# Robin Duke
**Robin Duke** (born 1954 in [St. Catharines](https://www.edgepedia.org/st-catharines), Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian actress, comedian, and writer best known as a cast member of the sketch series SCTV and NBC's Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robin-duke/). She began in Toronto improv theater, performed and wrote on both SCTV and SNL, and later worked steadily in film, voice acting, and Canadian television[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robin-duke/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241208/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1954, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241208/) |
| Second City | Second City Toronto mainstage cast 1977-1980, after starting in the touring company[3](https://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/300/cultural_gutter/2008/08-05-13/www.sctvguide.ca/characters/index.htm?nodisclaimer=1) • [4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf) |
| SCTV | Series 3 cast member, replacing Catherine O'Hara; also writer, 1980-1981[3](https://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/300/cultural_gutter/2008/08-05-13/www.sctvguide.ca/characters/index.htm?nodisclaimer=1) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241208/) |
| SNL | Cast member 1981-1984 under producer Dick Ebersol; writer 1982-1984 on 39 episodes; Primetime Emmy nomination for the show in 1984[4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241208/) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robin-duke) |
| Signature character | Wendy Whiner of "The Whiners", developed with Joe Piscopo[4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf) |
| Notable film roles | Doris the Waitress in *Groundhog Day* (1993), Mary Lou in *Club Paradise* (1986), Sandra Baker in *Blue Monkey* (1987)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robin-duke) |
| Later TV | Wendy Kurtz in *Schitt's Creek* (2016-2019) and Wendy "Unhoused Wendy" Brown in *Shelved* (2023)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241208/) |
## Early career and the Second City
Duke's path into comedy ran through her high school friendship with [Catherine O'Hara](https://www.edgepedia.org/catherine-ohara). The two were classmates at Burnhamthorpe Collegiate in [Etobicoke](https://www.edgepedia.org/etobicoke), Ontario, where they first acted together in a school production of *Harvey* and amused themselves by dressing up as characters and doing impersonations[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241208/) • [4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf). Through O'Hara's family connection to [Gilda Radner](https://www.edgepedia.org/gilda-radner), Duke began attending shows at the Toronto Second City, where she watched performers including John Candy, Eugene Levy, Dan Aykroyd, and Radner[4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf).
While at university, intending to become a teacher, she took workshops at Second City. The improvisation teacher [Del Close](https://www.edgepedia.org/del-close) was asked to assemble a touring company from his workshop, and chose the first seven people through the door; Duke was one of them[4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf). Touring with revival material taught her comic timing, she later said, because repeating the same sketches gave her an instinct for where laughs must land[4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf). She joined the Second City Toronto mainstage cast in 1977 and stayed through 1980[3](https://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/300/cultural_gutter/2008/08-05-13/www.sctvguide.ca/characters/index.htm?nodisclaimer=1).
## SCTV and SNL
When O'Hara left SCTV to pursue film acting, Duke stepped in to replace her on the show's third season[4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf). She performed in series 3 and worked as a series writer on 26 episodes between 1980 and 1981[3](https://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/300/cultural_gutter/2008/08-05-13/www.sctvguide.ca/characters/index.htm?nodisclaimer=1) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241208/).
Her move to [Saturday Night Live](https://www.edgepedia.org/saturday-night-live) in 1981 again followed O'Hara: O'Hara had been hired for the show, decided it was not the right environment for her, and told producers about Duke before departing[4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf). Duke flew to New York the next day and interviewed with [Dick Ebersol](https://www.edgepedia.org/dick-ebersol), who had taken over the program from [Lorne Michaels](https://www.edgepedia.org/lorne-michaels)[4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf). She joined mid-season in a rebuilding period, when only Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo were held over from the previous cast[4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf).
**The Whiners.** Duke's best-remembered SNL character came from an offstage joke with [Joe Piscopo](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-piscopo), who like her felt no writers were supplying them material[4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf). She wrote a sketch around the two complaining characters and submitted it for read-through; producers left it out, saying there were "no jokes on the page". She persuaded them to let the pair read it anyway, arguing the comedy was all in the attitude[4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf). The Whiners became the role she is most associated with from her SNL years[4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf). Her other SNL work included impressions such as [Brooke Shields](https://www.edgepedia.org/brooke-shields) and a recurring [Shelley Winters](https://www.edgepedia.org/shelley-winters) impression[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robin-duke/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241208/). She remained on the show until 1984, also serving as a writer on 39 episodes[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robin-duke/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241208/), and received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her SNL work in 1984[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robin-duke).
## Film and television after SNL
After leaving SNL in 1984, Duke worked continuously in film and television[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robin-duke/). Her screen credits through the 1980s and 1990s include *Club Paradise* (1986, as Mary Lou), *Blue Monkey* (1987, as Sandra Baker), *There Goes the Neighborhood* (1992), *Groundhog Day* (1993, as Doris the Waitress), *Hostage for a Day* (1994, as Elizabeth Kooey), *[Multiplicity](https://www.edgepedia.org/multiplicity-film)*, *Stuart Saves His Family*, and *I Love Trouble* (1994)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robin-duke) • [6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/robin-duke/credits/3030726869/).
**Voice acting** became a significant part of her work. She lent her voice to the HBO animated series *George and Martha* (1998-2000), appeared in the Disney TV movie *Quints* (1999), and did voice work on animated series including *Max & Ruby*, *6teen*, *Atomic Betty*, *Bob and Margaret*, and *Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse*[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robin-duke) • [6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/robin-duke/credits/3030726869/).
Later television roles included Wendy Kurtz in six episodes of *Schitt's Creek* between 2016 and 2019, appearances in *Man Seeking Woman*, and the recurring role of Wendy "Unhoused Wendy" Brown in the 2023 Canadian sitcom *Shelved*[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241208/). Film work in the 2010s and 2020s included *Rocky Road* (2014), *Portrait of a Serial Monogamist* (2015, as Abby Neufeld), *Insect* (2022), and *The Snake* (2026)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robin-duke/) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robin-duke).
## Writing and teaching
Duke's writing credits run through both of her sketch-show tenures: 26 episodes of SCTV in 1980-1981 and 39 episodes of SNL in 1982-1984, plus a writing credit on the 2026 series *I'm Also Here*[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241208/). She has taught second-year improv and sketch writing at [Humber College](https://www.edgepedia.org/humber-polytechnic), where she appeared on the Humber Comedy Podcast describing her career and her character-based approach to comedy[4](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf).
She has been married to Hendriik Riik, with whom she has one child[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241208/).
## References
1. [Robin Duke - Actress, Comedian, Voice Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robin-duke/)
2. [Robin Duke, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241208/)
3. [SCTV Guide - People - Cast: Robin Duke](https://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/300/cultural_gutter/2008/08-05-13/www.sctvguide.ca/characters/index.htm?nodisclaimer=1)
4. [Humber Comedy Podcast: Robin Duke (transcription), Humber College Media Arts](https://mediaarts.humber.ca/assets/files/podcasts/robin-duke-transcription.pdf)
5. [Robin Duke Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robin-duke)
6. [Robin Duke List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/robin-duke/credits/3030726869/)
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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: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license