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From left are Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster, one of the best comedy acts in Canada in the '80s and beyond. Source: https://mubi.com/de/ca/films/wayne-and-shuster-the-first-100-years (May be subject to copyright) |
Whether it was a detective in ancient Rome investigating the death of Julius Caesar, a young boy selling his soul to the devil to play goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs, or Canada creating its own spy service, no subject was safe from the comedic stylings of Wayne and Shuster.
The Canadian comedy duo graced the airwaves of the CBC for decades, poking fun at some of the biggest issues of the time in a uniquely Canadian way.
Frank Shuster was the straight man, while Johnny Wayne was the jokester, but it took both to really make the show happen.
Although Shuster has been gone 22 years, it is his birthday today, reminding me just how brilliant he and his partner were at satire, comedy, and a bit of political commentary.
Back story
Wikipedia reveals Frank Shuster was born in Toronto to a Jewish immigrant family in 1916. He went to high school in Toronto at Harbord Collegiate Institute where he met Johnny Wayne in 1930.
Wikipedia reveals Frank Shuster was born in Toronto to a Jewish immigrant family in 1916. He went to high school in Toronto at Harbord Collegiate Institute where he met Johnny Wayne in 1930.
They started performing sketches and routines at school talent shows in high school, then at the University of Toronto. By the early 1940s, Wayne and Shuster began appearing on a radio station in Toronto. They joined the Canadian Army during the Second World War and entertained Canadian troops. They also performed on the CBC Radio series “The Army Show”.
After the war, Wayne and Shuster appeared on CBC radio and television, making regular appearances from the 1940s until the 1980s.
They also appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” a total of 66 times, which was a “Guinness Book of World Records” record. I saw an interview with them once, and Johnny Wayne said Ed Sullivan liked them as guests because they brought production values to their sketches. They were intricate, detailed and quite sophisticated. That just made the comedy that much better.
Memories
It was Grade 3, so around 1978, when I first recall seeing “Wayne and Shuster” on TV. They were on CBC Channel 9 on the peasant vision dial, and the CBC was announcing its fall line-up. That included four Wayne and Shuster specials over the course of the year, in rotation with other specials on Sunday nights. Only later did I discover at one point they had a weekly show.
It was Grade 3, so around 1978, when I first recall seeing “Wayne and Shuster” on TV. They were on CBC Channel 9 on the peasant vision dial, and the CBC was announcing its fall line-up. That included four Wayne and Shuster specials over the course of the year, in rotation with other specials on Sunday nights. Only later did I discover at one point they had a weekly show.
There are a lot of different skits I recall that were all brilliant for different reasons.
The Unholy Goalie
Johnny Wayne plays a boy who wants to play hockey and be a goalie, but his mother forces him to take piano lessons. She even chains him to the piano and the boy plays so long he ages to become a man, played by Wayne. He still wants to be a goalie and ultimately sells his soul to the Devil. In a stroke of comedy genius, and a bit prophetic, Alan Eagleson plays the Devil. Eagleson was a famous hockey agent who ultimately was disgraced. In the end, Wayne wants to break the contract, but the Devil tells him he still has to play at Maple Leaf Gardens. So he does – the organ.
Johnny Wayne plays a boy who wants to play hockey and be a goalie, but his mother forces him to take piano lessons. She even chains him to the piano and the boy plays so long he ages to become a man, played by Wayne. He still wants to be a goalie and ultimately sells his soul to the Devil. In a stroke of comedy genius, and a bit prophetic, Alan Eagleson plays the Devil. Eagleson was a famous hockey agent who ultimately was disgraced. In the end, Wayne wants to break the contract, but the Devil tells him he still has to play at Maple Leaf Gardens. So he does – the organ.
Football of biblical proportions
One of the biggest sports clichés is David and Goliath – when a heavy underdog battles and beats a seemingly superior foe. Well, Wayne and Shuster turn the story of David and Goliath into a football story, with Wayne as the young quarterback David.
One of the biggest sports clichés is David and Goliath – when a heavy underdog battles and beats a seemingly superior foe. Well, Wayne and Shuster turn the story of David and Goliath into a football story, with Wayne as the young quarterback David.
The House of Commons is a joke
Wayne and Shuster were brilliant at poking fun at Canadian politics and politicians. One of their cleverest sketches involved some people in Ottawa who wanted to liven up the House of Commons by bringing in consultants from Hollywood. The routine they develop is brilliant. The NDP, all two of them, wear coverall and hard hats with sequens. The Liberals wear red blazers and the Conservatives wear blue ones. They sing this song called “Question time”, with a chorus that goes “Question time, question, there ain’t no reason and there ain’t no rhyme in, yack yack, yack, yack, question time…” It was brilliant.
Wayne and Shuster were brilliant at poking fun at Canadian politics and politicians. One of their cleverest sketches involved some people in Ottawa who wanted to liven up the House of Commons by bringing in consultants from Hollywood. The routine they develop is brilliant. The NDP, all two of them, wear coverall and hard hats with sequens. The Liberals wear red blazers and the Conservatives wear blue ones. They sing this song called “Question time”, with a chorus that goes “Question time, question, there ain’t no reason and there ain’t no rhyme in, yack yack, yack, yack, question time…” It was brilliant.
Close encounters of the pumpernickel kind
The Scarlet Pimpernel was a man in Europe who saved people from the guillotine. Wayne and Shuster created “Close Encounters of the Pumpernickel Kind”, where the Brown Pumpernickel was doing the same thing. Whenever he rescues someone, he leaves behind a loaf of pumpernickel bread. At one point, Shuster says, “To rub it in, this loaf is sliced.”
The Scarlet Pimpernel was a man in Europe who saved people from the guillotine. Wayne and Shuster created “Close Encounters of the Pumpernickel Kind”, where the Brown Pumpernickel was doing the same thing. Whenever he rescues someone, he leaves behind a loaf of pumpernickel bread. At one point, Shuster says, “To rub it in, this loaf is sliced.”
In another moment of comic genius, the Brown Pumpernickel is captured. As he is being lead to the guillotine, he says you can’t have a be-heading without the national anthem. So he calls out Roger Doucet, who sang the national anthem at Montreal Canadien hockey games in real life.
When in Rome…
Twice, Johnny Wayne played Flavius Maximus, private Roman Eye.
Twice, Johnny Wayne played Flavius Maximus, private Roman Eye.
One time, he investigated the murder of Julius Caesar. There was one scene where he was talking to Caesar’s wife who said, “I told him, Julie don’t go, Julie don’t go.” It became kind of iconic in its tone and frequency.
At another point, a person passes out. Flavius checks his pulse using an hour glass.
The other time, he investigated the burning of Rome. He encounters the fire department when they are called out and asked to number off, so they do – “I – II – III – IV…”.
Going commercial
Wayne and Shuster also spoofed a lot of commercials of the time. One of the best was their version of a commercial for the men’s cologne called “Charlie”, where the title character walks through the streets an everyone recognizes him. In their version, it is “Farley” as in Canadian author Farley Mowat. He walks through the streets but, in the end, not only puts a little cologne on, but drinks it.
Wayne and Shuster also spoofed a lot of commercials of the time. One of the best was their version of a commercial for the men’s cologne called “Charlie”, where the title character walks through the streets an everyone recognizes him. In their version, it is “Farley” as in Canadian author Farley Mowat. He walks through the streets but, in the end, not only puts a little cologne on, but drinks it.
Just brilliant.
Espionage, Canadian style
The federal government created an independent spy organization in 1984 called CSIS, or the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Wayne and Shuster took the opportunity to lampoon CSIS with a spoof on James Bond. There are several brilliant jokes.
The federal government created an independent spy organization in 1984 called CSIS, or the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Wayne and Shuster took the opportunity to lampoon CSIS with a spoof on James Bond. There are several brilliant jokes.
Wayne plays spy Knowlton Nebbish. It starts with him walking across the screen like James Bond. Only when he pulls out his gun to face the camera, it jams.
Later, Nebbish is receiving his equipment from the equivalent of Q. He hands Nebbish a watch. Nebbish looks at it and asks if it is a radio too. No, Q replies, it tells time. Then he pulls out a bulky old radio in a wooden case, and says “This is your radio”.
When Nebbish is under cover in a casino, he is asked if he needs chips.
“No thanks,” he responds, pulling out some French fries from his inside jacket pocket. “I brought my own.”
This was one of Wayne and Shuster’s last specials, if not the last one.
There were a lot more like their rendition of Shakespeare’s Hamlet as a western, and their take on “Murder on the Orient Express”, utilizing the full cast of other CBC shows such as “Front Page Challenge and “This is the Law”, but these ones all come to mind immediately.
Saturday night special
After Wayne and Shuster were no longer doing their periodic specials, CBC Channel 9 started airing packaged episodes on Saturday nights at like 10:30 p.m. That’s when I re-visited some of these skits, but also saw a bunch of older ones dating back to their black and white days.
After Wayne and Shuster were no longer doing their periodic specials, CBC Channel 9 started airing packaged episodes on Saturday nights at like 10:30 p.m. That’s when I re-visited some of these skits, but also saw a bunch of older ones dating back to their black and white days.
Super cousin
Canadian television airs these Heritage Minutes about various noteworthy Canadians. There is one where a young man is walking with a woman to the train station. He is describing this character he is creating who is faster than a speeding bullet and can leap buildings in a single bound. She laughs and suggests he tell it to his cousin Frank. The young man hands the woman, who is named Lois, a piece of paper and says it may be worth something some day. As the camera fades and she unfolds the paper, it reveals a drawing of Superman.
Canadian television airs these Heritage Minutes about various noteworthy Canadians. There is one where a young man is walking with a woman to the train station. He is describing this character he is creating who is faster than a speeding bullet and can leap buildings in a single bound. She laughs and suggests he tell it to his cousin Frank. The young man hands the woman, who is named Lois, a piece of paper and says it may be worth something some day. As the camera fades and she unfolds the paper, it reveals a drawing of Superman.
The young man is Joe Shuster, who with his partner Jerry Siegel, created Superman.
Joe’s cousin Frank is – Frank Shuster.
The years after
In 1996, Frank Shuster was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 1999, Wayne and Shuster were inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.
In 1996, Frank Shuster was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 1999, Wayne and Shuster were inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.
Frank Shuster died on January 13, 2002 in Toronto.
He was 85.
Parting thoughts
Wayne and Shuster are by far my favourite Canadian comedians. Not only were they funny, but they were clever in their ability to poke fun at things so uniquely Canadian such as the CBC – who were their employers by the way – and Canadian politicians and events.
Wayne and Shuster are by far my favourite Canadian comedians. Not only were they funny, but they were clever in their ability to poke fun at things so uniquely Canadian such as the CBC – who were their employers by the way – and Canadian politicians and events.
Frank Shuster may have been the straight man, but he was part of one of the most successful comedy duos of his time.
Wayne and Shuster ended their specials by singing the same song every time, which seems fitting.
“Well I see by the clock on the wall, that it’s time to bid you one and all”
“Goodbye, goodbye.”
“So long, so long.”
“Farewell, farewell.”
“Adieu, adieu…”
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