Robin Duke
Encyclopedia
Robin Duke is a Canadian
actress and comedian
. Duke is most famous for her work on the NBC
comedy series Saturday Night Live
. In the 2000s, Women Fully Clothed, a sketch comedy troupe which she co-founded, toured Canada. She teaches comedy, as a faculty member at Humber College in Toronto
.
at Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute in Etobicoke; they first met during a production of the play Harvey by Mary Coyle Chase
. O'Hara later became famous in comedy troupe The Second City
. Duke made some small appearances in 1976 episodes before she appeared on a more regular basis from 1980–81, when she replaced O'Hara as a cast member. She was called upon to replace O'Hara a second time when, at the last minute, O'Hara quit the cast of Saturday Night Live.
, a nasally-pitched woman who, with her equally whiny husband (Joe Piscopo
), annoyed everyone she met. She is also remembered for appearing with Mr. T
as the equally bizarre "Mrs. T" in a faux commercial for the real-life product "Mr. and Mrs. T's Bloody Mary
Mix".
(1986), Groundhog Day
(1993) and Stuart Saves His Family
(1995), along with many television guest appearances.
. Her other voice roles include the following:
(from Whose Line Is It Anyway and This Hour Has 22 Minutes fame), Debra McGrath
(Getting Along Famously), Jayne Eastwood
(My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Chicago and This Is Wonderland) and Teresa Pavlinek
(History Bites and The Jane Show) created Women Fully Clothed
, a sketch comedy troupe. The group has toured Canada and appeared in Scotland at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Actor and friend Eugene Levy
calls the team "The Five Funniest Women in Canada".
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 comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
. Duke is most famous for her work on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
comedy series Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. In the 2000s, Women Fully Clothed, a sketch comedy troupe which she co-founded, toured Canada. She teaches comedy, as a faculty member at Humber College 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...
.
Early life & career
Duke went to high school with Catherine O'HaraCatherine O'Hara
Catherine Anne O'Hara is a Canadian-American actress and comedienne. She is well known for her comedy work on SCTV, and her roles in the films After Hours, Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, and also in the mockumentary films written and directed by Christopher Guest...
at Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute in Etobicoke; they first met during a production of the play Harvey by Mary Coyle Chase
Mary Coyle Chase
Mary Coyle Chase was an American journalist, playwright and screenwriter, known primarily for writing the Broadway play Harvey, later adapted for film starring James Stewart...
. O'Hara later became famous in comedy troupe The Second City
The Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
. Duke made some small appearances in 1976 episodes before she appeared on a more regular basis from 1980–81, when she replaced O'Hara as a cast member. She was called upon to replace O'Hara a second time when, at the last minute, O'Hara quit the cast of Saturday Night Live.
NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL) (1981-1984)
Duke was an actor and writer on SNL from 1981 to 1984. Her most popular character was probably Wendy WhinerThe Whiners
The Whiners were recurring characters on Saturday Night Live, from 1982 to 1984. Joe Piscopo, playing Doug Whiner, and Robin Duke, playing Wendy Whiner, spoke all their lines in a whining, nasal tone, hence, a double meaning of their name...
, a nasally-pitched woman who, with her equally whiny husband (Joe Piscopo
Joe Piscopo
Joseph Charles John "Joe" Piscopo is an American comedian and actor best known for his work on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:...
), annoyed everyone she met. She is also remembered for appearing with Mr. T
Mr. T
Mr. T is an American actor known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team, as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and for his appearances as a professional wrestler. Mr. T is known for his trademark African Mandinka warrior hairstyle, his gold jewelry,...
as the equally bizarre "Mrs. T" in a faux commercial for the real-life product "Mr. and Mrs. T's Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary (cocktail)
A Bloody Mary is a popular cocktail containing vodka, tomato juice, and usually other spices or flavorings such as Worcestershire sauce, Peri-Peri Sauce, Tabasco sauce, beef consomme or bouillon, horseradish, celery, olive, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and celery salt...
Mix".
Film acting credits
Duke went on to appear in such films as Club ParadiseClub Paradise
Club Paradise is a 1986 American comedy film directed by Harold Ramis starring Robin Williams, Peter O'Toole, and Jimmy Cliff. The film reunites director/co-writer Ramis with most of his SCTV co-stars -- SCTV cast members Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis, Joe Flaherty, and Robin Duke play...
(1986), Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day (film)
Groundhog Day is a 1993 American comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. It was written by Ramis and Danny Rubin, based on a story by Rubin....
(1993) and Stuart Saves His Family
Stuart Saves His Family
Stuart Saves His Family is a 1995 comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, and based on a series of Saturday Night Live sketches from the early-to-mid 1990s. The movie tracks the adventures of would-be self-help guru Stuart Smalley, a creation of comedian Al Franken, as he attempts to save both his...
(1995), along with many television guest appearances.
Voice Over acting credits
Duke is also the voice of Penny in the children's animated television series George and MarthaGeorge and Martha
George and Martha is an animated children's television show which comprises 26 episodes made in 1999. The program revolves around the lives of two hippos: George and Martha...
. Her other voice roles include the following:
- Bob and MargaretBob and MargaretBob and Margaret was a Canadian/UK animated television series that was also shown in the United States and all over the world. The series was produced by Nelvana, a Toronto animation studio, and created by Canadian David Fine and Brit Alison Snowden...
- Marvin The Tap-Dancing HorseMarvin the Tap-Dancing HorseMarvin The Tap-Dancing Horse is a Canadian animated television show produced by Nelvana. It tells the stories of a young horse named Marvin who is part of a carnival. Among the Executive Producers are Michael Paraskevas and Betty Paraskevas, creators of Maggie and the Ferocious Beast who also...
- Turbo DogsTurbo DogsTurbo Dogs is a television show that airs on Qubo and Kids' CBC. The show is based on the book Racer Dogs by Bob Kolar. The show premiered on October 3, 2008.-Premise:...
- Erky PerkyErky PerkyErky Perky is an Australian and Canadian animated television program on YTV developed by CCI Entertainment. and Ambience Entertainment. The show is about two bickering, dimwitted insects, Erky and Perky, who live at a hot dog stand, but are accidentally taken to a house...
- Jacob Two-TwoJacob Two-Two (TV series)Jacob Two-Two is a Canadian animated TV series based on a trilogy of books written by Mordecai Richler that first aired on Canadian children's channel YTV and aired on the French Canadian VRAK.TV as Jacob Jacob and in Spanish on Telemundo as Jacobo Dos Dos. It was produced by Nelvana; before being...
- GrossologyGrossology (TV series)Grossology is a Canadian animated television series produced by Nelvana, and based loosely on the non-fictional children’s book series of the same name by Sylvia Branzei. It debuted on the YTV network in Canada on September 29, 2006, and was first shown on Discovery Kids in the United States on...
- Franny's FeetFranny's FeetFranny's Feet is an animated series for children. It is produced by DHX Media/Halifax Film in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and created by Cathy Moss and Susan Nielsen. The show follows the adventures of four-year-old Frances "Franny" Fantootsie as she tries on various pairs of shoes and travels to...
- Angela AnacondaAngela AnacondaAngela Anaconda is a Canadian cutout animation television series that aired on the channels Teletoon and Fox Family. It centers on the adventures of an eight-year-old girl named Angela who lives in the fictional town of Tapwater Springs, has wacky brothers, weird friends, and hates a snobbish...
- Busytown MysteriesBusytown MysteriesBusytown Mysteries, also known as Hurray for Huckle!, is a Canadian animated television series created by Cookie Jar Entertainment. Currently the series airs in Canada as part of the Kids' CBC block on CBC Television, in the United Kingdom on the Tiny Pop channel and in the United States as part of...
- CorduroyCorduroy (TV series)Corduroy is a 1997 animated TV series based on Don Freeman's 1968 children's book Corduroy. The show was shown on PBS Kids' Bookworm Bunch until it was cancelled along with Elliot Moose. The show was set in New York City. It was directed by Louis Piche and Larry Jacobs...
- John Callahan's Quads!John Callahan's Quads!John Callahan's Quads! is a Canada-Australia co-production cartoon, based upon work of John Callahan. The show aired on Canada's Teletoon, on Australia's SBS, and in Latin America on Adult Swim...
- Chilly BeachChilly BeachChilly Beach is a Canadian animated series, which airs on CBC Television in Canada and The Comedy Channel in Australia. The series is a comedic depiction of life in the fictional Canadian town of Chilly Beach, described by the producers as "a bunch of Canadians doing the stuff that Canadians do,...
- Iggy ArbuckleIggy ArbuckleIggy Arbuckle is a Canadian animated series that premiered in Canada on Teletoon in June 2007. Based on a comic strip from National Geographic Kids, the show is created by Guy Vasilovich, and focuses about a pig who happens to be a forest ranger, known in the series as a "Pig Ranger"...
- WaysideWayside (TV series)Wayside is a Canadian animated television series created by Louis Sachar, developed and written by John Derevlany for Canadian television channel Teletoon. The series centers on Todd, a transfer student who attends Wayside, an offbeat educational institution based on Sachar's upbringing...
- Spider RidersSpider Ridersis a series of science fiction novels first published in December 2004, published by Newmarket Press written by Tedd Anasti, Patsy Cameron-Anasti and Stephen D. Sullivan . The stories became the basis of the animated television series produced by Cookie Jar Entertainment of Canada and Bee Train of...
- Anne of Green Gables: The Animated SeriesAnne of Green Gables: The Animated SeriesAnne: The Animated Series is a half-hour animated television show produced by Sullivan Entertainment and created by writer/director/producer Kevin Sullivan. The series was developed for PBS and each episode contained an educational aspect. An issue or problem was woven into each show for one or...
- SplicedSpliced (TV series)Spliced is a Canadian animated television series produced by Teletoon and Nelvana. The series made its world premiere on Jetix in Latin America on April 20, 2009. The series currently airs in Canada on Teletoon, in the United States on qubo, in Australia on ABC3, in the United Kingdom on Nicktoons,...
- George ShrinksGeorge ShrinksGeorge Shrinks is a Canadian animated television series. It is based on the children's book by William Joyce, produced in China by Jade Animation and in Canada by Nelvana, in association with Public Broadcasting Service . It tells the story of a ten-year-old boy named George who, for unexplained...
- Super WHY!Super Why!Super Why! or The Reading Adventures of Super Why! is a CGI animated show developed by Angela C. Santomero and Samantha Freeman Alpert. The TV series is produced by New York City-based Out of the Blue Enterprises and Toronto-based DHX Media through its Decode Entertainment division. The show...
- Uncle Joe's Cartoon Playhouse
- Jimmy Two-ShoesJimmy Two-ShoesJimmy Two-Shoes is a Canadian/American animated television series. It airs on Disney XD in the United Kingdom and in the USA, and Teletoon in Canada...
- Magi-NationMagi-Nation (TV series)Magi-Nation is an animated television series based on the card game Magi Nation Duel. The show premiered in Canada on September 8, 2007 on CBC Television and on September 22, 2007 in the U.S. on Kids' WB. A series of DVDs are set to be released on October 21, 2008 through January 6, 2009. The...
- Beyblade
- CyberchaseCyberchaseCyberchase is an American educational television series for children age 6-12, that teaches children discrete mathematics. The show airs on Public Broadcasting Service and PBS Kids GO! in the United States. Seasons one through five were produced by Thirteen/WNET New York and Nelvana...
- The Berenstain BearsThe Berenstain Bears (2003 TV series)The Berenstain Bears is a 2003 animated television series based on Stan and Jan Berenstain's children's book series of the same name. Although most of the earlier episodes in the series were based on the book series, later episodes were not based on any of the books.-Sypnosis:The series follows...
- My Dad the Rock StarMy Dad the Rock StarMy Dad the Rock Star is an animated television series created by Gene Simmons of KISS fame, and produced by Canadian company Nelvana for the Canadian based channel Teletoon...
- Totally Spies!
- Knights of the Zodiac
- Di-Gata DefendersDi-gata defendersDi-Gata Defenders is a Canadian action/adventure, science fiction, fantasy animated television series created by Greg Collinson with Nelvana Entertainment. This show is rated C8 according to the Canadian TV Classification System. The series currently has 52 episodes and is airing the Ethos Saga as...
- Ruby GloomRuby GloomRuby Gloom is an animated television show based on an apparel franchise. The show is produced by Nelvana and began airing on October 13, 2006 in Canada on the network YTV...
- Carl SquaredCarl SquaredCarl² is a Canadian animated series which explores what would happen if a teenager had a clone. The concept of the cartoon is a mixture of biological studies and normal teenage life....
- World of QuestWorld of QuestWorld of Quest is an animated series based on the graphic novel story by Jason Kruse published by Komikwerks . The series was created by Cookie Jar Entertainment, and was animated by Mercury Filmworks East, for season 1. Season 2 was produced by Vancouver's Atomic Cartoons...
- Funpak
- Miss BGMiss BGMiss BG is a 3-D animated series based on the Gudule et les bébés French children's book series published by Hachette-Jeunesse, authored by Fanny Joly and illustrated by Roser Capdevila. It is a joint Canadian/French production and is distributed by Breakthrough Animation...
- Gerald McBoing Boing
- Miss Spider's Sunny Patch FriendsMiss Spider's Sunny Patch FriendsMiss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends is an animated program based on the children's books by David Kirk, which airs on Nick Jr. in the United States, on Treehouse TV in Canada, and on Discovery Kids in Brazil...
- Time Warp TrioTime Warp TrioThe Time Warp Trio is a book series written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith and later by Adam McCauley, which chronicles the adventures of three boys - Joe, Sam, and Fred - who travel through time and space with the aid of the mysterious Book.The storyline has been adapted into an...
- PelswickPelswickPelswick is an animated television series produced by Nelvana for CBC Television in Canada and the Nickelodeon cable channel in the United States. The series is about a teenage boy who uses a wheelchair, emphasized how he lived a normal life and was based on the books created by John Callahan. It...
- What It's Like Being AloneWhat It's Like Being AloneWhat It's Like Being Alone is a Canadian television program which aired on CBC Television in 2006. It is a black comedy created by Brad Peyton, and combines clay animation with voice work by Stacey DePass, Adam Reid, Dwayne Hill, Julie Lemieux, Peter Cugno, and Andrew Sabiston.Having debuted on...
- Friends and HeroesFriends and HeroesFriends and Heroes is a Christian children's program that currently airs on TBN, Smile of a Child, and was also shown on BBC TV. The show is both traditionally animated and computer animated . It takes place from 69 AD - 71 AD...
- KingKing (TV series)King is a Canadian television series on Family, also aired on Nicktoons TV in the UK from 4 March 2006, and showing on POP! on March 12, 2007.-Plot:...
- Scaredy SquirrelScaredy SquirrelScaredy Squirrel is the title character of the Scaredy Squirrel children’s book series. The books often follow the same format: Scaredy identifies his fears, shows how he avoids them at all costs, and develops contingency plans, which usually involve an emergency kit and playing dead till the...
- Captain FlamingoCaptain FlamingoCaptain Flamingo is a Canadian animated television series, which chronicles the adventures of the protagonist and main character Milo Powell Captain Flamingo is a Canadian animated television series, which chronicles the adventures of the protagonist and main character Milo Powell Captain Flamingo...
- 6teen6teen6teen is a Canadian animated sitcom, which premiered in Canada in 2004 on Teletoon. In the USA, 6teen first premiered on Nickelodeon on December 18, 2005 and was removed from the schedule on May 13, 2006 before being removed completely in 2007 before the series' run could be completed. 6teen was...
- Delilah and JuliusDelilah and JuliusDelilah and Julius is a Canadian animated series which is targeted at children and young teens and is animated using Macromedia Flash technology...
- Interlude
- Toot and Puddle
- PandalianPandalianPandalian is a multinational developed animated series, with characters created by the Taiwanese company named TVbean, animation produced by Fuji Creative Corporation and Planet Inc. in Japan, with Nelvana and FUNimation jointly control sales, distribution and merchandising rights outside of Asia...
- Atomic BettyAtomic BettyAtomic Betty is a Canadian animated television series produced by Atomic Cartoons, Breakthrough Films & Television, and Tele Images Kids. Additional funding for production is provided by Teletoon in Canada and M6 and Télétoon in France. It currently airs on CITV. The series has once again begun...
Women Fully Clothed (2004)
In 2004, Duke along with Kathryn GreenwoodKathy Greenwood
Kathryn "Kathy" Greenwood is a Canadian actress and comedienne. She appeared on the American version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? numerous times, and played Grace Bailey on the Canadian television drama series Wind at My Back....
(from Whose Line Is It Anyway and This Hour Has 22 Minutes fame), Debra McGrath
Debra McGrath
Debra McGrath is a Canadian actress and comedienne.-Education:Debra McGrath was born in Toronto in 1954. She studied theatre at Ryerson University.-Career:...
(Getting Along Famously), Jayne Eastwood
Jayne Eastwood
Jayne Eastwood , also credited as Jane Easton or Jane Eastwood, is a Canadian actress most famous for appearing in the 2002 film Chicago. She was one of the original cast members of the Toronto branch of The Second City, and was a semi-regular on SCTV...
(My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Chicago and This Is Wonderland) and Teresa Pavlinek
Teresa Pavlinek
Teresa Pavlinek is a Canadian actress, writer and television producer, best known as the creator and star of The Jane Show.-Career:...
(History Bites and The Jane Show) created Women Fully Clothed
Women Fully Clothed
Women Fully Clothed is a Canadian live sketch comedy troupe, with a cast of four women, touring throughout the world.-Cast:*Kathy Greenwood *Robin Duke...
, a sketch comedy troupe. The group has toured Canada and appeared in Scotland at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Actor and friend Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, television director, producer, musician, and writer. He is known for his work in Canadian television series, American movies, and television movies. He is the only actor to have appeared in all eight of the American Pie films, as Noah Levenstein...
calls the team "The Five Funniest Women in Canada".