The Prince George Citizen -- Wednesday, December 7,1988 — 25 Entertainm ent

'WILLINGLY CHOSE OWN PATH' THE FAR SIDE By GARY LARSON Spencer book pulls no punches

by NEIL STEVENS His friends, including former Sa­ Doctors in 1983 and Hospital in Canadian Press bre and former Is­ 1986. “He was supposed to be here,” lander Gerry Hart, rallied to his The Spencer book is no ordinary author Martin O’Malley sadly said aid. Hart got Spencer a construc­ jock biography. Spencer did not of his subject, Brian (Spinner) tion job on Long Island, N.Y., after want an as-told-to rendition of a Spencer. the trial and everybody, including hockey player’s life, and he cer­ “He would have enjoyed this. He police, advised him to stay out of tainly didn’t get it — murders, loved interviews.” . prostitution, the low life, it’s all But Spencer, the National Hock­ But he went back. there. ey League player whose life was “He knew he was a bad dude in touched by stardom, tragedy and O’Malley had just finished his many ways and he wanted that to murder, was shot dead last June manuscript when Spencer, at age be put across,” said O’Malley, who as he sat in an automobile parked 38, was killed. now lives in Aurora, Ont., with his on a Florida slum street. Last “When he got murdered, that family. “There are going to be week, Larry Willie Johnson surren­ tore strips off me,” said Winnipeg- things in the book that part peo­ dered to police and was charged born O’Malley, who attended the ple’s hair.” with first-aegree murder. University of Manitoba and worked But he said nobody should feel sorry for Spencer because “he wil­ “I was on Peter Gzowski’s (CBC as a reporter for the Toronto Globe "Hello, I'm Clarence Jones Irom Bill’s office and radio) show and there was an emp­ and Mail. His earlier books include lingly chose his own path.” Oh! Hey! Mistletoe!" ty chair in the studio and I visua­ lized Brian sitting there,” O’Malley SSSSSSSSSSS said in a recent interview in Toron­ to. “He could have set up a booth at BRIAN SPENCER WAGERS LOOK,KIP. PONT blame m e ... NO, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO UJELL, FORGET EM ..RUB BE GABRIEL OR GERONIMO AN ERA5ER ON YOUR HEAP.' Maple Leaf Gardens and sold this There were five children from two blame tue school bo ar p ! book like hotcakes because he real­ V p NO, UJE'RE NOT 60IN6 TO OR ANYBOPY' YOU WAP ALL failed marriages along the way. a CASINO ly had a following. At Holiday Inn • E WAVE A CHRISTMAS PLAY... YOUR LINES MEMORIZEP? The high point of his NHL career J George St. “A lot of people could relate to was a three-year stint with the Sa­ u A how he made it in the NHL. They bres. They went to the league final ft Dec. 5 , 6 , 7 N could say, ‘If he did it, I could in 1975, Spencer was a fan favorite have done it — if I’d worked as and he loved living in Buffalo. s Christ Our Saviour U hard as he did.’” Then in 1977 the Sabres traded T O’Malley said his cross-Canada him to the Penguins for Ron Super Liberal Rules! S promotional tour for the book — Schock. Gross Misconduct, The Life of “He was badly hurt,” O’Malley OPEN 7 DAYS A Spinner Spencer, published by Vi­ said. “He never could figure that king of Penguin Books at $24.95 — trade out. WEEK 6 p.m.-2 a.m. might even have opened up a job “He hated the Pittsburgh team. o opportunity for Spencer. “He was He despised their name, Penguins. ssssssss sss R very bright. I always felt as if he He was disgusted with the way S had an IQ of about 140.” they played.” O Spencer, born in Fort St. James, Most of Spencer’s final pro sea­ N B.C., played professional hockey son was spent in the American ‘S for 10 years before packing it in Hockey League. But he’d already lost his zeal for the game. 1979. In 553 NHL games he scored P 80 goals, drew 143 assists and After hockey, Spencer moved to Florida, working mostly as a me­ L accumulated 634 minutes in penal­ A ties. He was a hustler, a scrapper. chanic. “He was a superb mechanic but C BRETT KC5T/-V- In , in his rookie he didn’t want to be known as a E season with the Toronto Maple mechanic in Canada after being a Leafs, he was thrust into the na­ major-league hockey player,” MONDAY THRU THURSDAY • WHEN Yo u r e&fFfz\e.t\o tional spotlight when his father O’Malley said. (E xcept H oliday*) was shot dead by police outside a He became just another former P A S S E S U P A HEAVY PATfe television station in Prince George. NHLer nobody ever heard about For TO £MT£KA PERSIMMON Roy Spencer had entered the sta­ any more until the night of Jan. 18, SUCKiNlG COMTBSr. tion with a pistol to protest that it 1987, when he was arrested for a wasn’t showing that night’s NHL murder that occurred in 1982. Christmas game from Toronto in which his He swore he didn’t do it and he The G ift o f Great son was to be interviewed between was found not guilty in a jury trial periods. last winter. Movie Entertainment Young Spencer went on to play Gift Certificates Available At for the , Buffa­ Any Famous Players Theatre lo Sabres and . E r n e s t good health s a v e s starts C h r is t in a s TOUCHSTONE (gcncral ) PICTURES with your WMkWA iw y/mrt* * C hildren: $3.50 All Tim es spine. HELD OVER 3rd WEEK “Think Back”

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cniropraciciropraciaue B.C. W arning: Some very coarse naaienenne language, occasional suggestive scenes and violence. No Passes Accepted for This E n g a g m e n t

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B.C. W ARNING: Some swearing, No m atter how large or small . . . occasional suggestive language. ------We have numerous facilities to accommodate your needs . . .

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Call Renee Partel - 563-0121 B.C. W arning: Occasional suggestive scenes and language. No Passes Accepted for This — © The Coast Engagement 1

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(SIGOURNEY» WEAVER C O R E Y H A 1. M fresh horses G o r illa s U T f l l t D C IN THE MIST ATCHERS nnfoourri The Adventure o f Dian Fossey B.C. W ARNING: B.C. W ARNING: Very B.C. W ARNING: Frequent gory coarse language & (M A TIM IE 'J Occasional violence and / T 7 7 r r j j \ v io le n c e . suggestive scenes. v / very coarse language. SHOWS [ SHOWS: 8HOWTWC8 ODEON1 7:05 & 9:00 7:00 & 9:10 ODEON 3 9:46 A fcOS PJL