Terry Fox inspires a second movie
Terry, a new television movie, will tell the story of one-legged runner Terry Fox.
The film begins production on Sunday and will feature Shawn Ashmore in the title role. It will air on CTV in the fall.
Fox was the one-legged runner who tried to cross Canada in 1980 in an attempt to raise funds for cancer research.
He has already been the subject of one movie, the 1983 HBO production The Terry Fox Story.
The new film is based on the journals Fox kept during his Marathon of Hope, as well as interviews with family members and friends.
“Terry Fox was a hero of epic proportions and this dynamic retelling of his story is sure to inspire audiences of all ages,” said Susanne Boyce, a CTV executive.
Fox’s attempt to run across Canada was cut short when the cancer that robbed him of his right leg returned. He died the next year.
Redmond, B.C.-born Ashmore is best known for playing Bobby Drake, a mutant known as Iceman who has the ability to shoot waves of cold from his fingertips, in the X-Men series of films.
The Terry Fox Story starred Eric Fryer as Fox, with supporting turns by Chris Makepeace and Robert Duvall. Some critics took the makers of that film to task for depicting the amputee as having a harsh temper.
However, one of the producers on the new film says Fox was like an angel.
“I found Terry to be a regular guy with a great sense of humour, a kind heart and unrelenting determination,” Gail Harvey, who also covered the Marathon of Hope as a photojournalist, told the Canadian Press.
“Of all the famous people I’ve met in my life, Terry Fox affected me the most,” she added.
There has been a resurgence of interest in Fox in recent months. This year marks the 25th anniversary of his run, and author Douglas Coupland put out a photo album to commemorate his life.
Fox’s legacy is kept alive by the people who participate in the annual run named after him.
Categories