Whose Line Is It Anyway? (also abbreviated Whose Line? or WLIIA) is a short-form improvisational comedy TV show. Originally a British radio programme, it moved to television in 1988 as a series made for Britain's Channel 4. Following the conclusion of the British run in 1998, ABC began airing a version for the United States audience.
The show consists of a panel of four performers who create characters, scenes and songs on the spot, in the style of short-form improvisation games. Topics for the games are based on either audience suggestions or predetermined prompts from the host. Both the British and the American shows ostensibly take the form of a game show with the host arbitrarily assigning points and likewise choosing a winner at the end of each episode.
The original BBC Radio 4 broadcasts consisted of host Clive Anderson along with two guests and the two regular contestants, Stephen Fry and John Sessions.
Clive Anderson stayed on as host when the show moved to television, with John Sessions resuming his role as the only regular in the first series. He subsequently became a rotating regular in the second and third series. Stephen Fry appeared only occasionally on the television series.
Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie first appeared in the second and third series respectively; they each gradually increased the frequency of their appearances to the point that both appeared in every episode from the eighth series on. Stiles is the most prolific performer on the show, having appeared in 76 of the series' 136 episodes (including compilations).
Many of the show's performers, including Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence and Sandi Toksvig, were regulars with The Comedy Store Players, an improvisational group based at London's Comedy Store. Other regular performers from the British version included a variety of British, American and Canadian comedians, notably: * Niall Ashdown * Wayne Brady * Rory Bremner * Chip Esten * Stephen Frost * Archie Hahn * Mike McShane * Greg Proops * Caroline Quentin * Jan Ravens * Brad Sherwood * Tony Slattery * Steve Steen * Jim Sweeney
Additionally, the series occasionally featured celebrity guests as performers, including: * Peter Cook * Julian Clary * Eddie Izzard * Phil LaMarr * Rory McGrath * Ardal O'Hanlon * Catherine O'Hara * Jonathan Pryce * Griff Rhys Jones * George Wendt
On the original BBC Radio series, the music was provided by Colin Sell, but when the show migrated to television, Richard Vranch (also of The Comedy Store Players) became the musician until the last season of the British show, playing electric guitar and piano. For the tenth series in Hollywood, Laura Hall took over, playing mainly keyboards.
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