In Memory of William Finley (1940-2012)

Apologies that I don’t have any photos of my own. All credit and thanks due to the owners.

I grew up in Winnipeg, and actually saw Finley and Graham in person at “Phantompalooza I” in 2005. I remember asking them about a favourite scene where Beef says, “Whaddya mean, you just pass the stuff out – I take it! I know drug-real from real-real!”, whether it was off the cuff, or scripted. (It was scripted.)

When I stood up in Q&A, I told them how much my late father had loved the movie, and passed that strange love onto me, Beef grinned, and Winslow went, “Oh!” and smiled. Boy did I feel like an idiot asking something like that and just blurting it out, but now it seems bittersweet.)

I remember thinking how thin and frail Finley looked at the time, but he came back the next year, along with more cast members (including Paul Williams, Jessica Harper – in person that time – and the trio of The Juicy Fruits). Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend Phantompalooza II because I got stuck in the ER that afternoon with a kidney stone.

William Finley, “We’ll remember you forever”! Long live Winslow Leach.

“Beauty and the Beast” from Phantom of the Paradise

Winnipeg Free Press - Finley’s Obituary

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