Sketch comedy Kevin and Perry from "Harry Enfield and Chums". The idea of running characters was taken a stage further with shows like "The Red Green Show" and "The League of Gentlemen", where sketches centered on the various inhabitants of the fictional towns of Possum Lake and Royston Vasey, respectively. In "Little Britain", sketches focused on a cast of recurring characters, including "Vicky Pollard", "Marjorie Dawes" and "Lou and Andy". In North America, contemporary sketch comedy is largely an outgrowth of the improvisational comedy scene that flourished during the 1970s, largely growing out of "The Second City" in Chicago and Toronto. Notable
Recurring character of a popular recurring sketch called "The Family", Thelma "Mama" Harper, went on to have her own show "Mama's Family". Also, recurring characters in sketch comedy shows can go on to have their own movies. This is especially true with "Saturday Night Live" which has had many recurring characters turn into movies such as Stuart Smalley, Wayne and Garth of "Wayne's World", The Blues Brothers, and "The Ladies Man". Recurring characters may even revisit shows long after the actor who played them has left the cast, for example, the character Mary Katherine Gallagher was portrayed by Molly Shannon when she