Johnny Hart & Jack Caprio

I met Johnny Hart and Jack Caprio when they were getting their Xmas Special animated in Toronto in 1980. They stayed at the Windsor Arms. We did a lot of drinking and cavorting. I organized a wrap party for them at the hotel and found some pretty girls to show them around. Johnny was a bit of a religious nutter underneath it all and we had a lot of religious arguments. They were funny and interesting and I always loved their humour. I take it they didn't get out much and had a blast hanging out with me.
I was at the Club 22 at the Windsor Arms. With my then buddy Michael Ironside. Michael and I were trying to break our record of drinking about 80 maragaritas. When Johnny Hart and Jack Caprio the cartoonists showed up and we were really throwing the drinks back and having a great time. When I saw Catherine O'Hara waving at me. She had just came from the Courtyard Cafe where she had treated her parents to dinner. She waved me over and I gave her a peck and she says Gary I want you to meet my mother and father. 'Really How nice"I said trying to be polite and bent over with a little bow and extended my hand when: from out of nowhere Ironside bit my ass really hard. I don't know how he did it, but I screamed and jumped and kicked. He hung on like a pit bull. I writhed around hit him while the stunned O'Haras and Jack and Johnny wondered what was going on. I finally shook him od. Everyone else was laughing but I was limping. Ironside could be a real crazy asshole sometimes.finally I shake him off and everything settles down but I am sure Catherine's parents wondered what kind of nutty friends she had

Leonard Cohen

Leonard and I were good friends for too short a time in the late seventies.
We were mutual friends of Lesley McDonnell. 
We mostly hung out at the Club 22 at the Windsor Arms in Toronto and certainly had some good times and great conversations.
EG: there was an Art Opening of an Artist that did paintings of all of his songs. he insisted that I go with him but I begged off as I was having the first visit with my daughter in 5 years. leonard said to bring her. So I bring seven year old Sarah and her sister 4 year old Shaleen and they pretty well destroyed the place. Somewhere there is a video of Leonard with a kid under each arm and having a great time.

I had to move back to Uxbridge for a while to look after some family problems and I just lost touch. Never thought to get a phone number.

Ronnie Hawkins

In 1961 Ginni & Ronnie Hawkins did a show at the Palace in Hamilton fronting Robby Lane & the Disciples. Before the show started Hawkins passed out on a heap of cardboard and never did make it on stage, but he did wake up after the show & seeing Ginni said "...hey Momma! Some of us fixin' to have a party down t' the MOtel. Y'all want to join us?" Ginni, a hard drinking, hard smoking, tough little 16 year old said "No way! I don't want to be just another number in your 'little black book'" Hawkins, completely unfazed of course, came back with, "Sheeit Mama! I aint got no 'little black book'. I just fuck 'em and forget about 'em!", and lurched off into the night.

Edward Palmer

• Hi Gary Thanks for that tip about Yonge St stories - we'll catch that for sure!