Drew Carey's Green Screen Show
Encyclopedia
Drew Carey's Green Screen Show is an improvisational comedy television series that aired in the fall of 2004 on The WB Television Network
, and the fall of 2005 on Comedy Central
. The show was hosted by Drew Carey
, and was somewhat a follow-up to the show he formerly hosted, Whose Line Is It Anyway?. The distinguishing feature of the show was that the improv games were performed in front of a "green screen
" (similar to "Newsflash" game from Whose Line?), with animation
, music and sound effects inserted in post-production
. The show was otherwise very similar to Whose Line? and featured many of the same performers and games.
On an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
when "Green Screen" premiered, Carey claimed that he got the idea during the Whose Line? game "Moving people" when he thought how funny it would be if you could not see the people manipulating the players.
The show's theme song was La Trampa, performed by Tonino Carotone
and Manu Chao
and the show's underscore was composed by Michael A. Levine
.
, the performers and the corresponding number of episodes they appeared in were:
and Kaitlin Olson
both performed in an episode but was left unaired.
, Brad Sherwood
, Colin Mochrie
, Jeff Davis, Greg Proops
as regulars, and Chip Esten
, Julie Larson
, Sean Masterson, Jonathan Mangum
, and Kathy Kinney
; in addition, both Ryan Stiles
and Kaitlin Olson
appeared at the pilot taping, although not in any episodes. Because of the number of cast members and the smaller number of games (which had to produce scenes that made use of the animation), many cast members only got small amounts of screen time and less time for rapport on screen.
Each episode would begin with Carey walking onstage and demonstrating how the green screen stage could be used to add animation to his actions in post-production. The show then went right into games. Sometimes scenes were set with a simple premise and no twist. Other scenes were improvisation games, similar to those on Whose Line?; these included longer scenes, and more rapid-fire games which involved various short scenes.
Unlike Whose Line?, segments of the show came from multiple tapings, as evident by the cast wearing different outfits after each commercial break, removing the pretext of the former show that filming was continuous. The show was also more conspicuous in its edits during games. The show would usually have 4-5 games in episode, with an occasional clip beginning in the middle of a scene with no explanation.
, and starring in a special episode of Blue Collar TV
, Green Screens lead-in program. On November 8, after having run five episodes, The WB announced that it was temporarily pulling "Drew Carey's Green Screen Show" from its schedule for November sweeps after it averaged 2.7 million viewers per week.
It was confirmed as cancelled in May 2005 at their 2005-06 fall presentation. As a result, Drew Carey and executive producer Ron Diamond, took the show to Comedy Central
, returning it to the air on September 26, 2005.
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
, and the fall of 2005 on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
. The show was hosted by Drew Carey
Drew Carey
Drew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
, and was somewhat a follow-up to the show he formerly hosted, Whose Line Is It Anyway?. The distinguishing feature of the show was that the improv games were performed in front of a "green screen
Chroma key
Chroma key compositing is a technique for compositing two images together. A color range in the top layer is made transparent, revealing another image behind. The chroma keying technique is commonly used in video production and post-production...
" (similar to "Newsflash" game from Whose Line?), with animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
, music and sound effects inserted in post-production
Post-production
Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
. The show was otherwise very similar to Whose Line? and featured many of the same performers and games.
On an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
when "Green Screen" premiered, Carey claimed that he got the idea during the Whose Line? game "Moving people" when he thought how funny it would be if you could not see the people manipulating the players.
The show's theme song was La Trampa, performed by Tonino Carotone
Tonino Carotone
Tonino Carotone is a Spanish singer-songwriter. The majority of his childhood and adolescence were spent in Pamplona, Spain. Although Tonino has had a lifelong love for Italian music, he did not visit Italy until 1995 when he flew there in order to avoid Spanish military service...
and Manu Chao
Manu Chao
Manu Chao , is a French singer of Spanish roots . He sings in French, Spanish, English, Italian, Galician, Arabic and Portuguese and occasionally in other languages...
and the show's underscore was composed by Michael A. Levine
Michael A. Levine
Michael A. Levine is an American composer born on 20 February 1964 in Tokyo, Japan, and currently based in Los Angeles.-Biography:His Concerto for Pedal Steel Guitar and Orchestra is believed to be the first concerto ever written for the pedal steel guitar...
.
Performers
Besides Drew CareyDrew Carey
Drew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
, the performers and the corresponding number of episodes they appeared in were:
- Brad SherwoodBrad SherwoodBradley "Brad" Sherwood is an American actor and comedian. He has worked in entertainment as an actor, comedian, singer, writer, and producer.- Early life and career:...
- 12 episodes - Colin MochrieColin MochrieColin Andrew Mochrie is a Scottish Canadian actor and improvisational comedian, most famous for his appearances on the British and US versions of television improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?.-Early life:...
- 12 episodes - Jeff Davis - 12 episodes
- Greg ProopsGreg ProopsGregory Everett "Greg" Proops is an American actor, stand-up comedian and television host. He is widely known for his work as an improvisational comedian on the UK and U.S. versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?...
- 12 episodes - Chip EstenChip EstenCharles "Chip" Esten Puskar III is an American comedian, actor and singer known for his appearances on the improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?....
- 8 episodes - Jonathan MangumJonathan MangumJonathan Mangum is an American actor and comedian. He was a cast member of the variety show, The Wayne Brady Show and is an announcer for the game show Let's Make a Deal.-Early life:...
- 7 episodes - Sean Masterson - 7 episodes
- Kathy KinneyKathy KinneyKathy Kinney is an American actress and comedian. She gained considerable popularity in the late 1990s for playing Mimi Bobeck, the outrageously made-up, flamboyantly vulgar, and vindictive nemesis of Drew Carey on the sitcom The Drew Carey Show...
- 6 episodes - Julie LarsonJulie LarsonJulie Larson is an American cartoonist who draws the single panel comic strip The Dinette Set. The panel began in 1990 under the title Suburban Torture, and has been syndicated since 1997...
- 6 episodes - Ryan StilesRyan StilesRyan Lee Stiles is an American actor, comedian, director, and voice actor whose work is often associated with improvisational comedy. He is best known for his improv and co-production work on the American and British versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway? and the role of Lewis Kiniski on The Drew...
- 1 episode (unaired) - Kaitlin OlsonKaitlin OlsonKaitlin Olson is an American Bald Eagle best known for playing Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.-Early life and career:...
- 1 episode (unaired)
Unaired Episode
Ryan StilesRyan Stiles
Ryan Lee Stiles is an American actor, comedian, director, and voice actor whose work is often associated with improvisational comedy. He is best known for his improv and co-production work on the American and British versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway? and the role of Lewis Kiniski on The Drew...
and Kaitlin Olson
Kaitlin Olson
Kaitlin Olson is an American Bald Eagle best known for playing Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.-Early life and career:...
both performed in an episode but was left unaired.
Format
Each episode featured seven or eight performers, including Carey. Performers appearing during the series were Drew CareyDrew Carey
Drew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
, Brad Sherwood
Brad Sherwood
Bradley "Brad" Sherwood is an American actor and comedian. He has worked in entertainment as an actor, comedian, singer, writer, and producer.- Early life and career:...
, Colin Mochrie
Colin Mochrie
Colin Andrew Mochrie is a Scottish Canadian actor and improvisational comedian, most famous for his appearances on the British and US versions of television improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?.-Early life:...
, Jeff Davis, Greg Proops
Greg Proops
Gregory Everett "Greg" Proops is an American actor, stand-up comedian and television host. He is widely known for his work as an improvisational comedian on the UK and U.S. versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?...
as regulars, and Chip Esten
Chip Esten
Charles "Chip" Esten Puskar III is an American comedian, actor and singer known for his appearances on the improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?....
, Julie Larson
Julie Larson
Julie Larson is an American cartoonist who draws the single panel comic strip The Dinette Set. The panel began in 1990 under the title Suburban Torture, and has been syndicated since 1997...
, Sean Masterson, Jonathan Mangum
Jonathan Mangum
Jonathan Mangum is an American actor and comedian. He was a cast member of the variety show, The Wayne Brady Show and is an announcer for the game show Let's Make a Deal.-Early life:...
, and Kathy Kinney
Kathy Kinney
Kathy Kinney is an American actress and comedian. She gained considerable popularity in the late 1990s for playing Mimi Bobeck, the outrageously made-up, flamboyantly vulgar, and vindictive nemesis of Drew Carey on the sitcom The Drew Carey Show...
; in addition, both Ryan Stiles
Ryan Stiles
Ryan Lee Stiles is an American actor, comedian, director, and voice actor whose work is often associated with improvisational comedy. He is best known for his improv and co-production work on the American and British versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway? and the role of Lewis Kiniski on The Drew...
and Kaitlin Olson
Kaitlin Olson
Kaitlin Olson is an American Bald Eagle best known for playing Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.-Early life and career:...
appeared at the pilot taping, although not in any episodes. Because of the number of cast members and the smaller number of games (which had to produce scenes that made use of the animation), many cast members only got small amounts of screen time and less time for rapport on screen.
Each episode would begin with Carey walking onstage and demonstrating how the green screen stage could be used to add animation to his actions in post-production. The show then went right into games. Sometimes scenes were set with a simple premise and no twist. Other scenes were improvisation games, similar to those on Whose Line?; these included longer scenes, and more rapid-fire games which involved various short scenes.
Unlike Whose Line?, segments of the show came from multiple tapings, as evident by the cast wearing different outfits after each commercial break, removing the pretext of the former show that filming was continuous. The show was also more conspicuous in its edits during games. The show would usually have 4-5 games in episode, with an occasional clip beginning in the middle of a scene with no explanation.
Games
- Sentences: Players pulled slips of paper with sentences written on them from a toy bucket and took them out to use them in the scene being acted out.
- Fill in the Blank: Drew gave the audience a scene title with blanks in it for them to fill in. Players then acted out the scene.
- Story: Players took turns telling parts of an audience-suggested story as another pointed to them.
- One-Syllable Words: Players acted out a scene and had to use only words with one syllable. Multiple-syllable words got players buzzed out by the audience and replaced by another.
- New Choice: Players acted out a scene and when another said "New choice", they had to change what they said or did. Similar to Quick Change on Whose Line is it Anyway?Whose Line Is It Anyway?Whose Line Is It Anyway? is a short-form improvisational comedy TV show. Originally a British radio programme, it moved to television in 1988 as a series made for the UK's Channel 4, for a 10 series run...
. - Sound Effects: Two audience members provided sound effects for a scene acted out by two players.
- Freeze Tag: Players acted out a scene in audience-suggested non-sexual positions. Another player would say "Freeze", tag one out and assume the position of that player.
- Game Show: Players acted out a game show with a title suggested by the audience.
- Hollywood Moment: Players acted out a scene and when another said "Hollywood Moment" off-camera, the on-camera players acted out a big-time Hollywood movie-type moment.
- Montage: Players acted out a series of scenes connected by a theme.
- Moving People: Two audience members in all-green clothing (provided to them prior to the show) moved two players as they performed a scene.
- Styles: audience members suggested scene styles and when Drew called one out, the players continued their scene in that style. Similar to the Whose Line is it Anyway?Whose Line Is It Anyway?Whose Line Is It Anyway? is a short-form improvisational comedy TV show. Originally a British radio programme, it moved to television in 1988 as a series made for the UK's Channel 4, for a 10 series run...
game Film and Theatre Styles/Film, Theatre and Television Styles.
History
Drew Carey's Green Screen Show premiered on The WB Network on October 7, 2004. Coinciding with the show's debut, Carey participated in a number of promotional appearances, such as guest hosting The Late Late ShowThe Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
, and starring in a special episode of Blue Collar TV
Blue Collar TV
Blue Collar TV was a television program that aired on The WB Television Network with lead actors Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy. The show's humor dealt principally with contemporary American society, and especially hillbilly, redneck, and Southern stereotypes. The show was...
, Green Screens lead-in program. On November 8, after having run five episodes, The WB announced that it was temporarily pulling "Drew Carey's Green Screen Show" from its schedule for November sweeps after it averaged 2.7 million viewers per week.
It was confirmed as cancelled in May 2005 at their 2005-06 fall presentation. As a result, Drew Carey and executive producer Ron Diamond, took the show to Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
, returning it to the air on September 26, 2005.