NEW YORK -- When Eugene Levy comes limping into the room, speculation abounds.

Could it be gout?

"I'm an actor, not a politician or a judge," quips Levy.

Perhaps he really has two left feet.

"It's Gerry Fleck who has the two left feet, not me," he says, referring to the nerdish menswear salesman he played in the wildly funny dog-show spoof Best In Show.

So why limping?

"It's a snow shovelling injury. In case you hadn't heard, Ontario has had a running battle with the weather gods this winter."

This talk of gods and angels explains why Levy has retired his snow shovel, at least for a couple of days.

In the new Chris Rock comedy, Levy plays Mr. Keyes, a heavenly employee whose job it is to collect souls the moment they die. Keyes guides the newly deceased to a magnificent nightclub in the sky.

Down to Earth is based on the 1978 Warren Beatty film Heaven Can Wait, which was, in turn, based on the 1941 comedy Here Comes Mr. Jordan.

"I can conceive of heaven as a night club as long as it is one of those great old dinner clubs," says Levy.

No, he wouldn't want to headline.

"I'd be a guest. There would have to be a great golf course, a steam bath, someplace for a massage and a superb kitchen. That way you can enjoy any entertainment they offer up."

Levy certainly knows entertainment, especially the laughter kind.

He's been creating major yuks since 1976 when he and fellow Second City Toronto comics Catherine O'Hara, John Candy, Dave Thomas and Andrea Martin created SCTV.

The original TV comedy series has found a whole new generation of fans through its reruns.

Two such fans are brothers Chris and Paul Weitz, who directed American Pie and Down to Earth.

The moment they were given Adam Herz's screenplay for the raunchy teen comedy American Pie, they knew they had to have Levy play the bewildered but concerned father of the sexually hyperactive high school student determined to lose his virginity by prom night.

"Traditionally it's actors who are meant to be nervous during auditions, but when I met with Chris and Paul I could sense roles were a bit reversed," recalls Levy.

"Paul and Chris are huge fans of SCTV. They are so cute. They're much too nice for this business.

On Feb. 17, Levy begins filming American Pie II in L.A.

"The kids are all on summer break from college."

Down to Earth was shot in Levy's backyard last year, with Toronto once again filling in for New York.

Levy has nothing but praise for Rock, who he says is "an incredibly funny man because he is so honest.

"Like Richard Pryor, Chris has a true street sense. He's very perceptive and he gets his laughs by verbalizing ordinary things in life.

"So many young Black comedians are angry and nasty. Their humour stings. This is most definitely not the case with Chris."

Levy was also impressed by Rock's ability to turn his humor on and off.

"I filmed Club Paradise with Robin Williams. He needs to be on all the time. As the weeks wore on, the laughter wore off. It became too much of a good thing. Chris is not like that at all."

Levy and his longtime writing partner Christopher Guest have been nominated for a Writers Guild award for their original screenplay for Best in Show.

"I'm a little kid from Hamilton, Ont. I'm happy when people like my movies. I get tickled pink when critics put my film on awards lists.

"I'm in heaven when we get nominations for awards."


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