On a brilliantly sunny afternoon last summer a production crew, a collection of actors and a throng of spectators are gathered around Molly's Reach restaurant at picturesque Gibsons Landing, British Columbia. It is old home week on the set of The New Beachcombers, a two-hour movie of the week set to air on CBC November 25th. The mood is nothing less than celebratory. Even the CBC PR guy is hugging and kissing his old acquaintances from cast and crew! The reunion of this TV-spawned community will prove to be the "reality" story behind the production, plainly visible in various scenes, and layering it with extra doses of nostalgia. News of a second kick at the can for Canada's longest-running television series (1972-1990) resulted in most of the originals (and their families), some still living in Gibsons, eagerly signing on.
After more than a decade of absence from our cultural and television landscape, the iconic Beachcombers is making a comeback. The producers (Soapbox Productions) are hoping the on-set touchy/feely vibe, along with the show's Canadian folklore status will translate into a unanimous audience and network demand for a fresh series.
Naturally, the story has been updated, since its star for the entire 19-year run, Bruno Gerussi (Nick Adonadis), his sidekick/nemesis Robert Clothier (Relic), and Rae Brown (Molly) have all passed on since the series end. Filmed on 35 mm to capture the beauty of the surroundings, the movie's opening shot is a good ol' BC Ferry sailing across the ocean, framed by the Coast Mountains, to Gibsons Landing. BC's pristine landscape is as much a character in The New Beachcombers as Molly, Nick and Relic, who come to life through many misty-eyed references. One particular photo of the three displayed inside Molly's Reach gets plenty of screen time. Nobody can fault the producers and writers for creating a sweet, sentimental, family-oriented, memory-twigging story about the next generation of townsfolk carrying out the legacy of their elders. Nor for invoking those elders as often as necessary for emotional and historical effect.
The plot involves an unresolved love triangle between Scott Rivers (Cameron Bancroft), Donna McGonigal (Deanna Milligan) and Katt Reynard (Kendall Cross). Just returned from his much-touted trip around the world, where he spent time in Greece with Nick Adonadis, Scott has inherited the famed Persephone and the beachcombing business. Trouble is beachcombing is no longer a viable source of income. Meanwhile, ex-girlfriend Donna is back from university in Toronto to claim Molly's Reach, signed over to her by her scam-artist father, played characteristically deadpan by Dave Thomas. Katt, a self-serving manipulator, and the reason Scott and Donna broke up, is the silent prospective buyer of the Reach. Much of the action takes place as Katt waits to seal the deal that will take down the beloved restaurant to make way for exorbitantly priced waterfront condos. Graham Greene plays an eco-journalist with information that further foils the land sale. Ain't that a slice of modern life?
Added to this new cast of characters are some of the original motley crew reprising their roles. Jackson Davies, executive producer (as well as producer of Welcome Back, a Beachcombers documentary - see sidebar for details - airing Sunday at 7 p.m. on CBC), is the former Constable John Constable, now nearing retirement as Staff Sergeant John Constable. His screen moments are some of the quirkiest, and most sentimental. "If I had a choice they'd be here," says Davies of his old friends Gerussi, Clothier and Brown. "But we've managed to keep them and the spirit of their relationship alive in the story." Davies, who is by now a veteran of stage and screen, big and small, was a mere 24 years of age, married with two young children when he began with the Beachcombers in 1974. Today his children are grown and acted as stand-ins for two of the leads, as well as extras. The set is full of reunion and community stories just like this one. In fact, a number of producers, directors and actors cut their teeth on this show. Pat John and Charlene Aleck are back as Jessie and Sara, two of the most familiar faces from the series, all grown up. You might never know it today, but there was a time when the presence of First Nations actors playing First Nations roles was non-existent. Perhaps a little ahead of its time in the '70s, The Beachcombers paved the way to provide some entertainment industry role models.
Born in Vancouver, the suave Cameron Bancroft grew up watching The Beachcombers never thinking that he would one day make his acting debut there. In 1985 he was hired to play three episodes as teenager Graham Blake, which turned into six seasons. He then went south to pursue a career, landing a recurring role on Beverly Hills 90210 (he played the virgin football star), and other TV series and movies. His presence back on the set of the Beachcombers is one of gratitude and, with wife and two small children in tow, a way to show his family where it all began - with good clean Canadian fun. "I'm just happy to be back home," says Cameron, adding that he hopes his role does justice to his mentor Gerussi.
Nick Orchard, executive producer and owner of Soapbox Productions, worked for a time as production manager on the Beachcombers series. He went on to become associate producer with the BBC serial Eastenders, and created CTV's Northwood, among other projects. His desire to be back echoes that of Davies's: "I'd been toying with the idea for awhile, and felt that the time was ripe to bring back a family show." All involved unanimously quote the indisputable statistics: 19 seasons, 387 episodes, sold to 35 countries worldwide, bringing a wide array of international visitors to the tiny coastal community. Let's face it, who among us doesn't remember following the antics at Gibsons for at least part of that time. This is one of those quintessentially Canadian gems that live in our nation-defining collective imaginations.
The New Beachcombers is, as the series that informs it, an eccentric, whimsical homegrown little TV property. It holds up, and because TV has grown up a bit since the series' demise, it looks a lot better. Whether sentiment alone is enough to capture the imagination of a fresh audience for a new series remains to be seen. The presence of Cameron Bancroft, with lots more acting chops in him than this movie allows (and not bad to look at), and Deanna Milligan (also cute), who sprinkles all her TV projects with a certain irrepressible dusting of magic, can only add to the chances for more New Beachcombers outings.