Peter Gzowski, CC (July 13, 1934 – January 24, 2002) was a popular Canadian broadcaster, writer and reporter, most famous for his work on the CBC radio show Morningside. His biographer has argued that Gzowski's contribution to Canadian media must be considered in the context of efforts by a generation of Canadian nationalists to understand and express Canada's cultural identity. Gzowski wrote books, hosted television shows, and worked at a number of newspapers and at Maclean's Magazine. It is estimated that he conducted 27,000 interviews as host of Morningside. Gzowski was known for a friendly but somewhat gruff at times interviewing style. His guffaws were famous.
A descendant of Sir Casimir Gzowski, a prominent engineer, Gzowski was born in Toronto and moved to Galt (now Cambridge) at age six. At 14, he ran away from home and found his paternal grandfather, who got him admitted to Ridley College in St. Catharines, Ontario.
Gzowski attended the University of Toronto but never graduated. He was later awarded 11 honorary degrees. While in school he edited the student newspaper The Varsity. After university, Gzowski was employed at the Timmins Daily Press. In the spring of 1957, Gzowski became city editor of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald. The next year he joined the staff of Maclean's magazine. When he was 28 he became the youngest-ever managing editor of Maclean's.
He turned to radio in 1971, hosting the CBC's This Country in the Morning. From 1976 to 1978 he hosted the television show 90 Minutes Live on CBC Television, but returned to his former morning radio program, which had by now been renamed Morningside, where he remained till 1997 when it left the air.
Gzowski, who for decades had been a heavy smoker, died of emphysema in Toronto at age 67. He had defended his smoking by saying that the taxes on his cigarettes would more than cover any increased health costs his smoking would cause. However, at the end, he publicly acknowledged that he was wrong, and that his recent healthcare expenses dwarfed the taxes he had paid.
Gzowski was divorced from his first wife, Jennie Lissaman, from Brandon, Manitoba, whom he met while residing in Moose Jaw and with whom he had five children (Alison, Maria, Peter, John and Mick). He was survived also by common-law partner Gillian Howard. A biography published in 2010 claimed that Gzowski fathered a son in 1961 as a result of an extramarital affair with a woman named Cathy Perkins. The book, Peter Gzowski: A Biography by R.B. Fleming, portrays the CBC host as a brilliant and talented man afflicted at times by severe depression and alcoholism.
1974, 1985, 1987 ACTRA Awards for the best host-interviewer on radio
1981 - National Magazine Award for his profile of Wayne Gretzky
1982 - Became host of Morningside on September 6.
1984 - Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of New Brunswick
1986 - Officer of the Order of Canada
1988 - Honorary Doctor of Laws, Trent University
1997 - International Peabody Award for broadcasting
1998 - Companion of the Order of Canada.
1999 - Appointed Chancellor of Trent University, a position he held until his death
2002 - The Peter Gzowski Foundation for Literacy was funded by the federal government and named in honour of Gzowski's work in promoting literacy in Canada
2003 - Gzowski College at Trent University opens in honour of Peter Gzowski
2006 - The Peter Gzowski Festival of Stories http://www.festivalofstories.ca
2006 - Georgina Public Libraries renamed their Sutton Branch the Peter Gzowski Branch
Scottish post-rock band Mogwai use an audio recording of Gzowski's interview with Iggy Pop in the song Punk Rock, the first song from their album Come on Die Young.
Gzowski co-wrote the song, "One Single River" with Ian Tyson. The song - advocating Canadian unity - was performed by Ian and Sylvia, as well as by Bob Dylan and The Band in their 1967 "Basement session."
