Marta Maryehuk Reporter mmaryehuk@oakvillebeaver.eom Artscene "Connected to your Community" d -- i c n o. C T H C D -- i Oakville resident historical consultant in making of Stephen Kings The Doctor's Case The first time Jam es D ouglas visited an op erating room he w as the centre of attention at the Oshawa General Hospital, now Lakeridge Health Oshawa. The next time he expects to be inside a health care institution, the focus will be on a character known to m illions of Sherlock Holmes fans as Dr. Jo h n W atson -- the sub ject of a film Jam es is directing set partly in an English hospice -- actually Victoria's Craigdarroch Castle. The first hospital visit occurred 44 years ago this m onth and the m an of the hour was actually a newborn babe -- m y son Jam es Ripley Jack son Douglas. At the time, I was m anaging editor of Qshawa-Whitby This Tom Douglas of Oakville Is working with his son, James Douglas (above), In the film ing of Stephen King's short story, The Doctor's Case. | submitted photo o ro o K> H' ~vl O > m w CL CD X > o X o o 3 Week. On Thursday, Feb. 8, 1973 m y editorial staff w as planning the following W ednes day's once-a-week edition. I rushed from the editorial meeting to the hospital where m y wife had given birth to our first and only child. Jam es w ould soon take up residence at our hom e on Elgin Street West. M uch water has flowed down Oshawa Creek since then. There w as a marital breakup, with Jam es and his mother leav ing Oshawa for Western Canada. I eventu ally m oved to Ottawa to write speeches for the Veterans Affairs Minister, an experience leading to m y writing several books about the two w orld wars. That military writing has brought things full circle. My son and I are now working together for the first time. Jam es, whose day jo b is m anager of visitor experience and public relations for B C s Barkerville Historic Town and Park, has the rights to the west coast filming of a Stephen King short story, The Doctor' s Case, a locked-room Sherlock Holmes mystery. Bing Crosby's granddaughter to be in film I'm the film's historical consultant since a m ajor portion of the film takes place in a London hospital during the Blitz in the Second World War. Denise Crosby, croon er Bing Crosby's granddaughter, starred in King's movie Pet Sematary and has agreed to play a m ajor role in the new film. One vital thing a fledgling filmmaker has to deal with is fundraising. Jam es has launched a crowd sourcing cam paign, hop ing to collect $40,000. Working on a tight budget is nothing new for either of us. Jam es has written and acted in several well-received independent films over the years funded in a pass-the-hat m an ner by friends and fellow film buffs. My ear ly days helming Qshawa-Whitby This Week were also financially challenging. When Peter Brouwer telephoned me one day in May alm ost 50 years ago, I w as see We on p. 30 film ca j - cinemas 171 Speers Road (at Kerr) Oakville 905-338-6397 www.film.ca logan (18A) ko ng : skull island (14A) beauty and the beast (PG) m arch 3 m arch 10 m arch 17 power rangers (stc ) m a r c h 24 the boss baby (stc ) m a r c h 31 facebook.com/filmca i\ @FilmCaCinemas