Colin Mochrie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Colin Mochrie
Mochrie in 2008
Birth name	Colin Andrew Mochrie
Born	(1957-11-30) November 30, 1957 (age 67) Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland
Medium	Stand-up comedy, television
Nationality	Canadian
Education	Langara College (BFA)
Years active	1977–present
Genres	Improvisational comedy
Spouse	Debra McGrath ​ (m. 1989)​
Children	1
Relative(s)	Munro Chambers (nephew)

Colin Andrew Mochrie (born November 30, 1957) is a famous Scottish-born Canadian actor and comedian. He is best known for his amazing skills in improv comedy. You might have seen him on the TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, both the British and American versions.

Colin Mochrie developed his comedy skills with groups like Vancouver's TheatreSports League and Toronto's Second City theatre. He has been in many TV shows, movies, and stage plays. With his wife, comedian Debra McGrath, Colin helped create and star in Canadian TV shows like Getting Along Famously and She's the Mayor. He has also written for many other shows and events.

Colin's work has won him several awards. These include two Canadian Comedy Awards, a Gemini Award, and a Writers Guild of Canada award. In 2013, he was named Canadian Comedy Person of the Year.

Early Life and First Laugh

Colin Mochrie was born in Kilmarnock, Scotland, in 1957. He was the oldest of three children. His dad worked in airline maintenance. Colin was a shy kid and spent a lot of time watching TV.

In 1964, when Colin was seven, his family moved to Canada. They first lived near Montreal, Quebec. Five years later, they moved to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Colin went to Killarney Secondary School. He thought he would become a marine biologist. But a friend convinced him to try out for a play. Colin played an undertaker in the play and got his first laugh. That moment made him want to be an entertainer. After high school, he studied theatre at Langara College. There, he discovered the fun of improvisational comedy.

Career Highlights

Starting with Improv

After college, Colin joined the Vancouver TheatreSports League in 1980. At first, not many people came to their shows. He even had to ask people from nearby restaurants to come watch! Working with TheatreSports eventually became his full-time job.

He met another improvisor, Ryan Stiles, during this time. They became close friends and worked together at TheatreSports. Later, Colin moved to Toronto and joined The Second City comedy group. Ryan Stiles was already working there. Colin performed with The Second City for three years. He wrote and starred in shows and directed their touring company. He also met his wife, Debra McGrath, there. They got married in 1989 and had their child, Kinley, in 1990.

Becoming a Whose Line Is It Anyway? Star

In 1989, Colin tried out for the British TV improv show Whose Line Is It Anyway?. He didn't get the part at first. He learned that auditions are about showing what you can do. The third time he tried out, he got a regular spot on the show. He was a main cast member for seven years until the show ended in 1998.

After the British show finished, Colin joined the American version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? on ABC. Drew Carey hosted this version. Colin appeared in every episode from 1998 to 2006. He loved games like "Scenes From a Hat," where he acted out scenes based on audience ideas. He also enjoyed "Whose Line," where he and Ryan Stiles acted out scenes using funny lines written on paper. Colin often played female roles in skits. His co-stars would sometimes joke about him being Canadian or his receding hairline.

During this time, Colin also appeared in many commercials in Canada. He was known as the "commercial king." He played characters like the "Snack Fairy" for Nabisco, wearing a ballet tutu and saying "Snack happy!"

Other Projects and Appearances

Colin Mochrie was busy with many other projects while on Whose Line. In 1994, he played Mike Brady in a musical version of The Brady Bunch. He also appeared in the Canadian comedy series Supertown Challenge and Improv Heaven and Hell.

In the early 2000s, Colin was a guest star on The Drew Carey Show and Figure It Out. He was also in Goosebumps and The Red Green Show. From 2001 to 2003, he was on This Hour Has 22 Minutes on CBC Television.

In 2003, Colin joined other famous Canadians like Leslie Nielsen and Wayne Gretzky in ads. They encouraged people to visit Toronto after the SARS outbreak. In 2004, he hosted Wild Survival Guide on Animal Planet, a funny show about surviving animal attacks. He also appeared in commercials for Buckley's Cough Syrup and New York Fries.

Colin was in so many Canadian shows that the series Corner Gas even made a joke about it. In 2005, he was in "Burnt Toast," a series of short comedic operas. He also helped explain how sourdough bread is made in a video for Disney California Adventure Park. In 2005, he starred in the TV movie The Magical Gathering with his daughter, Kinley.

In 2007, Colin hosted the Canadian game show Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?. He also made guest appearances on Little Mosque on the Prairie.

Recent Work

In 2010, Colin starred in the Canadian sitcom She's the Mayor. He also appeared in Degrassi Takes Manhattan. In 2011, he was a regular on Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza. In 2012, he starred in the ABC improv comedy series Trust Us with Your Life.

Colin returned for the CW network's new version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? in 2013. He also had a role in the TV comedy Working the Engels. In 2017, he made a guest appearance on the Canadian detective show Murdoch Mysteries.

In 2020, he hosted Mass Hysterical: A Comedic Cantata, a funny show about classical music. He was nominated for an award for this in 2022. He also appeared on the new version of The Kids in the Hall in 2022. Colin also co-created "Hyprov," a comedy show that mixes stage hypnosis and improv, with hypnotist Asad Mecci.

Touring with Brad Sherwood

Since 2002, Colin Mochrie and his Whose Line co-star Brad Sherwood have toured North America together. Their show was first called "An Evening with Colin and Brad." They released a DVD of their performances in 2011. As of 2018, they continue to perform their show, now called the "Scared Scriptless Tour." They have played in big venues like the Sydney Opera House and London's Royal Albert Hall.

Personal Life

Colin Mochrie lives in Toronto with his wife, actress Debra McGrath. They have been married since 1989 and have a daughter named Kinley. Colin is a strong supporter of his child. In 2022, when he competed on LOL: Last One Laughing Canada, he played for Rainbow Camp. This is a summer camp program that supports LGBTQ youth in Thessalon.

Colin Mochrie is also related to Canadian actor Munro Chambers. Munro is Colin's nephew by marriage.

Film and Television Appearances

Colin Mochrie has appeared in many films and television shows throughout his career. Here are some of them:

Film

• Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983)
• The January Man (1989)
• The Real Blonde (1997)
• Lucky Numbers (2000)
• Totally Blonde (2001)
• The Tuxedo (2002)
• Bitter Jester (2003)
• Young Triffie (2006)
• Surviving My Mother (2007)
• Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008)
• GravyTrain (2010)
• Mulroney: The Opera (2011)
• Please Kill Mr. Know It All (2012)
• Beethoven's Treasure Tail (2014)
• After the Ball (2015)
• Astronaut (2019)
• Canadian Strain (2019)
• Drifting Snow (2021)
• Ankle Biters (2021)
• Hey, Viktor! (2023)
• How to Ruin the Holidays (2023)
• Villains Inc. (2024)

Television

• Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1991–1999)
• Goosebumps (1996)
• Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1998–2007, 2013–present)
• Supertown Challenge (1998–2000)
• George and Martha (1999)
• The Drew Carey Show (1999–2000)
• Seven Little Monsters (2000–2003)
• Blackfly (2001–2002)
• This Hour Has 22 Minutes (2001–2002)
• Royal Canadian Air Farce (2002–2003)
• Corner Gas (2004)
• The Red Green Show (2004)
• Drew Carey's Green Screen Show (2004–2005)
• Getting Along Famously (2006)
• Are You Smarter Than a Canadian 5th Grader? (2007)
• Little Mosque on the Prairie (2007–2012)
• The Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town (2010)
• Degrassi Takes Manhattan (2010)
• She's the Mayor (2011)
• Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza (2011)
• Trust Us with Your Life (2012)
• Match Game (2012–2013)
• Working the Engels (2014)
• Annedroids (2014–2017)
• The Stanley Dynamic (2015)
• Murdoch Mysteries (2017–2024)
• Let's Get Physical (2018)
• Liverspots and Astronots (2018)
• Go Away, Unicorn! (2019)
• Private Eyes (2019)
• Carter (2019)
• Workin' Moms (2020)
• TallBoyz (2021)
• LOL: Last One Laughing Canada (2022)
• Sloppy Jones (2022)
• The Kids in the Hall (2022)
• Ted Lasso (2023)

Awards and Recognition

Colin Mochrie has received many awards for his comedy and writing. He has won two Canadian Comedy Awards for his improv and TV performances. He also won a Gemini Award and a Writers Guild of Canada award for his work on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. In 2013, he was honored as the Canadian Comedy Person of the Year.

See also

In Spanish: Colin Mochrie para niños