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Wojeck
StarringJohn Vernon
Country of originCanada
No. of episodes20 (+ 1992 TV Movie)
Production
ProducersDavid Peddie
Paul Almond
Ron Weyman
Running time60 minutes
Original release
NetworkCBC
ReleaseSeptember 13, 1966 (1966-09-13) –
March 12, 1968 (1968-03-12)

Wojeck is a Canadian dramatic television series, which aired on CBC Television from 1966 to 1968. It was arguably the first successful drama series on English Canadian television. Vernon had earlier played coroner Steve Wojeck in an episode of Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre titled "Tell Them the Streets Are Dancing" broadcast March 17, 1966.[1]

Plot

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Steve Wojeck is a crusading big city coroner who regularly fights moral injustices raised by the deaths he investigated. He often tackles tough and controversial issues. The first episode of the series examines the role of racism in the suicide of a young Ojibwe man.

Main cast

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Production

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The show was inspired by the career of Dr. Morton Shulman.[2][3]

Although it was one of the highest-rated shows on Canadian television in its time, only 20 episodes of the series were made, because Vernon was lured to Hollywood by the promise of more money than the CBC could offer. He only returned to the role once, for a TV movie Wojeck: Out of the Fire (1992). The first season (1966) was filmed in black and white, while season two (1968) was shot in colour.

Episodes

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Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre (1966)

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No.
overall		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Tell Them the Streets Are Dancing"Ronald WeymanPhillip Hersch17 March 1966 (1966-03-17)
Wojeck deals with the case of a construction worker (Bruno Gerussi) whose crew was forced to work in tunnels where some of them contracted caisson disease.
  • Seen in advance of the series. Though not conceived as such, it was a de facto "pilot" for the subsequent TV series.


Series 1 (1966)

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  • All series 1 episodes are in black & white.
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
21"The Last Man in the World"Ron KellyPhillip Hersch13 September 1966 (1966-09-13)
Steve Wojeck investigates the suicide of a native from Moosonee who died in Toronto jail cell, and uncovers aspects of the alien society which led him to his death.
32"All Aboard for Candyland"Paul AlmondPhillip Hersch20 September 1966 (1966-09-20)
Wojeck investigates the death of a drug addicted nurse who was a colleague of Marty's.
43"Listen! An Old Man Is Speaking"George McCowanPhillip Hersch27 September 1966 (1966-09-27)
Elder abuse and an unscrupulous nursing home become the subjects of Wojeck's latest case.
54"The Cold Smile of Friends (Part One)"George McCowanPhillip Hersch4 October 1966 (1966-10-04)
A patient of Wojeck's is a pregnant, unwed woman suffering from a critical illness. With Sharon Acker.
65"The Cold Smile of Friends (Part Two)"George McCowanPhillip Hersch11 October 1966 (1966-10-11)
Wojeck is called to investigate the death of a doctor who was a suspect in an illegal abortion case. With Sharon Acker.
76"Does Anybody Remember the Victim's Name?"Ron KellyPhillip Hersch18 October 1966 (1966-10-18)
Wojeck is in political trouble when he investigates a killing of a murderer by a veteran police officer, and newspapers accuse the officer of police brutality. With Cec Linder and Peter Donat.
87"Pick A Time - Any Time"Paul AlmondPhillip Hersch25 October 1966 (1966-10-25)
A university student is found dead of an LSD overdose. With Michael Sarrazin and Dave Broadfoot.
98"Thy Mother a Lady, Lovely and Bright"Daryl DukePhillip Hersch1 November 1966 (1966-11-01)
Wojeck suspects negligence on the part of the hospital staff when a young woman dies in childbirth. With Louis Zorich.
109"Another Dawn, Another Sunrise, Another Day"Ronald WeymanPhillip Hersch15 November 1966 (1966-11-15)
Wojeck thinks he may be on to a serial killer.


Series 2 (1968)

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  • All series 2 episodes are in colour.
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
111"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (Part One)"George McCowanPhillip Hersch2 January 1968 (1968-01-02)
An automobile manufacturer deliberately tries to cover up a defective product. With Peter Donat and Michael Learned.
122"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (Part Two)"George McCowanPhillip Hersch9 January 1968 (1968-01-09)
With Peter Donat and Michael Learned.
133"After All, Who's Art Morrison?"Ronald WeymanGrahame Woods16 January 1968 (1968-01-16)
A young homosexual man is arrested after a hotel killing. With Jack Creley and Margot Kidder. A prominent note at the beginning of the episode reads "All roles in the film are portrayed by actors."
144"Another Wonderful Day"Peter CarterLen Barnett23 January 1968 (1968-01-23)
A death by food poisoning leads Wojeck to fear a contaminated food supply.
155"Give Until It Hurts ... And Then Some"John TrentSandor Stern30 January 1968 (1968-01-30)
A smallpox outbreak is potentially imminent.
166"You've Been Very Kind"René BonnièreLindsay Galloway13 February 1968 (1968-02-13)
Wojeck is not convinced that an attempted suicide is what it appears to be.
177"Fair Egypt"George GormanJohn Gray20 February 1968 (1968-02-20)
A museum wants Wojeck to autopsy an Egyptian mummy, while he simultaneously deals with a woman who seemingly wants to die.
188"The Names of the Games That People Play"Peter CarterJerry O'Flanagan27 February 1968 (1968-02-27)
Wojeck believes that members of a football team may be taking drugs when a player's girlfriend dies and pills are found on her body.
199"Chocolate Fudge with Walnuts"Daryl DukeSandor Stern5 March 1968 (1968-03-05)
Wojeck has suspicions about the death of a man who died on his way to a mental hospital from a convalescent home.
2010"A Dime Harry Doesn't Need"Ronald WeymanRonald Dunn and John Simpson12 March 1968 (1968-03-12)
An alcoholic friend of Wojeck's hits a man with his car.

Special (1992)

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No.
overall		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
21"Wojeck: Out Of The Fire"George BloomfieldMalcolm MacRury
based on a story by Ian Sutherland		1992 (1992)
Wojeck returns to Toronto after 21 years in Africa.
  • This production was created as a stand-alone, feature-length special. Originally shot in 1990 (and directed by original series director Daryl Duke), the production was extensively rewritten and reshot two years later. Duration: approximately 89 minutes.

Forensic pathology theme

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Wojeck was the first TV series to feature forensic pathology in the investigation of crime and has been the central theme of several other TV mystery-suspense dramas, beginning with the BBC's The Expert in 1968. Other programs include:

Reunion movie

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In 1992, CBC aired a sequel television movie, Wojeck: Out of the Fire in which Wojeck returns to Toronto after working in a medical clinic in The Congo for 21 years, reunites with his daughter and estranged wife, and becomes involved in the plight of a family of refugees from Guatemala.[6][7]

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ "IMDb".
  2. ^ "Historicist: Introducing Dr. Morton Shulman". torontoist.com/. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  3. ^ "WOJECK Drama series about a Canadian coroner". Television Heaven. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  4. ^ Preston-Ellis, Rom (9 November 2015). "BBC drama filmed in South Devon set to air next week". Torquay Herald Express. Local World. Archived from the original on 12 November 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  5. ^ Conner, Shawn (3 February 2021). "Jenny Cooper returns to solve more cases in Season 3 of Coroner, with a COVID-19 twist". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  6. ^ https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0173463/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
  7. ^ https://www.avclub.com/film/reviews/wojeck-out-of-the-fire-1992
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