Take a peek at the video above to understand the significance of Donald Britton's 1976 documentary on longtime Montreal Mayor Camillien Houde His Worship Mr Montreal
This Coolopolis video analyzes the backstory on Houde and his circle and features video of well-known Montreal characters unseen elsewhere, including Frank Hanley, Tracy Ludington, Fred Savage and Kid Oblay.
Larocque was an oddball who was later busted for attempting to extort a nightclub owner in 1946 and he was confined to an insane asylum in 1970.
Impish, longtime Houde ally Frank Hanley, who ruled Point St. Charles as city councillor from 1948, also offers his insight in some rare footage that showcases his special form of charisma.
Longtime Montreal cop Fred Savage weighs in on why Montreal cops allowed prostitution and gambling to thrive and reporter Tracy Ludington of tells of his role in getting Houde sent to internment camp for four years.
Kid Oblay, a strange and well-known figure from Peel and St. Catherine also offers some rather strange commentary.
Watch the video above for more. Please like and subscribe.
I remember Frank Hanley…Station 10 cop Fred Savage too…seen the early seventies video of Station 10…I never ended up there but knew plenty who did….😂
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember Frank Hanley being an interviewee at least once on CKGM radio's Hotline, the very popular mid-1960s talk show hosted by Pat Burns, the Griffintown-born Montrealer of Irish descent who valiantly supported Canadian national unity against that era's early rumblings of Quebec separatism and who fearlessly criticized and openly baited their proponents--including Rene Levesque himself--even to the point where Burns life was threatened. Heavy stuff.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, I strongly suggest that the late Mr. Burns (no, NOT the same person as his name-sake, likewise-deceased, former coach of the Montreal Canadiens) be a subject of a future Coolopolis bio.
View the various YouTube clips and:
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/threads/49-years-and-counting-remembering-the-late-great-pat-burns.625815/
Talk radio back then during its early configuration was truly controversial, often fascinating fare and absolutely nothing like today's watered-down, speed-through drivel ("hello...yes...thanks for the call...bye...who's next?") that listeners must endure between the endlessly annoying and repetitive commercials including, by the way, that notorious "Kars for Kids" ad that a Google Search will reveal has been a particularly intrusive ear-worm aired over U.S. radio even before it was later imposed upon Canadian listeners. I, for one, immediately turn off my volume control the moment it appears. Arrgh!