Frantics - Definition and Overview

The Frantics was a Canadian comedy troupe consisting of Paul Chato, Rick Green, Dan Redican and Peter Wildman.

The group formed in the late 1970s. In 1981, they were given a weekly radio series on CBC Radio, as a summer replacement for the Royal Canadian Air Farce. The show, Frantic Times, ran to 113 episodes and aired until 1985.

In 1986, they moved to television, producing a CBC series called Four on the Floor, which lasted only one season.

A couple of short radio series followed, including Fran of the Fundy (a 3-part spoof of Anne of Green Gables) in 1987, and the 8-part The Frantics Look at History in 1988.

The Frantics were noted for off-the-wall humour, with some skits and novelty songs reminiscent of The Goon Show and Monty Python's Flying Circus. They satirized everything from suicide hotlines to current ads to Tom Swift science fiction. They were particularly known for the recurring character Mr. Canoehead, a crime fighter with a full-sized aluminum canoe welded to his head by lightning, and for the catch phrase "Boot to the head!" which is also the title of their most famous song.

Some of The Frantics' radio sketches were also aired in the United States on the Dr. Demento show, a feat they would share with later Canadian comedy acts such as The Arrogant Worms.

In 2004 the troupe reformed, returning to stage with a mix of new and old material which was released on CD in the form of the Official Bootleg CD - Live at the Tim Sims Playhouse.

Discography

Albums