Cashman, Tony 1923–

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Cashman, Tony 1923–

PERSONAL: Born April 29, 1923, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; son of John Walcott (a mining engineer) and Helen (a teacher and writer; maiden name, Gorman) Cashman; married Veva Costello (an assistant city clerk), August 30, 1950; children: Hal, Bernard, Paul. Ethnicity: "Irish." Education: Attended University of Notre Dame. Politics: "Take one election at a time." Religion: Roman Catholic. Hobbies and other interests: Aviation history.

ADDRESSES: Home and office—11435 46th Ave., Edmonton, Alberta T6H 0A4, Canada.

CAREER: CFRN-Radio, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, news reporter, 1949–50; CJCA-Radio, Edmonton, news reporter, 1950–61; CKUA-Radio, Edmonton, program director, 1961–69; Alberta Government Telephones, Edmonton, company historian, 1969–83; freelance writer, 1983–. Alberta Aviation Museum, volunteer. Military service: Royal Canadian Air Force, bomber navigator, 1942–45; served in Germany; became flying officer.

WRITINGS:

The Edmonton Story, Institute of Applied Art (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 1956.

Vice-Regal Cowboy, Institute of Applied Art (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 1957.

More Edmonton Stories, Institute of Applied Art (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 1958.

Heritage of Service, Alberta Association of Registered Nurses (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 1965.

Motoring in Alberta, Alberta Motor Association (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 1966.

An Illustrated History of Western Canada, Hurtig Publishers (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 1971.

Singing Wires, Alberta Government Telephones (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 1972.

Edmonton's Catholic Schools, Edmonton Catholic School Board (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 1977.

The Best Edmonton Stories, Hurtig Publishers (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 1977.

The Edmonton Exhibition: The First Hundred Years, Edmonton Exhibition Association (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 1979.

A Picture History of Alberta, Hurtig Publishers (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 1980.

(With J. Roos Vant) More than a Hospital, University of Alberta Hospital (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 1986.

Edmonton: Stories from the River City, University of Alberta Press (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 2002.

Gateway to the North, Duval House Publishing (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), 2002.

SCRIPTS

Scenario for Miette's Wedding (ballet), produced in Alberta, Canada, 1967.

Emily Murphy Meets Edmonton, 1907 (one-person historical play), produced in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 1994.

Nellie McClung, 1916 (one-person historical play), produced in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 1995.

Women Are Persons: It's the Law (one-person historical play), produced in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 1997.

Bob Edwards the Eye Opener (one-person historical play), produced in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2001.

Murray of Notre Dame (one-person historical play), produced in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2002.

Sea to Sea with John A. Macdonald (one-person historical play), produced in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2004.

Ahtahkakoop's World (play), produced in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, 2004.

Also writer for more than 700 episodes of The Edmonton Story radio program, CYCA-Radio, 1952–61.

SIDELIGHTS: Tony Cashman told CA: "My parents and grandparents arrived in Edmonton in 1906 from Chicago and Orillia, Ontario, when the population was arguably 7,500 (civic boosters would argue more, deary official census takers less). I grew up with their stories of their beginning times and those of their friends, amusing stories which were circulated verbally but not recorded, because amusing stories were not considered important. By the 1950s, when I was in radio, I thought these stories should be recorded and broadcast, and a thirteen-week series of Edmonton stories stretched out to nine years and led to all my books and plays.

"I believe the importance of amusing stories is underrated. The human is the only being who can think and laugh, the only rational risible animal (sometimes more risible than rational). Amusing stories are our best contact with the people who arrived here in 1906. We can't look into their minds, but we can see what they were laughing at.

"I have been impressed by the wisdom in the approach of Stephen Leacock, a fellow townsman of Grandfather Cashman in Orillia. Gramp told stories as Leacock did, suffused with gentle whimsy and genuine understanding of how the human personality works.

"Stories are about people. I work to bring personality forward. Never end a story with the funeral. Arrange the ingredients for best effect. Often I have been asked for advice from young writers (and those not so young) who have buried their most effective shots in the middle somewhere. They decline to change, saying 'It's in there.' It may well be in there, but it is not much use unless it is out there."