description: The life of a car salesman over fifty years is the subject of this new series by award-winning playwright Dave Carley.Earl Hughes owns an American Motors dealership on Toronto's Golden Mile. He leads what he describes as an uneventful life he loves cars, his wife and his children, usually in that order, and nothing much rocks his world. That is, except when he is taking potential customers out for test drives -- then all hell invariably breaks loose, and Earl finds himself swept along in events out of his control. Test Drive spans five decades, beginning in the mid-1950s and ending shortly after the new millennium. It's a panoramic look at cars, Canadian history and politics, with some very bad weather thrown in.Test Drive stars Gordon Pinsent as Earl Hughes, and was produced in Toronto by Linda Grearson.Episode One -- The First Temptation of EarlIt's October, 1954 and Earl is taking a Leaside librarian out for a test drive. But a heavy rain storm has started, and a wild thing named Hazel is about to disrupt Earl's sales pitch.Episode Two -- Missiles and MennonitesThe Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 forms the backdrop to the story of a young man who would like to trade his horse for a compact car -- and hold the chrome trim.Episode Three -- Driving BobTrudeaumania is sweeping the country in 1968, but Earl is persuaded to run for the Tories in that year's Federal election. The campaign is progressing moderately well, until Earl decides to drive Robert Stanfield to a rally...Episode Four -- September SongEarl and his wife take a sentimental car trip to Montreal, to celebrate their thirtieth wedding anniversary. The year is 1976 and they have the best tickets inthe house for the Olympics gymnastics event, but they will never get to see Nadia Comaneci's star turn.Episode Five -- The Last Temptation of EarlAmerican Motors is swallowed up by Chrysler in 1987, but Earl and his family manage to switch gears in the nick of time.Episode Six -- Test DriveEarl rear-ends a Sports Utility Vehicle and is forced to take his driver's test again. He's just turned 80 and he's determined not to fail it -- there being no greater hell than having to take public transit.
language: English
title: Test Drive
titlecomplete: Test Drive
publisher: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC Audio)