Christine McGlade
Encyclopedia
Christine "Moose" McGlade (born August 25, 1963) is a Canadian
actress and producer, who was the longtime host of the internationally popular kids' sketch comedy
TV program You Can't Do That On Television
(YCDTOTV). She was with the show from its very beginning as a local attraction on Ottawa
, Ontario
, television station CJOH in 1979 until partway through the 1986 season. (In 1985 and 1986 Alasdair Gillis was her co-host.) She also served as host for Whatever Turns You On, the short-lived spinoff of YCDTOTV which aired on Canada's CTV
network in the fall of 1979.
held auditions for the show in the fall of 1978, McGlade went to the auditions only to support a friend. She had no ambitions in acting or show business, but Price insisted that she either audition or leave. McGlade auditioned and was chosen for the show, although her friend was not.
McGlade was much older than most of the other kids on the show. She was fifteen when she started on YCDTOTV, and by the time she left the show in 1986, she was 23. What allowed her to stay on the show for as long as she did, besides her natural TV talents (even more remarkable given the fact that she had no acting experience beforehand), was the fact that she looked much younger than she actually was, and could believably play 14 or 15 when she was 21.
On YCDTOTV, McGlade was most frequently seen on the familiar blue link set, talking directly to the audience and lecturing on the theme of each program. She did not appear in as many of the comedy sketches taped off the link set as her younger fellow cast members. During the live
, local, hour-long episodes of YCDTOTV aired on CJOH in 1979 and 1981, she often introduced the live contest segments and music video
s.
As hostess, McGlade played the role of straight man, frequently dealing with annoyances and interruptions from chatty sidekick Lisa Ruddy and stage director Ross Ewich (Les Lye
). Ross enjoyed putting the hapless McGlade in unfortunate situations, which often resulted in her being slimed (after being tricked into saying the trigger phrase, "I don't know"), pied, or watered.
McGlade's nickname on YCDTOTV, "Moose," was also her nickname in real life. According to McGlade's blog
, she was given the name by a sixth-grade classmate "based on the fact that I was always the smallest kid in the class. I think [the classmate] may have been referring to the character in the Archie comics
, the giant blonde one, called "Moose
" ) After she mentioned this to Roger Price, he decided to write it into the show, and thus McGlade was known as "Moose Mason
" not only to her schoolmates, but to thousands of young viewers in the U.S., Canada and around the world.
style. In most of her scenes in 1982, she wore a wig of human hair that looked a lot like the hairdo she'd worn in 1981. However, since she couldn't get that human hair wig slimed or watered, for scenes involving messy or wet slapstick
(including some scenes in which she was not the one to be slimed or watered), McGlade had to wear a curly synthetic wig. By 1983 McGlade's natural hair had grown back, and there was no longer a need for a wig.
While McGlade usually played herself on the show, there were instances in which she played other characters. In the 1981 season she played the old lady at the movie theater, a role that had been originated by Ruth Buzzi
on Whatever Turns You On. In the "Fairy Tales" episode in 1986 she played one of Cinderella
's wicked stepsisters. In 1989 she did make a brief cameo in a classroom sketch at the end of the "Age" episode.
While never "official" cast members, some members of McGlade's family also made cameo appearances on the show - for example, her father in "Work, Work, Work" (1981), and her younger sister and brother in "Cosmetics" (1982). Her younger sister Lisa actually played a younger version of McGlade herself in a detention sketch, and her younger brother, Michael, was written into a sketch in the doctor's office in which he was brought into there with a stomachache after eating all of her makeup. Lisa McGlade did make a few more cameo appearances in the classroom sketches during the 1985 season.
, a comedy/variety show aired on Nickelodeon which was also created by Price. In recent years she has worked for both TVOntario
and the CBC
in Toronto
as director of children's programming.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
actress and producer, who was the longtime host of the internationally popular kids' sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
TV program You Can't Do That On Television
You Can't Do That on Television
You Can't Do That on Television is a Canadian television program that first aired locally in 1979 before ultimately airing internationally in 1981...
(YCDTOTV). She was with the show from its very beginning as a local attraction on Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, television station CJOH in 1979 until partway through the 1986 season. (In 1985 and 1986 Alasdair Gillis was her co-host.) She also served as host for Whatever Turns You On, the short-lived spinoff of YCDTOTV which aired on Canada's CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
network in the fall of 1979.
You Can't Do That On Television
McGlade became a cast member on You Can't Do That On Television by "accident," according to fansite YCDTOTV.com. When show creator Roger PriceRoger Price (television producer)
Roger Damon Price is an English television producer, also active in Canada, most notable for creating children's science fiction series The Tomorrow People, Junior Points of View and the Canadian sketch comedy You Can't Do That on Television, which became hugely successful on Nickelodeon in the...
held auditions for the show in the fall of 1978, McGlade went to the auditions only to support a friend. She had no ambitions in acting or show business, but Price insisted that she either audition or leave. McGlade auditioned and was chosen for the show, although her friend was not.
McGlade was much older than most of the other kids on the show. She was fifteen when she started on YCDTOTV, and by the time she left the show in 1986, she was 23. What allowed her to stay on the show for as long as she did, besides her natural TV talents (even more remarkable given the fact that she had no acting experience beforehand), was the fact that she looked much younger than she actually was, and could believably play 14 or 15 when she was 21.
On YCDTOTV, McGlade was most frequently seen on the familiar blue link set, talking directly to the audience and lecturing on the theme of each program. She did not appear in as many of the comedy sketches taped off the link set as her younger fellow cast members. During the live
Live television
Live television refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. From the early days of television until about 1958, live television was used heavily, except for filmed shows such as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke. Video tape did not exist until 1957...
, local, hour-long episodes of YCDTOTV aired on CJOH in 1979 and 1981, she often introduced the live contest segments and music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s.
As hostess, McGlade played the role of straight man, frequently dealing with annoyances and interruptions from chatty sidekick Lisa Ruddy and stage director Ross Ewich (Les Lye
Les Lye
Leslie Earnest "Les" Lye was a Canadian actor. Best known for his numerous roles as one of the two adults on the children's program, You Can't Do That On Television , he enjoyed a television and radio career spanning nearly half a century.-Career:Following a stint in the armed forces after high...
). Ross enjoyed putting the hapless McGlade in unfortunate situations, which often resulted in her being slimed (after being tricked into saying the trigger phrase, "I don't know"), pied, or watered.
McGlade's nickname on YCDTOTV, "Moose," was also her nickname in real life. According to McGlade's blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
, she was given the name by a sixth-grade classmate "based on the fact that I was always the smallest kid in the class. I think [the classmate] may have been referring to the character in the Archie comics
Archie Comics
Archie Comics is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, New York, known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Jughead Jones. The characters were created by...
, the giant blonde one, called "Moose
Moose Mason
Moose Mason is a fictional character in the Archie Comics universe. He attends Riverdale High School where he is typically depicted as the best athlete but the poorest student. His difficulties with school were later attributed to dyslexia...
" ) After she mentioned this to Roger Price, he decided to write it into the show, and thus McGlade was known as "Moose Mason
Moose Mason
Moose Mason is a fictional character in the Archie Comics universe. He attends Riverdale High School where he is typically depicted as the best athlete but the poorest student. His difficulties with school were later attributed to dyslexia...
" not only to her schoolmates, but to thousands of young viewers in the U.S., Canada and around the world.
Wig
Throughout all of the 1982 season of "YCDTOTV," McGlade wore a wig. After the 1981 season was over, she cut her trademark curly dark hair short and dyed it in a punkPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
style. In most of her scenes in 1982, she wore a wig of human hair that looked a lot like the hairdo she'd worn in 1981. However, since she couldn't get that human hair wig slimed or watered, for scenes involving messy or wet slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
(including some scenes in which she was not the one to be slimed or watered), McGlade had to wear a curly synthetic wig. By 1983 McGlade's natural hair had grown back, and there was no longer a need for a wig.
While McGlade usually played herself on the show, there were instances in which she played other characters. In the 1981 season she played the old lady at the movie theater, a role that had been originated by Ruth Buzzi
Ruth Buzzi
Ruth Ann Buzzi is an American comedienne and actress of theatre, film, and television. She is especially known for her performances on the comedy-variety show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In from 1968 to 1973.-Early life:...
on Whatever Turns You On. In the "Fairy Tales" episode in 1986 she played one of Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
's wicked stepsisters. In 1989 she did make a brief cameo in a classroom sketch at the end of the "Age" episode.
While never "official" cast members, some members of McGlade's family also made cameo appearances on the show - for example, her father in "Work, Work, Work" (1981), and her younger sister and brother in "Cosmetics" (1982). Her younger sister Lisa actually played a younger version of McGlade herself in a detention sketch, and her younger brother, Michael, was written into a sketch in the doctor's office in which he was brought into there with a stomachache after eating all of her makeup. Lisa McGlade did make a few more cameo appearances in the classroom sketches during the 1985 season.
Later career
After leaving YCDTOTV, McGlade starred on Turkey TelevisionTurkey Television
Turkey Television is a Canadian teen sketch comedy originally aired on Nickelodeon. The show was created by Roger Price and Geraldine Laybourne at the request of Nickelodeon in response to the popularity of You Can't Do That on Television, another Canadian children's sketch comedy airing on Nick...
, a comedy/variety show aired on Nickelodeon which was also created by Price. In recent years she has worked for both TVOntario
TVOntario
TVOntario, often referred to only as TVO , is a publicly funded, educational English-language television station and media organization in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Ontario...
and the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
as director of children's programming.