Second City's 50th Anniversary Celebration Continues with SCTV Golden Classics Broadcast, 12/16

On Thursday, December 17 at 9pm, SCTV Golden Classics will feature legendary sketch comedy skits by The Second City alumi John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, AndRea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, and Dave Thomas. The exclusive broadcast on WLIW21 honors the 50th anniversary of The Second City, which opened its first theatre December 16, 1959 in Chicago, and spawned the Emmy Award-winning SCTV in 1976, launching the careers of comedy luminaries ranging from Alan Arkin and Joan Rivers to John Belushi, Mike Myers, Tina Fey, and Stephen Colbert. Distributed by WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG, SCTV Golden Classics will air nationwide on public television stations beginning March 2010 (check local listings).

SCTV, or Second City Television, followed the exploits of an aspiring fictional television station, led by Owner and President Guy Caballero (Flaherty), and the inimitable personalities who starred in its local programs. Spoofing TV programming staples like game shows, talk shows and film shows, famous sketches featured in SCTV Golden Classics include "The Great White North" with Canadian brothers Bob (Moranis) and Doug (Thomas) McKenzie; "Monster Chiller Horror Theatre" Host Count Floyd (Flaherty) previewing "Dr. Tongue's 3D House of Stewardesses" starring mad scientist Dr. Tongue (Candy) and hunch-backed servant Bruno (Levy); hillbillies Big Jim McBob (Flaherty) and Billy Sol Hurok's (Candy) "Farm Film Report" blowing up Neil Sedaka (Levy); and parodies of Jeopardy! ("High Q with Alex Trebel" with Levy as host), The Merv Griffin Show and The Dick Cavett Show, both featuring Moranis as host. Laugh-out-loud celebrity impersonations and musical numbers include Candy as Pavorotti in a chewing gum ad; Levy as Perry Como singing disco hits; O'Hara as Katherine Hepburn and washed-up singer/actress Lola Heatherton; Martin as Ethel Merman and Indira Gandhi; Short as Jerry Lewis and pointy-haired nerd Ed Grimley; Leutonian polka stars The Happy Wanderers featuring the Shmenge Brothers (Candy and Levy); and barbershop-style vocal group 5 Neat Guys (Candy, Flaherty, Levy, Thomas, and Moranis) singing their neatest hits "She Does It," "Who Brought the Egg Salad Sandwiches" and more.

"2009 has been a particularly great year for comedy on public television with WLIW21's The Best of Red Skelton and THIRTEEN's Make 'Em Laugh miniseries, joining PBS traditions like The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, Monty Python and other classic British and Canadian comedies. SCTV's combination of raw talent and irreverent humor is the perfect fit," said David Rubinsohn, WLIW21 Vice President of Programming and Distribution and Station Manager. "We're happy to bring SCTV Golden Classics to our New York metro-area viewers for the 50th anniversary and national audiences next year." Andrew Alexander, CEO/Executive Producer of The Second City, Inc. expressed, "We're thrilled that WLIW21 is helping us celebrate 50 years of making audiences laugh. It's great that America's first city can be part of The Second City's golden anniversary."

During its seven-year run, SCTV garnered 13 Emmy Award nominations and won two for best writing. It grew to be adored by audiences in its native Canada before spreading to American distribution. "We were totally misplaced to our markets," reflected SCTV cast member Dave Thomas, "We should have been on PBS. We would have been closer to getting our audience." Enjoyed by younger generations in syndication, the series proved to be an original template for the sketch comedy format on television, with ensemble work, structuring and presentation that would inspire virtually all other sketch programs to come. Whether you're a longtime fan or watching for the first time, when you tune in to SCTV Golden Classics take Guy Caballero's advice, "Sit back, shut up and enjoy the show."

New York public media company WNET.ORG is a pioneering provider of television and web content. The parent of Thirteen, WLIW21 and Creative News Group, WNET.ORG brings such acclaimed broadcast series and websites as Worldfocus, Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Wide Angle, Secrets of the Dead, Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, Visions, Consuelo Mack WealthTrack, Wild Chronicles, Miffy and Friends, and Cyberchase to national and international audiences. Through its wide range of channels and platforms, WNET.ORG serves the entire New York City metro area with unique local productions, broadcasts and innovative educational and cultural projects. In all that it does, WNET.ORG pursues a single, overarching goal - to create media experiences of lasting significance for New York, America and the world. For more information, visit www.wnet.org.