It’s Been a While, But Rick Moranis Is Going to Act Again
Rick Moranis: The guy Woody Allen calls a nebbish, a nervously tittering lead of family films (he lit up millennial living rooms with his Honey, I... trilogy) and bluer comedic works (Ghostbusters, Little Shop of Horrors, Spaceballs) alike. He was everywhere in the ’80s, but took an eminently understandable hiatus from acting beginning in the ’90s after his wife passed away. He did a noble and difficult thing by focusing all his energies on dutifully raising his motherless children, turning his back on fame and his public. Though he’s still taken the occasional job — he gave his kids something to love by contributing voice work to Brother Bear — he’s shied away from highly visible gigs. Until now!
The Hollywood Reporter has noted a new press release from Flip Publicity promoting an event featuring the rare public appearance from the under-the-radar Moranis. One of Moranis’ earliest signature characters was Bob McKenzie, a stereotypical Canadian doofus who hosted the faux public-access show “Great White North” with his brother Doug (played by Dave Thomas) on SCTV. THR’s item states that Moranis and Thomas will un-retire the toque-wearing hosers for a special benefit event called Take Off, Eh! on July 18. Along with a heavy lineup of guests including fellow Ghostbuster Dan Aykroyd, Eugene Levy, and Martin Short, the two men will take over Second City’s stage in Toronto for what the press release describes as an “intimate evening,” and for a good cause, at that. Thomas’ nephew recently suffered a spinal cord injury that left him completely paralyzed from the waist down, and this benefit would help to raise funds for the charity Spinal Cord Injury Ontario so that others like him can get the aid they deserve.
Readers from our neighbor to the north — take note, this is a rare opportunity and a worthy mission. Pay up for the chance to see Moranis emerge from reclusion? As Bob and Doug would say, the punishment is not too bad, eh.