Canadian Comedians
by CampoReviews | created - 13 Oct 2011 | updated - 28 Nov 2014 | Publicin my own order
1. John Candy
Actor | Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Candy was one of Canada's greatest and funniest character actors. His well-known role as the big hearted buffoon earned him classics in Uncle Buck (1989) and Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987). His career has handed him some dry spells but Candy always rebounded.
Born in Newmarket, Ontario, in ...
2. Jim Carrey
Actor | Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Jim Carrey, Canadian-born and a U.S. citizen since 2004, is an actor and producer famous for his rubbery body movements and flexible facial expressions. The two-time Golden Globe-winner rose to fame as a cast member of the Fox sketch comedy In Living Color (1990) but leading roles in Ace Ventura: ...
3. Martin Short
Actor | Innerspace
Martin Hayter Short OC is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, singer, and writer. He has received various awards including two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award. In 2019 Short became an Officer of the Order of Canada, and has received Medals from Queen Elizabeth II, including in 2002 the ...
4. Mike Myers
Actor | Austin Powers in Goldmember
Michael John Myers was born in 1963 in Scarborough, Ontario, to Alice E. (Hind), an officer supervisor, and Eric Myers, an insurance agent. His parents were both English, and had served in the Royal Air Force and British Army, respectively.
Myers' television career really started in 1988, when he ...
5. Dan Aykroyd
Writer | Ghostbusters
Daniel Edward Aykroyd was born on July 1, 1952 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, to Lorraine Hélène (Gougeon), a secretary from a French-Canadian family, and Samuel Cuthbert Peter Hugh Aykroyd, a civil engineer who advised prime minister Pierre Trudeau. Aykroyd attended Carleton University in 1969, where...
6. David Foley
Actor | The Wrong Guy
Dave Foley dropped out of an alternative high school to do stand-up comedy. He met Kevin McDonald at an improv class and, while employed as movie ushers, they began working as a comedy team. In 1984 they merged with another team to form "The Kids in the Hall". Foley made his film debut at 22 as the...
kids in the hall
7. Scott Thompson
Actor | The Kids in the Hall
Scott Thompson was raised in Brampton, Ontario. He is the second oldest of four boys (the others are Craig, Derek and Dean). At 19, Scott got involved in an educational program called "Canada World Youth", and spent some time in the Phillipines. After CWY, Scott enrolled in York University but, in ...
kids in the hall
8. Kevin McDonald
Actor | The Kids in the Hall
Born in Montreal Canada. Drama major at Humber College, but kicked out for only being good at comedy. Enrolled in an improv class and met David Foley. They began working as a comedy team while employed as movie ushers. In 1984 they merged with another comedy team and formed The Kids in the Hall.
kids in the hall
9. Bruce McCulloch
Actor | The Kids in the Hall
Bruce McCulloch was born on May 12, 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He is an actor and writer, known for The Kids in the Hall (1988), Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy (1996) and Dog Park (1998). He has been married to Tracy Ryan since 2003. They have two children.
kids in the hall
10. Mark McKinney
Actor | Slings and Arrows
Mark was born to Canadian diplomat Russell and architectural writer Chloe McKinney. Mark and his siblings spent much time traveling with their diplomat dad, and Mark attended schools in many cities around the world, including Trinidad, Paris, and Washington, D.C. His younger brother Nick is also a ...
kids in the hall
11. Leslie Nielsen
Actor | Airplane!
Leslie William Nielsen was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, and raised in Tulita (formerly Fort Norman), Northwest Territories. His mother, Mabel Elizabeth (Davies), was Welsh. His father, Ingvard Eversen Nielsen, was a Danish-born Mountie and a strict disciplinarian. Leslie studied at the Academy of ...
12. Tom Green
Actor | Freddy Got Fingered
Tom Green was born on July 30, 1971 in Pembroke, Ontario, Canada. He is a producer and actor, known for Freddy Got Fingered (2001), Charlie's Angels (2000) and Road Trip (2000). He was previously married to Drew Barrymore.
13. Phil Hartman
Actor | NewsRadio
Phil Hartman was born Philip Edward Hartmann on September 24, 1948, in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. His surname was originally "Hartmann", but he later dropped the second "n". He was one of eight children of Doris Marguerite (Wardell) and Rupert Loebig Hartmann, a salesman. He was of German, Irish, ...
14. Seth Rogen
Producer | This Is the End
An actor, comedian and writer, Seth Rogen has come a long way from doing stand-up comedy as a teen.
Rogen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, to Sandy (Belogus), a social worker, and Mark Rogen, who worked for non-profits. His father is American-born and his mother is Canadian. He is of Russian...
15. Russell Peters
Actor | Source Code
Russell Peters was born on September 29, 1970 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is an actor and producer, known for Source Code (2011), New Year's Eve (2011) and Chef (2014).
16. Will Arnett
Actor | The Lego Batman Movie
Will Arnett is a Canadian-American actor, voice actor, and comedian. He is most famous for playing George Oscar "Gob" Bluth II in the Fox series Arrested Development (2003). He also appeared in films such as The Lego Movie (2014), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: ...
17. Brent Butt
Writer | Corner Gas
Born in the small farming town of Tisdale, Saskatchewan, Canada (population 3000) as the youngest of seven children. Brent began doing stand-up comedy in 1988. He was soon headlining top clubs and theatres across Canada, and has been selected to represent his country at both the Just For Laughs ...
18. Eugene Levy
Actor | A Mighty Wind
Eugene Levy is an award-winning actor, writer, and producer. He has appeared in more than 60 motion pictures to date, eight of which having topped the $100M mark. The box office success of films such as Bringing Down the House (2003), Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005) , and Father of the Bride Part II ...
19. Steve Smith
Writer | The Red Green Show
Steve Smith was born on December 24, 1945 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is a writer and actor, known for The Red Green Show (1991), Moonrise Kingdom (2012) and Smith & Smith (1979). He has been married to Morag Smith since 1966. They have two children.
the red green show
20. Dave Thomas
Writer | The Blacklist
Born in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, Dave was the eldest son of John and Moreen Thomas. John Thomas (deceased) was a PHD in Philosophy (Duke), noted medical ethicist, head of Philosophy Department at McMaster University, and author of several books including: "Matters of Life and Death," "Well ...
21. Rick Moranis
Actor | Parenthood
Rick began his career as a radio DJ while he was still at high school which led to him writing, producing and being on air in his own show. He joined the Canadian TV series, SCTV (1976), winning an Emmy for writing and portraying the character, Bob McKenzie, which became the basis for the film, ...
22. Michael Cera
Actor | Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Canadian actor Michael Cera was born in Brampton, Ontario, to parents who worked for Xerox. His mother, Linda, who is from Quebec, has English, Irish, Scottish, and Dutch ancestry, and his father, Luigi Cera, is Italian (from Sicily). Michael is the middle child between two sisters. He was educated...
23. Tommy Chong
Actor | Up in Smoke
Tommy Chong was born on May 24, 1938 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He is an actor and writer, known for Up in Smoke (1978), Zootopia (2016) and Cheech and Chong's Next Movie (1980). He has been married to Shelby Chong since 1975. They have four children. He was previously married to Maxine Sneed.
24. Colin Mochrie
Self | Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Colin Andrew Mochrie was on born November 30, 1957, in Kilmarnock, Scotland. His father, an airline maintenance executive, moved the family to Montreal, Canada, in 1964, and finally to Vancouver in 1969. When asked about his childhood, Mochrie said he tended to be a bit of a loner because of moving...
25. Michael J. Fox
Actor | Back to the Future
Michael J. Fox was born Michael Andrew Fox on June 9, 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, to Phyllis Fox (née Piper), a payroll clerk, and William Fox. His parents moved their 10-year-old son, his three sisters, Kelli Fox, Karen, and Jacki, and his brother Steven, to Vancouver, British Columbia, ...
26. John Paul Tremblay
Actor | Trailer Park Boys
John Paul Tremblay was born on May 17, 1968 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He is an actor and producer, known for Trailer Park Boys (2001), Trailer Park Boys: Out of the Park (2016) and Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day (2009). He is married to Andrea. They have three children.
trailer park boys
27. Robb Wells
Actor | Trailer Park Boys
Robb Wells was born on October 28, 1971 in Moncton, New Brunswick and raised in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia since the age of 8. His father was a Forensic Expert with The RCMP. Robb later went to high school with Mike Clattenberg and John Paul Tremblay. The three were always pulling practical jokes on ...
trailer park boys
28. Mike Smith
Actor | Trailer Park Boys
Mike Smith was born and raised in Thorburn, Nova Scotia. He started playing hockey at the age of four but showed early signs of musical genius when he learned to play guitar at the age of seven. Continuing with both hobbies for the majority of his life, Mike eventually gave up hockey to concentrate...
trailer park boys
29. Catherine O'Hara
Actress | A Mighty Wind
Canadian actress, writer, and comedian, Catherine O'Hara gained recognition as one of the original cast members on the Canadian television sketch comedy show SCTV (1976). On the series, she impersonated the likes of Lucille Ball, Tammy Faye Bakker, Gilda Radner, Katharine Hepburn, and Brooke Shields...
30. Will Sasso
Actor | The Three Stooges
Will Sasso was born in Ladner, British Columbia (a suburb of Vancouver), to a family of Italian descent. He grew up respecting comedy of all styles, thanks in part to an unhealthy relationship with the family television that began when Will was around two or three. With his mind consequently bent, ...
31. Ryan Reynolds
Actor | Deadpool 2
Ryan Rodney Reynolds was born on October 23, 1976 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the youngest of four children. His father, James Chester Reynolds, was a food wholesaler, and his mother, Tamara Lee "Tammy" (Stewart), worked as a retail-store saleswoman. He has Irish and Scottish ancestry. ...
32. Jay Baruchel
Actor | Goon
Jay Baruchel was born in Ottawa, Ontario, and was raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He is the son of Robyne (Ropell), a freelance writer, and Serge Victor Baruchel, an antiques dealer. He has a younger sister who also acts. He started acting in 1995 when he made his first of three appearances on ...
33. Rick Mercer
Writer | Made in Canada
Rick Mercer was born on October 17, 1969 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He is a writer and producer, known for The Industry (1998), The Rick Mercer Report (2004) and This Hour Has 22 Minutes (1993).
the rick mercer report
34. Norm MacDonald
Actor | Dirty Work
Macdonald was born Norman Gene Macdonald in Quebec City, Quebec. He began his career in stand-up comedy. Macdonald's first job was writing for The Dennis Miller Show (1992) and then Roseanne (1988). While writing for Roseanne (1988), he was noticed by Lorne Michaels, who liked Norm's stand up, and ...
35. Jonathan Lajoie
Soundtrack | The Afterparty
Jonathan Lajoie was born on August 21, 1980 in Montreal, Québec, Canada. He is an actor and writer, known for The Afterparty (2022), The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019) and The League (2009).
36. Harland Williams
Actor | Fudgy Wudgy Fudge Face
Comedian and actor Harland Williams is known the world over for his hilarious movie roles and outlandish stand-up and sketch comedy routines.
Williams was born in to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to Lorraine Mary (O'Donnell), a social worker, and John Reesor Williams, a lawyer who served in the Ontario ...
37. Seán Cullen
Actor | The Love Guru
Seán Cullen was born in 1965 in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. He is an award-winning comedian, actor, author and screenwriter, known for The Willoughbys (2019), Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2017-2018), Phil the Alien (2004) and The Seán Cullen Show (2003). He has performed stand up ...
38. Debra DiGiovanni
Actress | Straight Man
Debra DiGiovanni is a multiple award-winning comedian originally from Toronto (Canada), who is now dominating the Los Angeles comedy scene. Debra tours constantly and can be seen on Comedy Central's Stand-Up series, as well as their digital web series Steph & Deb. Debra has also performed on Conan,...
39. Fred Ewanuick
Actor | Just Friends
Fred Ewanuick was born on June 23, 1971 in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada. He is an actor and producer, known for Just Friends (2005), Corner Gas: The Movie (2014) and Corner Gas (2004).
40. Matthew Perry
Actor | Friends
Matthew Perry was born in Williamstown, Massachusetts, to Suzanne Marie (Langford), a Canadian journalist, and John Bennett Perry, an American actor. His ancestry includes English, Irish, German, Swiss-German, and French-Canadian.
Perry was raised in Ottawa, Ontario, where he became a top-ranked ...
41. Roger Abbott
Actor | Royal Canadian Air Farce
Roger Abbott was born on July 10, 1946 in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Royal Canadian Air Farce (1993), SketchCom (1998) and Royal Canadian Air Farce (1981). He died on March 26, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Royal Canadian Air Farce
42. Don Ferguson
Actor | Royal Canadian Air Farce
Don Ferguson was born on May 30, 1946 in Montréal, Québec, Canada. He is an actor and producer, known for Royal Canadian Air Farce (1993), Second Jen (2016) and SketchCom (1998).
Royal Canadian Air Farce
43. Luba Goy
Actress | Royal Canadian Air Farce
Luba Goy was born on November 8, 1945 in Germany. She is an actress and writer, known for Royal Canadian Air Farce (1993), The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland (1987) and The Care Bears Movie (1985).
Royal Canadian Air Farce
44. Eric Peterson
Actor | Corner Gas
Eric Peterson was born on October 2, 1946 in Indian Head, Saskatchewan, Canada. He is an actor and writer, known for Corner Gas (2004), Street Legal (1987) and Corner Gas: The Movie (2014). He is married to Annie Kidder.
45. Howie Mandel
Producer | Bobby's World
The story goes that huggable, highly affable stand-up comedian Howie Mandel began his show biz career by chance while catching amateur night at the Comedy Store on the L.A. Sunset Strip during a vacation. Goaded on by friends to try out, a producer spotted him, hired him for an appearance on a ...
46. Jonathan Torrens
Actor | Trailer Park Boys
Jonathan Torrens has worked as a performer, writer and producer for 15 years. In 1989, he started a seven-year run as one of the hosts of Street Cents, an International Emmy award-winning consumer/sketch show for youth. In 1996, Torrens began a five year stint as the host of his own sketch/talk ...
47. Daryn Jones
Writer | Buzz
Daryn Jones was born on January 3, 1978 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He is an actor and writer, known for Buzz (2000), Beauty and the Beast (2012) and The Rick Mercer Report (2004). He is married to Olivia Jones. He was previously married to Brenda McCloud III.
the buzz
48. Gerry Dee
Actor | Mr. D
Gerry Dee, the son of Scottish immigrant parents, was born in Scarborough and raised in Toronto. He played Varsity hockey at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia and become a high-school physical-education teacher. He was the first Canadian to ever win the prestigious San ...
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