John Hemphill (born 1953) is a Canadian comic actor, writer and producer.
A longtime player with The Second City troupe's Toronto cast, [1] Hemphill was a writer for Second City Television and appeared in supporting character roles such as Happy Marsden, Wesley Wilks, Willem DeCooney and Dr. Ryne Thurman. [2] [3]
Hemphill has appeared in the television series RoboRoach , The Jane Show , [4] Little Mosque on the Prairie and Maniac Mansion , [5] and the television films Hostage for a Day [6] and Sodbusters. [7] He was also the co-writer, with Eugene Levy, of Sodbusters. [7] Hemphill appeared in Adventures in Babysitting in 1987. In 2003, he began directing the comedy troupe Women Fully Clothed, composed of Second City alumnae Debra McGrath, Robin Duke, Jayne Eastwood, Teresa Pavlinek and Kathy Greenwood. [8]
Hemphill portrayed Bob Currie on Schitt's Creek from 2015 to 2020. [9] For his performance, he was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 5th Canadian Screen Awards. [9]
He received a Gemini Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Program for Sodbusters at the 9th Gemini Awards in 1995. [10]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | The Pink Chiquitas | Ernie Bodine | |
1987 | Adventures in Babysitting | Drunk at Party | |
1987 | Goofballs | Aldo | |
2004 | New York Minute | Tim Brooger | |
2005 | The Man | Ted | |
2007 | Zodiac | Donald Cheney |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1981–1984 | Bizarre | Various roles | 14 episodes; also writer |
1982–1983 | SCTV Network | 12 episodes; also writer | |
1983–1984 | SCTV Channel | 13 episodes; also writer | |
1985 | Workin' for Peanuts | Al | Television role |
1987 | Really Weird Tales | Mervis Jutt | |
1988 | Biographies: The Enigma of Bobby Bittman | Buddy Phelps | |
1988 | The Second City Toronto 15th Anniversary | Johnny Prolongo | |
1990–1993 | Maniac Mansion | Harry the Fly | 65 episodes; also creator, writer, and director |
1992 | Partners 'n Love | Lloyd Peters | Television role |
1994 | Sodbusters | Cole | Television role; also writer |
1997 | Goosebumps | Doctor / SWAT Team Leader | Episode: "Don't Go to Sleep" |
1997 | Once a Thief | Master Jamboree | Episode: "It Happened One Night" |
1998 | Due South | Van Zant's Cleaner | Episode: "Dead Men Don't Throw Rice" |
1998 | Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension | Freddie Foster | Episode: "Last Laugh" |
2000 | Power Play | Dr. Eugene Tockette | Episode: "The Quarter Finals" |
2000 | Relic Hunter | Richard Ferguson | Episode: "Emperor's Bride" |
2001–2003 | RoboRoach | Voice | 7 episodes |
2002, 2006 | Puppets Who Kill | Good Ol' Joe / Curious Bob | 2 episodes |
2004 | Untold Stories of the E.R. | Reenactments | Episode: "The Big Save" |
2006 | The Jane Show | Jane's Dad, Dave Black | Episode: "Daddy's Home" |
2008–2011 | Little Mosque on the Prairie | George Wispinski / Alvin Wispinski | 3 episodes |
2015–2020 | Schitt's Creek | Bob Currie | 29 episodes |
Second City Television, commonly shortened to SCTV and later known as SCTV Network and SCTV Channel, is a Canadian television sketch comedy show about a fictional television station that ran intermittently between 1976 and 1984. It was created as an offshoot from Toronto's Second City troupe. It moved to American television, where it aired on NBC from 1981 to 1983.
Martin Hayter Short is a Canadian-American comedian, actor, and writer. Short is known as an energetic comedian who gained prominence for his roles in sketch comedy. He has also acted in numerous films and television shows. He has received various awards including two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award. Short was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2019.
Catherine Anne O'Hara is a Canadian-American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She is known for her comedy work on Second City Television (1976–1984) and Schitt's Creek (2015–2020) and in films such as After Hours (1985), Beetlejuice (1988) and its 2024 sequel, The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Home Alone (1990) and its 1992 sequel. Her other film appearances include the mockumentary films written and directed by Christopher Guest: Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006).
Eugene Levy is a Canadian actor and comedian. Known for portraying flustered and unconventional figures, Levy has won multiple accolades throughout his career including four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2011, and was made Companion of the Order of Canada in 2022.
Sheila McCarthy is a Canadian actress and singer. She has worked in film, television, and on stage. McCarthy is one of Canada's most honoured actors, having won two Genie Awards (film), two Gemini Awards (television), an ACTRA Award, and two Dora Awards (theatre), along with multiple nominations.
Wendy Jane Crewson is a Canadian actress and producer. She began her career appearing on Canadian television, before her breakthrough role in 1991 dramatic film The Doctor.
Kevin Hamilton McDonald is a Canadian actor and comedian. He is a member of the comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall, who have appeared together in a number of stage, television and film productions, most notably the 1988–1995 TV series The Kids in the Hall. He played Pastor Dave in That '70s Show, and starred as a co-pilot in the 2011 web comedy series Papillon. He also does voice work in animation, most notably as Agent Wendy Pleakley in the Lilo & Stitch franchise, Waffle in Catscratch, and the Almighty Tallest Purple in Invader Zim.
Kathryn Greenwood is a Canadian actress and comedian. She appeared on the American version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? numerous times, and played Grace Bailey on the Canadian television drama series Wind at My Back.
Paul Bellini is a Canadian comedy writer and television actor best known for his work on the comedy series The Kids in the Hall and This Hour Has 22 Minutes. He has worked on several projects with Josh Levy and Scott Thompson, and has appeared in small parts on television shows and films.
Jayne Eastwood, also credited as Jane Easton or Jane Eastwood, is a Canadian actress and comedian. She is best known for her film roles as Anna-Marie Biddlecoff in Finders Keepers (1984), Judy the Waitress in The Santa Clause (1994), Mrs. White in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise (2002–2023), Mrs. Borusewicz in Chicago (2002), Lucy Decker in Welcome to Mooseport (2004) and Miss Wimsey in Hairspray (2007).
Maury Alan Chaykin was an American-Canadian actor. Described as "one of the most recognizable faces in Canadian cinema," he was best known for his portrayal of Rex Stout's detective Nero Wolfe on the television series A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2001-02), as well as for his work as a character actor in many films and television programs.
Noah Nicholas Reid is a Canadian-American actor and musician, best known for his work on the television series Franklin and Schitt's Creek. In 2016, he received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Original Song for his work in the feature film People Hold On. In 2019, he received a Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for his work on Schitt's Creek.
Debra McGrath is a Canadian actress and comedian.
Maniac Mansion is a sitcom which aired concurrently on YTV in Canada and The Family Channel in the United States for three seasons from September 14, 1990, to April 4, 1993.
Peter James Edward Oldring is a Canadian actor and comedian.
Schitt's Creek is a Canadian television sitcom created by Dan Levy and his father, Eugene Levy, that aired on CBC Television from 2015 to 2020. It consists of 80 episodes spread over six seasons. Produced by Not a Real Company Productions and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, it follows the trials and tribulations of the formerly wealthy Rose family. After their business manager embezzles the family business, Rose Video, the family loses its fortune and relocates to Schitt's Creek, a town they once purchased as a joke. Now living in a motel, Johnny and Moira —along with their adult offspring, David and Alexis —must adjust to life without wealth.
The first season of Schitt's Creek a Canadian television sitcom created by Daniel Levy and father Eugene Levy premiered on January 13, 2015, and concluded on March 31, 2015, on CBC Television. The season aired 13 episodes and saw the introduction of the characters Johnny Rose, Moira Rose, David Rose, and Alexis Rose. The season was produced by Not a Real Company Productions.
The second season of Schitt's Creek a Canadian television sitcom created by Daniel Levy and father Eugene Levy premiered on January 12, 2016, and concluded on March 29, 2016, on CBC Television. The season aired 13 episodes and saw the return of the characters Johnny Rose, Moira Rose, David Rose & Alexis Rose. The season was once again produced by Not a Real Company Productions.
The Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series or Program is an annual Canadian television award, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best supporting performance by an actor in a Canadian dramatic television series or television film. Previously presented as part of the Gemini Awards, since 2013 it has been presented as part of the Canadian Screen Awards.