megram - Index

megram - 55JunOttawa - Index

California Burn Association,Through
the Eyes of a Child Foundation,
Ronald McDonald House, Keepers of
the Wild, the National Kidney
Foundation, and more than a dozen
other worthy causes and organizations.
He has also been inducted into
the Miami Children’s Hospital
International Pediatrics Hall of Fame.
Part of his sense of duty and
sharing includes his USO tours in
support of the troops on duty in faroff
postings, along with his musical
conductor Chuck Hoover, the band
members and the amazing Cathy
Walker. Marie has her own way of
contributing to the cause by spending
time on the tour buying gifts and
supplies for the local orphanages.
Rich Little and his wife Marie.
A conversation with Rich Little is
a little like being at a cocktail party
with the most influential, entertaining
and interesting people of the
20th and 21st centuries. Recently, I
met up with Rich and we sat down
to catch up on his life, passions and
latest ventures.
Ray: You’re well known around the
world for your incredible impressions
of famous people but here in
Ottawa we know the other side of
Rich Little. For instance, you were
instrumental in opening the Rich
Little Special Care Nursery at the
Ottawa Hospital, along with Frank
Sinatra and many private donors
from the Ottawa area.
June 2008 • 10 • Fifty-Five Plus Magazine
Rich: I was born in the Civic Hospital
(now the Civic Campus of the Ottawa
Hospital) and they’re still looking for
the stork that delivered me. My father
was a doctor here in Ottawa, so that
hospital and the special care nursery
have always had a special place in my
heart. In fact, I visit the nursery every
chance I get when I’m in Ottawa. I
invited Frank Sinatra to join me on the
stage at the Civic Centre back in 1982
to participate in a fundraiser for the
nursery, and Prime Minister Pierre
Trudeau joined us onstage. By the
way, the PM was really very friendly
and very interested in hearing any
tales about Frank’s exploits! I also
came to Ottawa back in the 70s to
appear in a television special to raise
funds for the United Way with Larry
Mann, Lloyd Bochner and several
Canadian headliners.
Ray: Where did it all start?
Rich: Well, when I was a kid, probably
around 12 years old, I discovered
that I could imitate the voices of some
of my teachers. It didn’t help my
grades, but it got a lot of laughs, and
that’s when the audience bug bit me.
I later found out that if I phoned any
girl I was interested in and imitated
the voice of her favourite actor, it
made a great impression — if you’ll
excuse the expression. A few years
later, when I was 18 years old, I got a
job at CFRA. I started on the all-night
show, and later went to CJET in
Smiths Falls. I did the news, weather
and sports using several voices — but
I only got one salary. Geoff Scott and I
worked together as kids, and one
Sunday afternoon we waited at the
Chateau Laurier outside the British
actor Richard Todd’s suite.We wanted
to interview him for the radio station.
He was in town to publicize his movie
The Dam Busters.We were waiting to
do an interview but his manager
wouldn’t let us in. He should have
been flattered, because nobody knew
who he was.Years later, I was staying