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Fritz is a very loveable cat who wandered over to Central Hall at the dawn of the new millennium and lived out his days happily greeting people to the hall, mousing andd generally laying about at his leisure.  On February 21st, 2007 Fritz was struck and killed by an automobile leaving islanders in shock and grief stricken.  His indomitable spirit was an inspiration to all who knew and loved him and his memory will live on for years and years to come.  Fritz's farewell article in the Driftwood Newspaper is available as a PDF HERE

The article below describes in no uncertain terms just how Salt Spring Island, as a community, feels about their resident feline...

For a bit more of the history of Fritz, download this PDF: FRITZ

and

for the story of The Fritz Movie Theatre, see the article at right!

to view a copy of a story about The Fritz in the CTA (Cinema Theatre Association) Bulletin from the UK, please download the PDF HERE

News

Cat-loving visitor stirs up Fritz fracas

“Everyone thinks it’s so cute [that he lives at the Central Hall movie theatre] and that really burns me up,” said Donna Arola-Guler Monday as she stopped by the hall to purchase placemats from a weekend vendor before returning home.

“People go whipping in and out of here in their cars,” she said. “He’s going to go running out there one day and meet his end.” But Fritz’s official owner and a local police constable disagree. Cathie Newman, a longtime local SPCA volunteer, says Fritz is “car smart” and only runs out to greet her vehicle when she brings him food in the morning.

Salt Spring RCMP Const. Lindsay Ellis is also comfortable with Fritz’s living conditions.

“It seems to me that if he’s been living there seven years, he’s quite traffic wise,” Ellis said. “He’s well cared for and well loved. I have no concerns.”

Newman spent a sleepless night Sunday after learning that a woman in a red car had packed Fritz into a crate and planned to take him off island.

Police were contacted, e-mails circulated, and locals hit all three ferry terminals to search for the suspect vehicle and missing cat.

“Jen at the ticket booth at Long Harbour said ‘don’t worry, I’m checking every car that goes by,’” Newman said.

Ellis told the Driftwood that two members attended the hall as soon as they were alerted to the “cat-napping.”

“We couldn’t believe someone would take the cat,” she said. “We considered getting the dog man out [to track him].”

She said the police would have “absolutely” considered the situation theft under $5,000 had the cat not been returned.

Fritz was still missing as Newman set out for the Long Harbour ferry terminal Monday morning, but was back when she checked again at about 8:15 a.m.

“Now he’s safe, sound and well fed,” she said.

Arola-Guler said Fritz spent Sunday night in an “undisclosed place.” “I was hoping to adopt him, but I was told I couldn’t,” she said. Arola-Guler has four indoor cats and volunteers for the Richmond Animal Protection Society. She says the society will not adopt out cats if they will be living outdoors.

“I’d like to see him have a home where it’s safe and he has a nice yard to run in.”

She saw Fritz on earlier visits to Salt Spring and expressed concern over his safety at the busy Central intersection. She also feels he is being used as a publicity draw by theatre personnel.

“This is not a cute story, believe me.”

But Newman and the swell of islanders who lobbied for his return Monday believe that Fritz’s residency at Cinema Hall is special. “He’s such a happy cat,” said Newman, noting he has lived there since he wandered away from his Fort Street home as a young cat some seven years ago.

After Fritz settled in at the cinema, the SPCA helped out with his care, neutering him and giving him all necessary shots. Newman officially adopted him, and continues to feed and brush him every morning. She admits she has had some discomfort with “yahoos” around the theatre — dealing once with broken glass outside his box and the occasional dousing of beer in his water.

But community members have also cared for Fritz, building him a “lavish” new wooden home, providing lamb’s wool to sleep on and, most recently, sewing him a new curtain door.

“He’s everybody’s cat,” Newman says. “He loves voting day because there are so many people around at the hall.”

His disappearance prompted immediate and emotional reaction as islanders rallied to gather information about his disappearance, circulating hundreds of e-mails to lists all over Salt Spring.

“People were really upset about this,” Ellis said, adding that several islanders came by the police detachment in an attempt to file complaints on Fritz’s behalf.

But on Monday afternoon, Arola-Guler said, “I’m really upset at people’s reaction.”

Her hope, she added, is that the situation will bring awareness to Fritz’s plight and hopefully initiate community action to make his home safer. In the meantime, Fritz yawned as he sat in front of his box at the cinema Monday afternoon, and a “Found Cat” sign was posted on the door.

After checking out the action, he apparently found the excitement lacking, picked himself up and sauntered away.

E-mail the writer: susan lundy

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Levy takes reins of ‘Fritz’ theatre
Gulf Islands Driftwood, Wednesday, September 13, 2006

By mitchell sherrin

Did islander Michael Levy find the local cinema or did The Fritz Movie Theatre find him?

Noted as an island photographer, Levy has worked as projectionist at the local cinema for the past six years and he’s shown slide shows there since 1998. But as of Friday, he’s going to be the boss.

Still, he doesn’t think there will be a dramatic change in his lifestyle. “As the old Zen saying goes, before I owned the cinema, I swept popcorn and mopped pop. After I own the cinema, I will sweep popcorn and mop pop.”

However, when Levy acquires the theatre business on Friday, he will rename the cinema “The Fritz” (officially Salt Spring Island Movie Theatre Inc.), in honour of Salt Spring’s beloved and famous theatre cat. Fritz and Levy’s
destinies both seem entwined with the local theatre. “We both arrived on the doorstep the same Summer,” Levy recalled. And in a similar vein of coincidence, the same week that Levy purchased the local theatre assets, 
CBC Vinyl Cafe host Stuart McLean shared the quintessentially Salt Spring story of how Fritz was catnapped and returned to the island last summer, when his August ArtSpring shows were aired on the weekend.

As it so happens, Levy was doomed to a life in the theatre from a young age. He began his education at the Richard Ivy School of Business at the University of Western Ontario but ended up with a degree in film theory and criticism.

“The business school was probably something good for me to pursue but I instinctively went for film theory. I loved everything about it.” Following a job as a projectionist through university, he ended up working at the local cinema 
to pay his bills when he began a career as an award-winning photographer.

Levy still hopes to keep snapping shots, but he knows the new business will take up a bunch of his time.

“The slide show might not be quite as exotic with locales,” he grinned. Levy is no slouch behind the lens when he’s capturing fixed images. He’s published three calendars over the last few years (featuring local imagery)
and in 2004 proudly unveiled a sumptuous coffee-table book that honours islanders and local haunts — Salt Spring, the People, the Place — created with fellow photographers Osman Phillips and Howard Fry.

Fans of his photography can take heart that he’s currently working on a new calendar for 2008.

Levy plans to apply that same passion for imagery to his management of The Fritz theatre.

“I love the language of film, everything about it: the diversity, the appeal of visual images, everything.”

He plans to gently adjust to his new role as owner operator before making any changes to the business, but he already has a few ideas he’d like to pursue.

One concept is to promote re-usable containers so he can reduce waste at the theatre.

“I’m acutely aware of what we generate, after cleaning the floors and taking out the garbage for the past six years.”

Levy believes that if people brought their own cups, it would not only help reduce the business’ ecological footprint but could also help promote a sense of community.

“By bringing your own cup to your own theatre, it provides a sense of ownership.”

Levy wants the theatre to retain its individuality and he hopes to bring back a few old traditions.

“The last thing we want on Salt Spring is for our businesses to be homogenous. People don’t come to Salt Spring to find the same restaurants and businesses as they get in Victoria or Vancouver.”

So he plans to keep supplying real butter on popcorn and slide shows before movies. Levy would also like to bring back the Great Canadian Film Festival started by past owners Louise, Alberta and Gloria Nye, and he likes their idea about Saturday-night door prizes.

He’d also like to help support his landlords, the Central Hall Society, with fundraisers for the 110-year-old building.

He also offered great praise for the cinema staff. “One main thing is the staff and how helpful they have been over the years. Without them I wouldn’t have considered this purchase.” Now Levy would like to hear ideas from the public.

He had hoped for a seamless transition during the sale but he had to await word from the Victoria Supreme Court, since Salt Spring Cinema Inc. was previously owned by Jonathon Oldroyd (whose assets were liquidated to repay creditors). Oldroyd’s wife Evelyn initially put in a bid for the theatre, but did not pursue it under court-ordered terms.

The theatre won’t be fully up and running until September 22, he expects. “It will take a while with permits, licensing and distribution contacts.” Before Levy starts showing films, he plans to hold an open house at 6:30 p.m. Friday.

“Come have a fistful of popcorn on the house and enjoy the thought of things to come.”

email: movies@thefritz.ca