WILLIAM B. DAVIS

49th and Main (TV Series - 2006)

Executive Producers:
William B. Davis and Bill Gray

 

Series Directors:
William B. Davis and Tom Braidwood

 

Series Writers:
William B. Davis and Barbara Ellison

 

Series Stars:
Cedric De Souza, Elizabeth Thai and Beverly Elliott

 

DOP:
Kamal Derkoui

 

Music:
John Mills-Cockell

 

Plot:
A Canadian Coronation Street, 49th and Main starts with the adventures of Dr. Cedric Ferriera, an Indian from Kenya, educated in England, as he and his young son attempt to start a new life in Canada. He sets up his new practice at the corner of 49th Ave and Main St, Vancouver, and is immediately thrust into a colourful and bewildering new world.

 

Notes:
In June of 2004, CBC issued a call for proposals for a daytime television series that would feature ethnic diversity. In partnership with Raging Ruby Pictures, Bill Gray, Barbara Ellison, and William B. Davis submitted a proposal for 49th and Main. The CBC received 359 proposals from all across the country. 

 

Their proposal made the first cut to 12, at which time they were charged with writing a bible and a sample script. The team made the next cut to 6, and were charged with writing another script. They made the final cut to 2, and were then required to produce a sample episode. Middle March was submitted in March of 2005 as required by the terms of the contest. Subsequently the team were charged with producing six episodes for broadcast in the summer of 2006.

 

The series features a rich variety of characters, inspired by the ethnically diverse region of 49th and Main, Vancouver, delineated by the creative imagination of our head writer, Barbara Ellison, and brought to life by some of Vancouver's wonderful actors.

 

The CBC broadcast the six episodes of 49th and Main during the last two weeks of July, 2006. Given the strange timeslot, 2:30 in a midweek afternoon, they were very pleased with the response. However, the CBC decided it could not afford to go forward with a daytime series. Clearly the show was caught between the ambitions of the previous regime and the fiscal caution of the new. So, despite being one of the two winners of this major competition, CBC viewers did not see more than the six episodes already broadcast. The good news was the CBC cooperated in returning the project to the producers, who were delighted to have the opportunity to make these shows.

 

The Six Episodes:
Three of the episodes were directed by William B. Davis and the other three by Tom Braidwood. Cast included Cedric de Souza, Beverly Elliott, Dhirendra, Elizabeth Thai, Rekha Sharma, and Mina E. Mina. Production design was by Mathew Budgeon, the DOP was Kamal Derkoui, and the producer was Dan Schlanger. Barbara Ellison was the head writer. Barbara Ellison and William B. Davis wrote all six episodes, with participation from Ita Margalit on episode four.