A Summer with Maggie Smith's Sons: A Personal Account

It was the summer of 1980 at a humble camp in Waterloo, Ont., where I, a young camp counsellor, met Maggie Smith's kids, Chris and Toby. As Maggie performed at the Stratford Festival and later rehearsed for The Seagull, her sons spent their summer weeks at our camp, blending in with the other kids and sharing stories of their famous mom. Despite being the children of British theatrical royalty, Chris and Toby were down-to-earth, without pretensions, and eager to participate in camp life.

Key Takeaways:

• Maggie Smith's sons, Chris and Toby, spent their summer weeks at a camp in Waterloo, Ont., in 1980, while their mom performed at the Stratford Festival and rehearsed for The Seagull.
• The brothers were humble and down-to-earth, without pretensions, and blended in with the other campers.
• Chris, the older brother, was tall and lean, with a readily accessible smile, while Toby had red hair and freckles and was a talented storyteller.
• The boys were not intimidated by their famous mom and had a casual relationship with her.
• Toby was a skilled impressionist and entertained the campers with impressions of David Niven and Paul Lynde.
• After the summer, the author attended The Seagull and met Maggie Smith backstage, where he also met Toby again.
• Toby's acting career began to take off, with roles in films such as Die Another Day and Severance.

Statistics:

• 1980: The summer when Maggie Smith's sons spent their weeks at the camp in Waterloo, Ont.
• 2: The number of sons Maggie Smith had, Chris and Toby.
• 8: The age of the campers that Chris and Toby were part of.
• 9: The age of Toby when he impressed with his impressions of David Niven and Paul Lynde.
• 5: The number of years between the summer of 1980 and the publication of the article (in 1985).

Sources:

• Thom Ernst, Toronto