Network: Independent Television
Broadcast Run: 1991 to 2000
Broadcast Medium: Television
With an all-male cast, this comedy series featured men’s dreams, obsessions, hobbies, pastimes and idiosyncrasies. Steve Smith played the acerbic, dry-witted Red Green, Possum Lodge leader and host of the show. He took viewers on a tour of Possum Lodge, singing twisted campfire songs, and reading environmentally Green poetry in “The Winter of Our Discount Tent”. Handyman’s Corner was a popular spot in the show where Red used the handyman’s secret weapon for just about anything needing fixing or inventing- duct tape. He constructed gadgets of dubious usefulness, such as a dishwasher made with a garden hose and lawn sprinkler mounted in an old refrigerator, or used linoleum flooring to rustproof a car. As Red often said in the show, “If the women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.” Patrick McKenna co-starred as Red’s geeky technology-obsessed nephew Harold Green. Also starred Rick Green as Bill Smith, Peter Wildman as Buzz Sherwood, Peter Keleghan as Ranger Gord, and Ian Thomas as Dougie Franklin.
The show was based loosely on, or perhaps was just honouring, a 1960’s Canadian TV legend, Red Fisher, who was master of Scuttlebutt Lodge.
The show began on CHCH-TV in Hamilton, at one time part of the Global Network, but when CHCH pulled out, Smith actually bought a half-hour on Global to continue the show as The New Red Green Show. It moved to CBC in 1997 but repeats still appeared on Global until 2000.
Broadcast: 1991-2000
Time slot: Saturday 10:00 pm, Friday 7:00 pm
Running time: 30 minutes
Production Company: S&S Productions, Steve Smith and Dave Smith, in association with the CanWest Global System.
Written by Joanne Ingrassia – June, 2002