SCTV - Steeplechase

[@carlhart4484]

As a comic in all seriousness, Eugene Levy was and still is an absolute genius. And Cornelius Crisphead? LOL

[@joecomer8275]

This show had such a huge abundance of talent and they created some of the most original comedy on television. This is a great example of that!!! Loved it when they spoof game shows!!

[@MrRudyc]

They were all very talented.

[@Timmberlea]

You can tell the writers grew up on 60's and 70's Canadian TV. This is so much like those old low-budget game shows like Headline Hunters or anything hosted by Jim Perry.

[@TimothyMischka]

It also seems kinda like the 70s NBC game Celebrity Sweepstakes, where contestants bet on celebrities' responses to questions, horse-racing style.

[@vicmizzy3000]

I realize I’m about five years late to make this comment, but what if one person in the world was reading this (besides me)? Canada’s Jim Perry hosted an ultra-low-budget game show called “Eye Bet”, and it was INSANELY small time! It looked like they spent about $20 (Canadian) on the set.

[@vicmizzy3000]

P.S. For the one person reading this: I just read that Jim Perry was in fact, American! But he worked a ton in Canada.

[@MrBigcityal]

The slam on Bronson - since then nothing - was great.

[@LibertyOverTyranny]

7:02 Check it out! The Battle of Meloria was in 1284, the THIRTEENTH Century, NOT the Eleventh Century. Who doesn't know that!? Sheesh! Cornelius Crisphead should have called Bob on that bullshit!

[@Jere616]

I don't believe it. I have never seen this before. Levy gallops over to the contestants. Lamps and bulbs are the prizes. Categories are idiotic, enemies of the sheriff of Nottingham; inventors of telephones; leaning towers; months ending in vember. The questions are either impossible to get or impossible to miss. hahaha

[@robertcombs55]

STILL better than ANYTHING on TV today!!

[@stephaniecarrow4898]

I have to admit, those lamps were actually quite attractive and would blend with various decor. :-)

[@dmrr7739]

Bob: Cornelius Crisphead, what is the origin of that name? Cornelius: …I don’t know. FORESHADOWING.

[@BrianBattles]

Strangely enough, I live in Connecticut and commute to work every day on the Wilbur Cross Parkway.

[@landlinesandpercolators8822]

Loved them when they were hilarious, loved them when they were inscrutable and obscure.

[@TheShamusOfSlots]

There used to be a Canadian show called, MAD DASH. Players would roll the dice to run that many seconds on the "game board".

[@suedenim]

I was delighted to find that Steeplechase was largely based on this very real show. kzbin.info/www/bejne/moe7YaKffa6Fa7M Dave Thomas talks about the sketch in his book, that it was John Candy's idea, but nobody else really got it, and Candy was like Johnny LaRue pursuing his crane shot with the sketch.

[@dadnelson4008]

"We have to move along " my sides are splitting! !

[@maclandyouth]

"Tell them what they win, Johnny Ola!"

[@miameramusic]

There isn’t a single aspect of this sketch that isn’t absolutely amazing.

[@namelessjedi2242]

Rick Moranis cracked me up near the end the way he kept staring and turning his head to look. 😆

[@LeafInTheStream]

When it comes to SCTV I thought I'd seen it all! Not so!

[@artboy789]

I never saw this one either

[@tarnel9]

Definitely was not Half Wits.

[@deanwolfechannel]

Candy's character Cornelius is so hilarious

[@BrianBattles]

Cornelius Crisphead

[@jamescombs8316]

"Celebrity Sweepstakes", a Burt Sugarman Incorporated production, mid 1970's on NBC daytime.

[@pixelartiste1]

Joe Flaherty, a Genius comedian from the Burg.

[@scottconnors8419]

JF was gold in sctv...all the cast was unique and I liked this better than sat night live...monster horror chiller theater.. classic schlock..

[@chuckdieselkicksdisks2380]

@@scottconnors8419 that's correct and I believe he was making fun of the bill cardille Chiller theater from our town

[@craigcrawford6595]

@@chuckdieselkicksdisks2380 Chilly Billy?

[@chuckdieselkicksdisks2380]

@@craigcrawford6595 yes Bill cardille also known as Chilly Billy referring to his chillertheatre show was a local ER show on w i i c ( later wpxi) tv originally from the 1960s to about 1980 even so I think that's why they got the idea for the sketch and Joe Flaherty gets to make fun of the localhost from where he's originally from and the whole concept of the show no I don't know if there was other versions of a show like that and other markets in the country there probably was

[@craigcrawford6595]

@@chuckdieselkicksdisks2380 Ahh, I only know of it through a friend who had a bunch of Chilly Billy 45s we listened to on the record player. .

[@modern_memory]

I actually want those lamps from house of lamps

[@christopherdunne7848]

Cornelius at seven-thirteen had that look on his face like he was going to guess, "Ed Norton?"

[@i-a-g-r-e-e-----f-----jo--b]

I bet the writers had a blast working up ideas for this great show! Probably very laid back good times passing the spliff and bottle around!

[@TheShamusOfSlots]

SCTV is in my DNA.

[@johnalang]

It's going to take forever to get to the end of that game board.

[@marc108]

Levy such a talent

[@emanuelemarchisio3818]

Funny: I knew Cornelius answer as I am from Genoa :D

[@RjBenjamin353]

SNL can only wish they were this clever

[@vincarcin]

....or half as clever....

[@mckessa17]

You win a couple of lamps. Canadian game shows in the 70s had shit prizes.

[@Ferda1964]

I am crying SEPTEMBER

[@billbertRIOR]

It's worth mentioning (for search engines to stumble across, anyway!) that the music used all throughout this game show sketch is a version of Mahna Mahna -- made famous by The Muppets. However, this doesn't seem to be the version used in the old "Sweden: Heaven and Hell" soft-core exploitation film.

[@Mr22thou]

I remember it as a hit single in the late 60's, before the Muppets Show made it immortal.

[@ChunkyChest]

LAMPS! whoaaaa...

[@planescaped]

Was wondering where this skit was going, but the punchline was great when it finally got there.

[@randymillhouse791]

8:36: Sniff?

[@stevenkoehler6018]

Only SCTV could pull that off!

[@AmyLSacks]

Even the losers on this show had more on the ball than any of the Half-Wits. ;)

[@Hellodarknessmyolefriend]

Is it a parody of Wink Martindale ? Gene does great impersonation of game show hosts.

[@MrInspirational43]

Bob Eubanks and Wink Martindale.

[@timleffel6665]

ABBA

[@cd637299]

Looks like they were playing "Sorry!" there!

[@Scipio488]

FINALLY, a game show that thinks like I do.

[@chr970]

The announcer is John Ola. Good friend of Fredo.

[@StanleyFlinn]

fundamentally the jokes are all standard Game Show bits, they didn't have to devise the most inane and bewildering game show to build them around but they did and that's the SCTV difference.

[@b.t.2796]

" I really have to move along .."

[@steeltownbrown52]

Unlike other game show sketches on SCTV. I think this was a take on typical game show contestants.

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

Funny names, funny acting, funny dialogue, funny premise, funny presentation.

[@glennmarshall4693]

was a weird sketch, Joe used the Charles Bronson name in another sketch, but he put E at the beginning of it, it was the Body Heat parody. Mad Dash wasn't too bad a game show, they had some neat prizes, it was done in Montreal

[@steeltownbrown52]

Nope, it was on the original episode that aired on NBC. You're probably more familiar with the syndicated eps (which were chopped into smaller eps for seasons 4-6).

[@litlgrey]

I don't think I remember this sketch from television!

[@animefan25]

Is that the goofy song from Sesame Street?

[@syella5126]

Levy galloping 🤣 tickles the shit out of me😂

[@charleswinokoor6023]

A tough break for Charles Bronson

[@physchir]

Johnny Ohla... godfather reference... so cool

[@christopherdunne7848]

Barb makes a good point at six-twelve.

[@Neville6000]

Why was this never included in the reruns of the show?

[@Button108]

So this is where @twentyonepilots got their Trench costumes

[@alphabeets]

Where did you find this!?

[@sralyn]

Mahna Mahna at 1:04!

[@robertcombs55]

CLASSIC!!!

[@bobmanp8653]

I could use those lamps

[@WindTurbineSyndrome]

She answers the hardest question ever gets a one.

[@christopherdunne7848]

Her comment at six-twelve makes the point.

[@anthonymoon6918]

Dan akroyd announcing...?

[@tuskedbeast]

Rick Moranis, by the sound of it.

[@sralyn]

Aykroyd

[@allankelly2500]

lookup Celebrity Sweepstakes

[@philwillett9102]

Pisa?

[@randyzeitman2859]

Is that Dan Aykroyd? ... the announcer?

[@Timmberlea]

No, Rick Moranis

[@Mr22thou]

@@Timmberlea No it's not! It's Eugene Levy. Geeze!!

[@Timmberlea]

@@Mr22thou I was referring to the voice-over at the end

[@Mr22thou]

@@Timmberlea My mistake. You are correct.

[@RjBenjamin353]

Hilarious!!!

[@ljm792]

"LAMPS"

[@hoibsh21]

Weak sketch, but they made up for it with those two sexxy blonds!!

[@millicentsquirrelhole582]

Yea, well who knew, light in them brogans der, Corny Crisphead was really two ton boxing legend Julia Child? Anybody?.....thought so....

[@davenantais9860]

she lost to Fred Rogers in a controversial finish.

[@djrychlak4443]

Jr. Soprano was Johhny Ola. dop dop dop dop dop dop

[@AJM-timecop]

Bob Wink : )

[@MultiCappie]

; )

[@5858c3]

Mana mana

[@glennmarshall4693]

I haven't seen that sketch in years, supposedly, John Candy had the idea for it, wasn't overly funny though

[@tuskedbeast]

I thought it was hilarious! Fave bit: Moranis's "Lamps!" (and "Bulbs!"), Martin's impossible question answers, and the Charles Bronson exchange. One of the overtly WEIRD sketches. Loved it!

[@MultiCappie]

@@tuskedbeast Yeah same. I thought it was going to be lame, but I laughed almost continually. I love how Barbara Lehman gets completely shafted but answers, while Charles Bronson gets the most hopelessly easy question and fails. XD

[@hfelton]

This more like an SNL sketch. Writers thought it funny, but it wasn't. And it went on much too long another common SNL problem.

[@BigDogCountry]

See: Vikings and Beekeepers.

[@MultiCappie]

@@BigDogCountry Vikings and Beekeepers was possibly my favourite of all time, lol. But I guess I've always liked absurdity. Helps survive in the Trump age, lol.

[@ModMokkaMatti]

@@MultiCappie Trumpage is over, thankfully. But now we've got Uncle Joe the dementia dimwit.