Wayne and Shuster's humour was a strange blend of slapstick and literate humour; they weren't adverse to sight gags and delightfully bad puns, but would also produce skits which sent up Shakespeare and other classic works. They would also spoof TV shows and movies, commercials, Canadian parliament, and pretty much anything else which took their fancy. Some of their most famous skits include Julius Caesar, Shakespearean Baseball, Frontier Psychiatrist, and The Brown Pumpernickel (The Scarlet Pimpernel). Below is another well-known skit- "I Was A TV Addict":
** Since Canada's 150th birthday is at the end of the week, I'm going to put other things on hold for a few days and devote a number of posts to Canadian content.** Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster were Canadian comedians whose career lasted from the late 1930's until Wayne's death in 1990. They met in high school in Toronto and later both attended the University of Toronto, where they began writing for and performing in the school theater. In 1941 they got their own show on a local radio station. Their comedic talent was soon noticed and they were given a show on CBC radio. During World War II, they joined the Canadian army and became part of a group of entertainers, performing for the troops in Europe. They returned to CBC Radio following the War and developed The Wayne and Shuster Show. They again spent time entertaining the troops during the Korean War. Wayne and Shuster, famous in Canada, became well-known in the States following an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in the late 1950's. They became Sullivan's favourite performers and appeared on his show 58 times. The comedy duo turned down a lot of offers for permanent positions in the United States, preferring to stay in Toronto, though they did go Stateside frequently to film shows and comedy specials. Wayne and Shuster's humour was a strange blend of slapstick and literate humour; they weren't adverse to sight gags and delightfully bad puns, but would also produce skits which sent up Shakespeare and other classic works. They would also spoof TV shows and movies, commercials, Canadian parliament, and pretty much anything else which took their fancy. Some of their most famous skits include Julius Caesar, Shakespearean Baseball, Frontier Psychiatrist, and The Brown Pumpernickel (The Scarlet Pimpernel). Below is another well-known skit- "I Was A TV Addict":
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