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The Second City

Comedy history · 14 facts, each from at least two of 14 independent sources · last reviewed 2026-10-17

The Second City is a theater company and comedy enterprise that began in Chicago in December 1959.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 It has been called a legendary comedy institution and had been in operation for roughly six decades.6,7,8,9

Founding and History

Paul Sills was among the people who founded the company.1,3,4,5 Jeffrey Sweet chronicled Second City, along with the Compass Players, in an oral history titled Something Wonderful Right Away.3,10

Theaters and Influence

Beyond Chicago, the company has run resident theaters or training centers in Cleveland, Detroit, Edmonton, Las Vegas, London (Ontario), Los Angeles, and Toronto.1,2,11,12 Saturday Night Live has drawn many of its performers from The Second City.2,4,13

SCTV

During the 1970s and 1980s, The Second City produced the television series SCTV.4,14 The show collected two Emmy Awards and an ACTRA Award, along with 13 Emmy nominations.11,12

Leadership

Andrew Alexander owned The Second City and served as its CEO and executive producer.2,9,10,12,14,15,16 Across the United States and Canada, he has served as producer or executive producer on more than 200 Second City revues.11,12 In 2008, he organized a gathering of the SCTV cast in Toronto.11,12 Alexander stepped down from the company after allegations of racism at the theater were widely reported.8,9,17

Sources

  1. Alumni & Comedy History | The Second City (secondcity.com)
  2. Second City Theatre (chicagohistory.org) · archived copy
  3. Paul Sills, a Guru of Improv Theater, Dies at 80 - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
  4. Second City comedy theater for sale, 2nd time in 60 years - ABC News (go.com) · archived copy
  5. Viola Spolin Biography (violaspolin.org)
  6. SNL And Second City Partner To Train Comics : NPR (npr.org)
  7. The Second City Reveals Opening Date, Shows, and Cast for NYC Location (broadwayworld.com)
  8. Jon Carr leaves Second City after 14 months as executive producer - Chicago Sun-Times (suntimes.com)
  9. Column: On Second City, private equity and the sad lack of a Chicago comedy savior – Chicago Tribune (chicagotribune.com)
  10. The Second City – 50 Years of Funny (secondcity.com) · archived copy
  11. SCTV founder Andrew Alexander to exit Second City after accusations of institutionalized racism – The Bay Observer (bayobserver.ca) · archived copy
  12. Second City's Andrew Alexander Honored by Phi Kappa Betta (broadwayworld.com)
  13. Second City takes home Jeff Awards and announces complete 50th anniversary lineup | The TOC Blog | Time Out Chicago (timeoutny.com) · archived copy
  14. Second City CEO steps down amid claims of racism at theater | AP News (apnews.com)
  15. Second City CEO Andrew Alexander remembers co-owner Len Stuart - Chicago Reader (chicagoreader.com)
  16. Inside the Second City's Comedy Studies Program | Splitsider (splitsider.com) · archived copy
  17. Second City CEO steps down amid claims of racism at theater (apnews.com) · archived copy

Updated November 12, 2026.

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