TORONTO — "Corner Gas" alum Lorne Cardinal is getting used to hearing his own name when fans see him on the street.

For years, Cardinal has been best known as Davis Quinton, the goofy cop from the celebrated TV series -- and the comic actor says that's generally how admirers greeted him.

But months after the show's finale, Cardinal says he's noticed a change. In fact, he was forced to break away several times from a recent phone interview to return greetings from enthusiastic passersby as he stood outside a Saskatoon theatre where he's mounting the two-man play "Thunderstick," opening this week.

"It happens all the time, everywhere," Cardinal says after one interruption. "And the nice part is some people actually know my name -- my real name. Because usually, before, they'd say, `Hey Davis! Hey Davis!' And over the last year or so people actually know my name."

With "Corner Gas" now in his past, Cardinal is embarking on a series of projects that should further solidify him as much more than the sweet-natured police sergeant created by series writer and star Brent Butt.

His upcoming ventures include a sitcom pilot shot in Vancouver with Kevin Sorbo of "Hercules" fame. In "Wolf Canyon," Cardinal and Sorbo lead an ensemble cast as bumbling actors on a bad U.S. television show that is filmed in Canada.

Cardinal plays Hoyt Talbot Jr., a veteran stuntman who's fallen one too many times on his head.

"Sometimes he'll just start blurting out lines from a totally different movie," explains Cardinal, whose past roles include stints on "Wapos Bay," "Renegadepress.com," "Relic Hunter" and "North of 60."

"Or he'll just do a shoulder roll in the middle of the street because he thinks (cameras) are rolling or something like that. Or he hears gunfire and he goes into platoon mode."

Although produced for the aboriginal network APTN, "Wolf Canyon" features an edge that would also make it a good fit for Showcase, Cardinal says. He notes that Sorbo takes the lead as a washed-up TV star and drunken lech.

"It's more about the show-business side of it -- you get to see behind the scenes and you get to actually see (camera) equipment. It's really hard to act bad, that's what I'm finding," says Cardinal, referring to the scene-within-a-scene aspect of the show.

If picked up, "Wolf Canyon" would be the third new show to come from a former "Corner Gas" regular. Butt recently began filming his followup series, "Hiccups," in Vancouver with wife and star Nancy Robertson, while Fred Ewanuick, who played Hank, is currently shooting the sitcom "Dan for Mayor" in southern Ontario.

Cardinal says the pilot for "Wolf Canyon" is expected to air Dec. 26 on APTN.

Before that, viewers can catch him Nov. 6 on APTN when Cardinal hosts the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards in Winnipeg.

As for "Thunderstick," Cardinal is launching the play with former "Air Farce" regular Craig Lauzon. The dramedy examines the relationship of estranged journalist cousins who are brought together when both land jobs covering Parliament Hill.

Cardinal plays Jacob, a troubled writer with alcohol and women problems, while Lauzon plays Isaac, a seasoned photographer and world traveller. But neither actor can get too attached to their characters, since each performer will switch roles on alternating show nights, says Cardinal.

"You've got to give yourself challenges, otherwise life becomes a little dull," Cardinal says in explaining the unusual tactic, adding that he got the idea from seeing Philip Seymour Hoffman and John C. Reilly pull off the feat in a Broadway production of Sam Shepard's "True West."

"It'll be two different shows and it'll give the audience something more to chew on. They'll come back, see a second show and see another guy do the same part," said Cardinal.

"Thunderstick" runs through Nov. 15 at Saskatoon's Persephone Theatre. In the new year, it moves to Edmonton's Roxy Theatre from Jan. 14 to 31.

"I love being on stage," Cardinal says of his current gig. Ten years ago, he directed this same play in Saskatoon.

"We're having fun and keeping it light and we're having a lot of laughs, which is great."