Andrew Alexander

2018 Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award (Screens and Voices (formerly Broadcasting and Film))

Theatre, film and television producer

Andrew Alexander is a prolific theatre, film and television producer, notably of The Second City—the world’s premier improv comedy club, theatre and school—and the award-winning sketch comedy show “SCTV.” As the CEO and executive producer of The Second City, he has devoted over 40 years to cementing its status as an international comedy empire. Through its theatres, training centres and outreach programs, the organization has popularized the art of improvisation and elevated the quality of comedic theatre in North America.
 
Mr. Alexander was born in 1944 in London, England, and moved to Canada in 1951. He took the helm of The Second City Toronto in 1974 and, with the late Len Stuart, acquired The Second City Chicago in 1985.
 
He has produced and collaborated with such legendary Canadian comics as Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Eugene Levy, Colin Mochrie, Mike Myers, Catherine O’Hara and Martin Short. He has developed programming for numerous networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, Comedy Central, HBO, Showtime, A&E, and CBC, and produced film and TV projects with such stars as Ed Asner, Jim Belushi, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Chris Farley, Joe Flaherty, Tina Fey, Bonnie Hunt, Shelley Long, Andrea Martin, Bill Murray, Mike Myers, Gilda Radner and Harold Ramis.
 
In 2008, he launched The Second City Alumni Fund to help alumni facing health and financial challenges. To date, it has raised over $750,000.
 
In 2016, he founded the Harold Ramis Film School, the world’s only film school dedicated to comedy.
 
Mr. Alexander currently chairs the honorary board of Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto, a registered charity that offers support, education and social interaction to cancer patients, their families and friends. He is also an honorary board member of Gilda’s Club Chicago.
 
Andrew Alexander's awards and honours include the Just For Laughs Festival lifetime achievement award, Canadian Comedy Awards Chairman’s Award for Contribution to Comedy, and Chicago lmprov Festival Lifetime Achievement Award. For his work on The Second City, he has received 30 Joseph Jefferson Awards, 12 Canadian Comedy Awards and 2 Dora Mavor Moore Awards; for “SCTV,” he was awarded an ACTRA and 2 Emmys.