Frank TV
Encyclopedia
Frank TV was a sketch comedy show starring Frank Caliendo
, Mike MacRae
, and Freddy Lockhart. Frank was the host of the show and performed in sketches in full makeup as characters he impersonated. Frank joked he "wanted the show to be called The Chappelle Show, but the lawyers wouldn't allow it". Prior to the show's premiere, TBS released clips of the show on their official website.
The first episode of Frank TV premiered on November 20, 2007. The series was filmed in front of a live studio audience
and featured an array of sketches filmed in front of various sets to resemble the likes of popular TV shows. In some sketches, Frank impersonated multiple characters on screen at once, such as one spoofing a Seinfeld
reunion show set in the future where he plays Jerry
, George
, Kramer
, Elaine
, and Newman
; and another with Al Pacino
and Robert De Niro
as movie critics. Frank's castmates from MADtv
, Aries Spears
and Mo Collins
, guest starred on the show. Pat Kilbane
and Pablo Francisco
also guest starred but, they weren't on the show when Frank was. TBS promoted the show heavily during its baseball coverage, but the show garnered mixed reviews.
Frank TV was cancelled in January 2009. When asked about a third season, Caliendo commented by saying, "We’re not coming back. It hasn’t been announced, but we’re done. The time has come and gone for the show, unfortunately".
during the 2007 postseason. A teaser was also released and shown in movie theaters before the official trailers began. These ads featured Frank dressed up as one of his many characters, often 3-5 in the same advertisement.
Frank Caliendo
Frank Caliendo is an American comedian and impressionist, best known for his work on the Fox Network television series MADtv, and as the in-house prognosticator for Fox NFL Sunday. In 2007 and 2008, he performed his impersonations on his own show, Frank TV, which aired on TBS...
, Mike MacRae
Mike MacRae
Mike MacRae is an American comedian and voice actor.-Biography:A native of St. Louis, Missouri, MacRae moved to Houston, Texas in 1995 where he graduated from Rice University in 1999 and started performing in the The Laff Stop. He appeared on television for the first time in 2001 with Comedy...
, and Freddy Lockhart. Frank was the host of the show and performed in sketches in full makeup as characters he impersonated. Frank joked he "wanted the show to be called The Chappelle Show, but the lawyers wouldn't allow it". Prior to the show's premiere, TBS released clips of the show on their official website.
The first episode of Frank TV premiered on November 20, 2007. The series was filmed in front of a live studio audience
Audience
An audience is a group of people who participate in a show or encounter a work of art, literature , theatre, music or academics in any medium...
and featured an array of sketches filmed in front of various sets to resemble the likes of popular TV shows. In some sketches, Frank impersonated multiple characters on screen at once, such as one spoofing a Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
reunion show set in the future where he plays Jerry
Jerry Seinfeld (character)
Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld . The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.The series revolves around...
, George
George Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
, Kramer
Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
, Elaine
Elaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
, and Newman
Newman (Seinfeld)
Newman is a recurring character on the television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998.-Background:...
; and another with Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
and Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
as movie critics. Frank's castmates from MADtv
MADtv
MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...
, Aries Spears
Aries Spears
Aries Spears is an American actor and comedian. Spears is best known as one of the actors on Fox's sketch comedy series MADtv, in which he was in 198 episodes, making him the second longest-serving original cast member on the show....
and Mo Collins
Mo Collins
Maureen "Mo" Ann Collins is an American actress and comedian. Collins is perhaps best known for being a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series MADtv. She became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show...
, guest starred on the show. Pat Kilbane
Pat Kilbane
Patrick F. "Pat" Kilbane is an American comic actor. He first appeared in a 1996 episode ofSeinfeld , in which he played Feldman, Bizarro Kramer. Kilbane appeared for several seasons on MADtv, most notably the spokesperson for MADtv's fictitious company, Spishak...
and Pablo Francisco
Pablo Francisco
Pablo Ridson Francisco is an American stand-up comedian of Chilean origin. He started his career doing improv in Tempe, Arizona.-Career:...
also guest starred but, they weren't on the show when Frank was. TBS promoted the show heavily during its baseball coverage, but the show garnered mixed reviews.
Frank TV was cancelled in January 2009. When asked about a third season, Caliendo commented by saying, "We’re not coming back. It hasn’t been announced, but we’re done. The time has come and gone for the show, unfortunately".
Advertising
TBS aired teaser commercials for the show during its coverage of Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
during the 2007 postseason. A teaser was also released and shown in movie theaters before the official trailers began. These ads featured Frank dressed up as one of his many characters, often 3-5 in the same advertisement.
Season 1 : 2007
| # | Title | Original airdate | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
Season 2 : 2008
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|---|---|---|