A Gift to Last
A Gift to Last is a CBC Television Christmas special broadcast in 1976, a subsequent family drama series that ran from 1978 to 1979, and a stage play based on the pilot episode.
| A Gift To Last | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Peter Wildeblood |
| Starring | Gordon Pinsent |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 23 (including christmas special) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBC |
| Original release | December 19, 1976 – December 16, 1979 |
In both the special and series, Gordon Pinsent portrayed North-West Mounted Police officer Sgt Edgar Sturgess.
Christmas Special
Melvyn Douglas was cast as the senior Clement Sturgess, a nephew of Sgt Edgar Sturgess. The special dramatises Clement's Christmas memories of his life around the year 1900. Mark Polley, the brother of Sarah Polley, was cast in the role of the young Clement.
Series
The series was set during 1899–1905, around the time of the Second Boer War.
Stage Play
The pilot Christmas episode of A Gift to Last was adapted for the stage by Walter Learning and Alden Nowlan in 1978. The play has since become a perennial Canadian Christmas favourite and is regularly presented at regional theatres across the country. In 2012, Theatre Orangeville presented A Gift to Last with playwright Walter Learning in the role of Older Clement.
External links
- Queen's University Directory of CBC Television Series (A Gift to Last archived listing link via archive.org)
- A Gift to Last (Christmas special) at IMDb
- A Gift to Last (series) at IMDb