Famous News (March / April 1981)

Production notes continued from page 9 and ambled over to the studio. ‘‘I almost feel guilty about that!’’ quipped Lennox. The following week found gifted Kelly composers Maribeth Solomon and Micky Erbe in another sound studio, scoring the film with a 45-member orchestra who embodied a remarkable mix of symphony, jazz and rock musicians. And wait till you hear the dynamite theme song they came up with, it’s called ‘‘T’ll Keep It With Me’’. and Tommy Hunter Show warbler Donna Ramsay sings it at the end of the flick.@ wy Kelly stars Robert Logan and Twyla-Dawn Vokins embrace on location. Screen Veteran Meneray Enjoyed Famous ‘Spirit’ When Famous Players Film Corp.’s solo venture Kelly went before the cameras in Canmore, Alberta, a gentleman named Bob Meneray personally supervised every day of shooting. And when the movie wrapped Oct. 19 and the intricate process of editing began, it was Meneray who supervised every day of the film’s post-production, from music scoring to sound mixing. But when Famous Players employees met FPFC’s executive in charge of production for the first time, most of them remarked that Meneray looked strangely familiar. Hadn’t they seen him somewhere before? Indeed they had. In the last few seasons they’d watched him cool off with a Labatt’s Special Light after a rugged racket-ball match; fight offa cold with Contac C; munch Skippy peanut butter; and play hockey for 7-Up’s un-Cola team. On commercials or movie sets, Meneray is a man to reckon with. Stage and screen veteran Meneray made his film debut in a TV movie, Firing Squad, with Keir Dullea. Since then he has combined his talents as a stung man and actor in such films as Search & Destroy with Perry King and Don Stroud; The Groundstar Conspiracy with George P.. pard and Michael Sarrazin; Mousey (a TV movie in which he stunt-doubled for Kirk Douglas), 10 March/April, 1981 & Bob Meneray: ‘‘I’m proud tw have been a part of the Famous team.”’ Jean-Claude Lord’s Bingo, and Shoot with Cliff Robertson and Ernest Borgnine. A member of the Directors Guild of Canada, his off-camera credits include stints as a production coordinator (Search & Destroy), assistant director (Running) and assistant locations manager (Middle Age Crazy.) In Denmark he also produced and directed his own documentary, Sebbe Als, reconstructing a Viking ship and filming its voyage back through history on an _ ancient trading route from Germany to Norway. “‘There was a great furor in the press about the picture,’’ recalls Meneray with a chuckle, ‘‘because everyone said we would get swamped and drown in the North Sea. As it turned out the North Atlantic was so uncommonly calm we almost had to row all the way to Norway!’’ Famed explorer-historian Thor Heyerdahl asked Meneray to shoot additional footage for proof of pollution in the North Sea. Conservationist Meneray agreed, ‘‘and we shot miles of film for him, from the dead porpoises to the small islands of tar we encountered.’’ The controversial footage is now in Heyerdahl’s museum in Oslo. Meneray counts his days with the ill-fated Famous Players Film Corp. “as one of the happiest times of my life. I thought Famous Players Limited would be a cold, impersonal corporate monolith, and instead I found nothing but warm, friendly, caring people — and a ° remarkable team spirit. I’m very proud to have been a part of that team, if only for a short time. And I always will be grateful to Famous for giving me that opportunity.’ © It was great while it lasted! Those of us at Head Office who have had the opportunity to meet and work with the FPFC group would like to express our thanks to Sam, George, Bob, Karen and Denise for dazzling our offices with the first-hand excitement of moviemaking. We wish every one of them the best in the future!