# Dave Foley
**Dave Foley** (David [Scott Foley](https://www.edgepedia.org/scott-foley)) is a Canadian actor, stand-up comedian, writer, director, and producer, born in 1963 in Toronto, Ontario. He is known as a co-founder of the sketch comedy troupe [The Kids in the Hall](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-kids-in-the-hall), as the star of the NBC sitcom [NewsRadio](https://www.edgepedia.org/newsradio), and as the voice of Flik in Pixar's A Bug's Life.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/11756/dave-foley)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name and birth | David Scott Foley, born 1963 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/foley-dave-1963) |
| Start in comedy | Dropped out of an alternative high school to do stand-up; met Kevin McDonald at an improv class and, while working as movie ushers, formed a comedy team[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004929/bio/) |
| The Kids in the Hall | In 1984 the team merged with another troupe to form The Kids in the Hall; the sketch series premiered on CBC in 1988, debuted on HBO a year later, and ran until 1995[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004929/bio/) • [4](https://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductees/kids-in-the-hall/) |
| NewsRadio | Played news director Dave Nelson on the NBC sitcom from 1995 to 1999, appearing in all 97 episodes[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004929/bio/) |
| Voice work | Voiced Flik in A Bug's Life (1998), Toy Story 2 (1999), and It's Tough to Be a Bug[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/foley-dave-1963) |
| Awards | Gemini Awards with Kids in the Hall for best writing, 1989 and 1990; Emmy nominations for series writing, 1993 to 1995[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/foley-dave-1963) |
| Marriages | Tabitha Southey, married December 31, 1991, divorced around 1997, two children; Crissy Guerrero, married August 1, 2002, one child[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/foley-dave-1963) |
## Early life and the formation of the troupe
Foley was born and raised in Toronto, where he attended alternative high schools and began writing stand-up comedy for a creative writing project.[5](https://www.winnipegcomedyfestival.com/wcf-alumni/artists/504/dave-foley) His interest in improv led to comedy workshops, where he met [Kevin McDonald](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-mcdonald) and teamed up with him; the two, while employed as movie ushers, worked as a comedy team, and in 1984 they merged with another group to form The Kids in the Hall.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004929/bio/) • [5](https://www.winnipegcomedyfestival.com/wcf-alumni/artists/504/dave-foley)
**The troupe and its show.** The completed five-man lineup consisted of Foley, McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson.[4](https://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductees/kids-in-the-hall/) Saturday Night Live's Lorne Michaels saw the group perform and produced their first television special in 1987; the sketch series premiered on CBC in 1988, made its U.S. debut on HBO a year later, and ran until 1995.[4](https://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductees/kids-in-the-hall/) • [5](https://www.winnipegcomedyfestival.com/wcf-alumni/artists/504/dave-foley) The show's edgy humor often featured the members in drag, skewering show business and even themselves, and Foley distinguished himself playing sarcastic, ironic characters with boyish charm.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dave-foley/) Foley is the youngest member of the troupe.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004929/bio/)
His work with the group earned shared [Gemini Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/gemini-awards) from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and [Television](https://www.edgepedia.org/television) for best writing in a comedy or variety program or series in 1989 and 1990, plus Emmy Award nominations for outstanding achievement in writing for a variety or music program in 1993, 1994, and 1995.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/foley-dave-1963) The troupe's feature film *Brain Candy* followed in 1996.[4](https://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductees/kids-in-the-hall/)
## NewsRadio and film work
After the troupe wound down the series, Foley signed on to the NBC sitcom NewsRadio, playing station news director Dave Nelson from 1995 to 1999.[5](https://www.winnipegcomedyfestival.com/wcf-alumni/artists/504/dave-foley) He was one of three cast members to appear in all 97 episodes, and much of his character drew on his own personality, including a reported coffee habit of several pots a day and a love of the sitcom *Green Acres*.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004929/bio/) The series also earned a Petcabus Award nomination for best ensemble cast in 1998.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/foley-dave-1963)
Between and after those seasons Foley built a film career. He had made his screen debut at 22 as the lead in the Canadian film *High Stakes* (1986)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004929/bio/), and his later credits include *[It's Pat](https://www.edgepedia.org/its-pat)* (1994), *Blast from the Past* (1998), *Dick* (1999), and *Sky High*.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/foley-dave-1963) • [5](https://www.winnipegcomedyfestival.com/wcf-alumni/artists/504/dave-foley) He wrote and starred in the cult film *The Wrong Guy* (1998), released in Canada, which won a shared Film Showcase Jury Award for best screenplay at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in 1999.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/foley-dave-1963) • [5](https://www.winnipegcomedyfestival.com/wcf-alumni/artists/504/dave-foley)
## Voice acting
Foley voiced Flik, the ant protagonist, in Pixar's *A Bug's Life* (1998), and reprised the character in *Toy Story 2* (1999) and the attraction *It's Tough to Be a Bug*; the voice of Flik is listed among his trademarks.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/foley-dave-1963) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004929/bio/) He also voiced characters in *South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut* (1999) and later in *Cars* (2007).[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/foley-dave-1963) • [7](https://ckua.com/listen/dave-foley-reflects-on-sketch-comedy/)
## Hosting, directing, and later television
Foley hosted Bravo's game show *Celebrity Poker Showdown*, one of several hosting and guest roles that stretched beyond acting.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/11756/dave-foley) • [8](https://nowtoronto.com/music/qa-dave-foley/) He directed *The Kids in the Hall: Same Guys, New Dresses* (2000), a documentary based on one of the group's reunion tours.[5](https://www.winnipegcomedyfestival.com/wcf-alumni/artists/504/dave-foley)
His later television work includes a guest role on [TV Land](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-land)'s *Hot in Cleveland*, appearances on shows from *Will & Grace* to *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia*, and a starring role in the CTV sitcom *Spun Out*, which averaged a reported 645,000 viewers in its first season.[9](https://ir.paramount.com/static-files/815c034b-c1ef-4117-b20a-10f9a32d7855) • [10](https://www.earwolf.com/person/dave-foley/) • [11](https://www.wgc.ca/sites/default/files/2019-05/CS-Vol17No3.pdf) More recent screen work includes a role as Danish Graves in season 5 of FX's *Fargo*.[12](https://www.strawhutmedia.com/dont-be-alone-with-jay-kogen/comedy-legend-dave-foley-believes-in-aliens-more-than-jays-career)
## Reunions and current projects
The Kids in the Hall have reunited repeatedly. After the original run, the group reunited for tours and for the eight-episode mini-series *Death Comes to Town*, announced in December 2008 and aired in January 2010 on IFC in the United States and CBC in Canada; the troupe later headlined a 2022 revival series.[13](https://broadcasting-history.ca/kids-in-the-hall-the/) • [14](https://www.slashfilm.com/1917751/newsradio-cast-actors-today/)
Foley also remains active in new formats. He co-hosts the podcast *REALLY?!. with Tom and Dave* with showrunner, screenwriter, and novelist Tom Wheeler, interviewing journalists, researchers, and government officials about UFOs and related government programs.[15](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/really-with-tom-and-dave/id1694997896) In 2025, [Bell Media](https://www.edgepedia.org/bell-media) announced *Hockey Fanatics*, a Crave Original unscripted series hosted by Foley, in which he and celebrity guests travel across North America exploring hockey fandoms in their home cities.[16](https://www.bellmedia.ca/the-lede/press/new-bell-media-announces-2025-26-original-content-slate/)
## References
1. [Dave Foley, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/11756/dave-foley)
2. [Foley, Dave 1963, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/foley-dave-1963)
3. [Dave Foley Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004929/bio/)
4. [Kids In The Hall, Canada's Walk of Fame](https://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductees/kids-in-the-hall/)
5. [Dave Foley, Winnipeg Comedy Festival alumni profile](https://www.winnipegcomedyfestival.com/wcf-alumni/artists/504/dave-foley)
6. [Dave Foley, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dave-foley/)
7. [Dave Foley reflects on sketch comedy, and the return of the Kids in the Hall, CKUA](https://ckua.com/listen/dave-foley-reflects-on-sketch-comedy/)
8. [Q+A: Dave Foley, NOW Magazine](https://nowtoronto.com/music/qa-dave-foley/)
9. [TV Land press release, Hot in Cleveland guest stars, Paramount IR](https://ir.paramount.com/static-files/815c034b-c1ef-4117-b20a-10f9a32d7855)
10. [Dave Foley, Earwolf](https://www.earwolf.com/person/dave-foley/)
11. [Writers Guild of Canada, Canadian Screenwriter Vol. 17 No. 3](https://www.wgc.ca/sites/default/files/2019-05/CS-Vol17No3.pdf)
12. [Comedy Legend Dave Foley Believes In Aliens More Than Jay's Career, Straw Hut Media](https://www.strawhutmedia.com/dont-be-alone-with-jay-kogen/comedy-legend-dave-foley-believes-in-aliens-more-than-jays-career)
13. [Kids In The Hall, The, The History of Canadian Broadcasting](https://broadcasting-history.ca/kids-in-the-hall-the/)
14. [NewsRadio Cast: Where The Actors Are Today, SlashFilm](https://www.slashfilm.com/1917751/newsradio-cast-actors-today/)
15. [REALLY?!. with Tom and Dave, Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/really-with-tom-and-dave/id1694997896)
16. [Bell Media Announces 2025/26 Original Content Slate](https://www.bellmedia.ca/the-lede/press/new-bell-media-announces-2025-26-original-content-slate/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Canadian actors › Surnames Cr to F*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license