''Four on the Floor'' is a
sketch comedy
Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches" or, "skits", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. While the form developed and became popular in ...
series which aired on
CBC Television
CBC Television (also known as CBC TV, or simply CBC) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language terrestrial television, broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcasting, p ...
in 1986.
Consisting of only 13 episodes, the series was a showcase for
The Frantics, a comedy troupe consisting of
Paul Chato
Paul Chato is a Canadian comedian and writer, the president of a web design company, and a former television executive. He was born in 1954 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to Hungarian parents. Chato grew up in the first planned community in North A ...
,
Rick Green,
Dan Redican
Dan Redican (born 1956 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian comedy writer and performer and puppeteer, best known for his work with the comedy troupe '' the Frantics.'' As a founding member of the troupe he has worked since 1979 on numerous stage s ...
and
Peter Wildman
Peter Wildman (born December 29, 1954) is a Canadian actor and member of the Frantics comedy troupe. He appeared as Buzz Sherwood on ''The Red Green Show'', and voiced Mojo in '' X-Men: The Animated Series'' and Mr. Fixit in the series '' The ...
. In the
U.K.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, it aired in
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
's traditional Friday night comedy slot, from 10 June to 2 September 1988.
The introduction was voiced by Dan and Rick alternating each line, with video clips and sound effects interspersed in the opening.
Although the series was quickly cancelled due to CBC budget constraints, it was an important influence on later Canadian
sketch comedy
Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches" or, "skits", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. While the form developed and became popular in ...
, such as ''
The Kids in the Hall''.
Character
The show's most famous character was Mr. Canoehead, a quintessentially Canadian superhero: on a canoeing trip in
Algonquin Park
Algonquin Provincial Park is an Ontario provincial park located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River, mostly within the Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District. Established in 1893, it is the oldest provincial park in Canada. Addit ...
, he was hit by lightning while
portaging
Portage or portaging ( CA: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a '' ...
his
aluminum
Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...
canoe
A canoe is a lightweight, narrow watercraft, water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using paddles.
In British English, the term ' ...
, which became permanently welded to his head. As a crime fighter, he would capture criminals by turning around so that the canoe knocked them over.
The character had been originally developed for the radio show ''Frantic Times'', with the troupe initially uncertain how to make the sketch work for television.
[Rob Salem, "Forever Frantics". '']Toronto Star
The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part of Torstar's Daily News Brands (Torstar), Daily News Brands division.
...
'', December 30, 2004.
See also
*''
Boot to the Head
''Boot to the Head'' is a comedy album performed by the Canadian comedy troupe The Frantics. Originally released as an LP in 1987, it was re-issued in 1996 as a CD with the same track listing. The album features a number of skits from their radio ...
''
*''
History Bites
''History Bites'' is a television series on History Television that ran from 1998 to 2004. It was a prime-time program. Created by Rick Green, ''History Bites'' explored what would be on television if the medium had been around for the last 5,0 ...
''
*''
The Red Green Show
''The Red Green Show'' was a half-hour Canadian television television comedy, comedy series. It aired on various channels in Canada from April 4, 1991 until April 7, 2006. The show was created and entirely co-written by Canadian comedian Steve S ...
''
References
External links
*
CBC Television original programming
1980s Canadian sketch comedy television series
1986 Canadian television series debuts
1986 Canadian television series endings
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