Four on the Floor

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This article is about the TV series. For other uses, see 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. In the U.K., it aired in Channel 4's traditional Friday night comedy slot, 10 June-2 September 1988.

The show's most famous character was Mr. Canoehead, a quintessentially Canadian superhero: on a canoeing trip in Algonquin Park, he was hit by lightning while portaging his aluminum canoe, which became permanently welded to his head. As a crime fighter, he would capture criminals by turning around so that the canoe knocked them over.

Although the series was quickly cancelled due to CBC budget constraints, it was an important influence on later Canadian sketch comedy, such as The Kids in the Hall.

Contents

[edit] Frequent Bits

  • Mr. Canoehead - crime-fighting hero who has a full size canoe welded to his head.
  • Song of the week - an unusual music video was produced.
  • Paul's videogame - Paul would program videogames like "Stop Your Mother" or "Booger Barrage".
  • Mr. Interesting - Dan's wisdom spoken with a German accent; ie. "Hello, I'm Mr Interesting. Although most cats do not like to swim, they are able to swim, and can swim for up to thirty hours. After that, add carrots and potatoes and bring to a boil."
  • Kazoo Video Theater - musical numbers performed by kazoo.
  • Driving Chicks Mad - a couple of guys who would do anything but.
  • A star-nosed mole puppet named "Murray the Mole" made frequent pseudo-random appearances.

[edit] Lines, Sayings and Quotations

  • Taste gunwales! (Mr. Canoehead beating a villain by catching the villain's head under the canoe and then violently rotating the canoe back and forth.)
  • That's Me! (Mr. Canoehead's brother Ted, doing something stupid.)
  • I sell computers. (Paul Chato's song of the week.)
  • I get around town in a brown car, it's brown. (Dan Redican's song of the week.)
  • We're the people inside of your walls. (Peter Wildman's song of the week.)
  • "A Painless Production" (closing credits, accompanied by a loud scream.)
  • "Boot to the Head", a recurring expression in several skits and the subject of a catchy jingle. The line was first heard in the skit Last Will and Temperament and later in Ti Kwan Leep.
  • Bullets bounce off me like raisins off an Oldsmobile (Mr. Canoehead while a villain shoots at him with a gun)

[edit] Mr. Canoehead Opening

Introduction was voiced by Dan and Rick alternating each line, with video clips and sound effects interspersed in the opening.

"Mr. Canoehead.
Once a mild-mannered insurance salesman
Who one day while portaging his aluminum canoe in Algonquin Park
Was suddenly hit by a giant bolt of lightning (Yeeeow - I've been hit by lightning! You were hit by lightning!)
And had the canoe welded to his head (You're right, it's stuck to your head!)
Mr. Canoehead,
Canada's Greatest Aluminum Crimefighter!
Brother of Ted (That's me!)
Our story continues..."

[edit] External links

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