Dini Petty
Acting
Biography
Dini Petty, a Canadian journalist, TV host, helicopter pilot, writer, and entrepreneur, gained fame for her vibrant hosting style on multiple talk shows, notably "The Dini Petty Show." Notably, at 22, while at Toronto's CKEY radio, she made history as the first female traffic reporter to pilot her own helicopter, sporting her iconic pink jumpsuit. Her piloting expertise soared, amassing 5,000 hours as the pilot-in-command of a Hughes 300.
Known For
For the Record, an anthology of 60-to-90-minute dramas, started on the series, Performance, as a subseries called Camera ’76. A collection of docudrama-style short stories on diverse but socially relevant (and very Canadian) topics such as unemployment, euthanasia, spousal abuse, televangelists, aboriginal issues, and anglophone-francophone relations. This series attracted most of the 'big name' Canadian actors and directors of the time.
For the Record
Unemployed and recently dumped, Mitch and his buddy Sam start a revenge-for-hire business to raise the $50,000 that Sam's father needs to get a heart transplant.
Dirty Work
A Canadian anthology series designed to spotlight emerging writing talent, presenting a diverse range of stories and encompassing everything from conventional drama to offbeat and absurdist sketch comedy.
Teleplay
"Cityline," produced by City Television and City Toronto, is an informative TV program offering expert advice under daily changing themes like "Around the House," "Family Day," "Home Day," and "Fashion Friday." Initially hosted by Dini Petty and later by Marilyn Denis until May 23, 2008, the show featured a range of guest hosts post-Denis's departure. Tracy Moore was announced as the new permanent host on October 17, 2008. Formerly broadcast live, "Cityline" is now pre-recorded a week in advance for airing on all City Television stations across Canada. Initially aired on various networks, it is currently managed by Rogers Communications Inc. under their Rogers Media Television brand.
Cityline
"The Dini Petty Show," a Canadian daytime TV talk show aired from 1989 to 1999 on Baton Broadcasting System-affiliated stations, originating from Toronto's CFTO-TV, the BBS flagship station. Hosted by Dini Petty, it combined lifestyle features and interviews with celebrities. Petty, a Toronto-based host, moved from CITY-TV's CityLine to lead the show. Directed by Randy Gulliver, it captured 1990s Canadian pop culture with diverse interviews, undergoing redevelopment in late 1994. By 1999, Petty opted to film only intro/outro segments, airing repackaged retrospective content instead of new material. In 2000, Dini Petty's contract with CTV concluded, prompting a legal resolution that granted her ownership of the original broadcast tapes from The Dini Petty Show. Her decision to donate these tapes to the Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections at York University occurred in 2010.