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Interviewer: |
Where were you born Michael? |
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Michael: |
I was born in Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada. I am the eldest of three sons. |
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Interviewer: |
Where did you first perform? |
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Michael: |
I think it was in Grade six. I was in a play where I played
an old janitor. I remember falling down a lot and getting lots
of laughs. My teachers told me that I should become a clown. |
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Interviewer: |
Were you influenced at all by television as a child? |
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Michael: |
Yes, indeed. I was fascinated by Patrick Watson's TV show,
"Witness to Yesterday" and also, James Whitmore's portrayal
of "Will Rogers", a one man play. |
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Interviewer: |
When did you first perform as Charlie Chaplin? |
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Michael: |
It was at The Hamilton Public Library in 1973. |
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Interviewer: |
When did you first go on tour? |
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Michael: |
I toured Ontario as a teenager with the Golden Seniors Band,
under the direction of the late Harold Stevens. He was a truly
talented and gifted mentor who played the saxophone and was an
expert in vaudeville routines. |
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Interviewer: |
When did the Press first become interested in you? |
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Michael: |
When I performed as Charlie Chaplin at the Wentworth Lodge
in Dundas Ontario. The article, "Charlie Wows Seniors",
was in The Hamilton Spectator in 1975. |
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Interviewer: |
When did you first appear in a parade? |
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Michael: |
I was in the Hamilton Santa Claus Parade in 1976 as Hamilton's
Charlie Chaplin. |
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Interviewer: |
You did a stint on radio at one time. When was that? |
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Michael: |
I had a daily music show from 1977 to 1980 on station CFMU
at McMaster University in Hamilton where I played "Professor
Herbert Shaver" |
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Interviewer: |
Have you ever written a play? |
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Michael: |
Yes, I wrote and played in "The Life and Times of Joseph
F. Kenney" at McMaster University in 1977. |
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Interviewer: |
You perform a lot in theme parks, do you remember your first? |
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Michael: |
Yes, that would be Canada's Wonderland in 1985. |
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Interviewer: |
Have you ever done commercials for TV? |
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Michael: |
Yes, I believed my first was one called "On The Bus",
for Winnipeg Transit, using the Charlie Chaplin character. It
was aired in 1987 on local television. |
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Interviewer: |
Do you perform at busker festivals, and if so, when was the
first? |
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Michael: |
Yes, very often. My first busker festival was at the Halifax
Busker Festival in 1988. |
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Interviewer: |
Do you perform outside of Canada? When was your first booking
overseas? |
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Michael: |
Yes, quite often. My first performance, outside Canada was
at Expo '90 in Osaka, Japan. |
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Interviewer: |
Have you ever done a music video? |
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Michael: |
Yes, I played the role of a music director for the Rhinos
in 1995. |
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Interviewer: |
What made you decide to create the "Living Statue"
characters? |
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Michael: |
The idea came to me when I was on tour in New Zealand in 1996.
I decided on the Sir John A. Macdonald character first, because
he was Canada's first Prime Minister and "Father of Confederation".
I wanted to promote Canadian history, culture, and heritage in
a respectfully humorous way. |
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Interviewer: |
Do you have a favourite mime performer? |
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Michael: |
No not really. I think all of the clowns from the Silent Movies
were wonderful. |
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Interviewer: |
Do you have a favourite Movie? |
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Michael: |
Yes. The one that stands out in my mind is "Children
of Paradise", from 1946. I guess there are many others.
This is a tough question. |
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Interviewer: |
Who is your favourite author? |
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Michael: |
Ernest Hemingway. |
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Interviewer: |
What is your favourite novel? |
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Michael: |
The Old Man and The Sea. |
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Interviewer: |
Do you have a favourite life quote? |
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Michael: |
Yes. It's from the diary of Jim Elliot. "He is no fool,
to give what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose". |
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Interviewer: |
What is your favourite artistic quote? |
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Michael: |
Shakespeare: "All the World's A Stage" |