Toronto Star: World Awaits More Word from Kids on Degrassi St. (1985)

Source: Toronto Star – Entertainment Section
Author: Rita Zekas
Published: November 25, 1985
Section: D1
Document Type: Newspaper Feature Article
Source Link: View original newspaper scan (Degrassi Vault Gallery)

“Griff Makes A Date”, an episode of The Kids Of Degrassi St., won the best instructional/educational broadcast program award at last Thursday’s Canadian Film & Television Association Awards.

And the award has lots of company. Linda Schuyler, co-founder of Playing With Time, Inc., which co-produces the popular children’s series in association with CBC and Telefilm Canada’s broadcast fund, settles back against a wall of framed awards in Time’s comfy offices. There’s cinnamon apple tea brewing, an old-fashioned copper washing machine, a wagon, bicycle, crutches, and a pair of flamingos. A rolltop desk and fish tank in an adjacent room are holdovers from the days when the house was part real-estate office.

“People are watching Kids Of Degrassi in Turkey,” says Kit Hood, Schuyler’s partner and series’ co-director/producer. (Hood was a child actor himself, appearing in the BBC serial The Man Who Sold Death.) “A man on a bicycle takes them from Malaysia into Singapore.”

It’s also telecast in Britain, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Qatar, Dubai and on the Disney Channel in the United States.

Starting Dec. 1 at 5 p.m., CBC will run the six-part mini-series, The Kids Of Degrassi St.: Yearbook, in which the kids put together a yearbook to commemorate their last term at Degrassi St. School. BBC has purchased Yearbook sight unseen, undoubtedly because Degrassi ran so successfully in Britain – almost 5 million viewers.

“We started the series in 1980,” Schuyler says. “CBC carried it in 1982 as Just Down The Street. It was a real problem for us that it wasn’t promoted under its own name.”

The series uses non-professional actors and is strictly on-location work, shot mostly on Degrassi St., three blocks west of Time’s Queen St. office. “We’ll launch a new series in about one year – Degrassi Junior High,” says Schuyler. “The very last segment (in Yearbook) shows the kids graduating. Where are they going? Degrassi Junior High!”

Playing With Time started eight years ago making documentary films, mostly for use in the classroom.

“My background was a schoolteacher and Kit’s was with commercials,” Schuyler says. “When I was offered a consultantship, I realized it would be an all-consuming career move. Kit had won every award for commercial editing and wanted to do more with his life than selling Aspirins.”

The kids in The Kids Of Degrassi St. are like kids next door because they are kids next door.

“We get them from the street,” says Schuyler. “Lots of times we have a big ‘audition’ sign in front. And I have contacts with schools – there’s a lot of word of mouth. We don’t use agencies, we prefer to train them ourselves.”

Although the series is geared to 6 to 12 year olds, the recurring characters are now in the upper age group. “When we first started, the kids were around nine. Now they’re 12. Only one or two survive from the first shows. Lisa was here from the start and Casey and Pete from the second lot. There’s one new one this year.”

Adult actors are recruited from friends. “If our series has a weak spot, it’s there,” says Schuyler with a laugh. “Adults you really need trained but fortunately they play minimal roles.”

Stacie Mistysyn, a pretty 14-year-old who plays Lisa, arrives early for the photo shoot and is dispatched to do her homework.

All of the shows are based on original material, some written by Schuyler and Hood.

“There’s lots of input from the kids,” Schuyler says. “When they read through the script the first time, they don’t do it word perfect. They read it in their vernacular. ‘Oops,’ they say. But we make note of it and rewrite it in their vernacular. They know their characters. ‘Oh, I don’t think Rachel would say that,’ they’ll say.”

Resident cutup Neil Hope (Griff) arrives with Arlene Lott (Rachel). Both are two-year veterans on the show. On their heels is Anais Granofsky, the newest Kid on the block. All admit to being nervous when they first tried out.

“I was afraid I wouldn’t impress them enough,” says Anais.

“I got sick,” says Stacie.

Handsome Tyson Talbot (Billy) comes in lugging hockey equipment, followed closely by John Ioannou (Pete), who picks up a crutch.

Light’s fading. Time to go to Degrassi Grocery – an actual store – and shoot the picture. Red-haired Danah Jean Brown makes it the nick of time.

Back at home base, everyone settles down to screen the Dec. 8 episode, “Karen Keeps Her Word.”

“Look at my hair,” complains Sarah. Danah pulls her coat over her head in shyness.

“Yeow. I had a cold that day,” someone else says.

Movie over and lights on. “Can we see another?” everyone asks.

Archival Note: This article was originally published in the Toronto Star (Entertainment Section, Page D1) on November 25, 1985. The newspaper scan has been preserved and formatted for presentation on Degrassi Vault.