John Franklin Candy was a Canadian actor and comedian known mainly for his work in Hollywood films. Candy rose to fame as a member of the Toronto branch of the Second City and its Second City Television (SCTV) series, and through his appearances in comedy films, including Stripes, National Lampoon's Vacation, Splash, Cool Runnings, Summer Rental, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and Uncle Buck, as well as more dramatic roles in Only the Lonely and JFK. One of his most renowned onscreen performances was as Del Griffith, the talkative shower-curtain ring salesman in the John Hughes comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles. In addition to his work as an actor, Candy was a co-owner of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League from 1991 until his death, and the team won the 1991 Grey Cup under his ownership. Candy died of a heart attack in 1994 at the age of 43. His final two films, Wagons East and Canadian Bacon, are dedicated to his memory.
Second City Television, commonly shortened to SCTV and later known as SCTV Network and SCTV Channel, is a Canadian television sketch comedy show that ran intermittently between 1976 and 1984. It was created as an offshoot from Toronto's Second City troupe. It is an example of a Canadian show that moved successfully to American TV, where it aired for three years on two different networks.
Edward Mayhoff 'Ed' Grimley is a fictional character created and portrayed by Martin Short. Developed amongst The Second City improv comedy troupe, Grimley made his television debut on the sketch comedy show SCTV in 1982, leading to popular success for both Short and the persona. Short continued to portray Grimley on Saturday Night Live and in various other appearances. The character also starred in Hanna-Barbera's 1988 animated series The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley, and appeared in Short's 2012 comedy special I, Martin Short, Goes Home.
Martin Hayter Short is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, singer, and writer. He is known for his work on the television programs SCTV and Saturday Night Live. He has starred in comedy films such as Three Amigos (1986), Innerspace (1987), Three Fugitives (1989), Clifford (1994), Father of the Bride (1991), Pure Luck (1991), Captain Ron (1992), Father of the Bride Part II (1995), Mars Attacks! (1996), Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006). Short created the characters Jiminy Glick and Ed Grimley.
Catherine Anne O'Hara is a Canadian-American actress, comedian, and writer. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Genie Award, a Golden Globe Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and six Canadian Screen Awards. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2018 and was honoured with the Governor General's Performing Arts Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award in 2020. O'Hara first drew notice as an actress in 1974 as a member of The Second City improvisational comedy troupe in Toronto. She landed her first significant television role starring opposite John Candy and Dan Aykroyd in the main cast of the sitcom Coming Up Rosie (1975–1978). The following year, O'Hara and Candy began work on the sketch comedy series Second City Television (1976–84), where she drew critical acclaim for both her work as a comedic actress and writer, winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series in 1981.
Eugene Levy CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, producer, director, and writer. From 1976 until 1984, he appeared in the Canadian television sketch comedy series SCTV. He is also well known for works such as the American Pie series of movies and the Canadian sitcom Schitt's Creek. He often plays flustered and unconventional figures. He is a regular collaborator of actor-director Christopher Guest, appearing in and co-writing four of his films, commencing with Waiting for Guffman (1996).
David William Thomas is a Canadian actor, comedian and television writer. He is best known for being one half of the duo Bob and Doug McKenzie with Rick Moranis. He appeared as Doug McKenzie on SCTV, for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award out of two nominations, and in the film Strange Brew (1983), which he also co-directed. As a duo, they made two albums, The Great White North and Strange Brew, the former gaining them a Grammy Award nomination and a Juno Award.
Bob and Doug McKenzie are a pair of fictional Canadian brothers who hosted "Great White North", a sketch which was introduced on SCTV for the show's third season when it moved to CBC Television in 1980. Bob is played by Rick Moranis and Doug is played by Dave Thomas. Although created originally as filler to both satisfy and mock network Canadian content demands, the duo became a pop culture phenomenon in both Canada and the United States. The characters were later revived for an animated series, Bob & Doug, which premiered on Global in 2009.
David Steinberg is a Canadian comedian, actor, writer, director, and author. At the height of his popularity, during the late 1960s and mid 1970s, he was one of the best-known comics in the United States. He appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson more than 130 times and served as guest host 12 times, the youngest person ever to guest-host. Steinberg directed several films and episodes of television situation comedies, including Seinfeld, Friends, Mad About You, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Golden Girls, and Designing Women.
Coming Up Rosie was a Canadian children's sitcom TV series on CBC Television, aired for three seasons from 1975–1978.
Daniel Joseph Levy is a Canadian actor, writer, director, comedian, and producer. Born in Toronto to parents Eugene Levy and Deborah Divine, he began his career as a television host on MTV Canada. Levy received international prominence and critical acclaim for starring as David Rose in the CBC sitcom Schitt's Creek (2015–2020), which he also co-created and co-starred in with his father.
Andrew Alexander is a theater and television producer, best known for his previous leadership and co-ownership of The Second City and for co-developing and producing the television show SCTV.
Edith Prickley was a character in all six seasons of the Canadian sketch comedy series SCTV. Created and played by Andrea Martin, the character took over as the station manager for the fictional television station Second City Television, based out of a city called Melonville, and serving the "tri-city area". Her character, visibly distinct by her leopard-print clothing and hat, and rhinestone studded glasses, served the station's president and owner, Guy Caballero.
Patrick Whitley is a Canadian television producer.
There have been numerous depictions of prime ministers of Canada in popular culture.
Floyd Robertson is a fictional news anchor and reporter, portrayed by Joe Flaherty on the Canadian sketch comedy series SCTV in the 1970s and 1980s. He was a co-anchor, with Earl Camembert, of the SCTV News. In addition, he doubled as the long-running horror host Count Floyd on Monster Chiller Horror Theatre.
Kidstuff is a Canadian children's television series produced by CTV and Champlain Productions, in 1975 and 1976.
An Afternoon with SCTV is an upcoming Canadian-American comedy streaming television special reuniting the cast of Second City Television that is set to premiere on Netflix and CTV.
