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- Source of title proper: Title based on creator of fonds
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Date(s)
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1980-1997 (Creation)
- Creator
- Gzowski, Peter
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3.39 m of textual records and other materials
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Name of creator
Biographical history
Peter Gzowski was a Canadian broadcast journalist, best known as the host of Morningside on CBC radio (1982-1997). Gzowski was born on July 13, 1934, in Toronto, Ontario. He grew up in Galt, Ontario and was educated at Ridley College in St. Catharines, Ontario and the University of Toronto. Gzowski was appointed Trent University’s eighth Chancellor in 1999, a position he held until his death on January 24, 2002 . Gzowski College, named after Peter Gzowski, opened at Trent University in 2003.
Gzowski edited “The Varsity” as an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto (1956-1957). He went on to work for town newspapers in Timmins, Ontario, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and Chatham, Ontario. He became managing editor of Maclean's Magazine in 1962.
Gzowski’s radio career started with CBC's "This Country in the Morning" (1971-1974). He later hosted "90 Minutes Live" (1976-1978), a national late-night television program, and was the host for a brief revival of CBC’s “Fighting Words” television series on CHCH in Hamilton (1982-1984). He became the host of “Morningside” in 1982 and remained its host until the show went off air in 1997 .
Gzowski wrote numerous books, including Peter Gzowski's Book about This Country in the Morning (Hurtig Publishers, 1974), Peter Gzowski's Spring Tonic (Hurtig Publishers, 1979), The Game of Our Lives (McClelland and Stewart, 1981) and several volumes of Morningside letters (McClelland and Stewart, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, and 1994).
Gzowski contributed to adult literacy education through his annual golf tournament fundraiser, the Peter Gzowski Invitational (PGI), which began in 1986. Hosted at multiple locations across Canada each year, the PGI has raised millions of dollars since its inception. In 2002, the Peter Gzowski Foundation for Literacy was funded by an endowment from the federal government and took over responsibility for the PGI.
In 1974, 1983, and 1985, Gzowski won ACTRA (the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) awards for best host-interviewer on radio. He has also won three National Magazine Awards, one of which was for his 1981 profile on Wayne Gretzky. Gzowski was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in1986 and appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1998. He received honourary degrees from the University of New Brunswick (D.LITT., 1984) and Trent University (LL.D., 1988). Other honours include the Governor General's Performing Arts Award (1995) and the International Peabody Award for Broadcasting (1997).
Custodial history
This fonds was created by and in the custody of Peter Gzowski before it was donated to Trent University Archives.
Scope and content
This fonds consists of letters addressed to Peter Gzowski and the CBC radio show "Morningside". It also consists of manuscripts, correspondence with publishers, etc.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
This fonds was donated by Peter Gzowski
Arrangement
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
Personal letters may not be quoted without permission of the writer
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
Associated materials
For related records see the David Carley fonds (95-022). Associated material located at the Archives of Ontario and York University Archives.
Accruals
This fonds, along with 95-008, 99-015, and 01-004, is an addition to 92-015.
General note
Table of Contents
Series A: Correspondence from Morningside listeners
Series B: Business and personal correspondence, etc.
Series C: Morningside scripts and related materials
Series D: "The right to read and right..."
Series E: Private Voice
Series F: Canadian Living
Series G: Morningside Papers (various)
Series H: Art and photographs from Mornigside listeners
Series I: Get well wishes for Peter Gzowski
Series J: Correspondence regarding Peter Gzowski's retirement
Series K: Correspondence regarding funding cuts in CBC
Series L: Correspondence regarding PGI Golf Tournament
Series M: Awards
Series N: Permission forms
Series O: Margaret Laurence
SERIES A: Correspondence from Morningside listeners
Box 1
Folder
1: 1980
2: 1982
3: 1983
4: 1984
5-6: 1985
7: 1986
8: 1987
9-11: 1988
12-13: 1989
14: 1990
15-19: 1991
20-22: 1992
Box 2
Folder
1-5: 1992
6-13: 1993
14-15: 1994
Box 3
Folder
1-17: 1995
Box 4
Folder
1-6: 1995
7-13: 1996
Box 5
Folder
1-16: 1996
Box 6
Folder
1-7: 1996
8-14: 1997
Box 7
Folder
1-10: 1997
Box 8
Folder
1: Undated
SERIES B: Business and personal correspondence, etc.
Box 9
Folder
1: Retailing of Morningside cassettes, 1993
2: Lakefield Literacy Festival (in memory of Margaret Laurence, 1995-1996)
3: PEN Canada, 1992-1994
4: Correspondence between Shelley Ambrose of Morningside and Manitoba correspondent, Fred McGuinness, 1997
5: Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, 1996
6: Gzowski & Co. - contracts with CBC, scripts, news releases, interview bookings, correspondence, Order of Canada correspondence, etc., 1986-1987
7: Morningside workload review, 1989-1990
8: Canadian Human Rights Commission case, 1991-1992
9: Miscellaneous business and personal correspondence, notes, contracts, etc., ie. letters from publishers, letters from CBC to Morningside listeners, etc., 1986-1997
SERIES C: Morningside scripts and related materials
Folder
10-14: Morningside scripts and related notes, schedules, transcripts of interviews, transcripts of letters read, etc.
SERIES D: "The right to read and write..."
Folder
15: "The right to read and write..." / The G. Allan Roeher Institute, with a foreward by Peter Gzowski, 1990 - typescript
SERIES E: Private Voice
Folder
16: Correspondence with publishers, photo of Gzowski at book signing reception, photo of image used for cover of the book, etc., 1988-1989
SERIES F: Canadian Living
Folder
17-18: Correspondence between Gzowski and publishers of Canadian Living, Canadian Living column scripts written by Gzowski, etc., 1988-1996
SERIES G: Morningside Papers (various)
Folder
19-20: The Latest Morningside Papers - typescript of manuscript, correspondence, computer diskette, etc.
21: The Fourth Morningside Papers - "Celebrations of the Canadian Landscape" section - typescripts with corrections, correspondence, notes
22: The sixth Morningside Papers - discussions, correspondence, etc. re the possibility of publishing a sixth Morningside Papers, 1996
SERIES H: Art and photographs from Morningside listeners
Box 10
Folder
1: Miscellaneous photographs and items of art sent to Morningside
2: Picture by Janni Belgum (handmade paper)
SERIES I: Get well wishes for Peter Gzowski
Box 11
Folder 1: Get well cards and correspondence, 1997
SERIES J: Correspondence regarding Peter Gzowski's retirement
Box 12
Folder 1-2: Miscellaneous correspondence from Morningside listeners regarding P. Gzowski's retirement, 1997
Box 13
Folders 1-3: Ditto
SERIES K: Correspondence regarding funding cuts in CBC
Box 14
Folder 1-2: Miscellaneous correspondence from Morningside listeners regarding CBC cuts and the impact on Mornigside, 1996
SERIES L: Correspondence regarding PGI Golf Tournament
Box 15
Folder
1: Miscellaneous correspondence and documents regarding Peter Gzowski's Golf Tournament for illiteracy.
SERIES M: Awards
2: Miscellaneous correspondence and documents regarding awards presented to Peter Gzowski
SERIES N: Permission forms
Box 16
Folder 1-2: Permission forms released by Morningside listeners for publication of their letters in Morningside Papers
SERIES O: Margaret Laurence
Folder 3: 2 letters re Margaret Laurence, including picture of a house, where she lived in Vancouver, 1987