Vote Dry

The researchers of "Finding Al"had a lot of fun at the Saskatchewan Archives. They found a ton of old photos of Moose Jaw in the 1920s, old prohibition cartoons and more about the Woman's Christian Temperance Union than anyone would want to know.

The WCTU, which was founded in 1873, still exists today. Although its membership peaked in the 1920s. (But there aren't any pictures in SK Archives from that decade. Lots of pictures from the 1960s though). 

To become a member of the WCTU one has to sign a pledge of abstinence from alcohol.

Machine Gun History

In the Tunnels of Moose Jaw.

Some of the interesting stories heard while filming "Finding Al" are those about gangster farmers in Saskatchewan, who would have wild parties on the land, firing submachine guns into the air. Now that's a great part of Saskatchewan history right there.  

The submachine gun was invented during the First World War, but the zenith of its use was the Second World War when millions of weapons of this type were manufactured. 

The Thompson submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals

Tunnels of Moose Jaw

Inside the Tunnels with Calvin Vo. Photo: Thomas Bartlett.

Tunnels of Moose Jaw actor Calvin Vo gives "Finding Al" crew the tour of Moose Jaw's underground tunnels in the city's historic underground.

Tourists who take the Tunnels tour  are asked to pretend to be bootleggers in 1929, coming to Moose Jaw to buy booze from Al Capone's organization. As tour guide, Calvin, teaches tourists the ropes and how to stay out of the way of local police. People start out at Miss Fanny's club and end up in a tunnel, somewhere underground. And the only one who knows the way out is Gus, a.k.a. Calvin, one of Capone's goons.

It's very confusing down there. The Tunnels of Moose Jaw were kind enough to give the crew of "Finding Al" free range to film and we got turned around a few times. You do indeed need a guide. 

Downtown

Kelly-Anne Riess and Leon Willey on set in  Moose Jaw.

Director Kelly-Anne Riess with host Leon Willey in downtown Moose Jaw.

Although spending the first part of his life playing in the beautiful forests of Bowen Island, BC, Leon now calls Moose Jaw home. 

A graduate of the Vancouver Film School, when not working on Finding Al, Leon is an in-demand theatre actor who has been in productions across Canada.

Back in the Day

Kelly-Anne Riess with Jim Dixon. Photo: Thomas Bartlett.

Interviewing Jim Dixon, former Moose Jaw city councillor. 

Back in the day, Jim was one of several individuals who investigated the rumour of  underground tunnels in Moose Jaw and if they might have been used for bootlegging. Removing a manhole cover in the street led to the discovery of one such hideaway, said Jim, who believes Al Capone was likely in Moose Jaw.