Turkey Television

Last updated
Turkey Television
Created by Roger Price
Geraldine Laybourne
Starring Les Lye
Christine McGlade
Adam Reid
John Koensgen
Kevin Kubusheskie
Country of originCanada
United States
No. of episodes(1 found) (list of episodes)
Production
Running time15–20 minutes
Original release
Network Nickelodeon
Release1985 (1985) 
1988 (1988)

Turkey Television is a sketch comedy series originally aired on Nickelodeon from 1985 to 1986 and re-run until 1988. The show was created by Roger Price and Geraldine Laybourne [1] at the request of Nickelodeon in response to the popularity of You Can't Do That on Television , another Canadian children's sketch comedy that aired on the network. [2]

Contents

The series was about an animated turkey named Thurman T. Turkey (voiced by Jim Thurman), who traveled around the world filming television shows from other countries, then "bringin' it home to Hollywood and puttin' it on the air".

Format

Turkey Television presented material from outside sources of varying vintage, from public domain footage (often re-edited and given new sound tracks, similar to Jay Ward's Fractured Flickers ) to not so old clips presented as is (e.g., scenes from Jacques Tati's Monsieur Hulot's Holiday ) to more recent excerpts (skits from the New Jersey Network's Uncle Floyd Show ) to offbeat music videos such as "Fish Heads".

Regular segments and notable skits include:

Animation was also featured on the show. Outside of the opening and interstitials, featuring Thurman in very Looney Tunes-like scenarios, there were also international cartoons including the works of Mordillo. Videos by "Weird Al" Yankovic also appeared from time to time.

Cast

The cast featured Les Lye, Christine McGlade, Kevin Kubusheskie, and Adam Reid, all of You Can't Do That on Television fame, as well as several newcomers from Toronto: Steven Aiken, T.J. Criscione, and Craig Warnock. McGlade was also credited as a producer and a director. The cast also included John Koensgen as "Ivan Telaly" the Russian news announcer. John also co-hosted at least one episode as himself. [3] Australian comedy character Norman Gunston appeared often, as well.

Related Research Articles

<i>You Cant Do That on Television</i> Canadian sketch comedy television series

You Can't Do That on Television is a Canadian sketch comedy television series that aired locally in 1979 before airing in the United States in 1981. It featured adolescent and teenage actors performing in a sketch comedy format similar to America's Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In and Canada's Second City Television. Each episode had a specific theme, typically relating to the popular culture of the time.

<i>Second City Television</i> Canadian television sketch comedy show

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 a rare example of a Canadian show that moved successfully to U.S. television, where it aired on NBC in 1981–1983.

Edward Mayhoff 'Ed' Grimley is a fictional character created and portrayed by Martin Short. The original concept came from the stories told by Bob Ingram about his childhood imaginary friend. 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 comedy specials I, Martin Short, Goes Hollywood and I, Martin Short, Goes Home.

<i>Fast Forward</i> (Australian TV series) Australian sketch comedy television series

Fast Forward was Australia's highest-rating and most critically awarded commercial television sketch comedy show, broadcast for 90 one-hour episodes from 12 April 1989 to 26 November 1992.

<i>In Living Color</i> American sketch comedy television series, 1990–1994

In Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series that originally ran on Fox from April 15, 1990, to May 19, 1994. Keenen Ivory Wayans created, wrote and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Television and was taped at stage 7 at the Fox Television Center on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

<i>Comedy Inc.</i> (Australian TV series) Australian sketch comedy TV series

Comedy Inc. was an Australian sketch comedy television series, which ran on the Nine Network from 19 February 2003 to 26 December 2007. The series was produced by Crackerjack Productions. It first premiered in February 2003 in the new wave of Australian sketch comedy shows being launched across the free-to-air channels along with Big Bite and skitHOUSE. Since the end of the series episodes have been repeated on the Foxtel cable channel, The Comedy Channel and during 2009, reruns were shown on Nine HD before the channel's closure.

Blue Collar TV is an American sketch comedy television series that aired on The WB from July 29, 2004 to July 26, 2006 starring Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, and Larry the Cable Guy. The show's humor dealt principally with contemporary American society, and especially hillbilly, redneck, and Southern stereotypes. The show was greenlighted on the heels of the success of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, which the series' three lead actors toured with in the early to mid-2000s. It was created by Fax Bahr and Adam Small, in addition to J.P. Williams and Jeff Foxworthy. Blue collar is a U.S. phrase used to describe manual laborers, as opposed to white collar for office or professional workers.

<i>Almost Live!</i> American TV series or program

Almost Live! was a local sketch comedy television show in Seattle, Washington, USA, produced and broadcast by NBC affiliate KING-TV from 1984 to 1999. A re-packaged version of the show also aired on Comedy Central from 1992 to 1993, and episodes aired on WGRZ-TV and other Gannett-owned stations in the late 1990s. The show was broadcast in Seattle on Saturday nights at 11:30, pushing Saturday Night Live back to midnight, while other Gannett stations aired it after Saturday Night Live.

Christine Moya McGlade is a Canadian digital designer, strategist, executive, lecturer, former television producer, and children's television host.

<i>Goin Bulilit</i> Philippine sketch comedy television series

Goin' Bulilit is a Philippine sketch comedy television series broadcast by ABS-CBN. The show premiered on February 6, 2005, replacing Ang Tanging Ina and aired every Sunday nights on the network's Yes Weekend! block. It also aired worldwide via TFC. The show featured children in various comedic situations, aiming to provide laughter for the audiences by showcasing gags, sketches, and segments. The cast is composed of child stars, except for Dagul, who portrayed different roles ranging from young to old characters every week to bring entertainment. The show ended on August 4, 2019, and was replaced by Rated K in its time slot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Les Lye</span> Canadian actor (1924–2009)

Leslie Ernest Lye was a Canadian actor, comedian, writer, radio personality and announcer and voice artist. He was an original cast member and played numerous roles on the children's program You Can't Do That on Television. He had a television and radio career spanning over half a century.

Scotch and Wry is a Scottish television comedy sketch show produced by BBC Scotland and starring Rikki Fulton and a revolving ensemble cast which over the years included Gregor Fisher, Tony Roper, Claire Nielson, Juliet Cadzow and John Bett.

Michael Nesmith in Television Parts is a summer TV series run by NBC in 1985. It was a 30-minute comedy-variety series created by Michael Nesmith as a continuation of his Grammy Award-winning video production Elephant Parts, and earlier series PopClips. The first episode was a stand-alone television special which aired on March 7, 1985. The following series premiered on June 14, 1985.

The Continental is an American television series that aired on CBS from January 22, 1952, through April 17, 1952, and on ABC from October 1952 through January 6, 1953. It starred Renzo Cesana in the title role.

<i>Nick Cannon Presents: Short Circuitz</i> American TV series or program

Nick Cannon Presents: Short Circuitz is a sketch comedy show starring Nick Cannon on MTV that debuted April 5, 2007. The show was cancelled and pulled from MTV on April 30, 2007, due to low ratings. A month after the show's cancellation, the series returned on June 7, 2007 as part of the Nick Cannon Power Hour, but was soon cancelled again.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> parodies of Sarah Palin Television comedy sketches

The sketch comedy television show Saturday Night Live aired several critically acclaimed sketches parodying then Alaskan Governor and vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin in the lead-up to the 2008 United States presidential election. The sketches featured former cast member Tina Fey, who returned as a guest star to portray Palin. Fey won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her impersonation of Palin.

<i>All That</i> American sketch comedy television series

All That is an American sketch comedy children's television series created by Brian Robbins and Mike Tollin. The series originally aired on Nickelodeon from April 16, 1994, to October 22, 2005, lasting ten seasons, and was produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions and by Schneider's Bakery in season ten. The pilot episode was originally shown as a special "sneak peek" on April 16, 1994, with the show officially debuting as a regular series on December 24 the same year.

Dick and Dom's Funny Business is a British comedy television series for children, hosted by comic presenting duo Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood. The series was broadcast in a Saturday morning slot on BBC Two and simulcast on the CBBC Channel, and was Dick and Dom's return to Saturday mornings following the success of Dick & Dom in da Bungalow, which ended in Spring 2006. Unlike ...da Bungalow, which was largely broadcast live and ran for up to three hours with inserted content, ...Funny Business was a pre-recorded, self-contained one-hour programme. The first series began in January 2011 and ran for 13 episodes.

<i>Dont Look Now</i> (1983 TV series) American TV series or program

Don't Look Now is an American national children's sketch comedy show produced for PBS by WGBH-TV in Boston, Massachusetts, and created by Geoffrey Darby and Roger Price. It is a clone of their program for CTV and Nickelodeon, You Can't Do That on Television. The first episode aired on October 2, 1983, and showed its final episode on October 30, 1983. It was originally slated to be called Don't Tell Your Mother, but was later changed to its final title, Don't Look Now, due to PBS executive's concern that the title would encourage children to keep secrets from their parents. It was created out of uncertainty that their top show You Can't Do That on Television would continue, and was cancelled possibly due to the complaints of parents for its content, and also Nickelodeon's concern that if had it not been cancelled it may have spelled the end of You Can't Do That on Television.

References

  1. "Turkey Television". IMDB. Archived from the original on January 12, 2004. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
  2. "Turkey TV". Archived from the original on December 4, 2014.
  3. "Turkey Television". Archived from the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved 2007-03-31.