John Hemphill (actor)

John Hemphill (born 1953) is a Canadian comic actor, writer and producer.

Career

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A longtime player with The Second City troupe's Toronto cast,[1] Hemphill was a writer for Second City Television and appeared in supporting character roles such as Happy Marsden, Wesley Wilks, Willem DeCooney and Dr. Ryne Thurman.[2][3]

Hemphill has appeared in the television series RoboRoach, The Jane Show,[4] Little Mosque on the Prairie and Maniac Mansion,[5] and the television films Hostage for a Day[6] and Sodbusters.[7] He was also the co-writer, with Eugene Levy, of Sodbusters.[7] Hemphill appeared in Adventures in Babysitting in 1987. In 2003, he began directing the comedy troupe Women Fully Clothed, composed of Second City alumnae Debra McGrath, Robin Duke, Jayne Eastwood, Teresa Pavlinek and Kathy Greenwood.[8]

Hemphill portrayed Bob Currie on Schitt's Creek from 2015 to 2020.[9] For his performance, he was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 5th Canadian Screen Awards.[9]

He received a Gemini Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Program for Sodbusters at the 9th Gemini Awards in 1995.[10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1986 The Pink Chiquitas Ernie Bodine
1987 Adventures in Babysitting Drunk at Party
1987 Goofballs Aldo
2004 New York Minute Tim Brooger
2005 The Man Ted

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1981–1984 Bizarre Various roles 14 episodes; also writer
1982–1983 SCTV Network 12 episodes; also writer
1983–1984 SCTV Channel 13 episodes; also writer
1985 Workin' for Peanuts Al Television role
1987 Really Weird Tales Mervis Jutt
1988 Biographies: The Enigma of Bobby Bittman Buddy Phelps
1988 The Second City Toronto 15th Anniversary Johnny Prolongo
1990–1993 Maniac Mansion Harry the Fly 65 episodes; also creator, writer, and director
1992 Partners 'n Love Lloyd Peters Television role
1994 Sodbusters Cole Television role; also writer
1997 Goosebumps Doctor / SWAT Team Leader Episode: "Don't Go to Sleep"
1997 Once a Thief Master Jamboree Episode: "It Happened One Night"
1998 Due South Van Zant's Cleaner Episode: "Dead Men Don't Throw Rice"
1998 Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension Freddie Foster Episode: "Last Laugh"
2000 Power Play Dr. Eugene Tockette Episode: "The Quarter Finals"
2000 Relic Hunter Richard Ferguson Episode: "Emperor's Bride"
2001–2003 RoboRoach Voice 7 episodes
2002, 2006 Puppets Who Kill Good Ol' Joe / Curious Bob 2 episodes
2004 Untold Stories of the E.R. Reenactments Episode: "The Big Save"
2006 The Jane Show Jane's Dad, Dave Black Episode: "Daddy's Home"
2008–2011 Little Mosque on the Prairie George Wispinski / Alvin Wispinski 3 episodes
2015–2020 Schitt's Creek Bob Currie 29 episodes

References

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  1. ^ "Second City turns improv formula into an art form". Montreal Gazette, July 16, 1988.
  2. ^ "Wacky SCTV put Canada on comedy map; Odd characters on mythical TV station live on in reruns". Toronto Star, March 9, 2002.
  3. ^ "The dark, twisted backstory of Eugene Levy's Bobby Bittman character". The A.V. Club. 2016-03-10. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  4. ^ "Global picks up The Jane Show; Show could be described as The Office meets Sex And The City". Telegraph-Journal, January 24, 2006.
  5. ^ "YTV cancels Maniac Mansion". Toronto Star, March 28, 1993.
  6. ^ "Candy's TV-movie directorial debut a winner". Toronto Star, April 24, 1994.
  7. ^ a b "Eugene Levy's Sodbusters pours on chuckles". The Record, April 25, 1994.
  8. ^ "John Hemphill". IMDb.
  9. ^ a b "2017 Canadian Screen Awards Nominees Revealed". ET Canada, January 17, 2017.
  10. ^ "Major Gemini Nominations". Toronto Star, January 18, 1995.
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