Anyone who knows James Schmitz will attest to his mordant wit and biting, satirical style.
What few know is how he came about this ‘Je refuse' stance. Most of the biographical details are sketchy at best.
His Dad was a Leitz man, need I say more? One of the Germans who escaped Russian occupation and came to Midland in ’52. Grad of MSS and off to Ontario College of Art.
We all know what happens to innocent boys when they head to Toronto. That den of thieves at the Albany and the National trying to pull a lad from the righteous path.
Without disclosing too much, let’s just say Cellarman’s Ale House, like these other coves, played a part. Upstairs was a scotch and cigar bar before Prohibition shuttered the place. James was the bartender and hosted with wit and style, the writers, actors, playwrights, musicians and all the hipsters of the night scene.
Underground Midland.
A cocktail lounge opened in the Daily Perk for goodness sake. Next to Gianettos. Uh huh. Loose
place Midland. It lasted about a year when they realized after one or two martinis, you were done for the afternoon.
Ad execs for the liquor industry actually got people drinking Martinis…heck, everyone saw Dean Martin drinking them, they had to be good.
More on the room above Cellarman's that James hosted.
Was it filled with bad boys all puffing on Havanas, the room redolent with smoke and sin?
You bet, most of the Doctors not on-call were stuffed into the plush seating. All you could smell was peat. In testing the scotch, the most rigorous scientific standards were applied. These grads of Queens and U of T had trained in chemistry and carousing. No animals were injured.
James properly attired, silent, solicitous, assisted them in their research. It was serious work as can only be performed by skilled artists.
René Hackstetter, Feb 26, 2021.
*James Schmitz is a friend of the Author.
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