Colin Mochrie
A towering improv genius whose deadpan delivery and willingness to embrace absurdity made him the rock upon which countless Whose Line scenes were built.
Born 1957 (age 69)·Canadian comedic actor·Birthday: November 30·Baby Boomers
Biography
Colin Mochrie is the unlikely anchor of chaos. With the stoic demeanor of a man waiting for a bus, he became the perfect foil for the frenetic energy of improv comedy. Born in Scotland and raised in Canada, he honed his craft with Vancouver's Theatresports before becoming the only performer to appear on every episode of the American revival of 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' His genius lies in his commitment. Whether playing a hoovering human vacuum cleaner or a confused party guest, Mochrie sells the reality of the moment with a raised eyebrow or a perfectly timed, mundane observation. He doesn't seek the laugh; he lets it find him within the logic of the scene. This made him not just a fan favorite, but the trusted foundation that allowed his scene partners, like Ryan Stiles and Wayne Brady, to soar to even wilder heights.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Colin was born in 1957, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Colin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1957
#1 Movie
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Best Picture
The Bridge on the River Kwai
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Colin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1957Born
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1962Started school
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1970Became a teenager
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Could drive
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1975Could vote
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Turned 21
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1987Turned 30
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 40
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 50
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 60
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 69 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Appeared as a regular performer on every episode of the American version of 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' across both its ABC and CW runs.
- Won multiple Canadian Comedy Awards, including awards for Best Male Improviser and Best Performance by a Male.
- Co-wrote and starred in the improvised film 'The Improv: 60 Years of Comedy' and the TV series 'The Colin Mochrie Show'.
- Toured extensively with improv comedy shows like 'Whose Line Is It Anyway? Live' and 'Hyprov' with hypnotist Asad Mecci.
Did You Know?
He met his wife, comedian Debra McGrath, while they were both performing in the Canadian comedy series 'The Kids in the Hall'.
Mochrie is a trained stage actor and performed in Shakespearean productions early in his career.
He voiced the character of 'Bendy' in the animated children's series 'The Adventures of Paddington Bear'.
He holds dual citizenship in Canada and the United Kingdom.
“I'm not funny. I'm just surrounded by funny people who make me look good.”
