101 lesser-known stories to delight Canadian cinema and television fans.

Do you know who was in the first on-screen nude scene in a Canadian feature film? Or which David Cronenberg film was raided for obscenity? Why was Oliver Reed arrested while shooting The Brood — Which iconic Canadian television series was syndicated in over fifty different countries? Which Canadian film critic wrote a full-page retraction after reconsidering a positive review he gave a film? And what role did Canada play in the creation of Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider?

With an eye for the unique and the absurd, 101 Fascinating Canadian Film & TV Facts, from one of Canada’s leading film critics, is a lively and humorous look at the best and the worst, the firsts and the lasts, and the groundbreaking truths behind Canada’s film and television industry.

Thom Ernst is a film writer, broadcaster, and critic. He was the former host and producer of TVO’s Saturday Night at the Movies. Thom currently lives in Toronto with his wife, daughter, and a cat.

 

Thom Ernst's profile page

If you didn’t know that Hockey Night in Canada is the longest running sports TV show on the planet or that Peter Fonda wrote most of Easy Rider in a seedy Toronto motel, then you need a copy of 101 Fascinating Canadian Film and TV Facts. Writer/producer Thom Ernst gathers the arcane, the obscure, and the just plain weird in this entertaining compendium of Canadiana. I mean, who knew that Pierre Berton conducted the last known interviews with both Malcolm X and Bruce Lee? This is a must-read for every movie buff and TV fan out there.

Liz Braun, Toronto Sun journalist

Effortlessly fun, jammed with useful trivia, and written with such a sense of patriotic pride that you can almost smell the maple syrup wafting off the page. The only book that knows more about Canadian entertainment might be Atom Egoyan’s personal diary.

Barry Hertz, film editor at Globe and Mail

An eclectic and free associative, all-Canadian journey, from geniuses to con artists, from slasher films to movies with actual off-screen death counts, to the almost happened jaw-droppers like David Cronenberg’s version of the musical Porgy and Bess. Read and feel the maple syrup flow in your veins.

Jim Slotek, film critic, copywriter, and founder of the movie blog Original Cin

A deep and breathtaking dive into a lost world of Canadian film lore.

Brian D. Johnson, producer/director, The Colour of Ink

A delightful read and a reminder of what we’ve got to be proud of as Canadians. Ernst blends some of the more obvious moments in our history with some very well-deserved deep cuts that many will appreciate.

Dave Voight, In the Seats

When you sit down to read 101 Fascinating Canadian Film & TV Facts, be sure to have a glass of your favourite beverage at your side because Thom Ernst’s book is an intimate visit with a celebrated cinephile! His passion for Canadian film lifts from the page with his easy conversational tone, making you feel like you are getting the inside track on little-known industry secrets. This book is full of surprises, giggles, and shocking facts – even for those of us in the know. 101 Fascinating Canadian Film & TV Facts will do more than entertain, it will serve as a conversation starter ... where that conversation leads, however, is entirely up to you.

Heidi von Palleske author of Two White Queens and the One-Eyed Jack

Before reading 101 Fascinating Canadian Film and TV Facts I thought I was a pretty savvy Canadian film nerd. It appears my knowledge only scratched the surface. This book is a treasure trove of everything from little known facts to stories of collaborations that could have been. You might think you're a film nerd until you read this.

Jeremy LaLonde, director, Daniel’s Gotta Die

Easy, fun, and as accessible as a Canadian movie star. Thom gives Canadian cinema an identity that goes beyond the polite and quirky.

Valerie Buhagiar, actor/director, Carmen