S&S Productions Fonds

1985-2002

Biographical History


Date 1980-

S & S Productions was founded by husband-and-wife comedy team Steve and Morag Smith in 1980. The company was founded just as Canada’s broadcasting industry was experiencing unprecedented growth; the new cable market was just developing, and smaller companies like S & S were able to feed the demand for new content with cost-efficient and viewer-friendly programming.


The duo first achieved success with the series Smith & Smith, and subsequent series included The Comedy Mill and Me & Max. However, S & S has achieved its greatest success with The Red Green Show. Originally aired by CHCH-TV in Hamilton in March of 1990, the comedy enjoyed a fifteen year run on television. The series also aired in the United States, Australia, India and Israel. With Red Green’s success, S & S kept diversifying and expanding: more comedy like An American in Canada and History Bites as well as lifestyle programs like Balance Television for Living Well, The Gardener’s Journal and Anything I Can Do. In 2002, the company produced their first feature film, Duct Tape Forever.


Over the course of its 30 year history, S & S Productions has won three Gemini Awards and been nominated for several more. The company has also received nominations for two Rose D’Or awards, and was a finalist in the New York Festival’s International Competition for Television Film and Video Communication.

Extent and Medium

2.7 m textual records

129 photographs
· 27 contact sheets (col.)
· 102 Prints (col.)

97 audio recordings
· 8 ½ in. tapes (8 hr.)
· 85 DAT cassettes (164 hr., 59 min.)
· 4 CDRs (5 hr., 33 min.)

2,337 video recordings
· 3671 in. tapes (190 hr., 34 min.)
· 4 ¾ in. cassettes (1 hr., 40 min.)
· 1,155 ½ in. Digital Betacam cassettes (915 hr., 55 min.)
· 563 – ½ in. Betacam SP cassettes (285 hr., 2 min.)
· 31 VHS cassettes (20 hr., 51 min.)
· 217 HD-Cam cassettes (142 hr., 21 min.)
This fonds includes 6 series, divided by format. The series are: Textual Material, Photographic Material, Audio Material, Video Material, Cinefilm and Artifacts.

The first series, Textual Material, includes annotated scripts, press sheets, press clippings, continuity logs, audio cue sheets, handwritten editing notes, production reports and various other production-related printed materials.

The second series, Photographic Material, consists of studio photographs and production stills.

The third series, Audio Material, includes original sound elements from An American in Canada.

The fourth series, Video Material, includes Betacam and VHS tapes from the production and editing process, as well as viewing copies of completed films and final master-quality versions of each of the episodes in the various television series.

The fifth series, Cinefilm, consists of a 35mm print of the feature film Duct Tape Forever.

The sixth series, Artifacts, includes props from the Red Green Show (including a dart board, clothing, and a model of the Possum Lodge van), as well as fan art and merchandise.

This fonds includes textual material relating to a number of productions, including:

The Red Green Show (Television, 1990)
Supertown Challenge (Television, 1998)
An American in Canada (Television, 2002)
This fonds includes audiovisual material relating to a number of productions, including:

Smith & Smith (Television, 1979)
Me & Max (Television, 1986)
Comedy Mill (Television, 1987)
Red Green Show (Television, 1990)
Go Girl (Television, 1997)
Supertown Challenge (Television, 1998)
5-th Quadrant (Television, 2002)
An American in Canada (Television, 2002)
Duct Tape Forever (Film, 2002)
Steve Smith Playhouse (Television, 2004)
Mr. Happy (Television, 2006)

Conditions governing access

Preservation concerns may limit access, consult archivist.

S&S Productions Fonds

Description
This fonds includes 6 series, divided by format. The series are: Textual Material, Photographic Material, Audio Material, Video Material, Cinefilm and Artifacts. The first series, Textual Material, includes annotated scripts, press sheets, press clippings, continuity logs, audio cue sheets, handwritten editing notes, production reports and various other production-related printed materials. The second series, Photographic Material, consists of studio photographs and production stills. The third series, Audio Material, includes original sound elements from An American in Canada. The fourth series, Video Material, includes Betacam and VHS tapes from the production and editing process, as well as viewing copies of completed films and final master-quality versions of each of the episodes in the various television series. The fifth series, Cinefilm, consists of a 35mm print of the feature film Duct Tape Forever. The sixth series, Artifacts, includes props from the Red Green Show (including a dart board, clothing, and a model of the Possum Lodge van), as well as fan art and merchandise. This fonds includes textual material relating to a number of productions, including: The Red Green Show (Television, 1990) Supertown Challenge (Television, 1998) An American in Canada (Television, 2002) This fonds includes audiovisual material relating to a number of productions, including: Smith & Smith (Television, 1979) Me & Max (Television, 1986) Comedy Mill (Television, 1987) Red Green Show (Television, 1990) Go Girl (Television, 1997) Supertown Challenge (Television, 1998) 5-th Quadrant (Television, 2002) An American in Canada (Television, 2002) Duct Tape Forever (Film, 2002) Steve Smith Playhouse (Television, 2004) Mr. Happy (Television, 2006)
Extent and Medium
2.7 m textual records

129 photographs
· 27 contact sheets (col.)
· 102 Prints (col.)

97 audio recordings
· 8 ½ in. tapes (8 hr.)
· 85 DAT cassettes (164 hr., 59 min.)
· 4 CDRs (5 hr., 33 min.)

2,337 video recordings
· 3671 in. tapes (190 hr., 34 min.)
· 4 ¾ in. cassettes (1 hr., 40 min.)
· 1,155 ½ in. Digital Betacam cassettes (915 hr., 55 min.)
· 563 – ½ in. Betacam SP cassettes (285 hr., 2 min.)
· 31 VHS cassettes (20 hr., 51 min.)
· 217 HD-Cam cassettes (142 hr., 21 min.)
Date Range
1985-2002