I once wore the boots of the beautiful Roy Dupuis in order to be a motor cycle stunt double for Michel Gagné in a scene for Scoop. I don’t know much about him other than the size of his shoes, his crash helmet and his leather jacket.

I got to know him better through an intermediary, Mrs Marguerite Tremblay, a grandmother from Chicoutimi, who is related to Réjean Tremblay. And it’s thanks to this prolific writer << co-writer of Scoop >> that I have been able to communicate with this 63-year-old lady, talking a great deal to her in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, ever since she met Roy in poignant circumstances. Before telling her lovely story, let’s briefly recall the facts.

Suffering from bone cancer, Marguerite Tremblay had been admitted to hospital with bronchitis, and was in room 110 of the Sainte-Elisabeth Pavilion at Chicoutimi Hospital. Her granddaughter Liliane was a receptionist at the Hotel des Gouverneurs where Roy, publicising his film Being at Home with Claude, was living as discreetly as possible. It was Thursday 20^th February, a date which left its mark on a life, a whole family, a whole region. But let grandmother Tremblay tell the story :

- Tell me how this meeting came about.

I believe it was a gift from heaven. My granddaughter Liliane knew that I adored Filles de Caleb and that Ovila was my idol. She didn’t really believe that an actor who was so busy and sought after would agree to put himself out for someone he didn’t know. She told him my story but she never expected that Roy would return a few hours later promising to come and see me at 4:30.

It must be noted that Roy was completely ignorant of the family ties between Réjean Tremblay and Marguerite, even though all the ‘Blueberries’ <<a nickname for the old families of the Lac-Saint-Jean region>> are very close. Neither did he suspect that his gesture would make the headlines.

- When did you learn the good news?

Perhaps about half an hour before his visit. Liliane telephoned me to let me know, but I really didn’t believe it. I started to believe when my daughter Anne arrived first with her camera. We waited 5 or 10 minutes then I saw him appear with my granddaughter. It was quite a surprise!

- What were your first words?

I think I said, "It’s really you!"

- And what did he do?

He came towards my bed and gave me a rose. He had also signed a card on which he had written, ‘For Maggie, to life, from Roy Dupuis’. And lots of little kisses.

- What was it that he said that you remember most?

Oh, lots. I was rather moved when Roy said to me before he left, "I enjoyed that because there was so much affection".

- Do you remember what the two of you talked about?

The 20 minutes passed so quickly. We talked about Filles de Caleb and that brought back so many memories for me … I knew that era very well, and the story of Emilie and Ovila is a bit like mine. I was married at 16 to Hector Tremblay Félibert who was 26. We had 11 children. My husband was a contract worker in the logging camps. In the winter I would go to join him at the site. That is why I was so pleased to meet Roy, my Ovila.

- Mrs Tremblay, wouldn’t you have been a bit jealous of Emilie Pronovost?

She is younger than me … I should be so lucky!

- Did you give Roy Dupuis a hug?

He stood at the side of my bed the whole time. But he was so close I couldn’t let it pass. I grabbed him round the neck and gave him a big hug.

- Do you think this visit allowed you to leave hospital more quickly?

Well, it certainly pepped me up. To have met him and even touched him was the main thing!

- Has Roy Dupuis made you a celebrity in your village of Saint-David-de-Falardeau?

It’s certainly a topic of conversation, but for me it hasn’t changed too much except sometimes they call me Mrs Dupuis. It’s one of my happiest memories besides the joy of having my children. I didn’t believe what a stir it caused in the hospital. The nurses were almost jealous, and I could understand them! Let me tell you that I was besieged with questions.

- Do you intend to write to him?

I shall maybe send him a little note to tell him I have seen his film, and that he is a fantastic guy, handsome and full of love for his grandmother. We are no longer strangers and I wish him everything he wants because he deserves so much. If you see him, tell him I truly love him with all my heart and soul.

Dear Marguerite, if the opportunity presents itself, I promise you I’ll do that.

POSTSCRIPT

Allo Vedettes
12^th September 1992

Watching Over Roy

Some months ago you heard about Roy Dupuis’ great generosity. He took some time out of a very busy schedule to go to the bedside of a sick grandmother who was a stranger to him. Her relatives had told him that she was dying and that her dream was to see the idol she had discovered in Filles de Caleb. So he turned up at the bedside of this elderly lady from Chicoutimi, in a way realising her last dream … a dream she has taken with her as she died 2 months ago.

During the last 3 weeks of her life she never stopped talking about her meeting with Roy Dupuis, to the extent that it was a real headache to decide to whom she was going to leave her precious photos recording the occasion. And just before she departed for her eternal rest she whispered these words, "I will watch over him".