‘ theatre ever since. 7 That may well be where | ~she also developed her talent, for comedy. “T like to’ make... people laugh,” she says. '; When she’s offered a part she asks what kind of part it is. “They'll say, ‘Nice little part’ for you—Dear-:-Old Lady’. And I say, ‘But what does she do?” And if it really - is just a dear-old-lady: part she'll say, “No, I don’t want | that. I want something that will make people laugh. So I getit.” _ We look at a photograph _ album filled with mementos. There is a picture of Alicia in a train scene from the film ‘Journey into Fear’. “I was stabbed -—- I was murdered in . that picture,” she says with obvious relish. “If you look ‘closely you should be.able to see the sword that went right through me.” Other movies to her credit include ‘The! Trap’ and Altman’s ‘A Cold Day in the Park’, for which a part was written in especially for her. For ‘The Wolf Pen Principle’ she received the 1974-75 ACTRA award as the best actress in a Canadian feature film. _ But she. is probably best remembered for her vignette appearance in the Van- couver-made motion picture ‘Russian Roulette’, starring George Segal. Of that performance the London Times critic said: “The show stopper is an old lady who does not even figure in the credits, who with the utmost good will allows people to slay one another on her front lawn, while memorizing a message about the KGB -assassinating Kosygin as dutifully and unconcerned as if it were a recipe for apple crumble.” Born and, raised in ngland, a) Alicia Ammon came to Candda. with her husband and three children in 1921. Having two more children didn't cramp her i Se a“ a oo ’ ANATURAL LOOKING ARTIFICIAL FINGERNAIL that can De wom with or without Nad Polish We call it NEARLY NATURAL” eo Thin light and natural feeting °We don't use Gnas A special plan for naa biters ° Ask about ow guaranteed change over plan COME IN FORA FREE TRIAL LADYFINGERS STUDIOS INC. North Vancouver - 980-6914 WestEnd 660-1634 Coquitiam 939-3044 Surrey 585-4455 Stage, .and has worked in $ aoe e style greatly — she organized a variety company in Oregon in the 20's, and in the -30’s produced,wrote and played in a radio comedy, ‘Millie and Lizzie’, five nights a week. ’ She became a member of the prestigious © Canadian Repertory: Theatre, in a company that included Christopher Plummer. Still, she says, “I-love the old time acting. best. There was nothing vulgar in. it. . There's lots of vulgarity now, . and you have to say it tongue-in-cheek.” After 70-odd years on the Stage, off and on, you might think Alicia is taking-a well- earned rest, eating chocolates roses. But no. She is currently playing one of the leads in a Situation-comedy ‘Nellie, Daniel, Emma, and Ben’ that will be shown on _ the national CBC television network starting this fall. It’s about four old people who break away from an old people’s home and set up re net MOLE ~ ‘house together with the aid and picking _ Of a friendly nurse. Asked _ what kind of part she played as Nellie, she replied, “Oh, a little bit vague”. , v Cast as one of the other leads is -her son Jack Am- mon, on the stage a good. number of years himself. Continuing in the family tradition, Jack went on stage at the age of 11, and was also a member of the Canadian “I was stabbed--I was murdered in that picture.” in Ottawa. _ Although she is. still putting in long hours in the work she likes best, Alicia Ammon admits'she’s slowing down. She recently spent an eight-month period in Lions Gate hospital with hip trouble and now uses a cane, and she suffers from poor hearing and failing eyesight. Asked how she likes being 93 years old, this domitable - woman _ replied ‘cheerfully, “I don’t mind it. If I didn’t have these af- flictions, I'd love it.” “And she doesn’t have any ‘regrets — well, hardly any. Her only regret is leaving England. She says she’d like to die there. With regard to life after death she says, “I don’t believe anybody was. Dorn to be snuffed out — you go somewhere.” What about rein- carnation? She’s not sure she wholly believes init. “Anyway,” she says, “I don’t want to come back, not Repertory Theatre Company in-| a