Dan Redican
Encyclopedia
Dan Redican is a Canadian
comedy
writer and performer and puppeteer
, best known for his work with the comedy troupe, The Frantics
. As a founding member of the troupe he has worked since 1979 on numerous stage shows, the Frantic Times radio show, Four on the Floor
TV show (which aired in England and the US under the name, The Frantics). They also have written and performed many albums which are still available on the website, Frantics.com.
Redican started his career as a puppeteer, performing with various partners at birthday parties and church functions, before joining Tom Vandenburg to perform two family shows at The Toronto Centre for the Arts on Dupont street: The Old Fisherman and A Day At Rotten Cheese Gulch. After this, Redican focussed on solo performances in London Ontario at Smale's Pace (later renamed the Change of Pace) Redican entered the world of television puppetry on CHCH's Adventures of Snelgrove Snail in the role of Conrad Crepidula. Redican left puppetry to focus on comedy when the Frantics formed in 1979 but he returned briefly in the late 80s to appear as a featured actor and puppeteer for the Jim Henson Company on NBC's The Jim Henson Hour
. In the nineties Redican puppeteered the character Hegdish on YTV's "Groundling Marsh" and Maurice the Maggot on YTV's Freaky Stories
.
In the late seventies Redican performed as a folk singer with his band Poopy Dan and his lunch featuring Pat Logier, Rob Minderman and Doug Hux, though 'Poopy Dan' was short lived.
Redican has worked as an actor, appearing on an episode of Seeing Things in the 1980s and in various small roles before landing the role of George, the next door neighbour on CBC's Mosquito Lake
. Redican appeared on Maniac Mansion
, Twilight Zone
, Corner Gas
and Little Mosque on the Prairie
. He also starred as "Dan Barlow" in The Comedy Network
series, Puppets Who Kill
, also working as a writer and story editor.
In 1988, Redican appeared on the hit children's TV show The Elephant Show
as the Royal Ontario Museum
's night watchman. He also, returned to co-star with Sharon, Lois & Bram
in their 1994 home video titled Candles, Snow & Mistletoe
, produced by Glen Roven
.
Redican performed a number of times in Toronto as a comic monologist in small shows at the Rivoli as well as in "The Cheese Stands Alone" and "My Private Hell On Ten Dollars a Day" at the Factory Theatre. His show "Stop Being Stupid" ran at the Tim Sim's Theatre and received rave reviews. "The Devil's Progress Report" enjoyed a short run in a Vancouver theatre. His monology drew the attention of Lorne Michael's and led to Redican becoming a producer and story editor for The Kids in the Hall
.
He has written and produced a number of television shows in Canada including Blackfly
, Not This But This, The Altar Boy Gang
and The Kids in the Hall
. In the United States he worked as a writer and producer on The Jenny McCarthy Show, Chimp Channel and Lyricist Lounge. He has recently written and acted as creative consultant on a number of episodes of the CBC show Little Mosque on the Prairie
, in which he also played a chiropractor in the episode "Marriage Minded".
He is married to television writer and producer Caroline A. Commisso.
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...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
writer and performer and puppeteer
Puppeteer
A puppeteer is a person who manipulates an inanimate object, such as a puppet, in real time to create the illusion of life. The puppeteer may be visible to or hidden from the audience. A puppeteer can operate a puppet indirectly by the use of strings, rods, wires, electronics or directly by his or...
, best known for his work with the comedy troupe, The Frantics
The Frantics
The Frantics or Frantics is the name of:*The Frantics , a punk rock band.*The Frantics , a Canadian comedy troupe.*The Frantics , a Showtime network series....
. As a founding member of the troupe he has worked since 1979 on numerous stage shows, the Frantic Times radio show, Four on the Floor
Four on the Floor
Four on the Floor was a sketch comedy series which aired on CBC Television in 1986. Consisting of only 13 episodes, the series was a showcase for The Frantics, a comedy troupe consisting of Paul Chato, Rick Green, Dan Redican and Peter Wildman...
TV show (which aired in England and the US under the name, The Frantics). They also have written and performed many albums which are still available on the website, Frantics.com.
Redican started his career as a puppeteer, performing with various partners at birthday parties and church functions, before joining Tom Vandenburg to perform two family shows at The Toronto Centre for the Arts on Dupont street: The Old Fisherman and A Day At Rotten Cheese Gulch. After this, Redican focussed on solo performances in London Ontario at Smale's Pace (later renamed the Change of Pace) Redican entered the world of television puppetry on CHCH's Adventures of Snelgrove Snail in the role of Conrad Crepidula. Redican left puppetry to focus on comedy when the Frantics formed in 1979 but he returned briefly in the late 80s to appear as a featured actor and puppeteer for the Jim Henson Company on NBC's The Jim Henson Hour
The Jim Henson Hour
The Jim Henson Hour was a short-lived television series that aired on NBC in 1989. It was developed as a showcase for The Jim Henson Company's various puppet creations, including the popular Muppet characters. Only nine of the twelve episodes produced managed to air on NBC before the low-rated...
. In the nineties Redican puppeteered the character Hegdish on YTV's "Groundling Marsh" and Maurice the Maggot on YTV's Freaky Stories
Freaky Stories
Freaky Stories is a Canadian television series, which was originally broadcasted by YTV in English and Canal Famille in French...
.
In the late seventies Redican performed as a folk singer with his band Poopy Dan and his lunch featuring Pat Logier, Rob Minderman and Doug Hux, though 'Poopy Dan' was short lived.
Redican has worked as an actor, appearing on an episode of Seeing Things in the 1980s and in various small roles before landing the role of George, the next door neighbour on CBC's Mosquito Lake
Mosquito Lake
Mosquito Lake may refer to:* Mosquito Lake, Alaska, a community in the United States* Mosquito Lake , a lake in Canada* Mosquito Lake , a short-lived Canadian television sitcom...
. Redican appeared on Maniac Mansion
Maniac Mansion
Maniac Mansion is a 1987 graphic adventure game developed and published by Lucasfilm Games. It was Lucasfilm's first published video game, and it was initially released for the Commodore 64 and Apple II. A comedy horror parody of B movies, it follows teenager Dave Miller as he ventures...
, Twilight Zone
Twilight zone
-Television series and spinoffs:*The Twilight Zone, the anthology television series and its franchise:**The Twilight Zone , the 1959–1964 original television series***Twilight Zone: The Movie, a 1983 film based on the original series...
, Corner Gas
Corner Gas
Corner Gas is a Canadian television sitcom created by Brent Butt. The series ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009. Re-runs still air on CTV and The Comedy Network in Canada; it formerly aired on WGN America in the United States....
and Little Mosque on the Prairie
Little Mosque on the Prairie
Little Mosque on the Prairie is a Canadian sitcom on CBC, created by Zarqa Nawaz and produced by WestWind Pictures. It is filmed in Toronto, Ontario and Indian Head, Saskatchewan...
. He also starred as "Dan Barlow" in The Comedy Network
The Comedy Network
The Comedy Network a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media specializing in comedy programming.The channel operates two time shifted feeds, East and West ....
series, Puppets Who Kill
Puppets Who Kill
Puppets Who Kill is a Canadian television comedy programme co-produced by The Comedy Network. It premiered in Canada on the Comedy Network in 2002, and in Australia on The Comedy Channel in 2004....
, also working as a writer and story editor.
In 1988, Redican appeared on the hit children's TV show The Elephant Show
The Elephant Show
The Elephant Show is a Canadian children's television show from 1984 until 1988.-Summary and Highlights:...
as the Royal Ontario Museum
Royal Ontario Museum
The Royal Ontario Museum is a museum of world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With its main entrance facing Bloor Street in Downtown Toronto, the museum is situated north of Queen's Park and east of Philosopher's Walk in the University of Toronto...
's night watchman. He also, returned to co-star with Sharon, Lois & Bram
Sharon, Lois & Bram
Sharon, Lois & Bram is the name of a Canadian children's musical trio composed of Sharon Hampson , Lois Ada Lilienstein , and Bramwell "Bram" Morrison .-Group formation:Sharon Hampson, Lois Lillenstein, and Bram Morrison began their singing...
in their 1994 home video titled Candles, Snow & Mistletoe
Candles, Snow & Mistletoe
Candles, Snow & Mistletoe is the thirteenth album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1993. This holiday album is one of Sharon, Lois & Bram's biggest productions and recordings they worked on during their career. The album is produced by Glen Roven, an...
, produced by Glen Roven
Glen Roven
Glen Roven is an Emmy Award-winning composer, lyricist, and conductor. One of his notable compositions include a violin concerto based on the children's book The Runaway Bunny. Another notable composition is "Goodnight Moon, An Aria for Singer and Orchestra" which Lauren Flanigan performed in...
.
Redican performed a number of times in Toronto as a comic monologist in small shows at the Rivoli as well as in "The Cheese Stands Alone" and "My Private Hell On Ten Dollars a Day" at the Factory Theatre. His show "Stop Being Stupid" ran at the Tim Sim's Theatre and received rave reviews. "The Devil's Progress Report" enjoyed a short run in a Vancouver theatre. His monology drew the attention of Lorne Michael's and led to Redican becoming a producer and story editor for The Kids in the Hall
The Kids in the Hall
The Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 1984, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. Their eponymous television show ran from 1988 to 1994 on CBC in Canada, and 1989 to 1995 on CBS and HBO in the United States...
.
He has written and produced a number of television shows in Canada including Blackfly
Blackfly (TV series)
Blackfly is a Canadian sitcom which ran on the Global Television Network for two seasons in 2001 and 2002. Although shot single-camera like most Canadian comedies, this series was shot on film rather than videotape and contains a laugh track rather than making use of the usual live audience because...
, Not This But This, The Altar Boy Gang
The Altar Boy Gang
The Altar Boy Gang was a satirical half hour comedy developed for CBC Television. Although two episodes were shot and four more were commissioned to be written, the show was not picked up as a regular series....
and The Kids in the Hall
The Kids in the Hall
The Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 1984, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. Their eponymous television show ran from 1988 to 1994 on CBC in Canada, and 1989 to 1995 on CBS and HBO in the United States...
. In the United States he worked as a writer and producer on The Jenny McCarthy Show, Chimp Channel and Lyricist Lounge. He has recently written and acted as creative consultant on a number of episodes of the CBC show Little Mosque on the Prairie
Little Mosque on the Prairie
Little Mosque on the Prairie is a Canadian sitcom on CBC, created by Zarqa Nawaz and produced by WestWind Pictures. It is filmed in Toronto, Ontario and Indian Head, Saskatchewan...
, in which he also played a chiropractor in the episode "Marriage Minded".
He is married to television writer and producer Caroline A. Commisso.