Actor Steve Carell and hundreds of other comedians are gathering in Chicago to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Second City.

The improv theater is the place where the star of NBC's "The Office" and other big-name comics got their start. Other alumni include Bill Murray, John Candy, Chris Farley, Stephen Colbert, Mike Myers and Tina Fey.

Saturday afternoon's red carpet event at the theater on the city's North Side will be followed by special performances, panel discussions and screenings. Others in attendance included talk-show host Bonnie Hunt.

Many alumni who went on to successful careers in film and television include film actor Alan Arkin, comedian Robert Klein, and the late John Candy and John Belushi. Many were plucked from Second City to join Saturday Night Live, including Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Tina Fey, and Mike Myers.

Also joining the reunion weekend shows is the cast from the Toronto Second City company, who created the SCTV television series. On December 11, the players taking the stage include Martin Short (Father of the Bride), Eugene Levy (Taking Woodstock, Night at the Museum), and Catherine O'Hara (Away We Go).

On December 12, alumni spanning the decades will perform classic scenes from company's archives featuring Steve Carell (The 40-Year-Old Virgin), Stephen Colbert (Comedy Central's The Colbert Report), Jeff Garlin (HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm), Harold Ramis (Ghostbusters), and George Wendt (Cheers).

The shows will benefit the alumni fund to assist employees experiencing hardships. Panels on the history of the theater and its art will take place all weekend.