Allan Fotheringham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Allan Fotheringham
Allan Fotheringham at the Canadian Film Centre BBQ (2014)
Born	Murray Allan Scott (1932-08-31)August 31, 1932 Hearne, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died	August 19, 2020(2020-08-19) (aged 87) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Nationality	Canadian
Other names	"Dr. Foth"
Alma mater	University of British Columbia
Occupation	Journalist
Spouse(s)	Sallye Delbridge ​ ​ (m. 1963; div. 1980)​ Anne Libby ​ (m. 1998)​

Allan Fotheringham (August 31, 1932 – August 19, 2020) was a well-known Canadian newspaper and magazine writer. He was often called Dr. Foth or "the Great Gatheringfroth." People said he always had something interesting to say.

Allan Fotheringham's Early Life

Allan Fotheringham was born in Hearne, Saskatchewan, on August 31, 1932. When he was two years old, his father passed away after a surgery for his appendix didn't go well. His mother later remarried, and Allan took his stepfather's last name, Fotheringham.

He went to Chilliwack Secondary School. There, he was a leader among students and wrote for both the school newspaper and the local paper, the Chilliwack Progress. After high school, he studied English and political science at the University of British Columbia.

During his career, he worked for many different media companies. He became famous as a columnist, starting with the student newspaper, Ubyssey. After university, he was hired by Vancouver Sun during an exciting time in the late 1960s. This was when big political changes were happening in Canada.

Fotheringham's articles and comments gained him national attention. They were also published in many other newspapers across the country. He became known for explaining the world of British Columbia politics very well.

Allan Fotheringham's Journalism Career

Allan Fotheringham started writing for Maclean's magazine in October 1975. His column appeared on the very last page of the magazine for 27 years. It was so popular that people often read Maclean's "from back to front" just to read his column first. Because of this, he named a collection of his columns "Last Page First."

He was known for giving funny nicknames to politicians. For example, he called journalist Jack Webster "the brogue that walks and talks like a man." He later used a similar phrase, "the jaw that walks and talks like a man," for Brian Mulroney.

Fotheringham also created the terms "Natural Governing Party" for the federal Liberals. He called the CBC, Canada's national broadcaster, the "Holy Mother Corporation." Sometimes, his columns would even start with the exclamation "Zowie, Dr. Foth!"

For ten years, Fotheringham was a regular guest on the CBC Television show Front Page Challenge. He joined the show in 1984. He also wrote columns for the Toronto Sun for 14 years, until 2000.

In 2001, Maclean's magazine changed its look and how it organized its articles. Fotheringham's column was moved to an inside page to make room for a guest writer. Soon after, he left Maclean's and became a columnist for The Globe and Mail.

His columns were published in 20 newspapers across the country. He stopped writing regularly in 2007 after facing serious health issues that led to him being in the hospital for five months. However, Fotheringham continued to write sometimes for the Globe, the National Post, and a Calgary magazine called The Roughneck.

Later Years and Legacy

Allan Fotheringham received special honorary degrees from the University of New Brunswick in 2003 and the University of Saskatchewan in 2005. He passed away on August 19, 2020, at his home in Toronto. He was just 12 days shy of his 88th birthday. While the exact reason he died isn't known, his wife mentioned that he hadn't been feeling well for some time.

Allan Fotheringham's Invented Terms

Allan Fotheringham, also known as "Foth" or "Dr. Foth," was famous for creating clever nicknames and terms. He even called himself "the Great Gatheringfroth." Here are some of the well-known terms he came up with, especially about politics in British Columbia:

• Lotusland – This was his nickname for British Columbia, especially the city of Victoria. It suggests a place where people live a relaxed, almost dream-like life.
• the Granite Curtain – This term referred to the Rocky Mountains. It described them as a barrier, like a curtain, separating British Columbia from the rest of Canada.
• the Tweed Curtain – This was used for the border between Oak Bay, British Columbia and Victoria, British Columbia. It pointed out how Oak Bay had a very traditional, British feel, almost like a separate place.
• "the Brogue that walks and talks like a man" – This was a nickname for journalist Jack Webster, who had a strong accent (brogue). Fotheringham later changed it to "the Jaw that walks and talks like a man" for Brian Mulroney, referring to his speaking style.
• the Natural Governing Party – This term was used to describe the federal Liberals, suggesting they always seemed to be in power.
• the Holy Mother Corporation – This was Fotheringham's nickname for the CBC, Canada's public broadcaster.
• Jurassic Clark – This was a playful nickname for politician Joe Clark.
• "The only man in Canada who can't speak either of the two official languages" – This was a sarcastic comment about Jean Chrétien, who was known for his unique way of speaking both English and French.
• Coma City – This was his nickname for Ottawa, the capital city, suggesting it was sometimes a bit dull or slow.
• Vancouver, the Narcissus of the West Coast – This described Vancouver as a city that was very proud of its own beauty, like the mythical character Narcissus who fell in love with his own reflection.

Famous Quotes by Allan Fotheringham

• "In the Maritimes, politics is a disease; in Quebec a religion; in Ontario a business; on the Prairies a protest; and in British Columbia an entertainment." – From his book Malice in Blunderland (1982).
• "The Tories are like cream: rich, thick and full of clots." – Fotheringham quoting a Liberal Convention Delegate in his book LOOK MA...NO HANDS (1983).

Allan Fotheringham's Awards

Allan Fotheringham received several important awards for his work:

• Southam Fellowship in Journalism, 1964
• National Magazine Award for Humor, 1980
• National Newspaper Award for Column Writing, 1980 (he was the first person to receive this award)
• Inducted into the Canadian News Hall of Fame, 1999
• Bruce Hutchinson Lifetime Achievement Award, 2002

See also

In Spanish: Allan Fotheringham para niños

• List of newspaper columnists