Query About "SCTV News" Sketches - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

W.B. · 11-23-2010, 04:02 AM

. . . namely, as it relates to the two anchors, Floyd Robertson (Joe Flaherty) and Earl Camembert (Eugene Levy). We know that the names of the two characters were plays on real-life Canadian newscasters Lloyd Robertson and Earl Cameron (respectively), and that Camembert's persona was modeled after legendary Buffalo, NY news anchor Irv Weinstein . . . but would anyone know which anchor(s) Floyd was based on? I detected a few in New York City, f'rinstance, namely the late Jim Jensen . . . plus, his approach towards news also had a lot in common with Chicago's Bill Kurtis (pre-"I found the Internet" and many an A&E show; and if one read his views on local TV news in Ron Powers' book The Newscasters: The News Business as Show Business).

Another thing about Floyd: It would seem that, besides being co-anchor, he was also news director. (As was the case in a few cities in the early and middle years of television; for example, Ralph Renick at WTVJ in Miami, Roger Grimsby at KGO-TV in San Francisco before he went to WABC-TV in New York in 1968, John Tillman at WPIX in New York in the 1950's and '60's, and even Mr. Weinstein at WKBW-TV.) One hint was the manner in which he often treated Earl in the course of many a newscast, especially in the 1976-81 syndicated episodes (for example, those moments where he icily told his loud-jacketed and -bow tied, bespectacled colleague, "Your job's on the line"). Another came in a 1979 sketch after Andrea Martin's "Perini Scleroso" character botched an interview with an Irish mother (Catherine O'Hara) who'd given birth to "test-tube Siamese triplets" - and after Floyd asked, "Well, whaddaya think of that?", Earl retorted, "You've hired her." And a news anchor would not hire a reporter, from what I could gather, unless he was also news director. (And if so, based on this track record, then Floyd was no Ralph Renick.) I'm asking what other SCTV'ies who frequent this board would think of this interpretation.

Marvo301 · 11-23-2010, 03:23 PM

I always saw Floyd Robertson as a combination of CTV's Lloyd Robertson and CBC's Knowlton Nash.

W.B. · 01-28-2023, 09:20 AM

It's also probable that Mr. Flaherty may have modeled Floyd's persona after two legendary Pittsburgh news anchors, Bill Burns and Adam Lynch. (Being as Joe grew up in Pittsburgh.)

11-23-2010, 04:02 AM	#1
W.B. Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 23, 2005 Location: New York, New York, USA Posts: 389	Query About "SCTV News" Sketches . . . namely, as it relates to the two anchors, Floyd Robertson (Joe Flaherty) and Earl Camembert (Eugene Levy). We know that the names of the two characters were plays on real-life Canadian newscasters Lloyd Robertson and Earl Cameron (respectively), and that Camembert's persona was modeled after legendary Buffalo, NY news anchor Irv Weinstein . . . but would anyone know which anchor(s) Floyd was based on? I detected a few in New York City, f'rinstance, namely the late Jim Jensen . . . plus, his approach towards news also had a lot in common with Chicago's Bill Kurtis (pre-"I found the Internet" and many an A&E show; and if one read his views on local TV news in Ron Powers' book The Newscasters: The News Business as Show Business). Another thing about Floyd: It would seem that, besides being co-anchor, he was also news director. (As was the case in a few cities in the early and middle years of television; for example, Ralph Renick at WTVJ in Miami, Roger Grimsby at KGO-TV in San Francisco before he went to WABC-TV in New York in 1968, John Tillman at WPIX in New York in the 1950's and '60's, and even Mr. Weinstein at WKBW-TV.) One hint was the manner in which he often treated Earl in the course of many a newscast, especially in the 1976-81 syndicated episodes (for example, those moments where he icily told his loud-jacketed and -bow tied, bespectacled colleague, "Your job's on the line"). Another came in a 1979 sketch after Andrea Martin's "Perini Scleroso" character botched an interview with an Irish mother (Catherine O'Hara) who'd given birth to "test-tube Siamese triplets" - and after Floyd asked, "Well, whaddaya think of that?", Earl retorted, "You've hired her." And a news anchor would not hire a reporter, from what I could gather, unless he was also news director. (And if so, based on this track record, then Floyd was no Ralph Renick.) I'm asking what other SCTV'ies who frequent this board would think of this interpretation.

11-23-2010, 03:23 PM	#2
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,452	I always saw Floyd Robertson as a combination of CTV's Lloyd Robertson and CBC's Knowlton Nash.
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01-28-2023, 09:20 AM	#3
W.B. Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 23, 2005 Location: New York, New York, USA Posts: 389	It's also probable that Mr. Flaherty may have modeled Floyd's persona after two legendary Pittsburgh news anchors, Bill Burns and Adam Lynch. (Being as Joe grew up in Pittsburgh.)