Ed Grimley

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Ed Grimley

Edward Mayhoff 'Ed' Grimley was a character introduced on the television series SCTV and later used in Saturday Night Live. He was devised and played by Martin Short.

He is a hyperactive, neurotic nerd with a large frontal cowlick who is obsessed with banal popular culture, especially Wheel of Fortune and its host, Pat Sajak. He also loves to play the triangle, which for him consists of playing a recorded musical piece, striking the triangle once, and then wildly dancing to the recording. His catch phrases include "totally decent" and "I must say."

After achieving popularity on SNL, Grimley became a cartoon character on Hanna-Barbera's animated show The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley (1988). In each episode, Grimley would have an adventure of some sort, interspersed with science lessons from The Amazing Gustav Brothers, named Roger and Emil, and a 'scary story' presented as a show-within-a-show by Grimley's favourite television host, Count Floyd.

Ed Grimley makes an extremely brief onstage appearance in Martin Short's Broadway show Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, triangle in hand.

Ed Grimley also made an appearance on the "Martin Short Show" in 1994, in a spoof of the film Dave. The President of the United States is an exact double of Ed Grimley, right down to the shark-tooth hairstyle. He hires Grimley to be his double and run the country while he enjoys time with his mistress. Unfortunately for Ed, the President suffers a heart attack and Ed Grimley is forced to cover up the tragedy by now having to pretend he is the President. Sally Field guest starred as the First Lady who does not realize what has happened. Ed Grimley is scared to deal with her, as he is presumably unmarried and may have difficulties being in relationships with women.

A Grimley reference can be found in the 2006 Homestar Runner Halloween Special, Happy Hallo-day, in which Homsar is dressed as the character.