June Callwood: Canada's Conscience

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Topic spans: 1926 - 2007

June Callwood: Canada's Conscience

No one was excluded in the world of June Callwood. The celebrated journalist/activist with a "just fix it" attitude worked tirelessly for countless causes. She helped found over 50 social organizations including Nellie's women's shelter and Casey House, Canada's first AIDS hospice. Dubbed St. June, the woman with movie star good looks and an unwavering capacity for compassion, battled personal tragedy, depression and controversy in a long life that served as Canada's conscience. June Callwood died on April 14, 2007, at age 82.

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A storybook marriage

Broadcast Date: Jan. 11, 1983

Marry a girl with great legs! Trent "sex maniac" Frayne jokingly divulges the secret of his strong marriage to journalist June Callwood. Frayne defends himself on CBC Television's Afternoon Delight saying, "it is sexist but in those days it was OK to be sexist!" After 35 years of marriage, Frayne and Callwood seem extremely happy. And they confess that they still take baths together! However they shy away from the idea that romance keeps their marriage happy. Romance is lovely, says Callwood but it's respect that's at the core of a successful marriage. They also credit pure good luck.

A storybook marriage

• It was love at first sight for June Callwood. She remembers meeting Trent Frayne at the Globe and Mail back in 1942 and immediately thought she could stay married to him.

• At the time of Callwood's death, Callwood and Frayne still lived in the same green clapboard farmhouse in Toronto that had been their home for over 50 years.

• Callwood and Frayne were often dubbed "Canada's husband and wife freelance writing team." Callwood wrote about social issues while Frayne stuck to sports.

• Trent Frayne is one of Canada's best-known sports writers. The Manitoba native has written for all of Canada's major newspapers as well as Maclean's, Chatelaine, Sports Illustrated and Saturday Evening Post magazines. He is the author of more than a dozen books. He was awarded the National Newspaper Award for sports writing (1975) and was the first recipient of Brandon University's Quill Award for Outstanding Achievement (1990).

• June Callwood died on April 14, 2007, at age 82, Trent Frayne died February 11, 2012, at age 93.

• Afternoon Delight was an hour-long, weekday program on sex and relationships on CBC Television hosted by John Donabie. It was on the air from 1979 to 1983.

A storybook marriage

Medium: Television

Program: Afternoon Delight

Broadcast Date: Jan. 11, 1983

Guest(s): June Callwood, Trent Frayne

Host: John Donabie

Duration: 10:30

Last updated:
Feb. 13, 2012

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