Claude Fournier 1931-2023

[Allard]

French Canadian film and tv director Claude Fournier has passed away.
Amongst his many lowly appreciated works was The New Avengers episode The Gladiators.

[Frankymole]

That is sad news. I see he won an award! (Not for The New Avengers...) And worked until at least 2005, so he must've had something. I wonder how the directors were chosen in Canada, do you think they were people Patrick knew through his old TV connections there? Or was the job advertised in the business? It would be interesting to know.

[mousemeat]

could be a combination of both..i.e. word of mouth, thru series channels, variety, etc..or Patrick's work ties, in Canada...

[dissolute]

The Canadian episodes were organised by Nielsen-Ferns Inc. working with Ray Austin and Ron Fry. I assume Richard Neilsen worked on The New Avengers as Pat Ferns' bio doesn't mention TNA, but it might have been neither of them, there's no direct Canadian production credit.

[darren]

RIP Claude.

The directors on the Canadian episodes have never really registered with me. Maybe they didn't have the right Avengers sensibility, pace/energy but there's nothing especially bad about their work. Fournier had a good career it seems - including writing and cinematography.

I doubt that Patrick had anything to do with the production whilst they were in Canada as he was just whisked there and going by his autobiography felt rather lost and dispirited like his co-stars.

[mousemeat]

I believe production was shifted to Canada, i.e. the great white North, as seen by the USA.....due to canuck investors ..

maybe not..I seem to remember reading something about that..then again, maybe it was the French who poured money into the series budget (?)

[dissolute]

Yes, French and Canadian producers put money into the series.

[Frankymole]

Sometimes not enough... when the French funding dried up, weren't the stars being paid from Brian Clemens' own pocket at one point?

[mousemeat]

yeah, I heard at one time, Brian was quietly writing some cheques..But didn't funding also come from Canada sources ? hence having some of the episodes done there...I suspect even with proper funding, the series would have died a quick death...as the writing wasn't there..and time / interest in the
'avengers' or NEW Avengers, just wasn't there...however, CBS ran the series -part of their 11:30 pm programming, and it did quite well..so again,
American funding by CBS, could have given them security..

[darren]

I believe some/all of the Canadian funding came from a Toronto Newspaper which adverts for appear quite prominent a few times.