Quick Facts
Biography
Robin Duke (born March 13, 1954) is a Canadian actress, comedian, and voice actress. Duke may be best known for her work on the television comedy series SCTV and, later, Saturday Night Live. She co-founded Women Fully Clothed, a sketch comedy troupe which toured Canada. She teaches writing as a faculty member at Humber College in Toronto and has a recurring role playing Wendy Kurtz in the sitcom Schitt's Creek.
Life and career
Duke was born in Toronto, Ontario. She went to high school with Catherine O'Hara at Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute in Etobicoke; they first met in home room class. In 1976 Duke joined O'Hara as part of the Toronto version of the stage comedy troupe The Second City, while also making several appearances in the troupe's television series, SCTV. Duke became a regular on SCTV from 1980–81. She joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1981 when O'Hara suddenly dropped out of that show.
NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL) (1981-1984)
Duke was an actress and writer on SNL from 1981 to 1984. Duke was hired in place of Catherine O'Hara, who was chosen as a cast member when Dick Ebersol was hired following Jean Doumanian's termination and the termination for most of her cast members. O'Hara backed out after SNL writer Michael O'Donoghue yelled at cast and crew members for ruining the show during its sixth season. Duke's most popular character was probably Wendy Whiner, a woman who, with her equally whiny husband (Joe Piscopo), annoyed everyone she met. She is also remembered for appearing with Mr. T as the equally bizarre "Mrs. T" in a faux commercial for the real-life product "Mr. and Mrs. T's Bloody Mary Mix".
Film acting credits
Duke went on to appear in such films as Club Paradise (1986), Groundhog Day (1993), Stuart Saves His Family (1995) and Portrait of a Serial Monogamist (2015), along with many television guest appearances.
Voice Over acting credits
Duke is also the voice of Penny in the children's animated television series George and Martha. Her other voice roles include the following:
- Bob and Margaret
- Marvin The Tap-Dancing Horse
- Turbo Dogs
- Erky Perky
- Jacob Two-Two
- Grossology
- Franny's Feet
- Angela Anaconda
- Busytown Mysteries
- Corduroy
- John Callahan's Quads!
- Chilly Beach
- Iggy Arbuckle
- Wayside
- Spider Riders
- Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series
- Spliced
- George ShrinksF
- Uncle Joe's Cartoon Playhouse
- Jimmy Two-Shoes
- Magi-Nation
- Beyblade
- Cyberchase
- The Berenstain Bears
- My Dad the Rock Star
- Totally Spies!
- Knights of the Zodiac
- Di-Gata Defenders
- Ruby Gloom
- Carl Squared
- World of Quest
- Funpak
- Miss BG
- Gerald McBoing Boing
- Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends
- Time Warp Trio
- Pelswick
- What It's Like Being Alone
- Friends and Heroes
- King
- Scaredy Squirrel
- Captain Flamingo
- 6teen
- Delilah and Julius
- Interlude
- Toot and Puddle
- Pandalian
- Atomic Betty
Women Fully Clothed (2004)
In 2004, Duke along with Kathryn Greenwood, Debra McGrath, Jayne Eastwood and Teresa Pavlinek created Women Fully Clothed, a sketch comedy troupe. The group has toured the United States, Canada and appeared in Scotland at the Edinburgh Festival.
Schitt's Creek (2016)
In 2016, Duke joined the cast of Schitt's Creek playing dress shop owner Wendy Kurtz. The sitcom reunites Duke with her old SCTV castmate Eugene Levy. (Schitt's Creek cast member Catherine O'Hara was also a cast member of SCTV, but not at the same time as Duke.)