Ned Beatty

Darts With Ned

Back in the mid-eighties, I’d often had a few pints with Graydon Gould at The Artful Dodger. He is an icon of Canadian Television. He used to be the Forest Ranger in the 60s.
I had been involved in the movie business, and we had a few mutual friends.
One afternoon, he invited me to go with him to the 22 to meet Ned Beatty, who was shooting ‘Switching Channels’, and to go to supper with them. We met in Club 22, and Ned was very subdued. He was very quiet and had an orange juice in front of him and said he just didn’t feel like drinking or eating. We talked a bit, but Ned excused himself.” I have just had a terrible day.” So I am going to turn in early”. He apologized to Graydon and started packing up his stuff. He reached into his shirt pocket and moved a set of darts to his kit.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my darts. “Would you like a game?” I asked.

Off we went to the Artful Dodger. I was a pretty good dart player at that time, and we took on all comers and won every beer. We drank long dark pints and ate meat pies long into the night. Trading movie stories and playing over our heads, it was just a wonderful evening. He said Never mind about the dollar. We will be shooting movies here because of the crews; these were the most professional I've ever worked with. He was really a brilliant, erudite, interesting, and knowledgeable guy, he seemed to enjoy himself immensely, and I was told he came back a couple of times over the next year looking for me. What a fun night.