Greg Proops
From Wlwiki
The sharp-witted Greg Proops appeared on both the British and American editions of Whose Line.
Greg's greatest talent was his banter and verbal humour. He was the most erudite cast member, often sprinkling his humor with esoteric references a-la Dennis Miller, making him a kind of thinking man's improvisor. He used his quick wit and erudition to good advantage in his short-lived side career as a game show host. He's also one of the few actors to be both a successful improviser and stand-up comedian. Unlike many stand-ups, he supports women, blacks, and homosexuals in his performances.
His singing, while passable, was never of the same standard as the others who became regulars on the American show, and as a result he lost many appearances to Brad Sherwood and Chip Esten. It should be noted, though, that while his singing wasn’t the best, his lyrics were always entertaining. His first episode included a very smutty and funny rap from Greg.
He was also one of the better impressionists on the show. While his most famous impressions on the Whose Line include Woody Allen, John Wayne (an impression that didn't reach the same level as Ryan Stiles's impression had reached), and gremlins he was also was skilled at imitating Yoda, Dracula, John Major, and other famous figures.
He was also the sufferer of many Buddy Holly jokes (especially in the British version) as his 50’s haircut and glasses helped give him an uncanny resemblance to the late rock singer.
In his British appearances, Greg was often the target of Clive Anderson's barbs about America, often being asked "Do you have [mundane object] in America?" On one occasion, this resulted in Greg (who was hosting the game of Party Quirks) refusing to open the door. In another episode,he told Clive that "this isn't like your other show where you just talk and talk" (Clive hosted a talk show at the same time as Whose Line).
Another instance of Greg versus Clive interplay occurred during the preamble to a game of Superheroes. In response to Clive's request for suggestions of a world crisis to respond to, two crises were suggested by the audience. The microphones picked up "Richard Nixon is back from the dead", while Clive heard and accepted "there's a jam shortage". Greg appeared incensed and asked "Who are you listening to? There's gold coming from over here!" Eventually, a "compromise" crisis that there was "an asteroid filled with jam about to hit the earth" was decided on. Greg, however, wanted the last word and began the game discovering that there was a jam shortage before commenting "Nixon's come back from the dead--no time for that!"
On the American show, Greg's wit often seemed to be directed against Drew Carey. Perhaps the most famous instance of this was in response to Drew's comment (introducing African Chant) that "Africa's a big country in the middle of the world". Greg, laughing very loudly, pointed out that "it's also a continent if you're a geographer", prompting an episode-long running gag.
Greg's verbal creativity often saw him cast as a narrator - in games such as Hey You Down There and Mission Impossible.
- Greg's appearances (UK)
- Series 2: Episodes 1, 4, 7, 13, 16 and 17
- Series 3: Episodes 1, 8, 9, 11, 15, 16 and 17
- Series 4: Episodes 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12 and 13
- Series 5: Episodes 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 9
- Series 6: Episodes 2, 4, 8, 9, 10 and 11
- Series 7: Episodes 1, 2, 5, 7, 11 and 12
- Series 8: Episodes 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13 and 14
- Series 9: Episodes 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17 and 18
- Series 10: Episodes 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11
- Greg's appearances (US)
- US Season 1: 1, 3, 7, 9, US-113, 15 and 20
- US Season 2: 3, 4, 10, 11, 16, 19, 23, 25, 27 and 29
- US Season 3: 4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 19, 21, 23, 26, 31, 32 and 37
- US Season 4: 11, 13, 23, 26, 30 and 31
- US Season 5: 5, 7, 10, 12, 17, 20, 21, 28, 30 and 33
- US Season 6: 4, 5 and 7
- US Season 7: 3, 10, 11 and 18
- US Season 8: 4, 10, 16, 19 and 21
External links
| UK Programme | ||
|---|---|---|
| Host | Clive Anderson | |
| Musicians | Richard Vranch · Laura Hall · Win Meyerson | |
| Frequent Players | Rory Bremner · Steve Frost · Josie Lawrence · Mike McShane · Paul Merton · Colin Mochrie · Greg Proops · Caroline Quentin · John Sessions · Brad Sherwood · Tony Slattery · Ryan Stiles · Jim Sweeney · Sandi Toksvig | |
| US Series | ||
|---|---|---|
| Host | Drew Carey | |
| Musicians | Laura Hall · Linda Taylor · Candy Girard · Anne King · Anna Wanselius · Cece Worral-Rubin | |
| Show Regulars | Wayne Brady · Colin Mochrie · Ryan Stiles | |
| Frequent Players | Chip Esten · Kathy Greenwood · Greg Proops · Denny Siegel · Brad Sherwood | |
