Paradise Falls
| Paradise Falls | |
|---|---|
 Season 1 Cast of Paradise Falls | |
| Created by | Paula J. Smith |
| Starring |
Art Hindle, Chantal Quesnel, Kim Poirier and Michelle Latimer |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 104 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Ira Levy and Peter Williamson |
| Running time | 30 mins. (approx) |
| Release | |
| Original network | Showcase Television |
| Original release | June 25, 2001 – September 26, 2008 |
Paradise Falls was a weekly soap opera shown nationally on the Showcase channel in Canada, starting in 2001. It is set in a summer cottage community in Central Ontario.
Like many major US soaps, sex is a dominant part of the storylines. However, it shows much more of this than would be allowed by censors on mainstream broadcast networks. The show's open approach to sexual and homosexual themes caused reruns of the show to be carried on the Here! network in the United States, which targets gay and lesbian viewers. Like the soap Passions, murder and a little witchcraft are included in the mix of themes.
Production
Unlike the typical studio based soap opera, the series was shot entirely on location on Sparrow Lake in Muskoka and Whitevale, Ontario, to give the show an authentic looking background. It was produced entirely in digital format, to reduce production costs, and allow for easier editing when adapted for foreign markets. The show's production company is Breakthrough Entertainment.
The production schedule has been somewhat unorthodox and unpredictable for viewers. An initial 52 episodes were shot in a batch in 2001, then aired on Showcase. After the original 52 aired, no new shows were seen until 2004, leaving many to think the show had been cancelled. A second batch of 26 episodes began to air in the fall of 2004. The show was dormant again until it was announced shooting had begun on a third batch, 26 episodes, in July 2007. This third group of episodes started airing on April 11, 2008 on Here!, but did not run until September 2, 2009 on Showcase. With a seven year timeline for three seasons, and no new episodes as of 2014, it appears (but no confirmation) that the third season may have been its last.
Cast
Art Hindle as Mayor Pete Braga
Chantal Quesnel as Yvonne Bernini
Tammy Isbell as Rose Bernini
Dixie Seatle as Bea Sutton
Victoria Snow as Francis Hunter
Cameron Graham as Nick Braga
Kim Poirier as Roxy Hunter
Michelle Latimer as Trish Simpkin
Steve Cumyn as Tony Beroni
Kim Schraner as Jessica Lansing (Seasons 1 & 3)
Cherilee Taylor as Pamela Harman (Seasons 1-2)
Allen Altman as Billy Hunter (Seasons 1-2)
Joshua Peace as Samuel Sutton (Seasons 1-2)
Marni Thompson as Valerie Hunter (Seasons 1-2)
Andrew Gillies as Stanley 'The Admiral' Mansfield (Seasons 1-2)
Robert Seeliger as Jeff Bradshaw (Seasons 1-2)
Jim Thorburn as Michael Mansfield (Seasons 1-2)
Debra McGrath as Shirley Armstrong (Seasons 1-2)
Salvatore Antonio as Sacha Martinelli (Seasons 2-3)
Martin Roach as Ravenheart (Season 1)
Carla Collins as Rusty Sinclair (Season 1)
Gary Hudson as Brick Madison (Season 1)
Bill MacDonald as George Mansfield (Season 1)
Grant Nickalls as David Silverman (Season 1)
Ian D. Clark as Dominic Bernini (Season 1)
Yank Azman as Mr. Bloom (Season 1)
Frank Pellegrino as Thomas Martinelli (Season 2)
Mike Realba as Ben Santos (Season 2)
Kate Trotter as Anne Sutton (Season 2)
Alan Van Sprang as Johnny Brice (Season 2)
Raven Dauda as Kelly Fairview (Season 2)
Sean Bell as Travis Piercy (Season 2)
Danielle Hampton as Charlene 'Charlie' Piercy (Season 2)
Steve Belford as Colin Wagner (Season 3)
Meredith McGeachie as Cate Banning (Season 3)
Mark Humphrey as Wes Coleman (Season 3)
Julie Brown as Mimi Van Lux (Season 3)
Amanda Brugel as Lynnie Jordan (Season 3)
Kerry Lai Fatt as Julie Cordry (Season 3)
Stephen Huszar as Tucker Hardwood (Season 3)
Wesley Morgan as Ethan Banning (Season 3)
Episodes
DVD/Internet releases
It was announced on Kim Poirier's MySpace blog that Paradise Falls would be getting a DVD release in the near future, there is no more information currently but Here! TV have confirmed that it is scheduled to release the show however a release date has not been set.
| Season | Cover Art | Ep # | Release Date | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N/A | 52 | TBA | DVD announced for release in near future, no extra information available yet. |
The third season is available exclusively on Amazon's Video On Demand section and is the first time the show has been available to buy.[1]
Characters
| Actor/Actress | Character | Year(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art Hindle | Mayor Pete Braga | 2001–2008 | He's been mayor for over 20 years and is a ruthless businessman, who tries to control everything in the town. Father of Roxy Hunter and grandfather of Nick Braga. |
| Michelle Latimer | Trish Simpkin | 2001–2008 | Goth teen who acts tougher than she really is. She's bisexual. |
| Kim Poirier | Roxy Hunter | 2001–2008 | Daughter of Frances Hunter and Pete Braga. Ex-girlfriend of Michael Mansfield and Travis Piercy. |
| Victoria Snow | Frances Hunter | 2001–2008 | Alcoholic mother of Roxy Hunter, whom she raised in poverty. |
| Chantal Quesnel | Yvonne Bernini | 2001–2008 | Returns to town after 14 year absence, sister of Rose Bernini. |
| Tammy Isbell | Rose Bernini | 2001–2008 | Owns and operates the Bernini Boutique that specializes in wedding dresses and is engaged to Tony Beroni. |
| Cameron Graham | Nick Braga | 2001–2008 | Grandson of Pete and Jessica's former fiancé. He is now gay and married to Sacha. |
| Steve Cumyn | Tony Beroni | 2001–2008 | Radio broadcaster and engaged to Rose Bernini. Ex-husband of Lynnie Jordan. |
| Kim Schraner | Jessica Lansing | 2001, 2008 | The character Jessica was the fiancée of Nick Braga. In their backstory, they met in college and were engaged for three years. She comes back to get revenge on him. |
| Dixie Seatle | Bea Sutton | 2001–2008 | Owner/operator of the local Marina and a transsexual. Ex-fiancé of Pete Braga, ex-girlfriend of Thomas Martinelli and ex-husband of Anne Sutton. Falls for Wes Coleman and runs for mayor against Pete. |
| Debra McGrath | Shirley Armstrong | 2001–2004 | Radio host from Fenmore who has had a secret affair with Dominic Bernini. |
| Salvatore Antonio | Sacha Martinelli | 2004–2008 | Son of Thomas Martinelli. Runs a gay B&B and falls for Nick Braga whom he marries. |
| Amanda Brugel | Lynnie Jordan | 2008 | Ex-wife of Tony Beroni. |
| Andrew Gillies | Stanley 'The Admiral' Mansfield | 2001–2004 | Supposed English relative of Michael Mansfield. |
| Allen Altman | Billy Hunter | 2001–2004 | Artist and husband of Valerie. He creates Paradise Falls' large tourism mascot- a large loon with breasts. |
| Sean Bell | Travis Piercy | 2004 | Brother of Charlie and ex-boyfriend of Roxy Hunter. |
| Ian D. Clark | Dominic Bernini | 2001 | Retired widower who has had a secret affair with Shirley Armstrong. |
| Carla Collins | Rusty Sinclair | 2001 | Character is an American actress who doesn't realize her star has faded. |
| Raven Dauda | Kelly Fairview | 2004 | Runs out of town with Michael Mansfield. |
| Danielle Hampton | Charlene 'Charlie' Piercy | 2004 | Sister of Travis and ex-girlfriend of Trish Simpkin. |
| Gary Hudson | Brick Madison | 2001 | An American actor and former action star with a cocaine addiction. |
| Bill MacDonald | George Mansfield | 2001 | Never got over the suicide of his wife Lisa years ago. He is shot to death by Pete. |
| Grant Nickalls | David Silverman | 2001 | Tourist renting cottage. He kidnaps Sarah and Roxy and tries to murder Pamela. |
| Joshua Peace | Samuel Sutton | 2001–2004 | Son of Bea and Anne Sutton, fiancé of Pamela Harman. |
| Frank Pellegrino | Thomas Martinelli | 2004 | Father of Sacha and ex-boyfriend of Bea Sutton. |
| Martin Roach | Ravenheart | 2001 | A visiting warlock. |
| Robert Seeliger | Jeff Bradshaw | 2001–2004 | Homicide detective who Valerie has an affair with and leaves her pregnant. They have a son called Jackson. |
| Cherilee Taylor (credited as Cherilee Garofano) | Pamela Harman | 2001–2004 | Waitress at the Marina. Secretly a witch. Fiancée of Samuel Sutton. |
| Marni Thompson | Valerie Hunter | 2001–2004 | Local police officer. Wife of Billy who falls pregnant with Jeff Bradshaw's baby, a boy called Jackson. She gets shot and killed at the marina. |
| Jim Thorburn | Michael Mansfield | 2001–2004 | High school drop-out and chronic underachiever. Ex-boyfriend of Roxy Hunter. Runs out of town with Kelly Fairview. |
| Mark Humphrey | Wes Coleman | 2008 | Reporter for the Paradise Falls Chronicle, who falls for Bea Sutton even though he's married. |
| Meredith McGeachie | Cate Banning | 2008 | Local police officer. Sister of Ethan Banning. Girlfriend of Trish Simpkin. Ex-girlfriend of Julie Cordry. |
| Wesley Morgan | Ethan Banning | 2008 | Brother of Cate Banning. Boyfriend of Roxy Hunter. |
| Steve Belford | Colin Wagner | 2008 | Works at the B&B and helps Jessica Lansing get revenge on Nick. |
| Kerry Lai Fatt | Julie Cordry | 2008 | Ex-girlfriend of Cate Banning. |
| Stephen Huszar | Tucker Hardwood | 2008 | Porn star. |
References
External links
- Showcase - Showcase Official Site.
- Paradise Falls at the Internet Movie Database
- Paradise Falls at TV.com
- HereTV.com Paradise Falls Page
- Paradise Falls Chamber of Commerce - This is a fictional chamber of commerce, of the fictional town in the show. The "mayor" shown is actor Art Hindle.
- Paradise Falls Season 3 (Media Release - August 9, 2007 TV-eh.com)
- Playback - Article on production of Paradise Falls.
- Calgary Sun - September 12, 2004 - Article on the return of the show to Showcase, with new episodes, starting in the fall of 2004.