The Immortal Fred on Tobacco Road

In one of its "let's look back" features the Vancouver Sun noted that on January 16, 1953, nine VPD officers charged into the Avon Theatre and carted away cast and crew of "Tobacco Road," a stage version of the Erskine Caldwell novel. It was reported that an "enraged citizen" had called to say the play was obscene.

The play's director urged the audience of 1,000 to stay in their seats, and before long, the cast returned, still in costume, fake beards and all, having paid or had paid for them $100 bail money. The play went on, and through its Vancouver run played to SRO houses.

What the Sun did not report, and what was not known, to the audience or the police, is that the call by an "enraged citizen" had been orchestrated by publicist Fred Hill, who saw this as a way to grab attention and fill seats.

Fred staged a number of imaginative publicity stunts in Vancouver and, as an actor, toured in a long-running production of "The Drunkard." He then departed for England, where, among other activities, he worked hard to give actor Oliver Reed a gentler image and had Tony Jacklin drive a golf ball off a highrise development into the Thames. In his spare time, he claimed to have discovered the identity of Jack the Ripper.

One of our favorite Fables of Fred: one afternoon he had some serious dental work performed. That evening, he attended a performance at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Uncomfortable with his new teeth, he kept trying to push them into place. At the intermission, a matron next to him said, "I hope that in the second act you will cease that annoying clicking." "In that case," said Fred, "you hold them." And handed her his teeth.