Even behind the scenes
the quick wit with the big brown eyes and bow legs is in constant
demand performing voice-over work for both animated productions
and radio advertising. Kelamis's skinny, "hyper guy" character
has been featured prominently on such memorable television commercials
as last Spring's Telus ad (the dropping filing cabinet) and ICBC's
humorous spot which featured the actor getting tossed from a toilet.
It was at the now defunct Punchlines Comedy Club in Vancouver that
Kelamis had the opportunity to work with Robin Williams. Kelamis
had become a headline performer after a little more than a year
in the business. "Comedy was the rock and roll of the day,"
he says." I was fortunate to be a part of that wave. Robin
Williams was in Vancouver filming Jumanji and decided to
join us at Punchlines for some improv." Kelamis says the encounter
was initially unnerving but proved both memorable and pivotal.
"I just decided to relax, have fun and go for it," he
says. "Robin came up to me after the show-I mean, I didn't
go to him, he came to me!" Williams wasn't the only one who
took note of Kelamis' obvious talent - a prominent casting agent
was also in the audience, and ever since, Kelamis has been steadily
employed.
Kelamis, however, has still had his share of challenges. After
his initial success in stand-up and landing some small roles, he
faced the cold reality of showbiz competition. "I was promptly
dropped like a sack of hammers." But perseverance paid off
and Kelamis successfully branched out in a variety of directions.
The actor is often sought out for non-comedic roles and has been
cast many times on such dramas as The Outer Limits, Sliders,
The Sentinel and the X-Files.
"A lot of comics are doing straight roles these days,"
he observes. "And I think it's because we know so much about
timing, about reading an audience. There is no mercy in comedy:
silence is the loudest sound you could possibly hear."
Judging by his workload there's apparently little that's quiet
in his life. Audiences on the lookout can expect to see the hometown
boy in soon to-be released films like
My Nine Wives starring Rodney Dangerfield, Fear of Flying
with Jennifer Beals, and Tom Berenger, and Shiny New Enemies
starring Salma Hayek, Jeff Goldblum and Lara Flynn Boyle.
In addition to his ongoing work in film, TV and onstage, Kelamis
also provides character voices for several animated TV series. He's
the voice of "Rolf" on the Teletoon hit Ed, Edd n'
Eddie and "Fitzpatrick" on The Roswell Conspiracies.
He is also the voice of "Rikki Syngh Baines," a character
he says adds comic relief to Mainframe Entertainment's new computer
animated series' Action Man.
"I love what I do. It's the greatest feeling to be happy at
the end of the day," he says. "I think that's the most
important thing about choosing a career."
Kelamis next performs Sept. 22 and 23 at Lafflines Comedy Club
in New Westminster.
return to Publicity
page |
