King of Kensignton

https://web.archive.org/web/20160619223553/http://www.tvarchive.ca/database/17483/king_of_kensington/details/

Larry King owned and operated a variety store in Toronto's crowded, multicultural Kensington Market. In the tradition of the television comedy series, most of the action took place in one or two sets, principally King's store and attached house. Larry was a portly, garrulous fellow whose business was everyone else's business. He ran the shop with his wife, Cathy, and his mother Gladys. Cultural conflicts betweens the Jewish Larry and the WASP Cathy were built into the characters, but most of the comic situations were derived from more general sources in the stories, with Larry's store as a meeting place for the district and Larry as something of a meddler and a mediator.

Starting in 1978, the format of the show changed when Fiona Reid left the cast. Cathy was replaced by Tina, Larry's girlfriend, played by Rosemary Radcliffe.

Cast:
Al Waxman .... Larry King
Helene Winston .... Gladys King
Fiona Reid .... Cathy King (1975-78)
Ardon Bess .... Nestor Best (1975-78)
Bob Vinci .... Tony 'Duke' Zarro (1975-78)
John J. Dee .... Max (1975-78)
Jayne Eastwood .... Gwen Twining (1978-80)
Peter Boretski .... Jack Soble (1978-80)
Robert Haley .... Ron Bacon (1978-80)
Rosemary Radcliffe .... Tina (1978-80)
Linda Rennhofer .... Dorothy (1978-80)

Ardon Bess on the King of Kensington and his relationship with Al Waxman.

Interviewed by Andrew Moodie on March 1, 2013 in Toronto. Filming location courtesy of Ryerson University.

King of Kensington Premiere Promo on CBC (1975)

King of Kensington promo, 1977