"Second City TV" (1976) TV series 1976-1981

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Creator:

Andrew Alexander
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

1 September 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Don't touch that dial! Don't touch that one either! And stop touching yourself! SCTV is on the air!

Plot:

The staff of Melonville's TV station put on programming that is unique in its own silly way.

Plot Keywords:

Spoof | Satire | Actor Playing Multiple Roles | Second City | Number In Title

Cast

Joe Flaherty	...	Various / ... (77 episodes, 1976-1982)
Eugene Levy	...	Various / ... (76 episodes, 1976-1982)
Andrea Martin	...	Various / ... (76 episodes, 1976-1982)
Dave Thomas	...	Various / ... (75 episodes, 1976-1981)
Catherine O'Hara	...	Various / ... (51 episodes, 1976-1982)
John Candy	...	Various (50 episodes, 1976-1979)
Tony Rosato	...	Various / ... (36 episodes, 1977-1981)
Robin Duke	...	Various / ... (28 episodes, 1976-1981)
Harold Ramis	...	Various / ... (28 episodes, 1976-1978)
Rick Moranis	...	Various (25 episodes, 1980-1981)

(more)

Series Directed by
George Bloomfield		(39 episodes, 1977-1979)
Milad Bessada		(26 episodes, 1976-1977)
John Blanchard		(26 episodes, 1980-1981)

Series Writing credits
Joe Flaherty		(78 episodes, 1976-1981)
Eugene Levy		(78 episodes, 1976-1981)
Andrea Martin		(78 episodes, 1976-1981)
Dave Thomas		(78 episodes, 1976-1981)
John Candy		(52 episodes, 1976-1979)
Catherine O'Hara		(52 episodes, 1976-1979)
Harold Ramis		(47 episodes, 1976-1979)
Brian Doyle-Murray		(34 episodes, 1976-1979)
Sheldon Patinkin		(26 episodes, 1976-1978)
Dick Blasucci		(26 episodes, 1980-1981)
Robin Duke		(26 episodes, 1980-1981)
Paul Flaherty		(26 episodes, 1980-1981)
Rick Moranis		(26 episodes, 1980-1981)
Tony Rosato		(26 episodes, 1980-1981)
Michael Short		(26 episodes, 1980-1981)
Jim Fisher		(10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jim Staahl		(10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Andrew Alexander		(1 episode, 1976)

Series Produced by
Andrew Alexander	....	executive producer / producer (78 episodes, 1976-1981)
Jack E. Rhodes	....	executive producer (78 episodes, 1976-1981)
Len Stuart	....	executive producer (78 episodes, 1976-1981)
Dave Thomas	....	producer (52 episodes, 1976-1979)
Patrick Whitley	....	line producer / producer (52 episodes, 1978-1981)
Joe Flaherty	....	producer (50 episodes, 1976-1979)
Bernard Sahlins	....	executive producer / producer / ... (45 episodes, 1976-1979)
Scott Baker	....	executive producer (39 episodes, 1976-1978)
Charles Allard	....	executive producer (39 episodes, 1978-1981)
Sheldon Patinkin	....	associate producer (26 episodes, 1976-1977)
Jerry Appleton	....	executive producer (26 episodes, 1978-1979)
Milad Bessada	....	supervising producer / producer (26 episodes, 1978-1979)
Bob Gibson	....	senior producer (26 episodes, 1980-1981)
Doug Holtby	....	executive producer (26 episodes, 1980-1981)
Alan Rucker	....	producer (26 episodes, 1980-1981)
Harold Ramis	....	associate producer (14 episodes, 1976-1977)

Series Cinematography by
Robert C. New		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Sheldon Patinkin		(26 episodes, 1976-1977)

Series Production Design by
Scott Dobbie		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Clive Edwards		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Juul Haalmeyer		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Barbara Palmer	....	makeup artist (78 episodes, 1976-1981)
Robert Palmer	....	makeup artist (78 episodes, 1976-1981)
Christine Hart	....	makeup artist (52 episodes, 1978-1981)
Beverly Schechtman	....	makeup artist (52 episodes, 1978-1981)
Judi Cooper-Sealy	....	hair stylist (26 episodes, 1980-1981)
Murray Gills	....	hair stylist (unknown episodes)
Ivan Lynch	....	hair stylist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Marc Giacomelli	....	post-production supervisor (26 episodes, 1980-1981)

Series Art Department
Laurie Dobbie	....	painter (unknown episodes)
Ed Hanna	....	set dresser (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Larry Baker	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Steve Convery	....	sound mixer (unknown episodes)
Terry O'Bright	....	sound effects editor (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Wayne Clarke	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Simon Dalrymple	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Steve Durant	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Ted Hart	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Stan Hodson	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Brent Holman	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Les Medon	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Norm Michaelis	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
John Whyle	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Russ Little	....	composer: theme music (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Moe Green	....	stage manager (26 episodes, 1976-1977)
Rosanne Ironstone	....	script supervisor (26 episodes, 1976-1977)
Dave Proc	....	technical coordinator (26 episodes, 1980-1981)
Jamie Paul Rock	....	floor director (26 episodes, 1980-1981)
Norm Vale	....	switcher (26 episodes, 1980-1981)

Production Companies

• Old Firehall Productions

Distributors

• CanWest Global Television Network (1976-1980) (Canada) (TV)
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) (1980-1984) (Canada) (TV)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1981) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Rhino Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Rhodes Productions (USA)
• Shout! Factory (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Western International Communications Ltd. (2001) (worldwide) (TV)

Also Known As:

SCTV (Canada: English title) (new title) (USA)
Second City Revue (Canada: English title)

Runtime:

30 min (78 episodes)

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Company:

Old Firehall Productions

Trivia:

The McKenzie brothers characters, from the "Great White North" sketch, were essentially reincarnated in animal form, when Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas reunited to voice the mooses Tuke and Rutt in Brother Bear (2003).

Quotes:

Station Manager Harold Ramis: This is Harold Ramis speaking for the management of Second City Television. SCTV recognizes its responsibility to the community, and condemns the excessive use of explicit sexual material in television today. We do, however, love violence, so parental discretion _is_ advised in viewing the following program...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Homestarrunner.com: Everything Else, Volume 3 (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Dance of the Hours

The greatest show that ever was, and that ever will be...

SCTV is now on the air! and I LOVE IT!! I'm only 18 yrs old, so naturally, I was born after the show ended, but I've been watching reruns for quite a while now, and I have to say that I know the show pretty well. There's so much to say about it. Like most of the other posters stated, SCTV surpassed SNL in every aspect. I'm not much of a fan of SNL just because I find it's humour too simple, too forced. I like the wit. For example, this may seem to be stupid, but when you think about it, it's very ingenious: The Days of Our Lives becomes The Heys of Our Lives and everyone says "hey" all the time!! I mean, it's corny, yes, but it works! Oh, I love of the actors so much! They're so awesome at what they do! John Candy's sleazy Johnny LaRue, Joe Flaherty's equally sleazy and money-hungry Guy Caballero, Eugene Levy's funnyman Bobby "How are ya?!" Bittman, Andrea Martin's loud-mouthed, cackling Edith Prickley, Rick Moranis's super (as in the supers on his show) crazy Gerry Todd, Catherine O'Hara's spoiled, man-crazed performer, Lola "I want to bear your children! HA!haha!" Heatherton and Dave Thomas's opinionated Bill Needle.

Yes, SCTV had it all, and all the actors had caliber. There are so many more characters and impersonations worth naming and remembering: Floyd Robertson, Count Floyd, Earl Camembert, Bob and Doug McKenzie, Dr. Tongue, Woody Tobias,Jr. aka Bruno, Alex Trebel, "Rockin'" Mel Slirrup, Mrs. Falbo, Big Jim McBob and Billy Sol Hurok, Yosh and Stan Shmenge, Harvey K-Tel, Lin Ye Tang, Richard Harris, Bob Hope, Rabbi Karlov, Crazy Hy, Ricardo Montalban, Don Strom, Sid Dithers, Moe Green, Ed Grimley, Jackie Rogers,Jr., Pierre Trudeau, Hugh Betcha, Alistair Cook, Larry Siegel, Merv Griffin, Sammy Maudlin, Lou Jaffe, William B. Williams, Brock Linehan, Harry (The Guy with a snake on his face), Skip Bittman, David Brinkley, Lorna Minelli, Barbra Streisand, Divine, Brian Johns, Mayor Tommy Shanks, William F. Buckley, Mother Theresa, Angus Crock, the 5 Neat Guys, Brooke Shields, Raoul Wilson, Joyce DeHalfWitt, Jack Klugman, Tex and Edna Boil, Liberace, G. Gordon Liddy, Gus Gustofferson, Al Peck... oh! there are SOOOOOO MANY!!! All of them memorable. One of my favourite skits is when Richard Harris (Dave Thomas, of course) guest stars on Mel's Rock Pile and sings a re-mix of MacArthur's Park. Actually, anything with Dave Thomas as Richard Harris is hilarious. There are so many sketches I could name, but I won't, because it would literally take me a full day, if not two.

How can anyone NOT enjoy this show? I mean, if you've seen it at least once, be you Canadian or American, there had at least one sketch that made you chuckle! I am glad that it never became as popular and widely known as SNL... and that it didn't as long. For those who knew and loved SCTV, they know that it was never bad comedy and that it went out with dignity... and humour! This show is a timeless classic and I hope that it's memory will live on with the DVD box sets. I am glad to have stumbled upon this treasure... it's too bad that more people don't appreciated the comedic talent of these fine, fine actors.