In his youth, Davies was interested in the
creation of illusion. He loved music and was fascinated by
magic, demons, angels, guardian spirits and above all, theatre.
Through his fiction, Davies integrated his many interests,
all the contradictions of his rough small town background
and the need for something higher, more spiritual and refined.
“This is a man who used his multiple talents and his
multiple identities to explore his rural and city roots, his
roots in the land, in the urbanity of the city and the cultures
of the world,” said producer John McGreevy.
In 1940, Davies left England and returned to Canada with
his new wife Brenda Mathews. He became editor of Saturday
Night magazine and then editor of the Peterborough Examiner
from 1941-61. Davies also wrote plays and was active in the
creation and development of the Stratford Shakespearean Festival.
In 1961, he began teaching at Massey College at the University
of Toronto.
Interviews include: Davies’ wife Brenda; his secretary
of 45 years, Moira Whalen; freelance editor Ramsey Derry;
and Douglas Gibson, Davies’ editor at McClelland &
Stewart.
Original Air Date - December 6, 1996
Links
Robertson
Davies bio site
Robertson
Davies (Wikipedia)
Robertson
Davies (The Canadian Encyclopedia)
(Note: CBC does not endorse the content of external
sites)
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