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

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Creator:

Andrew Alexander
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

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:

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

Cast

Joe Flaherty	...	Various / ... (76 episodes, 1976-1981)
Eugene Levy	...	Various / ... (75 episodes, 1976-1981)
Andrea Martin	...	Various / ... (75 episodes, 1976-1981)
Dave Thomas	...	Various / ... (75 episodes, 1976-1981)
John Candy	...	Various (50 episodes, 1976-1979)
Catherine O'Hara	...	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)
Shelley Long	...	Various Characters (26 episodes, 1976-1977)
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 Champions Online (2009) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Dance of the Hours

Brilliant satire of television

Like SATURDAY NIGHT, SECOND CITY TV was a sketch comedy show with a repertory cast. But there, the resemblance ended. Instead of a bunch of disconnected sketches with musical interludes, SECOND CITY TV was a concept show about the programs and behind-the-scenes shenanigans of a cheesy, low-budget TV station. Therefore, unlike SNL, which took potshots at anything from current events to whatever celebrity was guesting, SECOND CITY TV concentrated on the television industry.

The results were some of the most incisive and skillful parodies in TV history, from commercials for useless products to self-congratulatory talk shows to pompous "cultural" programming. The talented cast members skewered such icons as Bob Hope and Barbra Streisand and created such memorable characters like Joe Flaherty's sleazy station owner Guy Caballero and Andrea Martin's vulgar station manager Edith Prickley. Unlike SNL, SECOND CITY TELEVISION never pandered to the lowest common denominator; it always respected its audience with intelligent humor that satirized the foibles of both the television industry and the people in it. The syndicated show's success would result in a 90-minute network version.