Gerry Dee
{{short description|Canadian actor and stand-up comedian|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{BLP sources|date=February 2010}}
{{Infobox person
| image = Gerry Dee.jpg
| caption = Dee in February 2012
| birth_name = Gerard Francis-John Donoghue
| birth_date = {{birth date and age| 1968|12|31}}
| birth_place = Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|stand-up comedian|game show host|director|producer|writer}}
| years_active = 2001–present
| spouse = Heather Dee
| children = 3
| website = {{url|http://www.gerrydee.com}}
}}
Gerry Dee (born Gerard Francis-John Donoghue;[http://www.oct.ca/publications/professionally_speaking/september_2001/news.asp Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313044216/http://www.oct.ca/publications/professionally_speaking/september_2001/news.asp# |date=2009-03-13 }}, oct.ca; accessed February 23, 2015.[https://twitter.com/gerrydee Dee's Twitter page] December 31, 1968) is a Canadian actor, stand-up comedian, game show host, director, producer, and writer.{{cite news|title=Comic Gerry Dee will be a stand-up guy kicking off the Henry Burris All-Star Weekend |url=http://www.calgarysun.com/news/columnists/gerry_forbes/2009/05/03/9331316-sun.html |work=Calgary Sun|date=May 3, 2009|access-date=February 15, 2010}} He is the host of Family Feud Canada. He placed third on the fifth season of Last Comic Standing, and he wrote and starred in the sitcom Mr. D, which aired on CBC Television.
Early life
Dee was born Gerard Francis-John Donoghue, and is of Irish and Scottish descent. He was born in Scarborough and raised in Toronto. He was a university varsity hockey player and golfer. He attended St. Gabriel's (Bayview/Sheppard) and De La Salle College, Oaklands, where he later worked as a physical education teacher and hockey coach. He studied kinesiology and athletic therapy at York University and education at St. Francis Xavier University. His father was a bus driver for the TTC in Toronto for over 20 years.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}}
Career
Dee was relatively successful long before being on Last Comic Standing. He had already had his own comedy special on The Comedy Network in Canada, appeared on the Comedy Network special "The Nubian Disciples", and performed at the world-famous Montreal Just for Laughs International Comedy Festival, having his segment aired on Just For Laughs. He has appeared in television commercials and has performed at many comedy clubs, including Just For Laughs and Yuk Yuks. Dee also had a role in the 2006 film Trailer Park Boys: The Movie, where he played the role of Donny. That same year, Dee played former Boston Bruins player Wayne Cashman in the CBC miniseries Canada Russia '72.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}}
Dee placed third on the fifth season of Last Comic Standing. He had tried out for Last Comic Standing during the second and fourth seasons, but never advanced to the finals. He missed the birth of his daughter while appearing on the show. Starting in late 2007, Dee had his own segment on Canadian cable channel The Score (later known as Sportsnet). These segments, entitled Gerry Dee: Sports Reporter, saw Dee conducting humorous interviews and segments. The interviews included such sports personalities as Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Cito Gaston, Randy Couture, and Chris Bosh.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}}
Dee appeared in television commercials for Rogers, Wisers, KFC, and Nissan, and is currently making guest appearances on CBC's The Hour. He won a 2008 Canadian Comedy Award in the Best Male Stand-Up comic category.[http://www.canadiancomedy.ca/archives.php?year=2008 2008 Canadian Comedy Award recipients] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706171208/http://www.canadiancomedy.ca/archives.php?year=2008 |date=2011-07-06 }}, Canadian Comedy Award website; accessed February 25, 2010.
In January 2012, his sitcom Mr. D premiered on CBC Television. Created, written by and starring Dee, the show is based on his experience as a high-school teacher. Dee’s children, Alyce, Faith, and Breton Donoghue, are also a part of the cast. Alyce played "Amanda-Susan" as well as some background characters, Faith played "Faith" as well as some background characters, and Breton played "John".
On July 8, 2019, it was announced Dee would be the host of Family Feud Canada.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/mediacentre/press-release/cbcs-family-feud-canada-kicks-off-nationwide-search-for-canadian-families-t|title=CBC'S FAMILY FEUD CANADA KICKS OFF NATIONWIDE SEARCH FOR CANADIAN FAMILIES TO COMPETE THIS FALL|publisher=cbc.ca|date=July 8, 2019}}
He appears in the sitcom Animal Control, which began in 2023 and was renewed into 2024.
Publishing career
In October 2012, Doubleday Canada published Dee's Teaching: It's Harder Than It Looks. Like Dee's sitcom Mr. D, Teaching is based on his ten years as a teacher. A national bestseller, the book came out in paperback in May 2013.[http://www.randomhouse.com/highschool/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385677455&view=print], Random House website; accessed March 9, 2015.
Personal life
Dee is the son of Scottish immigrant parents. He is a former high school physical education teacher. He was the first Canadian to win the San Francisco Comedy Competition. He played varsity hockey at St Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Dee and his wife Heather have two daughters Alyce and Faith, as well as one son, Breton. His daughters played recurring roles on his comedy show Mr. D as Amanda-Susan (Alyce) and Faith (Faith), while his son appeared in the series finale as John. Gerry is a supporter of Celtic Football Club.
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable unsortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
| 2006
| Trailer Park Boys: The Movie | Donny | |
| 2011
| Boss | |
| 2012
| Jim | |
| 2017
| Paul | Short |
=Television=
| class="wikitable unsortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
| 2001
| Himself | 1 episode |
| 2006
| Wayne Cashman | 2 episodes |
| 2008–2019
| CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival | Himself/host | 3 episodes |
| 2011
| Skins | Dr. Westly | Episode: "Michele" |
| 2012–2018
| Mr. D | Gerry Duncan | 73 episodes |
| 2014
| Gerry Dee: The Substitute | Himself | Television film |
| 2019–present
| Himself/host | |
| 2019–2021
| Roger | 10 episodes |
| 2023
| Templeton Dudge | 5 episodes |
| 2023
| Dack Adams | 3 episodes |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://archive.today/20130204072529/http://tv.thescore.com/programs/gerry-dee-sports-reporter "Gerry Dee Sports Reporter" page on TheScore.com]
- {{IMDb name|2089942}}
{{Last Comic Standing}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dee, Gerry}}
Category:21st-century Canadian comedians
Category:21st-century Canadian male actors
Category:Best Actor in a Comedy Series Canadian Screen Award winners
Category:Canadian Comedy Award winners
Category:Canadian game show hosts
Category:Canadian male comedians
Category:Canadian male film actors
Category:Canadian male television actors
Category:Canadian people of Irish descent
Category:Canadian people of Scottish descent
Category:Canadian stand-up comedians
Category:Canadian television sportscasters
Category:Comedians from Toronto
Category:Last Comic Standing contestants
Category:Male actors from Toronto
Category:People from Scarborough, Ontario
Category:St. Francis Xavier University alumni