Ontario: Cheap Theatre Tickets to Stratford Plays (for under 35 yrs)

Ontario: Cheap Theatre Tickets to Stratford Plays (for under 35 yrs)

Stratford, Ontario Canada's Annual Swan Parade

Stratford, Ontario Canada's Annual Swan Parade

Birthday for the Bard

Birthday for the Bard

Rundles Restaurant

Rundles Restaurant

McGuinty Government Welcomes Hayashi To Stratford

McGuinty Government Welcomes Hayashi To Stratford

The Stratford Festival: The First 50 Years

The CBC Stratford Festival Archive is chock full of radio and television interviews about the estival and the amazing people involved over the past fifty years.

The Stratford Festival grew from humble beginnings in a leaky tent into a revered institution. The drama festival has continued to attract actors, critics and theatre-goers from around the globe. Paradoxically, this almost proved to be its undoing. With international directors at the helm in the early years, frustrated Canadians sat on the sidelines. Financial problems almost shut the festival down. But the curtain would rise again on a new golden era.

Stratford's Park System

Stratford's Main Park System contains approximately 115 acres of formal parklands and nearly 60 acres of natural area. The formal parkland is bounded immediately to the south by major access routes and a vibrant downtown area and to the north by exquisite residential properties. Two of the city's three theatres; the Shakespearean Theatre and Tom Patterson Theatre are located within the formal park system with the Avon Theatre located in the downtown area. The park system itself is virtually bisected by Lake Victoria and the Avon River system. The combination of land and water lends itself to a wide variety of activities.

These Include:

Hundreds of benches and picnic tables scattered through the system for dining or just plain relaxing

Nearly 16 kilometres of trails accommodating walking, jogging and cycling activities

Lake Victoria stretching for nearly 2 kilometres affords one the opportunity to canoe, paddle boat or take a guided tour on the "Juliet." Or, if you prefer grab a lawn chair come on down to the shores of Lake Victoria and on many summer evenings enjoy the sounds of live jazz on the H.M.S. Razz Ma Jazz as it traverses up and down the lake

Don't forget to visit with our famous Swans. We have over 30 birds both Black Australian and the more widely known White Mute. Many of these birds are on Lake Victoria for the summer season and we are usually lucky enough to have one or two mated pairs hatch young every summer for your added enjoyment

A variety of sports activities can be enjoyed whether passively or actively including baseball, soccer, lawn bowling or tennis

Art in the Park is a regular feature along Lake Victoria during the summer months and affords one the opportunity to leisurely walk and browse among a variety of artists as they ply their wares

Upper Queen's Park overlooking Lake Victoria is approximately 6 acres in size and has many amenities including playground equipment, washrooms, bandshell and both informal picnic areas; or a formal picnic area which for a small fee can be reserved for family reunions, corporate picnics, gatherings, etc. Groups of 25 up to 200 can be accommodated. A covered pavilion is also available in case of inclement weather.

The parks two band shells provide a backdrop for many concerts given free throughout the summer months by a variety of musicians and musical tastes.

For those interested in horticulture there are literally dozens of annual, perennial and shrub beds to peruse throughout the formal park system. As well, 3 major formal areas: Shakespearean Gardens and Cenotaph/Memorial Gardens at the westerly end of the system, and Confederation Park/Gallery at the easterly end afford a quiet reflective atmosphere where one can certainly relax and enjoy.

If its information you require, the Tourist Information Centre located at the westerly end of the Lake Victoria near Thomas Orr Dam can certainly answer most if not all your inquiries. The Centre is open daily from May to November.

Gallery Stratford at the easterly limits of the main park system, just off Romeo Street and next to Confederation Park is just a short 5 minutes from the Festival Theatre and Upper Queens Park. Many interesting exhibits and programs are available throughout the year. Well worth a visit!

Stratford and District Horticultural Society

The Society invites you to take a tour of the parks and flower beds, planted and maintained by the Society. A tour map is available through Tourism Stratford.

The tour passes through, or by; the Arthur Meighen gardens at the Festival Theatre, Confederation Park, Millennium Park, Meadowrue Corner Nature Gardens, Birnham Wood Arboretum and the Shakespearean Gardens.

The route shown on the map is three and half miles (6.5 km) long, but may be shortened by half as shown. There are many resting places en route to sit and enjoy the surrounding beauty. Also close by and worth a visit: T.J. Dolan Natural Area - opposite the #5 bed on John Street, maintained by the Community Services Department.

The Stratford and District Horticultural Society was founded in 1878 after the Agriculture Society had created interest by holding a flower show in 1877. From this came the decision by a group of prominent citizens to form a Horticultural Society. It was organized and had its first meeting on February 9, 1878. Today, all societies operate under the umbrella of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food and are affiliated with the Ontario Horticultural Association.

The Board of Directors of interested citizens guides the operation of the local group.

The Society holds a two day Flower and Rose Show in June; a Mixed Flower Show at the May open meeting; and a Flower and Vegetable Show at the September meeting. The Society plants and maintains 4 primarily perennial beds in the Churchill Circle, one near the Train Station, one on John Street at Centre Street and two in front of the Library. As well, there are 5 beds planted with annuals scattered throughout the City.
Members of the craft group are responsible each year for the planting of the 115 City Centre hanging baskets. The latest project is the Catharine East Memorial Garden on John Street, a planting of 5 each of 30 species of native flowering shrubs around a large plaqued rock and having 2 benches where the public may sit and enjoy the area's beauty. There are also some trees planted in memory of past members of the Society in this area.

Iris is Stratford's civic flower. A Memorial Iris Garden on McLagen Drive, bequested by the Rt. Rev. W. T. Corcoran, was planted by members circa 1970. The Lilac Dell, opposite, was originally planted by the Society in 1974.

The Society holds floral design courses and sponsors tours both within Canada, U.S.A. and overseas. A craft group makes and sells cards with pressed flowers and natural materials.

Meetings are held on the last Monday of the month, January through May and September, October and November at the Kiwanis Centre on Lakeside Drive at 8:00 p.m. There are talks and slide shows by knowledgeable people on a variety of horticultural topics, to which everyone is welcome. The annual membership fee covers 4 informative newsletters a year, plus the speakers' remuneration and refreshments at our meetings.

Please support the Society's endeavours to beautify the City by becoming a member and/or making a tax deductible donation to Stratford and District Horticultural Society, Box 21032, Stratford, ON N5A 7V4.

Stratford Railroad History

Between 1856-1858 railways were built through Stratford, St. Marys and Mitchell in the south part of the county. All become associated with the Grand Trunk Railway, which become the Canadian National Railways in 1922. With two railways at once, Stratford soon becomes a railway hub. In 1871, the Grand Trunk Railway chose Stratford as it new locomotive repair shops location creating an economic boost to the town.

During the 1870s, railways were built through the north part of the county to Milverton, Listowel and Atwood. All became associated with the Grand Trunk Railway, later the Canadian National Railways. The Canadian Pacific Railways began to build in the County. In 1907 the line between Guelph and Goderich was completed cutting through Millbank, Milverton and Monkton, with a spur line to Listowel. However, the CPR’s campaign for a line through Stratford was defeated in a public referendum in 1913 by a majority who were intent on preserving the city’s parks.

By the 1950s, the CNR announced that it would be closing the shops in Stratford. The last part of the CNR locomotive repair shops at Stratford was closed in 1964. This year is symbolic of the change from the old economy of the city (railway and furniture) to the new economy (light automotive and theatre/tourism). Regular train service in the county ceased except on the main line through Stratford and St. Marys. Within twenty years most of the railways were closed to freight traffic as well and subsequently lines were removed.

Stratford City Hall

Stratford's City Hall building was erected in 1899. It was designed by Toronto architects George King and John Siddall. This building has undergone massive renovation to accommodate modern demands but still maintains its original Victorian style.
Address: #1 Wellington Street Stratford Ontario Canada N5A 2L3

A Brief History of Stratford, Ontario, Canada

The settlement of Stratford began with the surveying of the Huron Road by the Canada Company in 1828. In December of that year and January of 1829, their agent, William "Tiger" Dunlop, planted his surveyor's stakes around the area that was to become this beautiful city.

The Canada Company had been formed in 1824, when the government of Upper Canada was granted a million acres of land to settle. The district was known as the Huron Tract and included what is now Stratford and most of Perth County.

Stratford, itself, began to take shape in 1832 when Thomas Mercer Jones, a Canada Company director, gave a picture of William Shakespeare to William Sargint, the owner of the Shakespeare Hotel. A stone marks the site of this hotel, near 70 Ontario Street.

Jones gave the village the name of Stratford and the creek, which had been known as Little Thames, was renamed the Avon River.

In 1834 surveyor John MacDonald created the town plan. He placed the geographic centre of town at the point where four townships met, not far from today's Wade's Flower Shop. He then created four main roads radiating from the centre. Three of these roads were named for the Great Lakes to which they lead, Huron, Erie and Ontario.

In 1853 Perth County decided to separate from the Huron district, of which it had always been a part. A condition of separation was that Stratford become the county seat, with a courthouse, jail and registry office. The next year Stratford was incorporated as a village, and in 1859 it became a town.

The year 1856 signaled the arrival of the Grand Trunk Railway and the Buffalo and Lake Huron Line, beginning Stratford's long history as a major rail centre. In 1871 a locomotive repair shop came to town; it was expanded in 1889 and 1906. The Grand Trunk amalgamated with the Buffalo and Lake Huron Railway and in 1923 was taken over by the Canadian National Railway. The CNR was a significant contributor to the town's economy until the closure of the shops in 1964.

Another major economic sector was the furniture industry. In 1886, the year after Stratford was incorporated as a city, George McLagan created jobs in the furniture industry. These positions attracted prospective workers to the area in the early 1890's, a time of economic hardship in other parts of the country.

With corporate success came industrial dispute. In 1933 a general strike, which started with furniture workers and chicken pluckers, became so unruly that the army, along with its tanks, was called in to put a stop to the strike. The strike was a major event in Canadian industrial history and is the subject of playwright James Reaney's play Kingwhistle!

In 1904 the Parks Board was established. It created Upper Queen's Park, a professionally designed horticultural system around the area where the Festival Theatre now stands. Another major accomplishment came between 1905 and 1912, when the Board and citizens dissuaded the Canadian National Railway from laying its tracks along the Avon River.

Stratford's signature swans were introduced to the park system in 1918. And, in 1936, R. Thomas Orr, an original member of the Parks Board, succeeded in having the Shakespearean Gardens created.

It wasn't until 1953 that Tom Patterson, a Stratford-born reporter for Maclean's Magazine, and a group of local supporters opened the Stratford Festival. As the CNR shops closed and the success of the furniture industry waned, the Festival helped make tourism a significant industry for the city. Today Stratford has a diversified economy featuring manufacturing, finance and service-related businesses.




Facinating Facts About Stratford

2002
The Stratford Festival of Canada celebrated its 50th season welcoming 672,924 patrons to 18 plays.This was a record number of playgoers during the 50 seasons. The Avon Theatre realized a complete renewal and The Studio Theatre, a fourth theatre space seating 250 people was added.

1997
Stratford named "Prettiest City in the World" as champion of the Nations in Bloom Award presented in Spain

1997
Act III , a $13 million Festival Theatre renovation project, updates patron services including seating, box office and theatre store.

1993
Canadian Travel & Tourism Industry nominates the Stratford Festival as the Canadian Attraction/Event of the year . Population reaches 28,200 with an economy based on theatre and automotive industries.

1991
Tom Patterson Theatre dedicated. (formerly the Third Stage.)

1985
$3 million dollar addition to Festival Theatre allows production facilities to be housed in one of North America's largest backstage areas.

1982
150th anniversary of the founding of settlement.

1957
Stratford Festival moves into a new permanent structure .

1953
Stratford Festival opens in a tent , founded by Stratford journalist, Tom Patterson.
CNR announces its closure.

1935
Shakespearean Gardens open.

1918
First swans given to the city by a Michigan CNR employee.

1904
Parks Board founded , eventually servicing 850 acres of city parkland.

1901
The 1250 seat "Theatre Albert" is built (now the Avon Theatre).

1882-1889
Stratford reaches a population of 9000, designated a city. Present jailhouse and courthouse are built .

1856
Stratford becomes a railway town with the coming of the Grand Trunk and Buffalo-Lake Huron railways .

1854
Stratford is established as a village .

1849
First weekly newspaper, 'Perth County News' is established.

1832-1834
'Shakespeare Hotel' opens as Stratford is officially named . First sawmill & gristmill are built.

1827
Stratford is surveyed as a site for the Canada Company .

The Night William Shatner Substituted for Christopher Plummer

WILLIAM SHATNER ON THE NIGHT HE SUBSTITUTED FOR CHRIS PLUMMER: "And none of that daunted me. A man is dying on our right. [Referring to interviewer Ramin Fathie.] It never occurred to me that I would fail. It never occurred to me that I wouldn't remember a word. It never occurred to me to be fearful. And so I went on. And the thought as later expressed was: 'The muse was on me.' I was blessed. I was in some kind of other dimension."

Stratford Menu Guide- All Things Yummy in Stratford

The new Menu Guide, the bible for dining in Stratford is available around town at local B&Bs, hotels, restaurants, stores and of course at S.T.A. at 47 Downie St. Or you can download the guide at the provided link below.



Download 2007 Menu Guide Here (PDF)

Des McAnuff- San Diego's Loss is Stratford's Gain

One day after the lights go up on San Diego Opera's "Wozzeck" this Saturday, the local theater community's lights will dim.

That's because on Sunday, "Wozzeck's" director, Des McAnuff, will take his star wattage and leave San Diego ---- and the institution he has run for nearly 20 years, the La Jolla Playhouse ---- to return to his childhood home of Canada.

McAnuff, 54, will serve as one of three artistic directors for the Stratford Festival of Canada, North America's largest classical repertory theater with an annual budget of $52 million, nearly four times larger than that of the Playhouse. On Tuesday, the Playhouse named Tony-nominated director Christopher Ashley as McAnuff's replacement.

He leaves La Jolla with a mix of feelings: excitement about his new job and the freedoms it will bring; sadness about leaving the city that he helped build into one of America's most-fertile birthing grounds for new musicals and plays; and regrets, that his ultimate vision for the Playhouse did not match that of the theater's board of directors.

"I felt it was time," McAnuff said, over a lunch of sushi and miso soup during a "Wozzeck" rehearsal break two weeks ago. "Stratford stole me away by making me feel secure to go forward with the projects I wanted to do. I'll have complete freedom there."

McAnuff rides out of town on a wave of successful projects he developed in La Jolla since 2001: New York's top-grossing show, "Jersey Boys," won the best musical Tony and is now on national tour; Billy Crystal's Tony-winning solo play "700 Sundays" recently finished an international tour, as did Doug Wright's Tony-winner "I Am My Own Wife"; the just-closed workshop of Aaron Sorkin's "The Farnsworth Invention" is waiting for a Broadway berth this fall (with Steven Spielberg signed on as a producer); and "The Wiz" and "Zhivago" are in the pipeline for future stagings.

Thanks in great part to McAnuff's star power, the Playhouse successfully completed a $46 million fundraising campaign in 2005, and that year also opened a $16.5 million theater complex on the UC San Diego campus built to his specifications.

Yet for all of his success here, McAnuff said he felt creatively stifled by the administrative responsibilities of the Playhouse job, and he wasn't free to direct the projects he truly longed for.

"The Playhouse wanted me in every meeting and doing events with volunteers. I did my share, but I don't think that an artistic director needs to spend so much of his time in meetings," he said, adding happily that in Stratford he won't have to report to a board of directors.

The other major sticking point was McAnuff's unquenched desire to direct the classics. In his first decade at the Playhouse, the seasons included four Shakespeare plays, three Chekhovs, two Molieres and other classics by O'Neill, Shaw, Marivaux, Ibsen, Thornton Wilder and Tennessee Williams.

But the Playhouse's budget today doesn't allow for the big-cast, low-profit classics that were a hallmark of McAnuff's early Playhouse years.

"I'm proud of La Jolla Playhouse being at the forefront of the American theater scene, but to truly be a great company, you have to do Mozart," he said. "When I look at the body of work I'm most proud of here, it's been the classics, but most of those were done in the first 10 years I was here."

Born in Illinois and raised in Toronto, McAnuff was fronting his own rock band, writing songs and producing and directing his own plays by the time he was in high school. By age 20, he was running a theater in Toronto, and in 1977, one of his plays brought him to New York, where he established himself as a hot director. There, he co-founded Dodger Theatricals, which today is one of New York's top theatrical producers.

In 1983, he was lured to La Jolla to bring the long-dormant Playhouse out of mothballs, and he made a big splash right away (avant-garde director Peter Sellars was hired to stage the very first show).

Among the high-profile projects he launched to Broadway (and beyond) were the Tony-winners "Big River" and "The Who's Tommy," the Matthew Broderick-helmed "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and Lee Blessing's "A Walk in the Woods." In 1993, the Playhouse earned the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, and the following year, McAnuff left to fulfill his celluloid dreams in Hollywood (he produced "The Iron Giant" and "Quills" and directed "Cousin Bette" and "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle").

Michael Greif proved a worthy successor to McAnuff until 1999, but the Playhouse's next director, Annie Hamburger, resigned abruptly after just a few months on the job. To temporarily fill the leadership gap, McAnuff stepped in at the board's request in 2001, then accepted a multiyear contract offer the following year.

Now, as he prepares to leave again, McAnuff says the Playhouse's new artistic director, Christopher Ashley, is a "strong appointment" who he believes will do the Playhouse proud.

"I can't imagine anyone better suited to the job," McAnuff said of Ashley. "We have spent an abundant amount of time together and he knows that I will stand behind him during what we all home will be a very long tenure."

Although McAnuff's artistic leadership days at the Playhouse are over, he isn't leaving the theater completely in his rearview mirror. A new position of "director emeritus" has been created for McAnuff that will involve fundraising efforts and a commitment to develop three new projects over the next five years, at Ashley's discretion.

Beginning in 2008, McAnuff will spend six months of each year at Stratford and the rest of his time on other projects, including two screenplays he's writing, the "Jersey Boys" tour, upcoming productions of "Farnsworth Invention," "Zhivago" and "The Wiz," and a second collaboration with Sorkin, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots," a musical based on a concept album by Oklahoma rockers, the Flaming Lips.

Although best known for the musicals he has directed here and taken to Broadway ("Big River" and "The Who's Tommy" brought him directing Tony Awards, and his production of "Jersey Boys" won the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical), McAnuff lists a string of classics as the projects he's most proud of from his collective 19 years at the Playhouse.

His 1985 staging of Chekhov's "The Seagull" was "an epiphany for me in terms of what the Playhouse was about. It brought together all these elements and art forms," while 2002's "Tartuffe" allowed him to bring back UC San Diego grad/protege/ Tony-winner Jefferson Mays for the title role.

Shakespeare's "As You Like It" (1984), "Twelfth Night" ('90) and "Much Ado About Nothing" ('92) were memorable, McAnuff said, for the casts and designers he was able to collaborate with. The big-budget musical "80 Days" was fun, just for the creative risks involved, he said. Thornton Wilder's "Matchmaker" ('87) was a favorite, he said, for the performance of his wife, actress Susan Berman, in the squealing role of Minnie Fae. And the Cold War drama "A Walk in the Woods" ('87) was a surprise hit (McAnuff calls it "rock 'n' roll arms control") that had life- and history-changing results. "It took me to the Soviet Union and we performed it in the Library of Congress, where it affected the votes of several people who saw it, so it played a small role in shaping history."

Next week, McAnuff will move into his new office at the Jujamcyn Theatre in New York City, where he expects his wife, Susan, and their daughter, Julia Violet, to "migrate there" once Julia graduates from high school next year.

Speaking excitedly about his new office in New York and the many opportunities before him, McAnuff said he's thrilled, and a little scared, about the future, and that's just how he likes it.

"I like to try new things," he said. "Some of them may fail spectacularly, but I don't want to ever stop trying. That's what makes it fun."

By Pam Kragen, North County Times

Loreena McKennitt- Videos of a Stratford Icon

What else can one say than, Loreena has been proudly promoting the virtues of Stratford throughout the world. On behalf of everyone in Stratford, thanks for your efforts and we are very, very proud of you. You really get a clue of how huge Loreena McKenneitt is in the world when you visit youtube. Check some of them out below and there of course will be more Loreena posts in the future at "our stratford".


Mummer's Dance



Arthas Destiny



Desperado



Beneath a Phrygian Sky



The Bonny Swans



The Darkside of the Soul



The Mystics Dream (Live in Europe)



Tango to Evora (Live in Greece)



Marrakesh Night Market (Live in Greece)



Caravanserai (Live @ Alhambra 2006)



She Moved Through The Fair- Live



Stolen Child Yeats- Live at Barnes and Noble



Penelope's Song (Live)



Beneath a Phrygian Sky (Live)

Young Bards on Film

Call for Submissions: YOUNG BARDS ON FILM: A Midsummer Video Installation, Stratford

The Stratford-Perth Museum in Stratford, Ontario is accepting submissions of short videos or films dealing with Shakespearean content or themes, for “Young Bards on Film,” an ongoing video installation that opens in June 2007. Located in the heart of North America’s centre for Shakespearean drama, the Stratford-Perth Museum wants children and youth between the ages of 5 and 19 to submit short videos of scenes, sonnets, or any topic that is related to the life and works of William Shakespeare. Video shorts will then be selected for a rotating installation at the museum that will evolve and grow as submissions are collected over time. Children and youth are encouraged to be as creative as possible, and to use their imaginations to interpret Shakespeare’s words. They can change the setting or time period; be traditional, modern, or silly. The only submission requirements are that the video be made by kids and that the video content be related to Shakespeare’s life and works. Adults can participate, too, but only if at least one child is strongly involved in the video project. Although not a requirement, families are encouraged to participate in the program.

The first submission deadline is May 17, 2007. Please include the following with your submission:
-The names of the video artists and the video or film.
-A brief description of the video or film.
-A preview DVD or miniDV tape of the work.
-A self-addressed, stamped envelope, if you wish your submission to be returned.

Selections will be based on:
-Compatibility with Stratford-Perth Museum’s mandate.
-Adherence to submission requirements.
-Quality of the work submitted.

All submissions will be considered by the Stratford-Perth Museum’s selection committee. Notice of acceptance will be given by June 4, 2007.

Please send submissions to:
“Young Bards on Film ”
Stratford-Perth Museum
270 Water Street
Stratford ON N5A 3C9
Canada

For submission inquiries, please contact:
Will Kernohan,
Education Coordinator
Stratford-Perth Museum
(519) 271-5311
will@stratfordperthmuseum.ca

From Stratford to Vimy

Allward’s rock of ages

By Paul Cluff Staff reporter

(The Stratford Beacon Herald - Tuesday April 10th 2007)


Walter Allward’s last assignment before being commissioned to design a memorial for the ages at Vimy Ridge was in Stratford.

The Toronto-born sculptor designed the First World War memorial that now rests in the cenotaph on Veterans Way, then departed overseas and laboured for 14 years on the Vimy Ridge Memorial in France.

It’s a connection local historians are proud of because it bonds Stratford with one of the most important military battles in Canadian history.

Former Stratford-Perth Archives director Lutzen Riedstra said the city’s chamber of commerce decided it wanted the best sculptor in Canada and was willing to pay for it. “He was Canada’s best sculptor and in true Stratford fashion, we went after the best,” said Mr. Riedstra.

It was 1919, and the people of Stratford and the three surrounding townships gave $25,000 to one of the finest memorials in the country.

The soldiers’ memorial committee decided on a site at the intersection of Erie and Ontario streets.

It took Mr. Allward some time. He finished the first portion but then became depressed by the experience and the relevance to war.

The monument was about the stresses of war, the tension and suffering, said Mr. Riedstra, so it got to its designer. It was a change in theme for sculptors. Victory alone had been the common theme in previous designs, and it is there in Mr. Allward’s central figure, which depicts Canadian manhood represented by victorious right. The defeat of might is exemplified in the sinking figure at the side, carrying a broken sword.

Carved on the centre is the inscription: “They gave their lives to break the power of the sword.”

A photo from the Nov. 6, 1922, edition of The Beacon Herald sums up the importance of the memorial to the city and region. Thousands lined the streets and heads popped out from the Gordon Block and surrounding buildings to witness the dedication of the Stratford War Memorial on a dull and foggy Thanksgiving Day. The bronzes were cast in Toronto, and the granite blocks came from Quebec. Buglers Percy Comley, Victor Ham and Frank Marshall played The Last Post as the monument was unveiled.

“The labour spent by the committee in selecting the memorial and raising the money has been a labour of love; no effort has been spared to assure the erection of a memorial worthy in every respect,” said William Preston, chair of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Preston said the committee “wished to honour the glorious dead whose names are cut in granite blocks. Over 1,800 left the district and 345 did not return.”

Mr. Allward was in Europe during the Stratford dedication.

The monument rested there until 1961 when it was moved to its current location. Mr. Allward was commissioned to design the Vimy Ridge Memorial from a pool of 160 others. Work began in 1925, and 11 years later it was unveiled.

The base and twin pylons that stretch to the heavens contain 6,000 tonnes of limestone imported from the former Yugoslavia.

The two pylons represent Canada and France, allies at war.

Mr. Allward’s masterpiece was hailed by artistic and military experts throughout the world as the noblest memorial in Europe.

The sculptor first earned acclaim for works in Queen’s Park, but the fan of Greek sculpture and
Michelangelo outdid himself at Vimy, putting him on par with his heroes.

Author, 74, Paul Erdman Dies

Birth: May 19, 1932
Death: Apr. 23, 2007

Paul E. Erdman, a writer of best-selling novels of financial intrigue who began his literary career in the comfort of a Swiss jail, where he was being held in connection with the collapse of the Swiss bank he ran, died on Monday at his ranch in Healdsburg, Calif. He was 74.

The cause was cancer, his family said.

An economist and former Lutheran seminarian, Mr. Erdman was widely regarded as having popularized financial fiction, a genre he affectionately called fi-fi. Among his best-known novels are “The Billion Dollar Sure Thing,” “The Crash of ’79” and “The Panic of ’89.”

Mr. Erdman was in all likelihood one of the few novelists whose books were routinely reviewed — often glowingly — in Business Week and The American Banker as well as in mainstream publications. His novels featured exotic locales, shadowy cartels and lots and lots of money.

Paul Emil Erdman was born on May 19, 1932, in Stratford, Ontario, to parents who had moved there from the United States. (Mr. Erdman’s father, a Lutheran pastor, had a pulpit in Stratford.)

In 1954, Paul Erdman earned a bachelor of divinity degree from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, followed the next year by a second bachelor’s, from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. After a stint at The Washington Post, he earned a doctorate in economics, European history and theology from the University of Basel, in Switzerland, in 1958.

Remaining in Europe, Mr. Erdman worked as an economist for the European Coal and Steel Community. In 1965, he established a private bank in Switzerland, the first American to do so. Originally called the Salik Bank, it later became the United California Bank in Basel.

In 1970, Mr. Erdman’s bank collapsed because of unauthorized speculation in cocoa and silver futures. Losses were reported in the tens of millions of dollars. Mr. Erdman, the bank’s president, was dispatched to a Swiss jail — a 17th-century dungeon in Basel — to await charges.

It was by all accounts a very nice dungeon. Room service, complete with fine wines, was provided (at Mr. Erdman’s expense) by the best local restaurants. The wine would come in handy later, as he discovered.

Mr. Erdman also had a portable Olivetti, and to pass the time, he decided to write a nonfiction book about economics. But the one thing the dungeon lacked was a research library, so he turned the book into a novel.

Writing was a struggle at first. But help arrived in the form of a new inmate, a Frenchman reputed to be the finest safecracker in Europe.

“I sent him over a couple of bottles of wine, and in exchange he told me a way for an amateur to crack a safe rather easily with ordinary equipment,” Mr. Erdman told The New York Times in 1981. “That became the first scene in the first chapter in my first novel.”

The novel, “The Billion Dollar Sure Thing,” won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America in 1974.

After about eight months in jail, Mr. Erdman posted $133,000 bail and moved back to the United States. In 1973, a Swiss court convicted him in absentia of fraud and sentenced him to nine years’ imprisonment. He declined to return to Switzerland.

Mr. Erdman’s novel “The Silver Bears” became a Hollywood movie in 1978, starring Michael Caine, Cybill Shepherd, Martin Balsam and Jay Leno.

He also wrote several nonfiction books on financial topics.

Mr. Erdman is survived by his wife, the former Helly Boeglin, whom he married in 1954; two daughters, Jennifer Erdman of Healdsburg and Constance Erdman Narea of Greenwich, Conn.; a brother, Donald, of Waterloo, Ontario; a sister, Lois Erdman Kress of South Bend, Ind., and Fort Myers, Fla.; and two grandchildren.

Reflecting on his time in jail, Mr. Erdman concluded that from a business standpoint, at least, it had been of considerable benefit. As he told The American Banker in 1996, “It was what you call a successful career change.”

More Articles in Obituaries »