Earlie Toppings recalls the Lorne Greene radio school in Toronto, taken from a note dated dated July 24, 2012.
.....the Academy of Radio Arts (lofty label!)...I graduated in l95l, and the school only ran about two more years, Greene being heavily involved in American film and television.
We did not emerge as stars in '51, but the lucky photo of Leslie Nielsen was on the wall of the school corridor.
Side note: Greene was extremely proud of a ring he was given in a North American announcing award from NBC. Actually, he was not my best announcing and speech coach: an English actress, Marjorie Leete,* was. I owe her a lot - for finding any voice in me at all. I have thanked her often, in recollection, but never - I regret - in person. Leete was a radio actor and a vivacious woman.
As for two other radio icons of that time, Max Braithwaite was a far more effective writing coach than Lister Sinclair; and Esse W. Ljungh was miles more helpful than Andrew Allan. Taught me to forget the red carpet for celebs. It all seems a very long time ago.
* Marjorie Leete appeared on Television in Canada and the U.S and CBC producer/director Andrew Allen often cast her in his many radio
programmes:
Romeo and Julliet 1947
Richard II 1953
Henry V 1954
Richard III 1954
She was also featured in the series "The Unforeseen" in
the radio play, "The Three Marked Pennies" January, 1953.
TV roles included:
"The Vigil" (1953)
"Pride and Prejudice" (1958)
"The Unhappy Milkman", April 23, 195
Also appeared in episodes of "General Motors Theatre"
(alternate title: General Motors Presents)
Feature films included Raul Walsh's "The Big Trail" (1930)