A Place to Call Home is a story about an actor, Edwin Thatcher (50’s), that lived in Los Angeles for more than three decades. He had been famous and even once won an academy award for best supporting actor, but that was several years ago. Thatcher lived his privileged life in excess, as many do in Hollywood. He squandered his fortune, always relying on his next big role. But as he began to age, the roles that were being offered to him were less and less significant until no more roles were being offered at all. The hollow man, still filled with the reckless behavior he could get away with as a star, only further distanced him from any screen opportunity that might come his way.

Thatcher now finds himself penniless and in the process of being evicted from his menial apartment. The Sheriff’s Department is moving his belongings into the street. The landlord and tenants laugh him to scorn, glad to be rid of this reclusive and raging man. Thatcher frantically tries to reach his agent and personal manager by phone. No one will help him out of this terrible and frightening dilemma. They all avoid him in this, his darkest hour.

Bitterly he straightens his worn clothing, picks up his academy award trophy and walks off as the remaining items that he owns are being carried out onto the curb. His neighbors applaud his departure as if this was his final curtain.

Thatcher enters a pawnshop to pawn his award. The pawnbroker offers him about eighty bucks. "These things mean a lot to the folks who win ‘em, but they ain’t worth a hoot to the average Joe... accept maybe some kinda memento or table conversational piece if you know what I mean fella." "I’ll give ya ‘bout eighty bucks tops." Edwin takes the eighty bucks without saying a word. He watches as the pawnbroker dusts off the trophy and places it on a shelf with other miscellaneous trophies. There’s even another academy award sitting among the pile of anonymous trophies.

At the train station Thatcher attempts to buy himself a one way fair out of Los Angeles destination, Edmonton, Canada. He’s a few bucks short so he has to bum the cash he needs for the ticket. Thatcher walks through the train station bumming whatever he can from passerbies. His bitterness is eating him alive. His rambling and incoherent mumbling makes him appear like any other hobo you might find on the streets.

Thatcher is riding an empty bus on a highway, northern bound. The beautiful scenery that passes by goes unnoticed to him. Thatcher is heading home, back to the place he grew up. But, Edwin Thatcher has not been back to Edmonton once in the more than thirty years he’s been gone.

He exits the bus in his old hometown of Edmonton, Canada. Even after more than thirty years the place still looks the same.

Thatcher finds himself walking along the same streets he played upon as a child. Children wander about caught up in their own world of being kids. Things haven’t changed much at all. The quiet community is still middle class and well maintained.

Thatcher finds himself stopping in front of a pleasant little home. His mother still lives in this house. The home she has lived alone in since her husband’s death several years earlier. The same home he was reared as a child and the place his mother has called home her entire adult life. Thatcher was too busy "acting" to attend his father’s funeral service. He was off somewhere in the Philippines shooting a war picture. Or was it that epic shot in Egypt? He cannot remember. It seems he was always too busy for them. He wonders how she will react toward the son she has not heard from in too many years. He knocks on the door. There is no answer but the door is not locked. He enters the home.

Thatcher remembers this home exactly as it is. Nothing has changed. He finds a scrapbook on the coffee table. A scrapbook filled with newspaper clippings about him and his illustrious career. There is a photo of him wearing an ascot collar, smoking a thin cigarette in a cigarette holder and he, holding his Academy award.

Thatcher walks down a small hallway and hears a strange hissing noise coming from one of the rooms. It’s his parent’s bedroom. The unfamiliar sound is the sound of a respirator. Thatcher peeks into the room to find a frail and aging woman lying alone in a bed. It is his mother and he realizes she is dying. He also realizes he hasn’t once spoken to his mother since his father’s death and that was more than fifteen years ago. "Hello, mother."

Once again living as a reclusive and his bitterness eating away at him, he draws deeper into his anger, rage and depression. One day while picking up his mother’s medicine at a drug store he runs into one of his childhood friends Bob Crumby. Bob’s excited to see Thatcher and tries to strike up a conversation with his old pal, but Thatcher snubs him terribly. The word begins to get out that Thatcher has returned to his hometown. Even the local paper and TV begin to run snippets of his career. Much to his displeasure because Thatcher belongs to Hollywood.

The entire town is very friendly and fond of Edwin Thatcher. They love him dearly, not only because, in their minds he was a famous actor (not at all the "has been" he seems to think he is), but because he was also one of them. A small town boy made good in the big city. He was the guy who they had snowball fights with as a child, they even skated on the lake with Thatcher. Those were the days! Why, Thatcher had even once saved Bob Crumby from a skating accident on that very same lake, when Crumby, as a small child fell into the broken ice and almost drowned. Crumby was not about to let his old pal Thatcher forget this.

One day Crumby and his wife Evelyn (who once was Thatcher’s high school sweetheart) stopped by to pay a visit, to see how Thatcher’s mother was coming along. They brought her a pot of chicken soup. But there comes a time in each man’s (or woman’s) life that even a pot of chicken soup cannot help and what must come, the inevitable, will.

Crumby is the principal of the local high school. He notices that the once immaculate home is now filled with dirty dishes and other debris. Crumby also notices that Thatcher is in financial straits and offers him a job at the high school, teaching drama classes to the students. Edwin, as bitter as he is once again snubs Bob. "It won’t be long before I’m back in Hollywood." "I’m waiting for my agent to work out a deal for me at this very moment." "Well, just the same Edwin, the job offer stands for you if you choose to take it." "I know that the kids would love to have a real pro to show them the ropes." "It would be inspiring and mean so much to them." "Well, if you decide to change your mind, the offer still stands!" "Do let me know."

The inevitable occurs for Thatcher’s mother. She dies, but not before telling her son how much she has loved him in life and that in her death she could only love him more. The years of pain and emptiness that have eaten away at his soul begins to explode from within. Finally breaking down at his dead mother’s side he cleanses his soul, baring all in a cathartic release. He realizes his terrible distance and regrets his manner.

At his mothers funeral he sees that she had more people who loved her in this small town than he ever could have in the largest cities of the world. No amount of PR could buy him the genuine and warm sincerity that these people show toward his mother. He begins to see the town folk love him and they embrace him in his hour of need. Where are his agents and managers now? Where is the Hollywood he so desperately longed for?

Thatcher hits bottom. The Canadian equivalent to the IRS, (and against all his best efforts) he decides to pay Bob Crumby a visit at the high schools principal office. The receptionist recognizes him immediately and begins to get all flustered at the sight of him. Other teachers and staff begin to linger in his presence. "Why, that’s Edwin Thatcher!" "I just loved him in, Over The Burning Bush." "My all time favorite movie is, Death Defied." "I just loved him in that." "Mr. Thatcher can I have your autograph?" "Can we get your picture for the school paper?" The flash of a bulb and the snap of a camera shutter clicks a photo of Edwin Thatcher. Crumby leads Thatcher into his office and closes the door. "I don’t really need the job, but I’d like to keep up my skills as I wait for my agent to work out my next big deal." "Certainly, I understand."

Thatcher soon finds himself standing in front of a classroom filled with amateur teen actors. The kids have stars in their eyes and pie in the sky dreams of making it big in showbiz. Thatcher begins to admonish them. "You’re first and only love must be the craft you so desire." "Forsake all else and realize you will never be whole." He warns of the trappings of Hollywood. It’s quite apparent in this harangue that he is still an angry and bitter man as he speaks more to himself than to his pupils. As the class continues on and the kids decide to do a play for the town folk, Thatcher begins to pull further and further away from the kids.

One day after class is dismissed one of the kids (an especially gifted female student who has finally had enough of his indifference) quotes Shakespeare as she rails back at him, "It is better to have loved, than to never have loved at all." "So you had your opportunity and you squandered away your wealth and now you want to make out lives miserable." "But we have our youth and we have our dreams." "And we can learn from your mistakes and hopefully will not be lured into the same trappings as you have." "You cannot effect me with your bitterness." "You cannot steal my hopes and my dreams." "For they are mine and I shall not be moved." This little speech is the turning point in Thatcher’s life.

Thatcher returns home pondering the words of this student. He does believe his kids have the talent to pull off a spectacular play for the town folk. He decides to direct these kids in the best play the town of Edmonton ever saw.

Several weeks go by. There are many long hours of practice and rehearsal. Thatcher is one with his gifted students. Finally, the play is ready to be performed.

On the night of the performance the auditorium is filled to overflowing. Thatcher is more nervous for his beloved kids than he ever had been for himself. He paces backstage; checking costumes and making sure the kids are prepared. He even notices a few talent scouts from Hollywood in the auditorium. One of his gifted kids is having a terrible time dealing with his nerves. Thatcher does all he can to calm the nervous teen.

Just as the play is about to begin his seedy little agent frantically enters backstage. "I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for days." "Why haven’t you returned my calls?" "We did it!" "I’ve negotiated a deal with Universal and they have agreed to give you a role in the adaptation of Faulkner’s, Old Man." "It isn’t the lead role, but it the warden of the prison camp, a great part." "We’ve got to get back to Los Angeles immediately." "Our plane leaves in less than an hour!" "This is it!" "The break you’ve been waiting for."

The backstage bustling ceases. Thatcher turns to his students who now stand silent. The audience is beginning to applaud. Thatcher peeks out of the curtain and sees the full house and then turns again toward the expressions of great concern that fill the kids faces. Will he betray them in their moment of glory?

"The show must go on!" The agent misunderstands what this means. "Great, great... let’s get out of here before we miss the plane." "I don’t think you understand." "The show must go on." The kids applaud and are overwhelmed with excitement. Edwin Thatcher walks out onto the stage as the audience applauds his presence. He waves his hand to quiet them. The agent is backstage pointing to his watch and trying to coax Thatcher offstage. "Soon these young adults will be going into the world and facing many great challenges." "Whatever they choose as their professions, they will go on to lead exemplary lives and help their communities and their friends tirelessly because, that is what life is all about." Friendship, camaraderie and above all passion for your craft, your skill." "But tonight, tonight theses young men and women are faced with the performance of their lives." "They have rehearsed tirelessly, seeming endlessly to bring you their best." "So without any further interruptions." Thatcher turns toward the curtain and with a wave of his hand the curtain begins to draw open as the lights dim. Thatcher steps toward a seat, front row and center. He sits as the performance begins.