The histories of The Second City's Toronto theatre and SCTV are of course inextricably linked. In late 1973, Andrew Alexander and his partners Len Stuart and Scott Baker purchased the Toronto branch of the Second City from Bernie Sahlins and managed to get it back on its feet. In 1976 they would found their own production company to produce Second City Television. The original SCTV cast was taken straight from the theatre company, and in the early days some of the performers were doing both the TV and stage show simultaneously. Later in the run, bit players and replacement cast were also brought in from the theatre. The timeline highlights major events in the life of both the theatre (left) and the show (right).
Second City |
1974 |
SCTV |
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March 13 |
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October 24 |
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1975 |
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Revue: Alterations While You Wait
Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, John Candy,
Catherine O'Hara, Andrea Martin, Dan Aykroyd
directed by Joe Flaherty |
March 17 |
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Flaherty, Candy, Levy leave for Pasadena and are replaced by Dave Thomas, John Monteith, Ben Gordon |
Summer |
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Revue: Also Available In Paperback
Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas,
Ben Gordon, John Monteith
directed by Sheldon Patinkin |
September |
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1976 |
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Revue: Best Of Second City
Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas,
Ben Gordon, John Monteith
directed by Joe Flaherty |
January |
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Spring |
Joe Flaherty, Harold Ramis, Eugene Levy, Andrew Alexander, Bernie Sahlins, Sheldon Patinkin, Del Close and Dave Thomas brainstorm a new TV show. By accounts, it was Del, Del and Sheldon, or Sheldon and Del who had the idea for a TV station. |
Revue: For a Good Time Call 363-1674
Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas, John Candy,
Ben Gordon, John Monteith
directed by Joe Flaherty |
May 3 |
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August 22 |
First Second City Television show of an initial block of seven shows is recorded. |
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September 18 |
Shooting schedule: Captain Combat (1-2), English for Beginners (1-2), Gus Gustofferson Security Guard (1-2), Sermonette: Father John Duffy (1-5), Dialing for Dollars: Changing Partners (1-7), Sammy Maudlin Show (1-3), Amanda 2 Microwave Oven (1-5), Backstage (1-4), Interpol (?), Sermonette: UN (?). |
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September 21 |
First show broadcast on Global Television. The first six shows are shown one per month into February 1977. |
Revue: Wizard of Ossington
Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas, John Candy
Peter Aykroyd, Brenda Donohue
directed by Joe Flaherty |
November 16 |
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1977 |
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February 24 |
Second batch of six shows begins airing, now twice per month, to 19 May 1977. |
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May 24 |
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Summer |
Writing the next batch of shows for Series 1 in LA ("wrote 16 shows in 7 weeks"). |
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September 17 |
Debut of syndication of Series 1 in US; episode 1-1 broadcast on WMAQ in Chicago. |
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September 19 |
First show of second set of 13 shows for Series 1 airs on Global. The show runs weekly to 12 December 1977. |
Best of revue: Once More With Fooling
Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Robin Duke,
Peter Aykroyd, Peter Torokvei, Steve Kampmann
directed by Joe Flaherty |
December 7 |
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December 19 |
Reruns of Series 1 begin airing (in order) on Global and run right through the summer. |
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1978 |
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Revue: Saturday Night Beaver
Martin Short, Robin Duke, Peter Torokvei,
Steve Kampmann, Cathy Gallant
directed by Eugene Levy |
May 10 |
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Pilot: Laugh Track
Written by Steve Kampmann and Peter Torokvei
featuring Kampmann, Torokvei, Martin Short, Don Dickinson
Unaired, later used for The Cisco Kid in Series 3 |
Summer (?) |
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September 16 |
First show of Series 2 airs on Global. |
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1979 |
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February 22 |
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March 3 |
Last show of Series 2 airs on Global. |
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July 16 |
Global cancels Second City TV. |
Revue: Freud Slipped Here
Tony Rosato, Mary Wilcox, Don Dickinson, Derek McGrath, Maggie Butterfield, Don DePollo |
November 16 |
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November 23 |
Alexander announces that SCTV has been picked up by CBC for 26 episodes. |
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1980 |
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April |
Flaherty, Thomas, Martin, Levy and O'Hara shoot "From Cleveland" in Cleveland for CBS. |
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Summer |
Writing Series 3 in Toronto. |
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July 1 |
Due to the deal Alexander has worked out with Charles Allard to get the show back on the air after a year-long hiatus, Series 3 starts shooting at Allard's studio in Edmonton. |
Freud Slipped Here continues with
Derek McGrath, John Hemphill, Don Lamont, Kathy Laskey, Denise Pigeon |
June |
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Revue: Best of Second City 2
Martin Short returns to join the regular cast during an actor's strike in Hollywood (Steve Kampman, Catherine O'Hara and Mary Wilcox also do some shows) |
August |
Big City Comedy begins taping at CFTO-TV. |
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September 9 |
CBC airs "The Best of SCTV". |
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September 19 |
Series 3 debuts on CBC. |
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September 26 |
Big City Comedy debuts on CTV, with guests Billy Crystal and Margaret Trudeau. |
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1981 |
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Revue: Two Minutes For High Schticking
Robin Duke, Tony Rosato, Mary Wilcox,
John Hemphill, Derek McGrath |
January 30 |
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March 13 |
Final episode of Series 3 airs on CBC. Repeats continue through July. |
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April 11 |
Robin Duke and Tony Rosato debut on Saturday Night Live. |
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May 15 |
First Network/90 Show of Cycle 1 aired on NBC as a mid-season replacement for 'Midnight Special'. |
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July 31 |
Last show of Cycle 1 airs on NBC. |
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Summer |
Dave and Rick record Bob and Doug McKenzie album. |
Revue: Little Hostile On the Prairie
John Hemphill, Kathy Laskey, Derek McGrath,
Ken Innes, Deborah Kimmett
directed by Del Close |
September 16 |
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October 16 |
First episode of Cycle 2 starts the new season on NBC. A 60 minute version of Series 4 debuts on CBC. |
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November 24 |
Bob and Doug McKenzie album released; the album and single 'Take Off' go straight to number 1 in Canada. |
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December 12 |
Take Off single tops the CHUM FM singles chart in its second week. |
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December |
Production of Cycle 2 wraps in Edmonton. |
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1982 |
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March 22 |
Production of Cycle 3 begins at Magder Studios in Toronto. |
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March 27 |
Bob and Doug McKenzie album is Number 9 with a bullet on Billboard Top 200 chart, while Take Off peaks at number 16. |
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April |
Norman Seeff conducts a week-long photo shoot at Magder for Life magazine. |
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April 16 |
First episode of Cycle 3 airs on NBC. |
Revue: To Mock a Kilogram
John Hemphill, Kathy Laskey, Don Lake,
Derek McGrath, Ken Innes, Deborah Kimmett
directed by Michael Gellman |
May 18 |
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June |
Martin Short joins the cast. |
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July 16 |
The last new episode (show 7 of Cycle 3) of the 1981-82 NBC season airs. |
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October 15 |
The new season begins on NBC with show 8 of Cycle 3. |
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November |
Count Floyd EP released on RCA Records. |
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November 5 |
First episode of Cycle 4 airs on NBC. |
Benefit: United We Fall
All eight SCTV cast members reunite for a benefit show. |
November 14 |
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1983 |
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Revue: I've Got a Sequel Part II
John Hemphill, Kathy Laskey, Don Lake,
Debra McGrath, Ron James, Bruce Pirrie |
January |
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January 28 |
First episode of Cycle 5 airs on NBC. |
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February 25 |
Taping of Cycle 5 finishes. |
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March 18 |
Final episode on NBC. |
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August 19 |
Strange Brew opens in Canada (seven days later in the U.S.). |
Revue: No Man Is a Centre Island
John Hemphill, Kathy Laskey, Don Lake,
Debra McGrath, Ron James, Bruce Pirrie
directed by Sheldon Patinkin |
September 16 |
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November 22 |
Series 6 debut on Cinemax. |
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1984 |
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April |
Final Cinemax episodes recorded. |
Revue: Waiting For John Doe
John Hemphill, Kathy Laskey, Don Lake,
Debra McGrath, Ron James, Bruce Pirrie, Sandra Balcovske
directed by Bernard Sahlins |
May 31 |
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June |
Martin Short announces he will be joining Saturday Night Live in the fall. |
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July 3 |
Executive Producer Andrew Alexander announces that SCTV has wrapped for good, and 156 half-hour shows (later expanded to 185) have been sold into syndication in markets across the States. |
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July 17 |
Final show airs on Cinemax. |
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October 6 |
Martin Short debut on Saturday Night Live. |
Second City Chicago 25th Anniversary
attended by Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Tony Rosato, Robin Duke, Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas, included a private show as well as the taped show |
December 15-17 |
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1985 |
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March 14 |
The Last Polka airs on HBO. |
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November 20 |
The Concert For the North Americas airs on Showtime. |
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1988 |
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April 16 |
Biographies: The Enigma of Bobby Bittman airs on Cinemax. |
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August 28 |
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September 10 |
The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley debuts on NBC. |
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September 21 |
The Best of SCTV airs on ABC during the writer's strike. |
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1989 |
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June 3 |
I, Martin Short Goes Hollywood airs on HBO. |
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July 1 |
Andrea Martin...Together Again airs on Showtime. |
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1992 |
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Benefit: Friends of Gilda
featuring Joe Flaherty, Robin Duke, Dave Thomas, Eugene Levy, Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, John Candy, Jayne Eastwood |
September 26 |
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1993 |
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October 9 |
Cast reunion: Vancouver International Film Festival with Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Harold Ramis, Martin Short and Dave Thomas. SCTV was honored at an evening of screening SCTV sketches, hosted by Brent Bambury. |
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1994 |
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March 4 |
John Candy 1950-1994. |
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1995 |
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May 20 |
The Show Formerly Known as the Martin Short Show airs on NBC as a summer replacement for SNL. |
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1996 |
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November 9 |
SCTV: Behind the Scenes by Dave Thomas is published. |
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1997 |
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Winter |
SCTV Guide goes on air. |
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March 4 |
Cast reunion: William S. Paley Television Festival with Robin Duke, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Dave Thomas, and Andrew Alexander, Del Close and Bernard Sahlins. (Included as an extra on DVD Volume 3.) |
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1998 |
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June |
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1999 |
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March |
Cast reunion: U.S. Comedy Arts Festival with Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Harold Ramis, Martin Short, Dave Thomas, hosted by Conan O'Brien. (Included as an extra on DVD Volume 1) |
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July |
Bob and Doug sequel Home Brew cancelled at the last minute when financing falls through. |
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2000 |
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Second City: Backstage At The World's Greatest Comedy Theater by Sheldon Patinkin is published |
April |
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2001 |
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June 20 |
Primetime Glick debuts on Comedy Central, and runs for three series. |
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2002 |
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February |
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2004 |
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June 8 |
SCTV DVD Volume 1 released. |
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September 18 |
Jiminy Glick in Lalawood premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival. |
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October 19 |
SCTV DVD Volume 2 released. |
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2005 |
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March 1 |
SCTV DVD Volume 3 released. |
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September 13 |
SCTV DVD Volume 4 released. |
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2006 |
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October 24 |
SCTV DVD Best of the Early Years released. |
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2007 |
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May 20 |
Bob and Doug McKenzie's Two-Four Anniversary special airs on CBC. |
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August 30 |
Second City Television: A History and Episode Guide by Jeff Robbins is published. |
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2008 |
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Benefit: The Benefit Of Laughter
SCTV reunion show in Toronto with
Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short;
also featuring Women Fully Clothed with Robin Duke |
May 5, 6 |
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2009 |
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April 19 |
First episode of Bob & Doug, the animated McKenzie brothers show airs in Canada, voiced by Dave Thomas and Dave Coulier |
Benefit: The Benefits Of Laughter
SCTV reunion in Chicago for the Second City 50th Festival (two shows)
Harold Ramis, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Dave Thomas |
December 11 |
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2010 |
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January 27 |
The Official SCTV YouTube channel goes on air. |
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September 2 |
SCTV joins Facebook. |
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2011 |
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October 11 |
After another 30 year absence, Molly Earl returns to the air with a new show Craft Break. |
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2012 |
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April 3 |
I, Martin Short, Goes Home airs on CBC. |
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2013 |
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February 7 |
The Second City Network begins posting classic SCTV sketches. |
Second City co-founder/Series 1 producer Bernie Sahlins 1922-2013 |
June 16 |
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2014 |
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February 24 |
Harold Ramis 1944-2014. |
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2016 |
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February 22 |
SCTV executive producer and Second City co-owner Len Stuart 1942-2016. |
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2017 |
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January 11 |
Tony Rosato 1954-2017. |
Benefit: Take Off, Eh
Bob and Doug Mackenzie live reunion at Second City Toronto, with
Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis, Martin Short, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Joe Flaherty, along with many other special guests, including Geddy Lee |
July 18 |
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2018 |
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May 13 |
Cast Reunion: An Afternoon With SCTV with Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short and Dave Thomas, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel; Robin Duke, Juul Haalmeyer and many others were also in attendance. Filmed for a Martin Scorcese documentary project. |
