Call Me Fitz
Encyclopedia
Call Me Fitz is a Canadian television series produced by E1 Entertainment, Amaze Film & Television, and Big Motion Pictures. The half-hour comedy stars Jason Priestley
as Richard "Fitz" Fitzpatrick, a morally bankrupt used-car salesman whose consequence-free life is complicated by the arrival of do-gooder Larry (Ernie Grunwald
), another salesman who claims he is Fitz's conscience.
The first thirteen-episode season of the show premiered on HBO Canada
in September 2010. The series is filmed in New Minas, Nova Scotia
. The second season of Call Me Fitz premiered on September 25, 2011 on HBO Canada, and airs every Sunday at 8:30 pm ET / MT.
In an interview with RTÉ
Jason Priestley described the show as "booze, blow and broads or Sunday night at Charlie Sheen
's house."
until mid-January 2010. As of September 2011, production is under way on Season 3 in New Minas, Nova Scotia. As of November 2011, primary filming of Season 3 appears to have wrapped up in New Minas, Nova Scotia.
In order to achieve the feel of the Rat Pack
era to which Fitz relates the soundtrack is primarily performed by Canadian jazz singer Matt Dusk
.
and The Movie Network
. The second season was also expected to be shown on Movie Central and The Movie Network. The series has been sold in over 60 foreign markets.
Call Me Fitz had its American debut on DirecTV
's exclusive The 101 Network (since renamed Audience Network) on April 21, 2011, with two back-to-back episodes, and was shown Thursdays at 9 pm ET/PT. Season 2 starts on Audience on November 3rd at 9:30 pm.
s and won seven, including Best Actress (Comedy) for Tracy Dawson, Best Supporting Actor (Comedy) for Ernie Grunwald, and Best Guest Actress (Comedy) for Rachel Blanchard. The show also swept other comedy categories including Best Directing, Best Writing, Best Picture Editing, and Best Sound.
Jason Priestley took home the award for Best TV Performance (Male) at the Canadian Comedy Awards
. The show was also nominated for Best TV Show and Best Writing. At the Monte Carlo Television Festival, the show received Best International Producing and Best Acting nominations for Jason Priestley, Ernie Grunwald, Brooke Nevin, and Kathleen Munroe.
Additional nominations include Best TV Show and Best Production Design at the DGC Awards
and Best Sitcom at the Banff World Media Festival
.
In 2010, Jason Priestley received the Best Actor Award at the Roma Fiction Festival.
Orange County, CA Film Commission President and respected impresario of film and television , Paul Ruffino said about the series "A satirical demonic view of the menagerie of mediocrity called mankind. Bawdy and expertly written Call Me Fitz is TV platinum. HBO Canada? What about the lower 48...come on...we deserve genuine entertainment down here. A hit for sure!"
TV Guide
raves "The snappy, obscenity-filled dialogue was laugh-out-loud funny without being over the top. I call this one a hit."
.
Jason Priestley
Jason Bradford Priestley is a Canadian-American actor and director. He is best known as the virtuous Brandon Walsh on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210, a role which catapulted him to recognition in the early 1990s....
as Richard "Fitz" Fitzpatrick, a morally bankrupt used-car salesman whose consequence-free life is complicated by the arrival of do-gooder Larry (Ernie Grunwald
Ernie Grunwald
Ernie Grunwald is a Canadian-born actor who has had made guest appearances in a number of notable television series. He has also had recurring roles on, One on One, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody , and Two of a Kind opposite Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen...
), another salesman who claims he is Fitz's conscience.
The first thirteen-episode season of the show premiered on HBO Canada
HBO Canada
HBO Canada is a Canadian television channel, which airs programming sourced from the HBO subscription service in the United States. HBO Canada is not available as a standalone channel, but as one channel within the TMN and Movie Central multiplexes....
in September 2010. The series is filmed in New Minas, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. The second season of Call Me Fitz premiered on September 25, 2011 on HBO Canada, and airs every Sunday at 8:30 pm ET / MT.
Synopsis
The first season stars Priestley as a used-car salesman walking a fine line of acceptable behaviour on the lot alongside a new salesman, do-gooder Larry, who becomes his alter-ego.In an interview with RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
Jason Priestley described the show as "booze, blow and broads or Sunday night at Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
's house."
Characters
- Jason PriestleyJason PriestleyJason Bradford Priestley is a Canadian-American actor and director. He is best known as the virtuous Brandon Walsh on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210, a role which catapulted him to recognition in the early 1990s....
as Richard "Fitz" Fitzpatrick - Ernie GrunwaldErnie GrunwaldErnie Grunwald is a Canadian-born actor who has had made guest appearances in a number of notable television series. He has also had recurring roles on, One on One, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody , and Two of a Kind opposite Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen...
as Larry - Peter MacNeillPeter MacNeillPeter MacNeill is a Canadian film and television actor who has starred in several TV shows and movies.His film credits have included The Hanging Garden , Geraldine's Fortune, Giant Mine, Lives of Girls and Women, The Events Leading Up to My Death, Dog Park, Something Beneath and A...
as Ken Fitzpatrick - Kathleen MunroeKathleen MunroeKathleen Munroe is a Canadian actress.Munroe was born in Hamilton, Ontario, and currently resides in Los Angeles. She studied cinema at the University of Toronto. She won the 2010 ACTRA Award for Outstanding Female Performance. Munroe writes and plays music. She speaks fluent French.- Filmography...
as Ali Devon - Tracy Dawson as Meghan Fitzpatrick
- Donavon Stinson as Josh McTaggart
- Brooke NevinBrooke NevinBrooke Candice Nevin is a Canadian actress, best known for portraying Rachel Berenson on the science fiction series Animorphs and currently starring as Julianne "Jules" Simms on Breakout Kings, as well as Sonja Lester on Call Me Fitz...
as Sonja Lester - Shaun ShettyShaun ShettyShaun Shetty is a Canadian actor best known for his role as Ruptal 2 in HBO Canada's hit series, Call Me Fitz. He has also appeared on The Ron James Show , The Bridge , Alphas , Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, Being Erica , and Fringe .-Personal life:Shetty was born in Toronto, ON, Canada...
as Ruptal 2 - Jonathan TorrensJonathan TorrensJonathan Ormond Torrens is a Canadian actor and television personality best known for his co-hosting of Street Cents, his talk show Jonovision, and his role as "J-Roc" in the popular Canadian mockumentary Trailer Park Boys...
as Chester Vince - Amy SloanAmy SloanAmy Kathleen Sloan is a Canadian actress. She was born in Gladstone, Manitoba and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon. Her mother is actress Mary Sloan....
as Dot Foxley
Production
It was announced in November 2009 that principal photography had begun on the first season of Call Me Fitz and that filming would continue in the Annapolis ValleyAnnapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...
until mid-January 2010. As of September 2011, production is under way on Season 3 in New Minas, Nova Scotia. As of November 2011, primary filming of Season 3 appears to have wrapped up in New Minas, Nova Scotia.
In order to achieve the feel of the Rat Pack
Rat Pack
The Rat Pack was a group of actors originally centered on Humphrey Bogart. In the mid-1960s it was the name used by the press and the general public to refer to a later variation of the group, after Bogart's death, that called itself "the summit" or "the clan," featuring Frank Sinatra, Dean...
era to which Fitz relates the soundtrack is primarily performed by Canadian jazz singer Matt Dusk
Matt Dusk
Matthew-Aaron Dusk is a Canadian jazz musician / vocalist. He currently has two certified gold albums: Two Shots and Good News, and three number one radio hits: "Back in Town," "All About Me", and "Good News."-Biography:From an early age, Matt Dusk wanted to become a performer. At the age of...
.
Broadcast
Call Me Fitz was originally intended to be shown on Movie CentralMovie Central
Movie Central is a Canadian English language Category A premium television service. Movie Central is designated to operate west of the Ontario-Manitoba border, including the territories...
and The Movie Network
The Movie Network
The Movie Network is a Canadian English language Category A premium television service, owned by Astral Media. The service is licensed to operate east of the Ontario-Manitoba border, excluding the territories...
. The second season was also expected to be shown on Movie Central and The Movie Network. The series has been sold in over 60 foreign markets.
Call Me Fitz had its American debut on DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
's exclusive The 101 Network (since renamed Audience Network) on April 21, 2011, with two back-to-back episodes, and was shown Thursdays at 9 pm ET/PT. Season 2 starts on Audience on November 3rd at 9:30 pm.
Awards
The first season of Call Me Fitz was nominated for 16 Gemini AwardGemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
s and won seven, including Best Actress (Comedy) for Tracy Dawson, Best Supporting Actor (Comedy) for Ernie Grunwald, and Best Guest Actress (Comedy) for Rachel Blanchard. The show also swept other comedy categories including Best Directing, Best Writing, Best Picture Editing, and Best Sound.
Jason Priestley took home the award for Best TV Performance (Male) at the Canadian Comedy Awards
Canadian Comedy Awards
The Canadian Comedy Awards, founded by , are an annual awards ceremony celebrating notable English speaking Canadian comedians for achievements in Live, Radio, Film, Television and Internet media over the previous year...
. The show was also nominated for Best TV Show and Best Writing. At the Monte Carlo Television Festival, the show received Best International Producing and Best Acting nominations for Jason Priestley, Ernie Grunwald, Brooke Nevin, and Kathleen Munroe.
Additional nominations include Best TV Show and Best Production Design at the DGC Awards
Directors Guild of Canada
The Directors Guild of Canada is a Canadian labour union, founded in 1962, which represents more than 3,700 professionals from 48 different occupations in the Canadian film and television industry. The DGC represents directors, assistant directors, location managers, production assistants and...
and Best Sitcom at the Banff World Media Festival
Banff World Media Festival
The Banff World Media Festival is an international media event in held in the Canadian Rockies at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada. The Festival is dedicated to world television and digital content and its creation and development...
.
In 2010, Jason Priestley received the Best Actor Award at the Roma Fiction Festival.
Reception
The New York Times called the series "A refreshingly original concept... It deftly draws a world in which sin and sexual charisma come at full new-model cost... [FITZ] is King of Front-Wheel Drive and Back-Seat Romps."Orange County, CA Film Commission President and respected impresario of film and television , Paul Ruffino said about the series "A satirical demonic view of the menagerie of mediocrity called mankind. Bawdy and expertly written Call Me Fitz is TV platinum. HBO Canada? What about the lower 48...come on...we deserve genuine entertainment down here. A hit for sure!"
TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
raves "The snappy, obscenity-filled dialogue was laugh-out-loud funny without being over the top. I call this one a hit."
Season 1
| Total # | Episode # | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season 2
Season 2 premiered on HBO Canada on September 25, 2011.| Total # | Episode # | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Home video release
The first season of Call Me Fitz was released on DVD in Region 1 on September 27, 2011. It was released on Blu-ray in Region B on October 26, 2011. Season 1 can also be downloaded from iTunesITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
.
External links
- Official Website
- Official Facebook Fan Page
- Official Show Twitter
- Official YouTube Channel
- Official Call Me Fitz Blog
- Call Me Fitz at HBO CanadaHBO CanadaHBO Canada is a Canadian television channel, which airs programming sourced from the HBO subscription service in the United States. HBO Canada is not available as a standalone channel, but as one channel within the TMN and Movie Central multiplexes....
- Call Me Fitz at DIRECTVDirecTVDirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
- Call Me Fitz at E1 Entertainment