Fortunate Son on CBC
by Ralph Lucas – Publisher
(July 2, 2019 – Toronto, ON) Those of us of a certain age remember the Vietnam War, the unbelievably horrific scenes that played out each night on television news. The shooting death of protesting students at Kent State by the National Guard. Many of us became friends of draft dodgers and some of us, myself included, worked beside and became friends when they were able to find jobs in Canada. Looking back, it’s odd now that Canada’s major networks never thought this might be a potentially rich field to explore in a drama series. Fortunate Son changes that.
SEVEN24 Films and Lark Productions have announced the start of production on a new CBC original drama series, which is being produced in association with NBCUniversal International Studios, and NBCUniversal has international distribution rights.
“Fortunate Son takes us back to a period in Canadian history that we haven’t yet seen reflected dramatically on CBC, and given today’s sense of political and social unrest, now is the time to tell this story,” said Sally Catto, General Manager, Programming, CBC. “The series feels relevant and relatable to Canadians, and we look forward to watching the cast bring this gripping drama to life.”
The cast includes Kari Matchett (Covert Affairs), Darren Mann (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), and Stephen Moyer (True Blood). Matchett plays Ruby Howard, an American who fled to Canada as a fugitive from the law. Ruby helps smuggle Vietnam War deserters and draft dodgers across the Canadian border. What she doesn’t know is how these actions will unfold and who is watching her. Darren Mann plays Travis Hunter, a Vietnam war deserter whose troubled past follows him into Canada and the lives of the Howard family. Stephen Moyer stars as Vern Lang, a CIA agent. Additional lead cast includes Kacey Rohl (Arrow, Hannibal), Rick Roberts (This Life, Designated Survivor), Patrick Gallagher (Night at the Museum, Glee), Ty Olsson (War for the Planet of the Apes, Supernatural), Alex Nachi (1991, Clash) and Zoé de Grand’Maison (Riverdale, Orphan Black).
Fortunate Son is filming in Calgary and the surrounding areas including Drumheller, Tsuu T’ina First Nation Reserve, and High River in Alberta. It is set to premiere in winter 2020 on CBC and the free CBC Gem streaming service.
The series is produced by SEVEN24 Films and Lark Productions in association with CBC and NBCUniversal International Studios with the financial participation of the Canada Media Fund, Government of Alberta – Alberta Media Fund, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit and the British Columbia Production Services Credit.
With files from CBC.
