King of Kensington (partially found CBC sitcom; 1975-1980): Difference between revisions
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A statue of actor Al Waxman, who played Larry King, can be found in Kensington Market’s Bellevue Square Park.<ref>[https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/king-of-kensington-memorial-needs-tlc ''King of Kensington memorial needs TLC'' Liz Braun, Toronto Sun, August 7, 2018] Retrieved 19 Jun '23</ref> | A statue of actor Al Waxman, who played Larry King, can be found in Kensington Market’s Bellevue Square Park.<ref>[https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/king-of-kensington-memorial-needs-tlc ''King of Kensington memorial needs TLC'' Liz Braun, Toronto Sun, August 7, 2018] Retrieved 19 Jun '23</ref> | ||
=Synopsis= | ==Synopsis== | ||
[[File:Al_waxman.jpg|left|thumb|170px|Al Waxman as Larry King]] | [[File:Al_waxman.jpg|left|thumb|170px|Al Waxman as Larry King]] | ||
The titular “King of Kensington” is Larry King, a convenience store owner who lives in Kensington Market. Larry is a friend to just about everyone in the neighborhood, always willing to help with any problems they might have. He is sometimes helped (or more often, hindered) by his stubborn mother Gladys, who lives with Larry and his wife Cathy. Cathy is played by Fiona Reid from seasons 1 to 3, after which Reid decided to leave the show. Larry runs a social club at a local bar where he and his friends play cards. These friends include recurring characters Duke, Nestor, and barkeep Max. In season 4, Larry sells his store, getting a new job at a youth community centre. | The titular “King of Kensington” is Larry King, a convenience store owner who lives in Kensington Market. Larry is a friend to just about everyone in the neighborhood, always willing to help with any problems they might have. He is sometimes helped (or more often, hindered) by his stubborn mother Gladys, who lives with Larry and his wife Cathy. Cathy is played by Fiona Reid from seasons 1 to 3, after which Reid decided to leave the show. Larry runs a social club at a local bar where he and his friends play cards. These friends include recurring characters Duke, Nestor, and barkeep Max. In season 4, Larry sells his store, getting a new job at a youth community centre. | ||
=Availability= | ==Availability== | ||
<blockquote>“It is depressing that one of our few pop-culture TV heroes of the 1970s, a cuddly ambassador for the "new" Canada, is fading into obscurity. A local legend lost in the mire - it's exactly the kind of issue Larry King would have stood up for.” - Ed Conroy for Blog TO, 2021</blockquote> | <blockquote>“It is depressing that one of our few pop-culture TV heroes of the 1970s, a cuddly ambassador for the "new" Canada, is fading into obscurity. A local legend lost in the mire - it's exactly the kind of issue Larry King would have stood up for.” - Ed Conroy for Blog TO, 2021</blockquote> | ||
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|} | |} | ||
=Legacy= | ==Legacy== | ||
[[File:Al_waxman_statue.png|250px|thumb|Statue of Al Waxman in Bellevue Square Park]] | [[File:Al_waxman_statue.png|250px|thumb|Statue of Al Waxman in Bellevue Square Park]] | ||
Despite airing its final episode in 1980, ''King of Kensington'' remains highly regarded for its memorable characters and its portrayal of Toronto. The series has been parodied by various other Canadian TV shows, including ''SCTV'', ''This Hour Has 22 Minutes'' and ''Twitch City''. | Despite airing its final episode in 1980, ''King of Kensington'' remains highly regarded for its memorable characters and its portrayal of Toronto. The series has been parodied by various other Canadian TV shows, including ''SCTV'', ''This Hour Has 22 Minutes'' and ''Twitch City''. | ||
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Al Waxman passed away on January 18, 2001, at age 65. A bronze statue created by sculptor Ruth Abernethy was placed in Kensington Market in his memory. | Al Waxman passed away on January 18, 2001, at age 65. A bronze statue created by sculptor Ruth Abernethy was placed in Kensington Market in his memory. | ||
==Gallery== | |||
=Gallery= | |||
==Video== | ==Video== | ||
{{Video|perrow =1 | {{Video|perrow =1 | ||
Latest revision as of 23:33, 20 April 2024
Season 1 DVD case.
Status: Partially Found
King of Kensington was a Canadian sitcom that aired on CBC from 1975 to 1980. The show, set in the Kensington Market neighborhood of Toronto, is considered one of the most iconic depictions of the city on television. Despite this, however, only the first season ever saw a home release, and all remaining seasons are lost to the public. The show followed affable shopkeeper Larry King as he dealt with everyday conflicts in the neighborhood, always approaching problems with humour and empathy. The show is notable for its diverse cast, distinctly Canadian references and for featuring performances from many recognizable Canadian actors before they achieved international success.
King of Kensington ran for five seasons with a total of 111 episodes, each episode running around 25 minutes long, excluding the commercial break. In 1978 the Ottawa Citizen reported the show regularly brought in 1.5 to 1.8 million viewers from across Canada.[1]
A statue of actor Al Waxman, who played Larry King, can be found in Kensington Market’s Bellevue Square Park.[2]
Synopsis
The titular “King of Kensington” is Larry King, a convenience store owner who lives in Kensington Market. Larry is a friend to just about everyone in the neighborhood, always willing to help with any problems they might have. He is sometimes helped (or more often, hindered) by his stubborn mother Gladys, who lives with Larry and his wife Cathy. Cathy is played by Fiona Reid from seasons 1 to 3, after which Reid decided to leave the show. Larry runs a social club at a local bar where he and his friends play cards. These friends include recurring characters Duke, Nestor, and barkeep Max. In season 4, Larry sells his store, getting a new job at a youth community centre.
Availability
“It is depressing that one of our few pop-culture TV heroes of the 1970s, a cuddly ambassador for the "new" Canada, is fading into obscurity. A local legend lost in the mire - it's exactly the kind of issue Larry King would have stood up for.” - Ed Conroy for Blog TO, 2021
A two-disc DVD set of the first season was released by Morningstar Entertainment on November 13th, 2007.[3] This included all season 1 episodes as well as writer’s commentaries for the episodes Half-Way Home and Scouts Honour. Due to poor sales, none of the ensuing seasons received a home release, and season 1 has not yet been shared online in its entirety.
Retrontario, an independent television archive, has shared several promotional clips relating to King of Kensington on YouTube, but no full episodes. The longest episode clip the archive has shared is an 8-minute unlisted video of segments from the episode Scouts Honour. When asked about the availability of the show in 2022, Retrontario did not volunteer any more content.
In his 2021 Blog TO article about the show,[4] Ed Conroy suggests that CBC Gem, the network’s official streaming service, would be a logical place to release the show in the digital age; King of Kensington is not currently among the shows offered on the service.
As of August 2023, the only episode recovered in full is episode 7 of season 1, Halfway Home, which features an appearance from Eugene Levy.
Episodes
The “ft” portion of these episode titles are to indicate notable guest actors and are not part of the original titles.
Season One
| # | Episode Title | Air Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Variety Store | Sep 25th, 1975 | Lost |
| 2 | Hot Line Host | Oct 2nd, 1975 | Lost |
| 3 | Kensington Achievement Award | Oct 9th, 1975 | Lost |
| 4 | The Tax Audit | Oct 23rd, 1975 | Lost |
| 5 | Save Old George | Oct 30th, 1975 | Lost |
| 6 | Where’s Cathy? | Nov 6th, 1975 | Lost |
| 7 | Half-Way Home (ft Eugene Levy) | Nov 13th, 1975 | Found |
| 8 | The Lady Who Came To Dinner | Nov 20th, 1975 | Lost |
| 9 | The Joy of Kensington (ft Andrea Martin) | Nov 27th, 1975 | Lost |
| 10 | The Gambler (ft Saul Rubinek & Luba Goy) | Dec 4th, 1975 | Lost |
| 11 | The Real Mrs. King | Dec 11th, 1975 | Lost |
| 12 | Scout's Honour (ft Mike Myers) | Dec 18th, 1975 | Partially Found |
| 13 | The Christmas Show | Dec 25th, 1975 | Lost |
| 14 | The Detroit Story (ft Dave Thomas) | Jan 15th, 1976 | Lost |
| 15 | Cathy’s Hobby | Jan 22nd, 1976 | Lost |
| 16 | Duke’s Dilemma | Jan 29th, 1976 | Lost |
| 17 | Delma’s Decision | Feb 5th, 1976 | Lost |
| 18 | Happy Anniversary | Feb 12th, 1976 | Lost |
Season Two
| # | Episode Title | Air Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fertility For Two | Sep 21st, 1976 | Lost |
| 2 | The Partners | Sep 28th, 1976 | Lost |
| 3 | The Checkup | Oct 5th, 1976 | Lost |
| 4 | The Dancer | Oct 12th, 1976 | Lost |
| 5 | Delma’s Fur | Oct 26th, 1976 | Lost |
| 6 | The Reunion | Nov 9th, 1976 | Lost |
| 7 | Gestalt of Kensington | Nov 16th, 1976 | Lost |
| 8 | Welcome to Canada | Nov 23rd, 1976 | Lost |
| 9 | The Friend | Nov 30th, 1976 | Lost |
| 10 | Duke’s New Job | Dec 7th, 1976 | Lost |
| 11 | Prisoner of Kensington | Dec 14th, 1976 | Lost |
| 12 | The Holiday | Dec 28th, 1976 | Lost |
| 13 | The End of the World | Jan 4th, 1977 | Lost |
| 14 | The Lottery | Jan 11th, 1977 | Lost |
| 15 | Gladys’ Teddy Bear | Jan 18th, 1977 | Lost |
| 16 | Bunny of Kensington | Jan 25th, 1977 | Lost |
| 17 | Mari Theresa Is Missing | Feb 1st, 1977 | Lost |
| 18 | Cathy’s Parents | Feb 8th, 1977 | Lost |
| 19 | The Central Tech Tiger | Feb 15th, 1977 | Lost |
| 20 | The Crush | Feb 22nd, 1977 | Lost |
| 21 | Tiny’s Job | Mar 1st, 1977 | Lost |
| 22 | Gladys’ Problem | Mar 8th, 1977 | Lost |
| 23 | The Quiz Show | Mar 15th, 1977 | Lost |
| 24 | The Big Shot | Mar 22nd, 1977 | Lost |
Season Three
| # | Episode Title | Air Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cathy’s New Career | Sep 25th, 1977 | Lost |
| 2 | The Comic | Oct 9th, 1977 | Lost |
| 3 | The Prom | Oct 16th, 1977 | Lost |
| 4 | The Hostage | Oct 23rd, 1977 | Lost |
| 5 | The Boiler | Oct 30th, 1977 | Lost |
| 6 | Hotel Buffalo | Nov 6th, 1977 | Lost |
| 7 | The Photographer | Nov 13th, 1977 | Lost |
| 8 | The Teacher | Nov 20th, 1977 | Lost |
| 9 | The Move | Nov 27th, 1977 | Lost |
| 10 | Gladys’ Restaurant | Dec 4th, 1977 | Lost |
| 11 | The Hero | Dec 11th, 1977 | Lost |
| 12 | The Dance Studio | Dec 18th, 1977 | Lost |
| 13 | The Suitor | Jan 8th, 1978 | Lost |
| 14 | The Hustler | Jan 22th, 1978 | Lost |
| 15 | The Wizard | Jan 29th, 1978 | Lost |
| 16 | Big Daddy | Feb 5th, 1978 | Lost |
| 17 | The Racehorse | Feb 12th, 1978 | Lost |
| 18 | The Dukedom | Feb 19th, 1978 | Lost |
| 19 | Las Vegas | Feb 26th, 1978 | Lost |
| 20 | Old Flame | Mar 5th, 1978 | Lost |
| 21 | King’s Cousin | Mar 12th, 1978 | Lost |
| 22 | The Blood of Kings | Mar 19th, 1978 | Lost |
| 23 | Cathy’s Last Stand | Mar 26th, 1978 | Lost |
Season Four
| # | Episode Title | Air Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The King’s First Date | Sep 28th, 1978 | Lost |
| 2 | Summer of ‘56 | Oct 5th, 1978 | Lost |
| 3 | School Daze | Oct 12th, 1978 | Lost |
| 4 | The Invitation | Oct 19th, 1978 | Lost |
| 5 | Words and Music | Oct 26th, 1978 | Lost |
| 6 | Carol’s Arrival | Nov 2nd, 1978 | Lost |
| 7 | Double Standard | Nov 9th, 1978 | Lost |
| 8 | The Pursesnatcher | Novr 16th, 1978 | Lost |
| 9 | Third Party | Dec 7th, 1978 | Lost |
| 10 | Big Brother | Dec 14th, 1978 | Lost |
| 11 | A Xmas Story | Dec 21st, 1978 | Lost |
| 12 | The Houseguest | Dec 28th, 1978 | Lost |
| 13 | With This Ring | Jan 4th, 1979 | Lost |
| 14 | Guido’s Job | Jan 11th, 1979 | Lost |
| 15 | Over The Hill | Jan 18th, 1979 | Lost |
| 16 | Dear Aunt Martha | Jan 25th, 1979 | Lost |
| 17 | The Best Man | Feb 1st, 1979 | Lost |
| 18 | Hockey Night in Kensington | Feb 15th, 1979 | Lost |
| 19 | True Confessions | Feb 22nd, 1979 | Lost |
| 20 | Mr. King Goes To Ottawa | Mar 8th, 1979 | Lost |
| 21 | White Lace Gloves | Mar 15th, 1979 | Lost |
| 22 | The Fishing Trip | Mar 22nd, 1979 | Lost |
| 23 | Cyrano de Kensington | Mar 29th, 1979 | Lost |
Season Five
| # | Episode Title | Air Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King’s Brave New World | Sep 13th, 1979 | Lost |
| 2 | Diabolical Plots | Sep 20th, 1979 | Lost |
| 3 | Life Begins At Forty | Sep 27th, 1979 | Lost |
| 4 | The Hat Trick | Oct 4th, 1979 | Lost |
| 5 | Home is Where the Heartburn Is | Oct 11th, 1979 | Lost |
| 6 | The Rivals | Oct 25th, 1979 | Lost |
| 7 | Born to Boogie | Nov 1st, 1979 | Lost |
| 8 | The Double Date | Nov 8th, 1979 | Lost |
| 9 | Masters and Johnson and King | Nov 15th, 1979 | Lost |
| 10 | The Bet | Nov 22nd, 1979 | Lost |
| 11 | Pawn to King Four | Nov 29th, 1979 | Lost |
| 12 | Down But Not Out | Dec 6th, 1979 | Lost |
| 13 | Catch 23 | Dec 20th, 1979 | Lost |
| 14 | The Total Woman | Jan 3rd, 1980 | Lost |
| 15 | Look Ma, No Cavities | Jan 10th, 1980 | Lost |
| 16 | Sign of the Bull | Jan 17th, 1980 | Lost |
| 17 | The Spirit of Joy | Jan 24th, 1980 | Lost |
| 18 | Good News, Bad News | Jan 31st, 1980 | Lost |
| 19 | War and Peace | Feb 7th, 1980 | Lost |
| 20 | Counter Attack | Feb 21st, 1980 | Lost |
| 21 | Green Eyed Monster | Feb 28th, 1980 | Lost |
| 22 | Purple Passion | Mar 6th, 1980 | Lost |
| 23 | Movin’ On | Mar 13th, 1980 | Lost |
Legacy
Despite airing its final episode in 1980, King of Kensington remains highly regarded for its memorable characters and its portrayal of Toronto. The series has been parodied by various other Canadian TV shows, including SCTV, This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Twitch City.
Comedian Mike Myers, who starred in King of Kensington as a child, regards the show favorably in his autobiography Canada:[5] “I thought King of Kensington was as close to an American sitcom as Canada ever got. [...] I felt that Al Waxman and the entire cast really wanted to do well for Canada, and they tried their best to give the Canadian taxpayers, who paid for the CBC, value for their money.” Myers reportedly named Austin Powers character Vanessa Kensington after the show.
Al Waxman passed away on January 18, 2001, at age 65. A bronze statue created by sculptor Ruth Abernethy was placed in Kensington Market in his memory.
Gallery
Video
External Links
References
- ↑ TV wife quits: King to be Bachelor Ottawa Citizen, January 25, 1978 Retrieved 19 Jun '23
- ↑ King of Kensington memorial needs TLC Liz Braun, Toronto Sun, August 7, 2018 Retrieved 19 Jun '23
- ↑ King of Kensington - Season 1: Catch Mike Myers (1st Role!), John Candy, Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy & More! David Lambert, TVShowsOnDVD.com, October 28, 2007 Retrieved 19 Jun '23
- ↑ The history of Toronto's King of Kensington Ed Conroy, Blog TO, Febuary 2021 Retrieved 19 Jun '23
- ↑ Canada Mike Myers, Random House, ISBN 9780385689250, October 22, 2016, Retrieved 19 Jun '23