Network: CBC Television Network
Broadcast Run: 1976 to 1978
Broadcast Medium: Television
Aired Wednesday nights from October 1976 to March, 1977. Aired January 18 to March 15, 1978.
CBC’s dedication to producing drama for television started in the 1950s. Front Row Centre offered viewers high quality original films or adaptations of Canadian plays.
The series opened with Sarah, starring Zoe Caldwell as the legendary actress Sarah Bernhardt. The show also featured Claude Jutra’s movie, Dreamspeaker, Allan King’s adaption of Carol Bolt’s play called One Night Stand, and Les Belles Soeurs by Michel Tremblay. A production of Luigi Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author was directed by David Giles, to add to the international flavour of the series, all under the auspices of John Hirsch, head of the CBC’s Drama department. Hirsch later went on to serve as the Artistic Director of the Stratford Festival in Canada.
The executive producer of Front Row Centre was Robert Allen.
Written by John Corcelli – August, 2005