Eye Witness
Country of originCanada
No. of episodes101
Production
Executive producersTom Daly (1947-1952)
Nicholas Balla (1952-1958)
ProducersDon Mulholland (1947-1950)
Gordon Burwash (1951-1952
David Bairstow (1952-1954)
Jack Olsen (1954-1955)
Peter Jones (1956-1957)
Tim Wilson (1957-1958)
Running time9-12 minutes
Production companyNational Film Board of Canada
Original release
ReleaseNovember 1, 1947 (1947-11-01) –
February 1, 1958 (1958-02-01)
Related
Canada Carries On
Candid Eye

Eye Witness was a current events film series, produced by the National Film Board of Canada, which ran from 1947 to 1958. It ran concurrently in Quebec as Coup d'oeil.[1][2]

In 1940, the National Film Board (NFB) created the morale-boosting propaganda series Canada Carries On, which was funded by the Wartime Information Board. When the war ended in 1945, the series lost its funding from that source, but the NFB continued with it until 1959.[3]

At the time, Canada had a huge theatre-going public, and one theatre show would normally be a cartoon, a sponsored, promotional or informational film, and then the main feature. Canada Carries On was supplied for inclusion in the shows of all Famous Players theatres. In the mid-1940s, with heavy investment from The Rank Organisation of Britain, Odeon Cinemas came into being. It also needed content and, in 1947, the NFB answered with Eye Witness.[4]

Eye Witness was less about propaganda and more about the NFB's mandate to show Canada to Canadians, and foster a greater sense of unity.[5][6] It was also distributed by Columbia Pictures, which included Eye Witness in its international offerings. The show was issued monthly, with each reel lasting from nine to twelve minutes and, for the most part, containing three distinct stories. They were vignettes covering various aspects of Canadian life, and/or issues that Canadians cared about, and could take place anywhere in the country.

The show's first producer was Don Mulholland, who managed its difficult logistics by dispatching cameramen, rather than entire teams, to film stories. As time went on, and budgets were increased, production could include an entire crew. Until 1952, Lorne Greene was the narrator; from then on, narration was handled, mainly, by Budd Knapp, Fred Davis, Elwood Glover and Geoffrey Hogwood.

By 1958, an ever-increasing number of Canadians had televisions in their homes and theatres were running features. The NFB commissioner Guy Roberge cancelled Eye Witness and replaced it with the short-lived series Candid Eye.

Episodes

1947

Number Title Director/Camera Producer Length
0 Shipping Milk to Europe, Tuna Fishing, Shipping Grain to Britain, Garden Seed Industry Don Mulholland 11 min.
1 Chalk River, Industrialization in South Africa Don Mulholland 11 min.

1948

Number Title Director/Camera Producer Length
2 Canada at the U.N. Security Council, Harvesting Hemlock in B.C. Don Mulholland 10 min.
3 European Immigrants Arrive in Halifax, Population Explosion in Yellowknife Don Mulholland 11 min.
4 Commercial Ice Fishing in Manitoba, Indian Health Service Doctor, Banff Winter Carnival, Barbara Ann Scott Don Mulholland 13 min.
5 Mass Housing Construction in Ottawa, Logs Head to Pulp Mills Don Mulholland 11 min.
6 Liberal Convention, Valleyfield Regatta Don Mulholland 11 min.
7 Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, Antgonish Highland Festival Don Mulholland 9 min.
8 Progressive Conservative Convention, Bird Dog Trials Don Mulholland 11 min.
9 Mackenzie King Retires, Crossroads for Ducks, Whaling Begins Again on the British Columbia Coast, Pennies from Canada Don Mulholland 15 min.
10 Gréber Plan, Terrace Bay, Floating Village Don Mulholland 10 min.

1949

Number Title Director/Camera Producer Length
11 Classroom on Rails, Disabled Civilians Workshop Don Mulholland 11 min.
12 The Opening of Canada's Parliament Don Mulholland 20 min.
13 Lumber Tugs Buck Flood-Swollen Fraser, Spring Round-up in B.C. Don Mulholland 10 min.
14 Man-Made Desert, Police Boys' Club Don Mulholland 11 min.
15 Man-Made Niagara, Irrigation Revitalizes Dust Bowl, Underwater Harvest Don Mulholland 11 min.
16 Art in the Park, Billions in Black Oil, The Friendly Tides of Fundy Nathan Clavier, Gordon Burwash Don Mulholland 11 min.

1950

Number Title Director/Camera Producer Length
17 Modern Magic with Liquid Air, Canada's Biggest Bird House, City Mobilizes for Crippled Children Don Mulholland 11 min.
18 Salt Water Farmers Grow Fancy Crops, Regina Rainmaker, Springtime in the Sugar Bush Don Mulholland 11 min.
19 Flying Farmers, Miser Makes Money for Others, Toronto Curbs Jay-Walkers feat. Edward Everett Horton, Landlubbers Become Salty Sailors Don Mulholland 11 min.
20 Hunting the Rare Snow Goose, Slum Dwellers Get New Homes for Old, Mighty Men Match Muscle Magic Don Mulholland 10 min.
21 B.C.'s Lady Legislator, Researchers Pave Skyways for Canada's Plane Makers, Cow Collects Currency, Then Caches Cash, Skiers Travel 5000 Miles to Challenge Famous Hill Don Mulholland 11 min.
22 Alberta's Blood Indians, Music Master, Sky Sentries Don Mulholland 11 min.
23 The Magic Isle in Toronto Bay, Nature Conscripted in War on Worms, Students Learn Lessons in the Sky Grant McLean, Hector Lemieux, Maurice Constant Don Mulholland 11 min.
24 The Fine Art of Making Money, Sable Island: Graveyard of the Atlantic, B.C. Develops Schoolboy Rangers John Foster Don Mulholland 11 min.
25 New Methods Feed the North, A Brain, a Voice - and Courage, From Ivy Walls to Sea and Squalls Hector Lemieux, John Foster, Osmond Borradaile Don Mulholland 11 min.

1951

Number Title Director/Camera Producer Length
26 Their Hobby Is Saving Lives, Diana Discovers the Drama, Man-Made Hades - The Steel Mill Hector Lemieux, Lorne C. Batchelor Gordon Burwash 10 min.
27 Halifax's Junior Bengal Lancers, Where the Big Ones Grow Bigger and Bigger, From Jobs and Schools to Swimming Pools, Alberta Blitzes Prairie Killers Jean-Marie Couture, John Foster Gordon Burwash 11 min.
28 New Look on Rails, Dedication to the Dance, Fun in Fur Land Ron Weyman, Allen Stark, Gordon Burwash Gordon Burwash 11 min.
29 Pied Piper of the Three R's, Radio Runs Water War, Church of the Open Road, Down-Under with Toronto's Subway Builders Osmond Borradaile, Robert Humble, Lorne C. Batchelor, Jean-Marie Couture Gordon Burwash 9 min.
30 Still Gold in Them Thar Hills, Canada's New State Residence, Sister Pelagie, Trapping the Sea Lamprey, Flying Fashions Julien St-Georges, Lorne C. Batchelor, Jean Roy, Hector Lemieux Gordon Burwash 11 min.
31 unknown
32 Show World's Show Place, Nipissing's Net Prophet, Sarnia Unlimited Hector Lemieux, Thomas Farley, Gordon Burwash Gordon Burwash 11 min.
33 The Ship that Never Sails, Freedom Jamboree, A Metal Mountain John Foster, Walter A. Sutton, Walford Hewitson Gordon Burwash 11 min.
34 The Fireman Is a Grocer, Artistry in Clay and Cloth, Winter Morning Grant McLean, Walford Hewitson, Hector Lemieux, Lorne C. Batchelor Gordon Burwash 11 min.
35 The Lonely Age: Sixty, Operation Niagara, Weekend in Herring Neck Gordon Burwash 11 min.

1952

Number Title Director/Camera Producer Length
36 Cosmic Clock, Downtown Mountain, Grand Champs Gordon Burwash, John Foster, Hector Lemieux, Gil LaRoche, Roger Racine Gordon Burwash 11 min.
37 Queer Careers, Defeating Delinquency, Tomorrow's Favourites Don Mulholland 11 min.
38 Sea-Coast Service, White Water Highways, Fun and Fine Arts Hector Lemieux, Walford Hewitson, E. Wilson Gordon Burwash 11 min.
39 Riches to Burn, Old Art--New Mould, Arctic Lifeline Walford Hewitson, Don Peters, John Spotton, Douglas Wilkinson Jean Roy Gordon Burwash 11 min.
40 The Port of Flowing Grain, Modern Miracle: Surgery Is Safe, Home-Made Community Walford Hewitson, Robert Humble Gordon Burwash 11 min.
41 Sabres at the Ready, Midnight Sculptors, Crime Detection at the Double Thomas Farley, Walford Hewitson David Bairstow 11 min.
42 27th Canadian Infantry Brigade at Hanover Grant McLean David Bairstow 11 min.
43 Traffic Cops in Jumpers and Jeans, Gill Netters by the Dozen, A 'Canadien' in Paris Walford Hewitson, Stanley Clinton, Jack Long, Grant McLean David Bairstow 11 min.
44 Whittlers' Village, Flying Farmer, The Children's Own Hospital Gil LaRoche, John Foster, Thomas Farley, Walter A. Sutton, John Spotton David Bairstow 11 min.
45 Laval Keeps Up with the Times, Luxury Crop from Northern Lakes, Allied Airmen Train in Canada Roger Blais, Lorne C. Batchelor, Walford Hewitson, Thomas Farley, Walter A. Sutton David Bairstow 10 min.
46 Gadget Ship Aids Mariners, Canadian Soldiers See Normandy Today, Maple Leaf Gardens Merry-Go-Round Thomas Farley, Walter Sutton, Grant McLean, Gordon Burwash, John Foster David Bairstow 11 min.
47 Their Clinic's the World, Home on the Campus, The Plane that Beats the Bush Grant McLean, Gordon Burwash, Walford Hewitson David Bairstow 11 min.

1953

Number Title Director/Camera Producer Length
48 Modes by Mail, Sentinel in the Gulf, School for Test Pilots Grant McLean, Gordon Burwash, Jean Roy, Jacques Giraldeau, John Foster David Bairstow 10 min.
49 Backstage Artists, Bird Man of Grand Manan, The Looms That Crossed the Sea Walford Hewitson, Lorne C. Batchelor, Thomas Farley, Walter A. Sutton, Gil LaRoche, John Spotton David Bairstow 11 min.
50 The Glass Makers, Return of the Beaver, Uranium City John Spotton, Stephen Greenlees, Gil LaRoche, Lorne C. Batchelor David Bairstow 11 min.
51 Royal Ontario Museum Is a Popular Classroom, R.C.A.F. Teaches Wilderness Survival, Getting Together with Overseas Friends David Bairstow 11 min.
52 Next Year's Newsprint on Its Way, Moppet Models Jean Palardy, Hector Lemieux David Bairstow 9 min.
53 Immigrants from Holland Grant McLean David Bairstow 11 min.
54 Ball Stars Start Young, An Auto a Minute, A Railroad Goes to Sea Daryl Duke, Felix Lazarus, Jack Long David Bairstow 11 min.
55 Indian Canoe Experts Shoot White Water, Low-Cost College Stresses Books, Not Buildings, Canada's First Five-Pin 'Grey Cup' Stephen Greenlees, John Foster, Gordon Burwash David Bairstow 11 min.
56 Scottish Shepherd Tries New Pastures, Outdoor Classrooms Help Children Catch Up, Canadian Experts Help Arab Farmers Hector Lemieux, Ron Weyman, Grant McLean David Bairstow 11 min.
57 Light Plane Armada Makes Friendly Invasion, Canada's Vegetable Garden Beats the Season, Canadian Experts Help Arab Farmers Julian Biggs, Grant McLean David Bairstow 11 min.
58 Canadian Works with U.N.'s Problem Refugees, Tractor Train Pushes Through Northern Wilderness Ron Weyman, Grant McLean David Bairstow 11 min.
59 Bridging the Gap, Ancient Art, Modern Sport, V.O.N.: Everybody's Nurse David Bairstow David Bairstow 11 min.
60 Tomorrow's Officers, This Unseen World, Scientists Uncover Prehistoric Alberta Raymond Garceau, Lorne C. Batchelor, Maurice Constant, Jack Long David Bairstow 11 min.

1954

Number Title Director/s Producer Length
61 R.C.A.F. Keeps Watch on the Moselle, New NATO Brigade Takes Up Position Robert Humble, David Bairstow David Bairstow 11 min.
62 All-Girl Chorus Makes Fine Music, First Cruise for a New Supply Ship David Bairstow, Hector Lemieux David Bairstow 11 min.
63 Veteran Steamer Ends Record Service, Inside Story of a Lady's Mink Coat Jack Long, Walford Hewitson David Bairstow 11 min.
64 A New Life for the Handicapped, Fishermen Hunt Battling Broadbills Hector Lemieux, Walford Hewitson Jack Olsen 11 min.
65 Old Glory Weather Station, Easter in Jerusalem Hector Lemieux, Ron Weyman Jack Olsen 11 min.
66 Canada Helps Pakistan Bridge the Gap of Centuries of Economic Adversity Gordon Burwash Jack Olsen 11 min.
67 Apprentices Learn While Building School, Aerial Attack on Spruce Budworm Fernand Ménard, Robert Anderson Jack Olsen 11 min.
68 Birth of a Book, Eskimos Work Arctic Coal Mine, Dispatch Riders Perform Cycle Capers Walford Hewitson, Douglas Wilkinson, Peter Jones Jack Olsen 11 min.

1955

Number Title Director/s Producer Length
69 Spanish Decoys Curious Ducks, Snowmobile: Winter Transport, Maid of the Mist Grant Crabtree, Hector Lemieux Jack Olsen 11 min.
70 Blessing of the Fleet, Canadian Singers Study Opera at La Scala Allan Wargon, Ron Weyman Jack Olsen 10 min.
71 Connie MacFarlane: Seaweed Scientist, Capilano Western Railroad Appoints New President, Arctic Stone Carvers Grant Crabtree, Hector Lemieux, Jean Palardy Jack Olsen 11 min.
72 The Salvation Army William Davidson Jack Olsen 11 min.
73 Musical Holiday, Arctic Easter Peter Jones, Douglas Wilkinson Jack Olsen 11 min.
74 Scientists of the Sea, Alcoholism: A New Approach Jack Long, William Davidson Jack Olsen 11 min.
75 Army Trains Student Cooks, R.C.A.F. Re-supplies Arctic Weather Stations Grant Crabtree, Wilfred Doucette Jack Olsen 11 min.
76 Valley of Contrasts, Noise! Gordon Burwash, Peter Jones Jack Olsen 11 min.
77 Eating Is Their Business, Face-off for Future Hockey Stars, Boom Town Settles Down Stephen Greenlees, Grant Crabtree, Hector Lemieux Jack Olsen 11 min.
78 Montrealers Take Molière to Paris, Sealing - Still a Dangerous Gamble Bernard d'Aillencourt, Wilfred Doucette Peter Jones 11 min.
79 Ferries, Tankers, Frigates: Made in Canada, Caviar Comes from Canada's Queerest Fish, New Aircraft Joins Maritime Command Walter A. Sutton, Grant Crabtree, Hector Lemieux Peter Jones 11 min.
80 Tired of Traffic? Try Motor Sport, John Furch: Glass Craftsman, Water Highway Supplies the North Norman Klenman, Hector Lemieux Peter Jones 11 min.
81 New Life for Ghost Town Miners, School for Frogmen Alvin Goldman, Hector Lemieux Peter Jones 11 min.
82 Canadian Artists In Paris, Dude Ranch Holiday Felix Lazarus, Hector Lemieux Peter Jones 11 min.

1956

Number Title Director/s Producer Length
83 Vancouver Turns Out Expert and Responsible Motorists Hector Lemieux Peter Jones 11 min.
84 Boy Pipers of the Black Watch, Consumers Unite to Solve Shopping Problems Hector Lemieux, Tim Wilson Peter Jones 11 min.
85 Designer Captures Canada on Fabric, School for Sailors Walter A. Sutton, Grant Crabtree Peter Jones 11 min.
86 Bar Mitzvah Alvin Goldman Peter Jones 15 min.
87 Winter Dogs Days, Steelworkers Go To Press Walter A. Sutton, Alvin Goldman Peter Jones 11 min.
88 The River Pilot - A Shepherd for Shipping, Featherland, Seminar on Skis Grant Crabtree, Hector Lemieux Peter Jones 11 min.

1957

Number Title Director/s Producer Length
89 Star Gazers Explore the Heavens, Science Exploits the Woodlot, Adventure Aboard a Brigantine Peter Jones Peter Jones 11 min.
90 Apple Garden of Québec, A Great Inventor Is Remembered Maurice Blackburn, Grant Crabtree Peter Jones 11 min.
91 A Quarter Century of Cellophane, Eagle Evangelist Maurice Blackburn, William H. Carrick Peter Jones 11 min.
92 Transport on Trial, Cape Breton's Contented Chairmaker Hector Lemieux, Grant Crabtree Peter Jones 10 min.
93 Inside the Trucking Business Hector Lemieux Peter Jones 11 min.
94 House of Straw, Acadian Artistry in Rugs, Gibraltar of America Hector Lemieux, Grant Crabtree, Maurice Blackburn Peter Jones 10 min.
95 How to Retire and Start Living, The Story of a Stamp Hector Lemieux, Grant Crabtree Peter Jones 11 min.
96 School Timetable Suits Rural Students, Where Old Dolls Never Die, Nothing Stops the Scoot Tim Wilson, Hector Lemieux, Irving Dooh Tim Wilson 10 min.
97 The Making of an Airline Stewardess Hector Lemieux Tim Wilson 10 min.
98 Beauty Makes Business, Meeting of Minds, McGill Winter Carnival Hector Lemieux, Tim Wilson Tim Wilson 10 min.

1958

Number Title Director/s Producer Length
99 Canada's Caribbean Campus, Playhouse in the Park Hector Lemieux, Pierre Patry Tim Wilson 10 min.
100 Water Safety with the R.C.M.P. Irving Dooh Tim Wilson 10 min.
101 Learning the Textile Trade, Island Heritage Michel Brault, Grant Crabtree Tim Wilson 10 min.

References

  1. ↑ "Eye Witness". onf-nfb.gc.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Watch Eye Witness Episodes". nfb.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  3. ↑ Evans, Gary. "In the national interest : a chronicle of the National Film Board". archive.org. Archive.org. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  4. ↑ Eamon, Greg. "The Origin of Motion Picture Production in Canada". canadianfilm.ca. Canadianfilm.ca. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  5. ↑ McGechaen, Alexander, The Role of the National Film Board in the Development of Adult Education Programs... University of British Columbia 1971
  6. ↑ "'The Way We Were': Nova Scotia in Film, 1917-1950". archives.novascotia.ca. Nova Scotia Archives. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
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