author Diane Baker Mason as they sign copies of Men With Brooms at Indigo, Bay & Bloor, on Monday 4th March from 5 pm to 6 pm. *No memorabilia please.*

Curious about what goes on at IdeaCity, the annual Canadian gathering of great minds, but can't afford the $2000 entry fee? Wendy reports that many of last year's speakers will be heard from in a CityTV hour-long special on Thursday 7th March, including Peter Jennings, Justin Trudeau, Moshe Safdie, Paul Gross and John Turner.

Thanks to Lisa for the news that Buried On Sunday will be shown on Moviepix on the following dates:

Friday 8th March Pix2, 9.10 pm; Pix1, 11.10 pm
Wednesday 13th March Pix2, 5.25 pm; Pix1, 7.25 pm
Tuesday 19th March Pix2, 7.15 am; Pix1, 9.15 am
Thursday 28th March Pix2, 12.45 pm; Pix1, 2.45 pm

1st March
The Movie Network invites you to a special guest appearance by Canada's most popular leading man, Paul Gross (due South), star, writer, and director of the soon-to-be released movie Men With Brooms.
Teri Hart from @ The Movies will host the appearance and will be giving away cool Men With Brooms prizes throughout the event. Paul Gross will be available to sign autographs until 2.00 pm. Bring your own curling paraphernalia to be signed; a limited number of mini-posters will be available.
WHEN: Monday, March 4th from 12.30 pm to 2.00 pm. Please arrive early as autograph signing is only until 2.00 pm.
WHERE: Allen Lambert Galleria, BCE Place, 181 Bay Street, Toronto.

28th February
Thanks to Heather and Amanda for the news that Showcase is starting a "Tribute to Paul Gross" this weekend. Here are the dates for your diary:

Whale Music on Saturday 2nd March at 7 pm
Getting Married in Buffalo Jump on Sunday 3rd March at 7 pm
Cold Comfort on Saturday 9th March at 7 pm
Due South pilot on Sunday 10th March at 7 pm
Paint Cans on Sunday 17th March at 7 pm

27th February
Visit the Royal Canadian Air Farce website to view the 1997 sketch "due South: The Lost Episode" starring Constable Benton Fraser! (Real Player required)

24th February
Paul will be interviewed on MuchOnDemand on the MuchMusic channel on 25th February but we're not sure if this will be at 5 pm or 5.40 pm!

23rd February
News from Anne: Paul Gross, Leslie Nielsen and Polly Shannon will appear on Off The Record as part of a curling special on The Sports Network (Canada) at 12 pm and 6 pm on Friday 1st March.

Sandi has heard that Paul will appear on Star! Close-Up on Wednesday 6th March at 8.30 pm.

22nd February
Don't forget to check our broom cupboard for details of Men With Brooms in the press!

Amanda reports that Paul is to appear on Open Mike on Saturday 23rd February.

21st February
Debbie reports that the soundtrack of Men With Brooms can now be pre-ordered from HMV. Take a look at the tracklisting! (* denotes previously unreleased track)

1. Sarah Harmer with The Tragically Hip - Silver Road*
2 . Kathleen Edwards - Hockey Skates*
3. The Tragically Hip - Throwing Off Glass
4. Our Lady Peace - Life
5. The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic
6. Sean MacDonald - God
7. Big Sugar - Diggin' A Hole
8. Tom Wilson - Planet Love
9. Matthew Good Band - Hello Time Bomb
10. Pepper Sands - Can U Tell*
11. Chantal Kreviazuk - Leading Me Home*
12. Paul Gross - Kiss You 'Til You Weep*
13. Holly McNarland - Watching Over You*
14. The Tragically Hip - Oh Honey*
15. Men With Brooms Theme

The new Sarah Harmer video Silver Road, which includes many clips from Men With Brooms, can be viewed at Universal Music Canada.

20th February
Alex has spotted that Men With Brooms: A Sweeping Epic, the Diane Baker Mason novelization of the movie, can now be ordered from Chapters-Indigo.

Still trying to catch the Men With Brooms trailer on TV? Heather reports that she saw it while watching Due South on Showcase yesterday at 12.44 pm

19th February
The latest UNCONFIRMED news is that Paul and other cast members will be appearing at Men With Brooms premieres as follows:

Toronto 25th February
Ottawa 26th February
Vancouver 27th February
Calgary 28th February
Edmonton 1st March
Winnipeg 2nd March
Halifax 6th March
Montreal 7th March

Thanks to Sandi and Amanda for the news that the premiere (invitation only) of Men With Brooms on 25th February is to take place at the Uptown Theatre on Yonge!

MaryK has written to say that the Alliance Atlantis Films website has added four Men With Brooms TV spots - two of 15 seconds and two of 30 seconds - and that the movie trailer is now available on the Serendipity Point Films website.

18th February
One week to go! Tracy reports that before Paul attends the premiere of Men With Brooms in Toronto on the 25th February, he'll be appearing on MuchMusic at 5.40pm ET. Jennifer has seen a trailer for the movie on Canadian TV. Colette had a great surprise when she went to the movies in Québec and saw the Men With Brooms (Quatre hommes et un balai) trailer in French.

Alexandra spotted that Paul Gross and Molly Parker are on cover of the March 2002 issue of Flare, a Canadian fashion magazine. There is also an 8-10 page long article on the cast and crew of Men With Brooms. JudyK has found Men With Brooms posters on sale for $20 at a store called "Hollywood Renaissance" on Yonge Street, Toronto.

Sarah Harmer has recorded a video for the song that she wrote for Men With Brooms - the video is expected to premiere on 25th February.

Show your support for Men With Brooms by going along to see it during the all-important FIRST WEEKEND in Canada (8th-10th March)!

Keep an eye on The National Post, Maclean's and Elle (Canada) for Men With Brooms features in the near future.

6th February
Men With Brooms
premieres in Toronto on 25th February and goes on general release in Canada on 8th March. After the premiere, Paul and other members of the cast will be flying around the country opening the movie in major centres throughout Canada.

Men With Brooms will be shown on 2nd March 2002 as the Movie Central Panorama Closing Film at the Winnipeg NSI Film Festival. Paul Gross and Robert Lantos will be there and Leslie Nielsen might also be in attendance. A Ennis

1st February
Paul is one of the presenters at next Thursday's 22nd Annual Genie Awards - 7th February on CBC from 8-10pm ET. M Vrzoc

30th January
A novelization of Men with Brooms is to be published shortly in Toronto by McArthur - Men with brooms: a sweeping epic, by Diane Baker Mason, based on original screenplay by Paul Gross and John Krizanc. ISBN 1552782638, price $10.99 A Gregory

Cold Comfort will air on Movie Pix on the following dates (all times EST):

Wednesday 13th February 10.50 pm
Monday 18th February 2.00 pm
Friday 22nd February 10.35 am
Tuesday 26th February 12.00 am A Leger, M Vrzoc

25th January
The Men With Brooms soundtrack will be in Canadian stores on 5th March. It features new music from The Tragically Hip, Sarah Harmer, Peppersands, Holly McNarland and Paul Gross, and previously issued material by the Matthew Good Band, Big Sugar and Our Lady Peace. A Leger

Star TV's list of "Canada's 25 Most Beautiful People" was shown a few days ago on City TV. Paul Gross, Leslie Nielsen, and Polly Shannon made the list, and each of their brief interviews included Men With Brooms clips. It will repeat on Star TV, Friday 8th February at 9 pm. A Leger

23rd January
Murder Most Likely will air on the UK's Living TV at 9 pm on Thursday 31st January.

17th January
A Men With Brooms trailer can now be seen at the Alliance Atlantis website, together with synopsis, crew details and a picture gallery. S Clemens

14th January
According to the Alliance Atlantis scrolling news ticker, Men With Brooms will be released on 8th March.

29th December
Murder Most Likely
will be shown on Network Two (Ireland) on 2nd January at 9.35pm. C Gordon

Take One Magazine, a publication dedicated to Canadian TV and cinema, will feature Men With Brooms in its March issue, with Paul Gross on the cover. Copies cost $7.50 US (cheque or credit card).

Address: 252-128 Danforth Ave, Toronto M4K 1N1, Canada
Fax number: 416-465-4356 C Gordon

17th December
Autographed copies of the new Gross and Keeley Love and Carnage CD are now available to order from the Badlands Books website!

8th December
Gross Misconduct will air on the Biography Channel (Canada) on Monday 10th December at noon and 6 pm ET. Francoise

4th December
Love and Carnage is now on sale at Music For Your Soul for $15.99 (US $ if you live outside Canada) plus shipping. 9th December - the price is now $18.

30th November
The Gross and Keeley website has been completely revamped with new photos, lyrics and video/audio clips - and the news that the album Love and Carnage will be released "in December". M Kelch

27th November
Buried on Sunday will be shown on Showcase (Canada) on Sunday 9th December at 7 pm ET. M Vrzoc

20th November
In addition to its broadcasts on 6th/7th December, "Rock Stars: The World of Curling" can also be seen at 2 pm EST on 5th January 2002. W Schweiger

18th November
Cold Comfort is airing on Tuesday 20th November at 9 pm PST on CKVU, an independent station based in Vancouver, BC. The station is available across the mainland and the Island too. In Toronto, the movie will air on CityTV from 9-11pm ET on 20th, with a repeat early the next morning. L Moore, M Vrzoc

In the US, Aspen Extreme will air on Encore on 20th and 23rd November, and Married To It on WE on 30th November. alt.tv.due-south

3rd November
Far from Home
, a CBC production on the First World War and narrated by Paul Gross, will air on 5th, 6th and 7th November at 8 pm on CBC. There are three 2 hour episodes: Sam's War, The Battle for Vimy Ridge and The Last 100 Days. F Boulanger

28th October
The film Paint Cans will air on Bravo (Canada) on Friday 2nd November at 4 pm. Paul plays Morton Ridgewell. F Boulanger

21st October
"Rock Stars: The World of Curling" featuring Paul Gross and Leslie Nielsen is scheduled to air in the US on the Outdoor Life Network at 10 pm EST on 6th December, with a rebroadcast at 1 am EST on 7th December to accommodate West Coast viewers. W Schweiger

Look out for Paul Gross and Martha Burns in November's Toronto Life main feature, entitled "City of actors: A portrait gallery of 50 players from stage and screen".

9th October
The MovieTV Men With Brooms feature will be repeated on CityTV on Thursday 11th October at 8.30 pm. Viewers outside Toronto should also check current StarTV schedules for details of Movie Television. M Vrzoc

7th October
A MovieTV Men With Brooms feature can be found online at the CityTV website. It looks as though this clip will also be on TV tonight (Sunday) at 8 pm

6th October
The Due South pilot episode is making a rare appearance on Canadian TV at 1 pm EST on Tuesday 9th October (Showcase). F Boulanger

29th September
Badlands Books have about 25 autographed copies remaining of the original issue of the Two Houses CD.

A French version of Tales of the City is airing in Montréal on Série +. It is called Chroniques de San Francisco and is on Saturday at 1 pm and again on Sunday night at 11 pm. Françoise

Paul features in a forthcoming Red Green repeat on Monday 1st October at 12.30 pm - The New Monument, last shown on 28th August (also starring Gordon Pinsent). CBC

26th September
due South is be released on DVD in the UK next year by Momentum Pictures, who have told us they hope to include some "surprises" for the fans! These DVDs will probably be in Region 2 format. A Momentum website is being designed but is not yet available. Alliance Atlantis

25th September
Must see - a new Serendipity Point Films website has appeared with extensive coverage of Men With Brooms! Daniela

18th September
Please note that this website is being moved to a new network and will be out of operation for approximately two hours on Friday 21st September, starting at 9 pm British time (4 pm ET).

13th September
A very few copies of the limited edition Gross and Keeley CD Give The Dog A Bone are reportedly still available from Music for your Soul. To order a copy by phone, call Denise Lenz on 877-387-2687 (toll free within North America but international rates apply to other callers) and have your name, address, phone number and credit card details handy. An alternative number to try is 705-733-3026 (call charges will apply). C Gordon

7th September
The Toronto International Film Festival started yesterday and tonight CityTV are holding their Festival Schmooze party. It is televised and they will be showing a clip of Men With Brooms. Paul will not be there as he is in Salt Lake City but other members of the cast will be in attendance.

TV coverage begins at 10 pm this evening on CityTV and Star, repeated tomorrow (Saturday) on Star at 11.30 am.

27th August
Volunteers are again invited to fill the stands when Leslie Nielsen and Paul film at a curling rink - this time in Utah on 7th and 8th September. They are hosting Rink & Rock: The World of Curling, a one-hour TV pre-Olympic special being produced by USA Curling with support from the World Curling Federation, CBC, and the Canadian Curling Association. Primary filming will take place at the 2002 Olympic curling venue in Ogden, Utah and the programme's US national broadcast is tentatively scheduled for November. Press release. W Schweiger

24th August
Paul features in two forthcoming Red Green repeats: The New Monument on Tuesday 28th August at 12:30 pm; and Bingo Was Her Name on Thursday 6th September also at 12:30 pm. CBC

21st August
Murder, Most Likely finally gets its UK premiere on Sky's Living channel at 9 pm (8 pm GMT) on Wednesday 29th August. This is a digital channel so viewers in Europe with a satellite feed may also be able to view it. C Kent

20th August
Update - Paul will be at Cinefest Sudbury on Saturday 22nd September only.

19th August
Channel 5 (UK) are showing Married to It on Friday 24th August at 3.20pm. Paul has a small but pivotal role as a corporate whizkid in this 1991 "relationship drama" starring Beau Bridges, Stockard Channing, Robert Sean Leonard, Mary Stuart Masterson and Cybill Shepherd. C Gordon

18th August
Paul Gross is to be the first recipient of the new "Frame of Fame" Award to be presented at Cinefest Sudbury which will run from 17th-23rd September. The award is part of the festival's Tribute Canadiana programme, which this year will feature three films chosen by Paul because of the influence they had on his career. Paul will be in attendance on the Friday and Saturday to introduce the films. National Post ("Anna") (See entry for 20th August)

8th August
According to yesterday's Toronto Star, Paul Gross is said to be under consideration for the part of Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady at the Stratford Festival in 2002.

Paint Cans, a satirical comedy in which Paul plays Morton Ridgewell, will air on Canadian Bravo on 17th August at 2 pm ET. M Vrzoc

29th July
Murder, Most Likely will air several times next month on Australia's Showtime channel, starting on 16th August at 10.10 pm EST. Foxtel

9th July
20.000 Meilen unter dem Meer
im deutschen Fernsehen, mit Paul Gross als Ned Land. 20,000 Leagues Under The Seawill air on Germany's Pro 7 on Sunday 15th July at 3.38 pm and on Monday 16th July at 9.18 am.

5th July
Starting this week, look out for Men With Brooms trailers in Canadian cinemas!

25th June
A broom autographed by Men With Brooms cast members is up for auction on eBay - proceeds to go to The Children's Miracle Network. M Vrzoc

21st June
Tales of the City will air on Showcase (Canada) starting on Sunday 8th July at 10pm ET/PT. M Vrzoc

18th June
In case anyone in Canada missed last week's showings of Getting Married in Buffalo Jump, it will be aired on Showcase at 7 pm ET on Saturday 23rd June. M Vrzoc

17th June
Channel 5 has "rescheduled" Murder, Most Likely - new date as yet unknown.

13th June
Murder, Most Likely receives its European premiere when it airs on the UK's Channel 5 at 9 pm on Saturday 23rd June. Viewers elsewhere in Europe may also be able to tune in if they have a digital satellite feed. Channel 5

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea will also be shown on Channel 5 (UK) on 17th June at 5.10 pm as part of their "Sci-fi Sunday".

8th June
Murder, Most Likely
is being aired on CTV on Saturday 9th June at approx 8 pm (check your local times). J Nightingale

Getting Married in Buffalo Jump can be seen on WTN on Friday 15th June at 9 pm ET and Saturday 16th June at 1 am M Vrzoc

5th June
Some viewers were unable to see Tales of the City on 1st June as expected. It is, however, also scheduled for 6th June at 12 am EST (parts 1-3) and 7th June at 12 am EST (parts 4-6) on Showtime. J Mitchell

4th June
Filming of Men With Brooms is now complete!

31st May
Men With Brooms filming is moving to Sudbury on 1st June.

14th May 2001
CHtv's Inside Entertainment will feature Men With Brooms on 15th May at 7.30 pm ET.

US viewers can see Paul as Brian Hawkins in Tales of the City parts 1, 2 and 3 on 1st June at 9 pm, 9.55 pm and 10.50 pm on Showtime 2; and on 5th June at 12 am, 12.55 am and 1.48 am on Showtime. Source: showtimeonline.com

6th May 2001
The Men with Brooms shoot has been extended by a day and volunteer extras are needed for Wednesday 9th May for the AM and/or PM shifts. Same place, same times ... but now with the extra incentive of an autographed picture of Paul Gross as well as the limited edition Men with Brooms curling club pin. The contact for volunteering for the shifts is still: menwithbrooms@hotmail.com Tracy

3rd May 2001
Top Canadian band The Tragically Hip are to make a cameo appearance as a curling team in Men With BroomsSource: Canoe

2nd May 2001
Hundreds of warmly dressed and enthusiastic volunteer extras turned up yesterday to assist with the filming of Men With Brooms at Brampton Curling Club only to find that the weather was unusually hot and they were in danger of getting sunburn during the shooting of outdoor scenes.  Their performance so far has been described as "fantastic"!  Another famous name has been added to the list of the film's stars - Beau Starr.

13th April 2001
It was announced on 10th April in a City Council meeting that Men With Brooms filming will take place in Sudbury between 29th May and 1st June.  A Leger

The new Gross and Keeley CD will appear "in a few weeks" and will be called "Songs of Love and Carnage". Source: Toronto Star

7th April 2001
Sudbury has been chosen as a filming location for Men With Brooms, according to yesterday's Sudbury Star.

2nd April 2001
Men With Brooms curling scenes are to be filmed at Brampton Curling Club between 30th April and 10th May. Source: TCA

1st April 2001
Read the official Men With Brooms press release!

30th March 2001

News broke today that filming of Men With Brooms, a Serendipity Point Film in association with Whizbang Films, co-written by Paul Gross and John Krizanc, will begin on 16th April in Toronto.  It will feature Paul Gross, Molly Parker, Leslie Nielsen, James Allodi, Kari Matchett, Michelle Nolden, Peter Outerbridge, Jed Rees and Polly ShannonRobert Lantos (Sunshine, Felicia's Journey, The Sweet Hereafter and eXistenZ) will produce and Paul Gross will direct.  Leslie Nielsen is to play the father of Chris Cutter, Paul's character.  The film is financed by Alliance Atlantis who hold worldwide distribution rights, with Serendipity Point Films handling US sales.  Source: Variety

"Men With Brooms is an outrageously Canadian romance of ice and stone.  Four old friends dust off their neglected brooms and sweep the past behind them on the road to realizing their late coach's dream of the big curling trophy." (Canada NewsWire, 1 Apr 01)


7th March 2001
George Karrys, Olympic silver medallist curler and technical consultant to Men With Brooms will be taking part in a live chat on The Sports Network website on Friday 9th March at 8 pm ET, focusing on Men With Brooms in advance of Paul's visit to the Brier championship on Sunday.  Source: TSN

2nd March 2001
Showcase (Canada) will be airing Whale Music this Sunday, 4th March at 10 pm ET/PT, 12 am CT, 11 pm AT/MT, 11.30 pm NFLD and again at 1.30 am ET/PT, 3.30 am CT, 2.30 am AT/MT, 3 am NFLD.  Source L Moore

26th February 2001
Official pre-production of Men With Brooms  starts on 5th March!  If  you've written in volunteering as an extra, please be patient - more information will be provided nearer the time that you'll be needed.  In the meantime, you can brush up on your curling skills by visiting our new Men With Brooms page!

Paul Gross Needs You!

VOLUNTEERS are needed for Paul's movie, Men With Brooms.  Specifically, the production is looking for audience members for curling bonspiel scenes to be shot in Toronto, currently TENTATIVELY scheduled for 5-10 days in late April/early May.  It would be at least a full day commitment (up to 12 hours a day, weekdays only), but you would have the opportunity to be a part of and observe the filmmaking process.  Several famous curlers will be taking part and there will be prize draws throughout the day, along with food and drink and a special memento for each participant.  You do NOT have to be a curler, so bring your friends and family along too - at least 1500 people are needed!

Write in now to menwithbrooms@hotmail.com with your name, location and evening phone number! Whizbang Films


10th February 2001
Some copies of the limited edition version of the new Gross and Keeley CD are still available on a first come, first served basis (exact quantity unknown).  The commercial album - release date still not confirmed - is likely to have completely different graphics on the cover.

To order a copy of the limited edition CD by phone, call Denise Lenz at Live Unity on 877-387-2687 (toll free within North America but international rates apply to other callers) and have your name, address, phone number and credit card details handy.  An alternative number to try is 705-733-3026 (call charges will apply) or you can fax your order to 705-733-2904.

Or you can email Live Unity but [editor's note!] please be aware that sending your credit card details via email is NOT SECURE.  Sending credit card numbers by phone or fax is safer.  Source: Live Unity


5th February 2001
The limited edition Gross and Keeley CD on sale at the Winspear Centre concert on 29th January included fifteen tracks:
Give the dog a bone (featuring Paul)
Cherry beach (David)

No business (Paul)

If heaven had a back door (David)

Secret in your eyes (Paul)
Family matters (Paul)
Other side of life (David)

Jerusalem (Paul)

Gone with the wind (David)

Crime of the mind (Paul)
Kickin' his shadow (David)
Paris (Paul)
Blame it on Nashville (Paul)

Clouds (Paul)

Holy love (David)
The new album is said to have a more rock 'n' roll flavour than Two Houses.  As far as we know, official release of the CD is still due some time this month, though the title has not yet been confirmed.

1st February 2001
The CKUA programme Artbeat featuring an extended interview with Paul will now air on Sunday 11th and Tuesday 13th February.

25th January 2001
Chris Allen of the Edmonton radio station CKUA has interviewed Paul about the forthcoming Winspear concert and new Gross and Keeley CD (now apparently entitled Give The Dog A Bone) and if you have Real Player you can listen in via the net.  A short clip from the interview is expected on Arts Alive which airs twice a day at around 8.52 am and 5.52 pm.  This is currently lined up for Monday 29th January but it may need to be moved to tomorrow, Friday 26th.  A longer interview can also be heard on Artbeat which will go out on Sunday 28th at 12.30 pm and Tuesday 30th at 8.30 pm.  (All times Mountain Time, ie GMT -7)  CKUA

23rd January 2001
Unsurprisingly, yesterday's news of the limited edition CD has caused a flurry of excitement in various parts of the world - please be aware that only 500 CDs are expected to be available at the Winspear Centre concert on 29th.  S Clemens


StarTV will be revealing "Canada's 25 Most Beautiful Stars"on Friday 2nd February at 9 pm, assessing beauty/fitness, character, craft and popularity.  The show will also air on CityTV, possibly on 30th January.  According to the National Post, Paul is "definitely hot"!  C Simmons


22nd January 2001
Lenz Entertainment has advised us that they have produced a limited edition release of the new Gross and Keeley album for the Edmonton Winspear Centre concert on 29th January.  The limited edition album will be available only at the concert and only for private sale.  The commercial release, which may have a different title and cover, is not anticipated until the end of February 2001.  Paul and David are thrilled about the album and looking forward to the concert in Edmonton!


The Lucky Breaks episode featuring Paul has been delayed for one week due to the unexpected death of Canadian actor Al Waxman who was also interviewed for the programme.  The broadcaster switched episodes two and three, so the Paul Gross episode will air on 27th January at 7pm and 28th January at 9.30pm on Star! TV.  L Doering


18th January 2001
Paul has been confirmed as a speaker at Moses Znaimer's ideaCity 2001, a conference for "hip grown-ups".  This year's conference, running from 20th-22nd June, is the successor to TEDCity 2000, which was co-organized and inspired by American author Richard Saul Wurman.  Cost of registration is $3000!

10th January 2001
The Toronto Hospital for Sick Children says that its four-week campaign of fund-raising TV commercials, narrated by Paul, has provoked a "phenomenal" and "incredible" response and donations appear to have exceeded expectations.  Read yesterday's Toronto Star report.


Series 3 of due South returns to the UK cable/satellite channel UK Gold on Thursday night/Friday morning 12th January at 2.35 am, starting with Say Amen.


8th January 2001
Paul recently narrated a Discovery Channel (Canada) documentary, Sharks Of The Great White North, which will air on 18th February at 8 pm; 19th February at 12 am and 3 am; and 25th February at 10 am and 4 pm.  The Globe and Mail Discovery viewers' guide says:

"Paul Gross narrates this look at Canada's sharks, from the porbeagle shark on the East Coast, to the six gill shark on the West Coast."  S Boyd


6th January 2001
Renie Gross (Paul's mum) has updated her music page at the Badlands Books website with a new song to listen to - "The Unknown Soldier" from Paul's 1985 rock musical, Thunder, Perfect Mind.


A new interview with Paul Gross will be airing on Saturday 20th January at 7 pm and Sunday 21st January at 9.30 pm (EST) across Canada on the cable station STAR!  The interview is part of a new television series called Lucky Breaks which looks at the role luck plays in the success of celebrities. 

Paul was interviewed backstage at the Stratford Festival in Ontario.  He talked about his first acting roles, why he branched out into writing and how the Stratford Festival started him on his career path.  The segment also includes a scene from Hamlet and clips from Due South. For more information check out http://www.luckybreakstv.com. L Doering


4th January 2001
Viewers in the US will have noticed that due South is no long airing on TNT.  TNT's rights to the show have expired and they appear to have no plans to re-acquire them.  However, Alliance Atlantis is said to be approaching other US stations and due South may reappear later this year.

16th December 2000
The Hospital for Sick Children

Beginning on 18th December, TV viewers in Ontario may catch sight of Paul in a fund-raising advertisement for the Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto.  The hospital will be testing direct response television as a new fund-raising initiative and the aim is to encourage potential donors to join the monthly giving programme called The Miracle Club.  However, you can also make an online donation to the hospital or you can mail your cheque (c'mon, it's Christmas!) to:
 

The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation 
555 University Avenue
Toronto ON
M5G 1X8
Canada
The Hospital for Sick Children

Credit card donations can be made by calling (416) 813-6166 (all countries) or 1-800-668-8211 (within North America)

Look out for the "Sick Kids" ad on on Citytv, MuchMusic, Prime and CMT!


News flash from Lenz Entertainment!  For the first time in the US,  Paul Gross and David Keeley's music will be played on KALF on Monday 18th December between 3 - 4 pm PST.  You can tune in via the internet for this premier airing of Santa Drives a Pick-up if you have RealPlayer.  This Christmas song will be in rotation on KALF for the Christmas season.  Lenz Entertainment urges you to e-mail your support to the station at Moo@KALF.com  and request not only Santa Drives a Pick-up but also songs from the Two Houses CD.  Be sure to sign your e-mail with your name and your country of origin!


7th December 2000
As part of its annual week of free play readings in the Near Studio, Toronto's Tarragon Theatre is hosting a reading of Michael Healey's Plan B on Saturday 9th December at 8pm.  Cast: Martha Burns, Paul Gross, David Jansen, and Ron White

"In an unspecified future, high-level negotiations to arrange the departure of Quebec from Canada are challenged and compromised by a complex series of personal and political betrayals."  N Wilson


Results of the "Dirty Baker's Dozen" T-shirt auction held in October (see news archive).  Paul's shirt was combined with one from David Keeley and the pair sold for $70 - only $5 dollars less than the top bid, which was for Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's shirt!  M Speed


Only just (re)discovered and perfect for Christmas presents - the Holiday Heroes charity Christmas album, featuring Santa Drives a Pickup sung by Paul Gross and David Keeley, is still available from the Ontario Special Olympics website, suggested donation dependent on size of order.  Artists listed on the CD include:
 

Holiday Heroes CD for the Special Olympics Paul Gross and David Keeley
The London Philharmonic
Collin Raye
Roy Orbison (previously unreleased track)
Michelle Wright
Alan Jackson
The Cornwall Police Service
Bobby Bare
The Bacon Brothers
Cissy Houston
Stef Carse
Donna Summer
Bruce Guthro
Rita McNeil
Brooks & Dunn
Ryan Murphy
BJ Thomas
New York Stage Orchestra
Francis Goya
José Feliciano

6th December 2000
Paul and David are in concert in Edmonton on Monday 29th January at 8 pm at the Winspear Centre.  Tickets priced $30 - $50 go on sale on Friday 8th December at 10 am - the number to call is (780) 428-1414.  The event is in aid of the United Way of the Alberta Capital Region.

4th December 2000
Gross and Keeley will be appearing on Here and Now with Avril Benoit on CBC Radio One on Friday 8th December in Toronto.  Paul and David are scheduled to appear from5 pm to 6 pm ET and will be singing selections from their forthcoming CD.  It appears from the Holiday Open House website that live video clips might be available both during and after the performance.  Lenz Entertainment

1st December 2000
It seems we won't be getting the new Gross and Keeley CD in our Christmas stockings after all - Lenz Entertainment have indicated that it's now expected to be available mid-January. J Abbott

15th November 2000
The Lowry 8 inch Hog-HairClear the way!  Work has already started on research and finding crew for Men With Brooms and official pre-production will begin in late February. Whizbang Films

9th November 2000
Sadly, it doesn't look as though The Stratford Festival will be able to film this season's Hamlet.  The Director's Office has written:
" ... at this time there are no plans to make a video tape [...] The process for making a tape of any of our shows is a lengthy one.  In order to accommodate this process, plans must be made at least a year in advance of rehearsals.  This enables us, as the producer of the piece, to negotiate with all of the pertinent parties, their availability and concurrence with the project. (This includes negotiations with the director, designers, actors stage management and crew)."  J Abbott