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PROGRAMS - GREAT WHITE NORTH with Bob and Doug McKenzie |
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Great White North Compiled and researched by Bronwyn Douwsma Started almost accidentally to mock Canadian content rules, these beer guzzling, back bacon-eating Canadian hosers attained massive popularity. Wraparound shows featuring Bob and Doug included:
In his book SCTV: Behind the Scenes, Dave Thomas mentions how he and Moranis would just sit down and improvise a bunch of episodes at a time, and use the best ones. Analysis of the shows that aired reveals a number of distinct taping sessions. Series 3 Series 4, session 1 (Spring '81) Series 4, session 2 (early fall '81) Series 4, session 3 (end of '81) [New title graphic] Series 4, session 4 (Spring '82) [Switch to Magder Studios] Note: Dave Thomas' book refers to The Great White North as Kanadian Korner in Series 3 and the first cycle of Series 4 (which is all repeats but one), a convention maintained here. He also numbers the shows, and as there are gaps in the numbering, presumably some Kanadian Korners were deemed unsuitable and never aired.
Taping Session 1The set was at first quite bare, featuring only cases of Canadian and a cooler. The Coleman stove was added in the 3rd show.
1 Kanadian Korner 1: Introductory Show [3 - 1 (5)]They had to change the name to Great White North for legal reasons. They have new boots. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 2 Kanadian Korner 2: Doug's got his earmuffs on [3 - 2 (3)]Doug misses the start of the show because his earmuffs are on. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 3 Kanadian Korner 3: The French Problem [3 - 3 (4)]Separatism and back bacon. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 4 Kanadian Korner 4: Calculators [3 - 4 (3)]Bob calls the show Kanadian Korner again, and explains they can't use that name unless they spell it with Ks. Doug gets the camera to zoom in. They are opposed to kids using calculators in school, 'cause they didn't get to. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 5 Kanadian Korner 5: Snow Chains [3 - 5 (4)]Doug has worked out the theme. Doug doesn't quite get around to the topic of snow chains. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 6 Kanadian Korner 6: Back bacon and Snow Chains [3 - 6 (3)]Bob cooks some back bacon, while Doug's got snow chains on his feet. Doug gets the camera to zoom in. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas Taping Session 2For the second session, two artificial plants were added, the cases of Canadian are resting on a case of some other beer, and the Coleman has a tank.
8 Kanadian Korner 8: Back Packing with Beer on Ski Trips [3 - 8 (3)]Doug has a tip on getting your beer through snow with skis. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 7 Kanadian Korner 10: Making Doug Go [3 - 7 (4)]Doug is asleep so Bob tries to make him go. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 11 Kanadian Korner 11: Miracle of Back Bacon [3 - 11 (3)]Doug takes over, gets the crew to join in on the theme, and tells the story of the miracle of back bacon. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 12 Kanadian Korner 13: Name that Smoke [3 - 12 (3)]Doug's invented a game. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 14 Kanadian Korner 14: Exercise [3 - 14 (5)]The crew does the opening theme. Bob admits he doesn't know much about exercise. Doug suggests using a wolf pelt. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 15 Kanadian Korner 15: Rolling your own with ski mitts [3 - 15 (3)]Your snowmobile has broken down, you're loaded, and now you roll your own. Doug demonstrates. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 9 Kanadian Korner 17: Snowshoes for Spatulas [3 - 9 (4)]What to do when you are out in the open and you forgot your spatula, for flipping the back bacon. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas Taping Session 3For the third session, it's only cases of Canadian, the cooler has been turned sideways, and there is once again no tank on the Coleman.
18 Kanadian Korner 18: Sports [3 - 18 (3)]Hockey was better when there was only 6 teams - now it's too hard to carry around your cards. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 10 Kanadian Korner 19: Boom Shadows, Stuff that Bug Us [3 - 10 (3)]They show the boom microphones and boom shadows. They give up on their other topic. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 20 Kanadian Korner 20: Stuff that Bugs Us [3 - 20 (4)]People who honk when you stop to look at an accident; express lines in Canadian Tire. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 21 Kanadian Korner 22: Parking at Donut Places [3 - 21 (5)]Doug's new beer bottle. Why parking lots are so small at donut places. They got a ticket. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 17 Kanadian Korner 23: The Best Groups and Doug's Imitations [3 - 17 (3)]Disco sucks. Doug imitates two dogs fighting, a boat, seagulls. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 13 Kanadian Korner 24: Star Wars [3 - 13 (4)]Doug does his phaser and Darth Vader. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 19 Kanadian Korner 26: Bowling Loaded [3 - 19 (3)]The downsides of bowling loaded. Doug persuades Bob to sit on his knee and talk in a funny voice. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 16 Kanadian Korner 28: Mystery Guest [3 - 16 (2)]Doug has earmuffs over his eyes. They play name that beer. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas Taping Session 4: Outside the StudioFor the fourth session, Bob and Doug go on location for their strange odyssey outside the studio.
22 Kanadian Korner 29: Kicked out of studio [3 - 22 (5)]Bob and Doug are doing the show on a pile of dirt on the street because they were kicked out because Bob knocked over an expensive camera. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 23 Kanadian Korner 30: Stolen Car [3 - 23 (5)]Bob and Doug are still outside, and they stole a car, which they use to sleep in. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas 24 Kanadian Korner 32: Where to Look for Cops [3 - 24 (3)]Doug talks about cops; they are still on the lam; they hear sirens and take off. Bob Mckenzie as Doug Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie as Bob Mckenzie - Thomas 25 Kanadian Korner 33: Doug Builds a Studio [3 - 25 (5)]Still outside, Doug, wearing safety goggles, has assembled some scrap lumber into what will become their new studio. Bob Mckenzie - Moranis; Doug Mckenzie - Thomas Series 4 Taping Session 1The set here is a jumbled mix of cases of Canadian and Blue, and features two new fake plants, while the table is also new and has a broken crosspiece. Some skis, seen in one series 3 show lying across the table, are propped against the set behind Bob. The Traveling and Salaries show, the only new one shown in Cycle 1 of Series 4 (all the others being repeats), is referred to in Dave Thomas' book as a Kanadian Korner (unnumbered), but it is clearly from the same batch as the shows from Cycle 2.
26 Kanadian Korner: Traveling and salaries [4/1 - 2 (8)]Bob has a traveling anecdote. Bob's heard they have different salaries. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 28 Great White North: Economics [4/2 - 1 (4)]Bob's got a frog in his throat. Economics - it's about what you do when you got so many empties you can't fit them all in the truck. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 30 Great White North: Short Cuts [4/2 - 3 (4)]Doug extends the theme. He behaves obnoxiously, Bob complains and they argue. As a result, they don't get around to Bob's topic, short cuts. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 31 Great White North: Carpets [4/2 - 4 (8)]They got excess carpet and put it up on the walls in their van. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 32 Great White North: Microwave Ovens [4/2 - 5 (2)]Should you cook back bacon in microwave ovens (obviously not, eh). Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas The Ian Thomas show appears to have been a one-off. It features the Series 4 plants, but doesn't have cases of Blue. The skis seen in the other first series 4 session shows are here, but positioned behind Doug. The table appears reversed, showing an unbroken crosspiece, while the broken one appears to have been removed.
27 Great White North: Ian Thomas [4/1 - 9 (8)]Bob and Doug interview Ian Thomas. They show some video they shot the night before. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas; Ian Thomas - Ian Thomas Series 4 Taping Session 2The cases of Canadian and Blue are now organized on either side, the skis are gone, and the plants are oriented differently. And, with the exception of Canadian Footbal, a number of props are on the floor to the left of the table.
29 Great White North: Mouse in a bottle [4/2 - 2 (5)]Bob and Doug have a tip on how to get a free 24. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 33 Great White North: Long Underwear and Backbacon [4/2 - 6 (4)]Doug explains long underwear, and Bob shows some overcooked backbacon. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 41 Great White North: Twist-off Beer Caps [4/3 - 6 (7)]Bob and Doug want to know why Americans have twist-off caps. Doug figures it's because their beer is weaker and they have to drink faster. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 42 Great White North: Dog scoopers [4/3 - 8 (6)]Using dog scoops and dealing with business in New York. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas Great White North: Canadian Football [CBC - Pledge Week Show]Bob explains how Canadian football differs from the American version. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas Series 4 Taping Session 3These shows feature a new title graphic, and the cases of Blue are gone. The Christmas show has a Christmas tree in place of one of the plants, while the other two shows have only one plant, on the right. The table appears to have been reversed, and the broken crosspiece removed. The taping of these three shows, along with some unaired snippets, was also filmed by a CBC crew for an item on the newsmagazine show The Journal in 1982, which was released as an extra on the Best of the Early Years DVD set.
34 Great White North: Beer Nog [4/2 - 7 (3)]Doug has a special Christmas theme. Tip for getting out of drinking egg nog. An anecdote about a turkey. They exchange gifts (smokes!). Tree decorations. [Unusually for a GWN, this sketch is a second take.] Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 35 Great White North: The Great White North [4/2 - 8 (5)]The Great White North, including the 3 Great Lakes, the provinces and the Maritimes. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 36 Great White North: The Space Arm/Snow Routes [4/2 - 9 (12)]Doug wonders if the space arm, made in Canada, can be used to open beers, while Bob has a topic about snow routes. They argue about who had the best topic. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas Series 4 Taping Session 4This session marks the switch from ITV Studios in Edmonton to Magder Studios in Toronto. While very similar, the backdrop (indicating that there at least two of the famous Great White North maps in existence), cooler, table, and plants (back to two) have all changed. The lighting is also noticeably different. The table has a whole lot of empties and a few steins and mugs on it, while the Coleman is open and turned sideways. These shows continue to use the new title from the previous session.
39 Great White North: 15-pin bowling [4/3 - 3 (5)]They're back, but their show has been cut from two minutes to one. Bob shows a mirror ball he stole from their special. In the Great White North, there's 5 pin bowling, and in the U.S., there's 10 pin, so they want to talk about 15-pin bowling, but they run out of time. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 40 Great White North: How to beat the Russians [4/3 - 5 (14)]The show is back to two minutes. Relaxed, the boys have the camera pan off as they have all kinds of time. When they pan pack, Doug quickly comes up with a topic: how to beat the Russians in the space race. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas The Tony Bennett impromptu show was shot on the same set, though it seems likely from the arrangement of the backset, which is too low here, a little before. The Coleman however is in the same sideways position, albeit closed, and the cooler and cases are in the same places. The empties are also all over the table, albeit moved around a bit, but the mugs and steins have not moved. Plus, snowshoes!
38 Great White North: Tony Bennett [4/3 - 1 (3d)]After the disaster, the boys find their old Great White North set. Tony Bennett drops by and tells them he wanted to be their topic; so they do an impromptu show. Tony sings a morale boosting number ("The Best Is Yet to Come"). Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas; Tony Bennett - Tony Bennett Wraparound Shows27 The Great White North [4/1 - 9 (93)]Bob and Doug end up stealing Brian Johns' topic, Ian Thomas. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas; Brian Johns - Levy; Johnny LaRue - Candy; Vic Hedges - Flaherty; Ian Thomas - Ian Thomas; Interviewer - O'Hara; Crowd - extras 37 The Great White North Palace [4/3 - 1 (10)]Bob and Doug's variety special, but they have trouble with the cue cards and generally screw it up. Guy, watching on his monitor, tries to salvage the show by getting Tony Bennett to do a number ('I Wish I Were In Love Again'). Bob and Doug do a blind date sketch with Joyce and Morgan, but screw up reading the cue cards again. Morgan and then Joyce walk. Guy pulls the plug. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas; Guy Caballero - Flaherty; Tony Bennett - himself; Don Costa (orchestra leader) - Levy; Tony Bennett's band - themselves; Morgan Fairchild - O'Hara; Joyce Dewitt - Martin; Great White (union) Dancers - extras; crew - extras; announcer - staff announcer Other Projects43 The Great White North: Bob and Doug McKenzie LP 1981 [LP]Various topics. The hit song 'Take Off!', and that Christmas classic, 'Twelve Days of Christmas'. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas; Geddy Lee - himself 44 The Great White North: 1982 Juno AwardsVarious topics, including Doug's imitations, riding in a limousine, record sales, and the K-Tel guy. They present three awards - most promising new group, and most promising female and male vocalists. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 45 The Great White North: Strange Brew (movie/LP) 1983 [Movie]Bob and Doug try to get a free 24, and end up getting QC jobs at the Elsinore Brewery, where they find strange things going on. The soundtrack includes excerpts from the movie, the theme song, and some other bits (full title: The Adventures of Bob and Doug McKenzie Strange Brew Excerpts From the Original Soundtrack). Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas; Brewmaster Smith - Max Von Sydow; Mr McKenzie - Mel Blanc 46 The Great White North: Home Brew (movie) 2000Bob and Doug start their own brewery. (The film never made it to production) Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas 47 Bob and Doug McKenzie's Two-Four Anniversary 2007 [Movie]Bob and Doug celebrate their 24 anniversary with a retrospective describing their indelible influence on Canadian culture, such as it is. Hosted by former prime minister Paul Martin, featuring various celebrities describing where they were when hoser mania hit back in the early 80's. Bob McKenzie - Moranis; Doug McKenzie - Thomas; host/narrator - Paul Martin; guest - Geddy Lee |
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