Biographical History
Date 1911-2002
Greg Gormick is a Toronto based researcher, writer, interviewer, broadcaster, columnist and policy analyst. He was educated at Ryerson Polytechnic University (School of Journalism) between 1975 and 1978. He worked as a contract archivist during the late 1970s, arranging audiovisual and textual material for such notable artists and organizations as Johnny Green, Leo Robin, Betty Garrett Parks, and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Music and Sound Departments.
From 1978 – 1984, Gormick served as a writer and researcher for CBC Agriculture and Resources documentaries and the quiz show Reach for the Top. During this time, he also served as the Los Angeles production coordinator for the award-winning TVO program, Saturday Night at the Movies (Gormick conducted most of the pre-interviews with older Hollywood personalities). While in Los Angeles, he also worked as a writer and music advisor for both Columbia Pictures Television and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Film Co.
Upon returning to Canada, Gormick worked for CBC Radio as an on-air host and writer (1982 – 1995), and as a Canadian contributor for BBC Radio (1987 – 1991).
During the 1990s, Gormick’s professional focus shifted to communications and policy analysis (particularly in the areas of transportation and urban planning), though he also contributed written and audio materials for the Ryerson University/Canadian Communications Foundations’ History of Canadian Broadcasting website. Gormick currently lives in Toronto.
Gormick was a collaborator and close friend of celebrated critic and broadcaster Clyde Gilmour, and when Gilmour died Gormick became the recipient and facilitator of Gilmour’s collection. Clyde Gilmour was born in Calgary in 1912, and grew up in Edmonton, Lethbridge, AB and Medicine Hat, AB. He worked as a journalist in Western Canada and served as a war correspondent in the Navy before devoting himself to film and music criticism. After marrying Barbara Donald in 1947, Gilmour began contributing film reviews to CBC Vancouver; soon, he was also writing reviews for Maclean’s and the Vancouver Sun. In 1954, the couple moved to Toronto where Gilmour wrote a column for the Toronto Telegram (after that paper’s demise in 1971, he wrote for The Toronto Star). Gilmour’s Albums, a weekly hour-long program featuring selections from Gilmour’s own wide-ranging collection, was launched in 1956. The program became the longest-running network radio music show in CBC history, as well as the network’s highest-rated music show. Gilmour frequently acknowledged his wife Barbara, who conducted research and answered mail, as his ‘silent partner’.
Gilmour was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 1975, and he was enrolled in the Canadian News Hall of Fame in 1990. He died in 1997 at the age of 85.
He had two children, Jane and Paul Gilmour.
This fonds is divided into 5 series. These are: ‘Greg Gormick – Textual & Photographic Series’, ‘Clyde Gilmour – Textual & Photographic Series’, ‘The Audiotape Series’, ‘Commercial LP Albums’, ‘Transcription/NonCommercial Discs’.
The first series, ‘Greg Gormick – Textual & Photographic Series’ consists mainly of textual material and photographs relating to the assembling of Gormick’s radio productions. It is divided into 6 subseries: ‘Film Scripts’, ‘Feature Film (Pennies from Heaven)’; ‘TV Ontario Production Files’, ‘CBC Radio Archives Research Files’, ‘CBC Project Files’, and ‘CBC Project CatchAll’.
The second series, ‘Clyde Gilmour – Textual & Photographic Series’ consists primarily of textual, printed and photographic material (both personal and professional) generated by celebrated columnist and radio host Clyde Gilmour. The series includes correspondence, writing drafts, scrapbooks containing all of Gilmour’s newspaper reviews, clippings, books used for research or for review, and appointment books. The series includes 461 black and white prints, 24 colour prints, 1 colour negative and 18 black and white negatives. Two awards (including an Order of Canada pin) are also represented here.
The third series, ‘The Audiotape Series’, includes masters and dubs related to Gormick’s research and production activities. The subject matter is radio broadcasts, interviews, historically important sound recordings of all types, and film music.
The fourth series, ‘Commercial LP Albums’, consists of albums of film soundtracks and scored music.
The fifth series, ‘Transcription/NonCommercial Discs’, consists of radio programs, musical recordings, Armed Forces Radio programs and home recordings.
This fonds includes graphic and textual material relating to a number of productions,
including:
Gilmour’s Albums (Radio, 1956)
Bright Lights (Radio, 1964)
Saturday Night at the Movies (1978)
Pennies from Heaven (Film, 1981)
Morningside (Radio, 1982)
Morningside (Radio, 1982)
Basic Black (Radio, 1983)
Brave New Waves (Radio, 1984)
Commentary (Radio, 1985)
Ideas (Radio, 1986)
Fascinating Rhythm (Radio, 1987)
Night Camp (Radio, 1987)
Gabereau (Radio, 1991)
Ontario Morning (Radio, 1994)
This fonds includes audiovisual material relating to a number of productions, including:
Gilmour’s Albums (Radio, 1956)
Calling All Cars (Radio, 1937)
Eddie Cantor Show (Radio, 1947)
America Calling (Radio, 1939)
Cisco Kid (Radio, 1942)
Nazi Eyes on Canada (Radio, 1942)
Bob Hope Show (Radio, 1944)
Jimmy Durante Show (Radio, 1947)
Colgate Comedy Hour (Radio, 1950)
Dragnet (Radio, 1954)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Film, 1954)
Oklahoma! (Film, 1955)
Gilmour’s Albums (Radio, 1956)
Matters of Record (Radio, 1961)
Bye Bye Birdie (Film, 1963)
Bright Lights (Radio, 1964)
Pratley at the Movies (Radio, 1968)
Hooray for Hollywood (Radio, ca. 1975)
Saturday Night at the Movies (Television, 1978)
Pennies from Heaven (Film, 1981)
Morningside (Radio, 1982)
Basic Black (Radio, 1983)
Gabereau (Radio, 1985)
Ideas (Radio, 1986)
Night Camp (Radio, 1987)
Fascinating Rhythm (Radio, 1987)
Maritime Magazine (Radio, 1989)