CBC: Life And Times

The Life and Times of W.O Mitchell

He was known to millions of Canadians simply as W.O. - the prairie bard who penned the Canadian classic Who Has Seen The Wind. Written in 1947, it remains the great Canadian novel of boyhood. But it was his scripts of Jake and the Kid, broadcast on CBC radio, which spread his fame to those who had never read his novels.

W.O. Mitchell

But William Ormond Mitchell was also a great teacher, and a superb storyteller. With his crackly voice, mane of unruly white hair and mischievous grin, he regaled audiences across the country, spinning tales and playing the prairie bumpkin. In salty language, telling a thousand stories, he taught a generation of writers that they could write firmly from their own place. And when he passed away in February, 1997, many Canadians felt they had lost a beloved friend.

In this special remembrance of W.O., Timothy Findley, Pierre Berton and Peter Gzowski reminisce about their old friend. Interviews with his wife and sons, archival footage and rare home movies round out the intimate portrait of a great writer and a lovable rogue.

Original Air Date - March 20, 1998

Links

W.O. Mitchell: A Tribute (from the University of Calgary)

W.O. Mitchell: Author Profile

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