Four on the Floor
Encyclopedia
Four on the Floor was a sketch comedy
series which aired on CBC Television
in 1986. Consisting of only 13 episodes, the series was a showcase for The Frantics, a comedy troupe consisting of Paul Chato
, Rick Green
, Dan Redican
and Peter Wildman
. In the U.K., it aired in Channel 4
's traditional Friday night comedy slot, 10 June-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
, such as The Kids in the Hall
.
, 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.
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...
series which aired on CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
in 1986. Consisting of only 13 episodes, the series was a showcase for The Frantics, a comedy troupe consisting of Paul Chato
Paul Chato
Paul Chato is a comedian and World Wide Web media executive. He was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1954 to Hungarian parents. Paul grew up in the first planned community in North America, Don Mills...
, Rick Green
Rick Green
Rick Green is a Canadian comedian, satirist, and writer. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Waterloo. From 1975 until 1979, he worked as a presenter at the Ontario Science Centre. In 1979, he helped found the Toronto-based comedy troupe The Frantics...
, Dan Redican
Dan Redican
Dan Redican 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 shows, the Frantic Times radio show, Four on the Floor TV show...
and Peter Wildman
Peter Wildman
Peter Wildman is a Canadian actor, voice actor, musician, writer and member of the Frantics comedy troupe. He voiced Buzz Sherwood on The Red Green Show, Mojo on the X-Men Animated Series and Sergeant Murphy in the series The Busy World of Richard Scarry....
. In the U.K., it aired in Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's traditional Friday night comedy slot, 10 June-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
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...
, such as The Kids in the Hall
The Kids in the Hall
The Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 1984, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. Their eponymous television show ran from 1988 to 1994 on CBC in Canada, and 1989 to 1995 on CBS and HBO in the United States...
.
Characters
The show's most famous character was Mr. Canoehead, a quintessentially Canadian superhero: on a canoeing trip in Algonquin Park, he was hit by lightning while portaging his aluminum canoeCanoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
, 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.
See also
- Boot to the headBoot to the HeadBoot to the Head is a Canadian comedy album, performed by The Frantics comedy troupe. Originally released as an LP in 1987, it was re-issued with the same track listing as a CD in 1996. The album features a number of skits from their radio show Frantic Times, as well as a few sketches that could...
- The Kids in the HallThe Kids in the HallThe Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 1984, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. Their eponymous television show ran from 1988 to 1994 on CBC in Canada, and 1989 to 1995 on CBS and HBO in the United States...
- History BitesHistory BitesHistory Bites was a television series on the History Television network that ran from 1998-2003. Created by Rick Green, History Bites explored what would be on television if the medium had been around for the last 5,000 years of human history. Typically, a significant historical event was chosen...
- The Red Green ShowThe Red Green ShowThe Red Green Show is a Canadian television comedy that aired on various channels in Canada, with its ultimate home at CBC Television, and on Public Broadcasting Service stations in the United States, from 1991 until the series finale April 7, 2006 on CBC...