Robert Lantos’ first impression of Phyllis Yaffe was memorable – ‘It was love at first sight.’ Lantos, at the time head of Alliance Communications, is still unwavering in the admiration he felt upon their first meeting. ‘I thought she had all the right qualities. She was quick, smart, a born leader. Magnetic, charming, fun to talk to, fun to be with, and obviously good with people. Politically savvy, vivacious, and most importantly, had a love of film and television.

‘She has a real passion for drama, particularly Canadian drama. We were going to launch a drama channel [Showcase] with a very large Canadian component so it was important that it be run by someone who not just takes it as a job, but truly believes in this as a calling. And she has done an extraordinary job.’

When asked how Yaffe handled the stress during the launch of Showcase, Lantos replies, ‘If she was stressed, I never knew it. She certainly kept everyone else from jumping out of the windows. One of Phyllis’ terrific characteristics is that she brings a sense of wellbeing to others and keeps everybody calm.’

And if the launch of Showcase wasn’t enough, Yaffe was ready for the next challenge when she initiated the idea for History Television. Lantos recalls, ‘She quickly persuaded me that a) there was a gap in the market and b) that it would likely be licensed. We then found ourselves in competition with another applicant, and that’s where I discovered that Phyllis is also a terrific competitor – because we won.’