Known for his many roles in an array of Canadian-produced films and television programs, Gordon Pinsent is being honored this year with a Gemini nomination for his writing prowess rather than his acting skills.

A veteran of the entertainment biz, Pinsent sees the industry with remarkable clarity, and is glad that in these changing times a television movie like Win Again!, for which he is nominated, can be appreciated.

‘We received a lot of mail on it and it all said ‘let’s have a sequel’ or ‘let’s have a series,” says Pinsent. ‘That in itself was a nice feeling, to know that the particular audience I was looking for was still out there.’

Known as the mind behind such projects as The Rowdyman and Gift to Last, Pinsent established himself as a solid creative mind in the 1960s. However, according to Pinsent, some of what he feels are his best pieces and ideas are not considered mainstream enough to be made. This frustrates him sometimes, but because of his experience in the industry, he has learned to take it in stride. ‘I know enough about the business to know that I have to get up tomorrow and try something new,’ he says.

One such piece that is still on the shelf is a movie entitled The Walk, cowritten with Larry Dane. The Walk is about a pair of friends who, following the death of a friend, re-examine their lives. Pinsent laughingly calls it ‘My Dinner with Andre – take-out,’ as the friends walk and talk from the top of Toronto to the bottom of Toronto. It has yet to be picked up by a producer however, a project entitled Dead Issue, also cowritten with Dane, is getting a good reaction according to Pinsent.

Win Again! was originally slated to be a series and the CBC ordered an hour-long pilot and six half-hours to follow. But, due to cutbacks at the time, the program was put on the back burner until later in the year at which point the pubcaster asked Pinsent to turn the series into a two-hour television movie.

For Pinsent, abbreviating his series into a two-hour movie was difficult enough – but having to allot time for commercials and other breaks was even more painful. Just the same, once the edits were made, the story of Win Again! was intact and later was critically acclaimed. The fact that the film was made and went to air is still gratifying to a man who has seen a lifetime in the industry.

‘There is a great deal of happiness involved with getting a show off of the ground,’ says Pinsent simply.