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“Nation here.”

“Hello Mr. Nation, we’re calling on behalf of Paul Salzman’s production company, Sunrise Productions.”

“I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with at company.”

“We’re a Canadian company. We’ve produced Danger Bay, Matrix, My Secret Identity.”

“Ah, I see. Yes?”

“We’re just doing preliminary due diligence. Do you know a Mr. David Burton.”

“I am familiar with the gentleman, yes. May I ask what this is about?”

“Yes. Mr. Burton is apparently shopping a project called The New Doctor, and he indicated that you were involved.”

“Ah. Yes, that is correct, Mr. Burton and I worked with together on the New Doctor, in England.”

“Are you currently involved?”

“David and I are collaborating on some projects.”

“Including the New Doctor?”

“That’s a principal one, yes. Listen, I’m terribly sorry, but I have an appointment coming in right at the moment. Can I call you back? Where are you from?

“We’re a Toronto production company, in Canada.”

“Canada? Lovely country. Just let me write down your address and contact information. That’s Salzman? How is that spelled....”

Nation wrote down the information quickly, said some pleasantries, and then hung up.

After the call, he stared thoughtfully into the distance, tapping the pencil against his teeth. Then he signed onto the internet, looking up this new service, the Internet Movie Database. He tapped in Paul Salzman.

*****

IMDB - Paul Saltzman, Bio,
Filmmaker, Photographer, Author, Hockey Player: Paul Saltzman Toronto-based director-producer for and television productions. After briefly studying Engineering Science, he did congressional civil rights lobbying in Washington, D.C., and voter registration in Mississippi, in the summer of 1965, with SNCC. His film and television career began in 1965 at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as a researcher, interviewer and on-air host, before working at the National Film Board of Canada. In 1968-69 he assisted in the birth of a new film format as second-unit director and production manager of the first IMAX film, produced for the Osaka 1970 World's Fair. In 1969, he attended the Woodstock Music Festival, later producing a Leonard Cohen concert tour as well as producing and directing his first film, a documentary on Bo Diddley. In 1973, Paul founded Sunrise Films Limited. In 1983, he turned to drama, producing and directing the premiere of HBO's Family Playhouse and a special for American Playhouse. In the same year, he co-created and produced the family action-adventure television series Danger Bay. The hit CBC-Disney Channel series ran for 6 years and 123 episodes. He has produced television series like My Secret Identity, Matrix and Max Glick, as well as miniseries and MOW's.

* Matrix, 1993 - drama - 13 episodes, Nick Manucso and Carry Ann Moss. A hit man dies, ends up in hell, and is sent back to earth to track down damned souls.

* Max Glick, 1990-1991 - young adult - 26 Episodes. Jewish boy growing up on the prairie.

* My Secret Identity, 1998-1991 - young adult. 72 episodes, Jerry O’Connell. Teenager acquired modest superpowers.

* Danger Bay, 1986-1990 - family adventures. Donnely Rhodes. 78 episodes.

*****

There was more prior to 1990, but nothing after 1993. Had he run out of juice, Nation wondered. Or taking time off. He hadn’t heard of any of these programs, he assumed that they must have been local in Canada. What did he know of the industry up in Canada? Nothing. He chewed his pencil, thinking of who he could ask, where he might learn.

Still, that was quite an impressive run of shows. At the very least, this Saltzman had been quite a pitchman, for a while at least.

Jerry O’Connell? There was a Jerry O’Connell staring in a Hollywood series called Sliders. Nation had pitched for it. The same? He tapped the screen. Yes. What about Nick Mancuso? That sounded familiar. Donnely Rhodes. He did another search. So... real actors, known in the United States. He'd never heard of Danger Bay, but Disney had bought it.

Nation stared thoughtfully at the screen.

“Sometimes,” he said out loud, “even a blind squirrel finds a nut.”

David had clearly pitched Saltzman. He wasn’t surprised. The oily little weasel was clearly on the make, he wondered where else Burton had taken the project. Canada? He was really going far afield.

Still, that was an impressive record.

Nation hadn’t been impressed by David Burton. He was just an actor, and Nation found the type unreliable. The Millennium group had struck him as thoroughly unprofessional. There had been good people there, and they’d worked it out, but it had been awkward all around. Once burned, twice shy.

Clearly, Burton had name dropped him, and perhaps stretched things a bit. So they were calling him to verify. If they were checking his assertions, that meant that they were interested.

“David,” he said out loud, “what have you gotten yourself into.”

If they were calling him, then that meant that they’d checked up on him a bit. They’d looked up his credentials. He ran the conversation over in his mind. Had he said too much? Too little? No, he’d left the door open.

Nation ran through his options.

The simplest thing to do was to just ring them back, tell them that he’d met Burton once but they had no relationship, his impression was that Burton was all show, even describe how sketchy the Millennium group had been. They’d thank him, tell Burton to shove off, and that would be the end of it. He had nothing against Burton, but they weren’t friends, he owed him nothing, and he didn’t appreciate his name being bandied about as part of Burton’s hustle.

He picked up the phone, set it back down.

He turned to the computer, looking Salztman’s production credits over once again.

On a whim, he looked up David Burton - two series of The New Doctor, years ago and nothing else. He wasn’t surprised.

A further impulse had him look up his own entry. He smiled at his old triumphs, the good old days as a comedy writer, the Daleks, Doctor Who, Blake’s 7, Survivors, McGuyver. But there hadn’t been much lately. The New Doctor credit stuck out. But these were real credits, British and American, far more impressive than a few made in Canada children’s series. Or he hoped that’s how it would read.

It was Hollywood, he decided, ignoring his own failing health. Everything in Hollywood was process, everything was in turn around, a man could spend a lifetime here, making money, working on projects and never see a thing produced.

That was an impressive list of production credits, even if it was Canada.

Of course it might not mean anything. Saltzman might be one of these perpetual hangers on. Or he might simply be a journeyman, working as a producer on other peoples projects. His career might have imploded.

But... Saltzman was still in the game, even if that was reduced to getting chatted up by bottom feeders like Burton. So there might be something to it? Maybe there was money there? Work to be had? Credits to be won?

He should look into this a little deeper, Nation decided. First, call David and find out exactly what had transpired, what he’d said exactly to Saltzman, what he’d said about Nation. Perhaps read him the riot act, set him in his place.

And see exactly what his authority was to traffic in the New Doctor, that incident a few years ago left him suspicious. These Millennium chaps weren’t exactly professional.

And perhaps a little more asking around, learn more about this Saltzman fellow.

Then when the ducks were lined up properly, give him a call.