Hollywood½s Corbin Bernsen and Residents of Kipling Come Together

>ÀV ÊÓääÊÊUÊÊ6ÕiÊÓ]Ê ÕLiÀÊÎ ÞÜ`½ÃÊ ÀLÊ iÀÃiÊ>`ÊÀiÃìÌÃÊ vÊ«}ÊViÊÌ}iÌ iÀÊvÀÊ¼,ÕÃÌ½ BY CHRIS ISTACE Retirement isn’t going as Frank Gall had planned. The Kipling resident sold his mixed cattle and grain farm and moved into town two years ago. At 72, the lines of age on his face mark the decades he has spent working the land and his animals. But a meeting with a Hollywood actor, director and producer changed the course of what he thought life would be like after end- ing his career. “I always wondered what I was going to do with the rest of my life,” Gall said during a conversation at the kitchen table of his home last week. “I was used to working long hours; hard work, and I thought, ‘I’m not going to lay down and die.’ So I pondered on that and I guess when I decid- ed I was taking the part in the movie, I felt that gave me something to do and it would be something I’d likely enjoy.” Despite having no previ- ous acting experience—in Chris Istace photo fact, the idea of doing such A movie poster on the door to the Kipling Le- a thing never crossed his mind—Gall plays “Glen gion Hall marks the production headquarters Moore,” the father of the for “Rust,” which ended shooting in the com- protagonist in the Corbin munity last week. Bernsen movie “Rust,” which concluded a major- ity of its principal photog- ducer and star of the film. the highlights of my life,” raphy in Kipling on Friday, However, earlier the same Gall said. Feb. 27. Production began The birth of a movie Chris Istace photo day, Gall had an optom- in the town on Feb. 10. etrist appointment and had production Gall originally met Bern- Kipling resident Frank Gall is following a totally unexpected path in his trouble seeing due to the “Rust” is about James sen—most famous for roles retirement by acting in a movie being shot in Kipling. drops that were placed in Moore (Bernsen), a church he played in television’s his eyes. Bernsen was not minister from a small town “L.A. Law” from 1986 to willing to write off the 72- suffering from a mid-life 1994 and the movie “Ma- snowglobe featuring the til Bernsen turned to him farmer would be interested year-old farmer yet and crisis of faith. Moore re- jor League” in 1989—when rock band KISS with Bern- and asked if he had audi- in participating in “Rust.” told Gall they could do an- turns to his hometown, Kyle MacDonald acquired sen—an avid collector with tioned yet. Gall was sent the script other reading. where he previously held his home in Kipling in 2005. about 6,000 snowglobes “I said, ‘No. Why would to read and was given a “Then I got another hero status as a high school MacDonald is the imagina- in his possession. In ex- I audition at my age?’ I month to make his deci- phone call and he said, athlete playing football and tive blogger who traded up change, MacDonald got said, ‘The only time I’d sion. ‘Frank. This is official. hockey. from a red paperclip to a the acting job. even get a shot at it is if you “When I read the script, it You’re in the movie.’ It was Upon returning home, a house through his website. The blogger than traded need some grumpy old was really a down-to-earth that simple. I never went mentally challenged friend Gall and his brother pre- the film role for the two- man,’” Gall recalled. “Ac- story, one that I almost felt after it. It just seemed to from his youth is accused viously owned the home storey home on Main Street cording to Corbin, he kind I could be a part of,” Gall fall into place for me,” said of starting a fire that kills MacDonald traded for, pur- in Kipling. Auditions from of had me in mind (for the said. “But I’d never acted Gall. Bernsen promised a local family. He has ad- chasing it off their mother, residents of the town fol- role) all the time. He wrote or done anything like that. to guide him through his mitted to doing it and the then handing it over to the lowed and it was ultimate- the movie with Kipling in Eventually, I said to Lo- role as long as he knew his town is in turmoil. town 10 years later. ly awarded to then 19-year- mind. I guess the way the retta, ‘Let Corbin know lines. “The town is in a bad Among the 14 transac- old Nolan Hubbard. movie turned out, he need- that I’d be honored to be in “In a lifetime, you go state. This frozen state, as tions MacDonald made for Gall thought the whole ed someone old enough to the movie if he felt I could through a lot and there’s a Corbin likes to call it,” said the house was a role in the “one red paperclip” pro- be his father.” handle it.’” lot of things you look back Chris Aronoff, a producer 2008 Bernsen film, “Donna motion was fantastic for Bernsen sent an email Gall’s next step was an on that are not so good. of the movie from Los An- on Demand.” MacDon- Kipling. He followed the through Gall’s daughter interview with Bernsen, Some of the things are re- geles, Calif. ald exchanged a themed auditions with interest un- Loretta asking if the retired the writer, director, pro- ally good, but this is one of Continued on page 15 ☞ Published by world-spectator.com 2 Plain and Valley March 2009 Strong support for Kin Place Phase II BY KEVIN WEEDMARK the unit, and the montly ies. Part of the lower cost There is strong support payments will be about is because of the lower cost among prospective tenants $1,200. Most of the units of land in Moosomin— for a second phase of Kin will be 1,000 square feet, when the original Kin Place, results of a meeting while a few will be 887 Place was built, organizers last week suggest. square feet. bought enough land for About 30 prospective Kin Place Manager Jeff a second phase. Rent on tenants attended the meet- Cole said he was happy similar projects in the cit- ing Wednesday, about a with the initial response. ies is $1,700 to $2,200 per dozen expressed serious “To have five people month. interest, and five wrote write cheques right there “We had a call from a cheques for an initial de- is phenomenal,” he said. group in Saskatoon ask- posit of $1,000 each before “We’ve also had a couple ing how we can do it so leaving the meeting. of people say they are very cheap,” Cole said. Kin Place is a 12-unit interested, but they didn’t Cole told those at the life-lease housing project have their chequebooks meeting Wednesda that initiated by the Moosomin with them.” There have the future of the project is Kinsmen Club in 1998-99. also been calls from inter- in their hands. The second phase of the ested individuals from the “We can only do this project would add 12, 18, Carlyle-Arcola area, Bran- project if you people want or 22 units. The second don, Calgary, and even to do this project,” he said. phase would be built fac- Florida expressing interest “We are accepting $1,000 ing Wright Road directly in the second phase of Kin deposits starting today. south of the first phase on Place. We need to have a little land that was purchased The original Kin Place feedback to find out if we at the time the first phase building project was spear- should go ahead and plan was developed. headed by Blair Andrew The proposed plan for phase two of Kin Place. The existing building, it, and if so, how many The new building would and Robert Mullett of the at the bottom of the plan, faces Henry Street. The new building (at top) units we should plan for.” include 12 units on two Moosomin Kinsmen Club. would face Wright Road, and a courtyard would be built in between the Architect Mike McGinn floors, or 18 units over Andrew, who now lives said he is focused on keep- three floors, depending in Carlyle, says the initial two buildings. ing costs low. on interest in the housing building project took years “We’re trying to ad- units. An additional four to complete. was purchased for the sec- more people close to the the second phase to be a dress the overal cost of units could also be added “Now that people can ond phase. 55 end of the spectrum much easier sell. “With the the project by having a to the original building if see how it operates, I think “It was a lot of work, will look at purchasing hospital being right there, grade level garage rather necessary. it will be a lot easier to but it was really worth it,” units. “Bob Mullett and with all the construction than underground park- Under the life-lease sell,” he said. “It took a he said. “When I read the I went to Virden to see a coming on, I’m sure this ing, which can be very model, tenants make a long time to get the first paper and see that Phase project the Kinsmen had will go a lot quicker,” he expensive,” he said.

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