Cory Monteith - We hardly knew you...

I was so sad to hear the news that this talented young rising star had died. I didn't even realize that Cory Monteith was a Canadian.  I have been enjoying his work on GLEE on and off since it started, but had no idea of the personal lives of the cast.  Too bad I had to learn about him in this way.

Here is an article about what is known so far.

I wish I could find a video of him singing...

My heart goes out to all who knew and loved him. 

Canadian Steele

2013 is the 140th anniversary of Canada's national police force - The Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  Canada Day seems to me a fitting time to pay tribute to one of Canada's most well known symbols.

 Is there any more iconic figure of a Canadian than a mountie? Dressed in bright red, mounted on a horse, upholding  justice in the wild frontier.... it's enough to make a fan girl's heart go aflutter!

"When I'm calling you-oo-hoo-hoo-oo-oo-oo!"

Nelson Eddy and Jeannette MacDonald in Rose-Marie (1936)
Listen to Jeannette MacDonald sing!

An even more over-the-top version of this movie was made in 1954 

starring Howard Keel as Sgt. Bruce of the Mounties and Ann Blythe as Rose Marie.

I think that lady is laying across his big brass bed!

Who can forget Paul Gross as a Mountie in the television show Due South (1994-99)?

The Mountie Song /by the Arrogant Worms
has been nicely illustrated by clips from Due South
video created by Leony331

And a sillier mountie was never born than Duddly Do-Right!

Shown here with his commanding officer Inspector Fenwick

The problem with all these versions of Mounties is that they are all extreme caricatures of what a real mountie is supposed to be.

For a true-life example there is none better than Sam Steele, the unsung hero of the Klondike!

Here he is at Fort MacLeod, Alberta with his wife Marie Elizabeth Harwood.

Bruce Peel Special Collections Library, University of Alberta (2008.1.1.5.1.1)

A series of  commercials to honour special moments in Canadian history, called Heritage Minutes were broadcast on CBC several years ago.  Here is the one about Sam Steele.

A simple commercial is not enough to tell how special this man truly was.
Apparently there is a movie in the works, but not much has been heard about it for several years.

Might I suggest a certain actor for the main role?

He is extremely heroic

 and looks great on a horse.

But perhaps we need to see him with a moustache?

This graphic is my very untalented contribution.

 Also I have dressed him as a mountie once or twice before.

This graphic was shared with me awhile ago by a very talented friend!