Archival collections

The following Research Collections are available at Media Commons. For information regarding finding aids and collections access, please contact Rachel Beattie, Assistant Media Archivist, during regular business hours.

Alert Music

Alert Music was founded in 1984 by Toronto’s W. Tom Berry and Montreal’s Marc Durand with a mission to create a unique record label that would bring together English and French Canada.

Alliance Communications Fonds

Associated Producers Ltd.

Associated Producers has created several award-winning full-length documentaries over the past thirty years, investigating issues both foreign and domestic.

Atlantis Films

Founded by a group of Queen's University Film Studies graduates in the 1970s, Atlantis Films grew into an internationally recognized film production house.

Barna-Alper Productions

Laszlo Barna and Laura Alper began making industrial films in the 1970s, primarily for unions, then expanded into television and dramatic programming over the next 30 years.

Blue Rodeo

From roots as a Toronto power pop band in the 1970s, Blue Rodeo emerged as a major player in Canadian music beginning in the mid-1980s, landing successfully on both the pop and country charts.

Blum, Leonard

Leonard Solomon Blum flirted with popular music before turning to writing for the stage and as an award-winning screenplay writer.

Breakthrough Entertainment Inc.

Clery, Val

Born in Ireland, Val Clery began working for the CBC's London bureau shortly after World War II, moving to Canada in the 1960's where his CBC career continued along with an extensive writing portfolio.

Cooper, Lou Jazz Films Collection

Cowboy Junkies

Cowboy Junkies have recorded many albums, won numerous awards and their music has appeared in more than two dozen films.

Crelinsten, Jeffrey

Jeffrey Crelinsten is a science writer and historian with over 25 years experience popularizing science for non-specialist audiences.

Delaney & Friends Productions

Christopher Delaney began the company in Vancouver in 1984, producing several animated programs, including the internationally successful "Christopher the Christmas Tree".

Deluxe Toronto Ltd.

Epitome Pictures Inc. (Degrassi Junior High accrual)

Three seasons, 42 episodes, were broadcast from 1987 - 1989.

Epitome Pictures Inc. (Liberty Street/X-Rated accrual)

From the TV pilot film "X-Rated" emerged the 11-episode series "Liberty Street" between 1993 and 1995.

Epitome Pictures Inc. (Riverdale accrual)

Epitome Pictures produced 47 1-hour episodes for broadcast 1997 - 2000.

Epitome Pictures Inc. (The Kids of Degrassi Street accrual)

Running from 1979 - 1984, "The Kids of Degrassi Street" included 4 short films and 22 half-hour episodes.

Galafilm Inc.

Montreal based Galafilm has produced feature films, feature-length documentaries and various television programs and series since the 1990s.

Greg Gormick (Clyde Gilmour)

Greg Gormick is a Toronto based researcher, writer, interviewer, broadcaster, columnist and policy analyst. He was also a close friend of the late critic and broadcaster Clyde Gilmour. When Gilmour died in 1997, Gormick acquired his collection.

Healey, Jeff 78 rpm Music Collection

Helwig, Susan

Toronto-based poet Susan Helwig has also served as a programmer and host for the community radio literary arts/issues program "In Other Words".

Hinch, Gordon

Following a short stint in advertising in the 1950s, Gordon Hinch joined the CBC where he created numerous dramas and special programs. He later partnered to form Gemstone Productions, producers for both stage and television.

Hirsh, Michael

Michael Hirsh met fellow filmmaker Patrick Loubert at York University. Their partnership evolved into Nelvana, which became one of the world leaders in children's animated television.

Insight Productions

From artist profiles to figure skating and the Juno Awards, Insight Productions has become one of Canada's premier independent production companies.

International Rocketship Ltd.

Founded in 1975, International Rocketship Ltd. has produced many director-driven animated shorts, along with animated sequences for television commercials and other works.

Kessler-Colero

Syd Kessler and Jody Colero operated a number of commercial studios from the 1970s to 2000, becoming a dominant force in Canadian advertising during that period.

Keystone View Co.

King, Susan

Toronto native Susan King's photographic work has appeared in many prominent Canadian publications and has been displayed at domestic and international galleries.

Lantos, Robert/Serendipity Point Films

From humble, albeit "creative" beginnings, Lantos became one of the most dominant names in Canadian film.

Lionsgate Entertainment

Founding Lionsgate in 1997, Frank Giustra parlayed his lifelong affection for film into creation of a dominant film production and distribution company.

Maclear, Michael

With a background in print journalism, Michael Maclear came to Canada in 1954 beginning a lengthy career as a broadcast journalist, celebrated foreign correspondent and television producer.

Mann, Ron

Ron Mann began making films in his teens and was making feature length productions by his early 20s. His career includes notable documentaries "Twist", "Dream Tower" and "Comic Book Confidential".

Marcus, Copel (Cubby)

Copel ‘Cubby’ Marcus was born in Montreal, beginning an extensive career in advertising in 1954. In addition to his work with prominent agencies, Marcus runs his own company, The Moving Hand.

McGreevy (John) Productions

John McGreevy arrived in Canada as a teenager and began in the mailroom at the CBC. He moved quickly into production, before creating his independent production company in the mid 1970s.

Mernick, Farley

Monk, Lorraine

As the founding Director of the NFB Still Photography division and through her organization of various photo exhibitions, Lorraine Monk has been a strong promoter of Canadian photography.

Nevitt, Barrington

A diverse career that included a close professional and personal relationship with Marshall McLuhan, Barrington Nevitt was a professional engineer, communications theorist and even a budding science-fiction writer.

North by Northeast Music Festival

NOW Communications

NOW Magazine was founded in 1981 by Michael Hollett and Alice Klein and has been a key publication in Toronto's culture scene since, also providing a voice for a variety of traditionally marginalized groups over the years.

Peers, Frank

Political Scientist and academic Frank Peers also worked for the preservation of the CBC and other aspects of Canadian culture as a key contributor to the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting (FCB).

Primedia Productions

Created by two CBC veterans, W. Patterson Ferns and Richard Nielsen, Primedia Productions became a significant player in Canadian television, pioneering the concept of international co-productions.

Radke Film Group

Formed in Toronto through a partnership with Partners’ Film Company, Radke Film Group has produced well over 20-thousand commercials in the past two decades.

Reeves, John

John Reeves photography has appeared in many prominent Canadian publications and exhibitions. As well, he has worked as a radio and television broadcaster, primarily through a number of CBC programs.

Rubes, Jan

From opera to television comedies, Jan Rubes spent more than half-a-century before the Canadian public.

S&S Productions

Best known for long-running The Red Green show, S & S Productions was founded in 1980 by comedy team Steve and Morag Smith.

Schabas, Ezra

Shaftesbury Films Inc.

Founded by Canadian Film Centre alumnus Christina Jennings, Shaftesbury has maintained a commitment to Canadian literature, adapting works by Margaret Atwood, Mordecai Richler and others.

Siren, Paul

Paul Siren was a trade union leader and organizer and in later years was heavily involved in Actra and other artistic organizations.

Sparling, Gordon

Gordon Sparling was a pioneering director, producer, screenwriter and editor who made about 200 films over 40 years in both the commercial film industry and the NFB.

Spiess, Fritz

Fritz Spiess is best known for his work as a cinematographer and/or director on more than 3-thousand television commercials for more than 300 clients.

Stedman, Sam (DNA Theatre)

Dr. Sam Stedman is a UofT Drama Centre graduate and has worked at the Mississauga campus while maintaining an active role in the local theatre community, and a special relationship with DNA Theatre.

Switzer, Jacob

Jay Switzer's career in television began as a switchboard operator at Toronto's newly-launched City-TV in Toronto in the 1970s, rising through the ranks of City/CHUM Television before his departure in 2007.

Treleaven, Cameron (Cowboy Junkies)

Calgary-based bookseller Cameron Treleaven acquired some Cowboy Junkies material at auction in the late 1990s.

Triumph Productions

Internationally known Canadian rock band Triumph formed in Toronto in 1975 following a chance meeting between musicians Rik Emmett, Mike Levine and Gil Moore.

True North Records/Bernie Finkelstein

True North Records, founded by Bernie Finkelstein, is Canada’s longest-running independent record label.

Watson, Patrick

Writer, producer, host, and actor Patrick Watson has played a pivotal role in the development of Canadian television, rising to position of Chairman of the CBC in 1989.

Zend, Robert

Hungarian-born Robert Zend began a varied career at the CBC in 1958. Film librarian, film editor, writer and radio producer were among his positions, while he also published many works of poetry and prose.