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Posted: |
May 15, 2021 - 12:44 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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HARRY AND WALTER GO TO NEW YORK to pull off the largest bank heist of the nineteenth century. Unfortunately, “Harry Dighby” (James Caan) and “Walter Hill” (Elliott Gould) are two hopelessly-out-of-their-class conmen. In their attempt at grand larceny, they gain the enmity of the most famous bank robber in the world, “Adam Worth” (Michael Caine), and the affection of a crusading newspaperwoman, “Lissa Chestnut” (Diane Keaton). In his third and final feature with Elliott Gould, Warren Berlinger had a minor role as a “Stage Manager.”
Mark Rydell directed this comedy, which, with a budget between $5 and $7 million, was considered to be the costliest film released in 1976. So sure were the producers of the film’s success that a sequel was being planned even before principal photography was complete. Although the picture edged into the top 50 films of the year at the box office, with a $13.9 million gross, no sequel was ever produced. David Shire’s score did not get a release. It appeared as an isolated score track on the 2018 Twilight Time Blu-ray release of the film.
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Posted: |
May 15, 2021 - 12:21 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Warren Berlinger made his first film with Disney with THE SHAGGY D.A. The film was a sequel to 1959’s THE SHAGGY DOG. Dean Jones plays “Wilby Daniels,” the same character played by Fred MacMurray in the 1959 film. In this tale, when Daniels’ home is robbed twice in a single day, he decides to take the law into his own hands—by running to unseat the town’s incompetent District Attorney, “‘Honest’” John Slade” (Keenan Wynn). Dick Bakalyan and Warren Berlinger play burglars “Freddie” and “Dip,” the first robbers to menace the Daniels’
This was the final film of long-time Disney director Robert Stevenson. It also marked actress Jo Anne Worley’s feature film debut. Buddy Baker scored the film. Jones sang the title song, written by Shane Tatum and Richard McKinley.
Although reviews for THE SHAGGY D.A. were critical of its formulaic nature, they were generally positive. The 3 January 1977 Boxoffice predicted that it would be “one of the year’s biggest hits,” and the 10 December 1976 Daily Variety described the film as “all frothy fun, not to be taken seriously or analyzed.” Both reviews singled out impressionist George Kirby, who dubbed several dog voices in the styles of actors Mae West, Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson. The film’s box office performance proved the Boxoffice review to be correct, grossing $32 million.
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Posted: |
May 16, 2021 - 1:09 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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It was hijinks on the high seas in the television sitcom “Operation Petticoat”, when a U.S. submarine has to take on a collection of female nurses. Somehow or another, the sub gets painted pink in the process. This show was based on the 1959 film of the same name, which starred Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. The series starred John Astin as “Lt. Commander Matthew Sherman.”
ABC debuted the series on Saturday 17 September 1977 at 8:00 PM. None of the competing shows (“The Bionic Woman” on NBC and the sitcom “We’ve Got Each Other” on CBS) was a top 30 show. When “Operation Petticoat” was renewed for a second season, most of the cast was replaced. The new sub commander was Robert Hogan as “Lt. Commander Sam Haller.” Also now onboard were Randolph Mantooth as “Lt. Mike Bender” and Warren Berlinger as “Chief Engineer Dobritch.”
For season two, the series was moved to Monday at 8:30 PM. The show faced stronger competition here, namely “Little House on the Prairie” on NBC, the #14-rated series for the season. “Operation Petticoat” was cancelled at mid-season after 10 episodes had aired.
The cast of “Operation Petticoat”:
(top row) Fred Kareman, Jo Ann Pflug, Jamie Lee Curtis, Melinda Naud
(bottom row) Warren Berlinger, Robert Hogan, Randolph Mantooth, Richard Brestoff
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Posted: |
May 16, 2021 - 4:24 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Roger Moore co-starred with Burt Reynolds in the 1981 action-comedy THE CANNONBALL RUN. The plot followed a wide variety of eccentric competitors who participate in a wild and illegal cross-country road race. However, the entrants will do anything to win the race, including low-down, dirty tricks. Reynolds played “J. J. McClure,” owner of a land-sea-air delivery business. Moore was millionaire “Seymour Goldfarb, Jr.,” who is chastised by his mother (Molly Picon) for calling himself “Roger Moore” and thinking he is the star of James Bond films. “Seymour” was originally written as a man who thinks he's James Bond. But for legal reasons, he was charged to a character who thinks he is Roger Moore.
The character "Victor Prinzim" (Dom DeLuise) was named after Vic Prinzi, a friend and former college football teammate of Burt Reynolds at Florida State University. Reynolds played halfback at FSU before an injury forced him out of football, and Prinzi was the quarterback. THE CANNONBALL RUN was Dom DeLuise's third film with Reynolds. Warren Berlinger played “Shakey Finch,” an expert motorcycle racer.
The film was based on the “Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash,” a “no-holds-barred transcontinental race.” The race, created by writer Brock Yates, was held five times between 1971 and 1979, and was named to honor driver Erwin “Cannonball” Baker, who set a 1933 cross-country record of 53 hours and 30 minutes.
The cast of THE CANNONBALL RUN
(top row) Jack Elam, Hal Needham, Joe Klecko, Jamie Farr, Mel Tillis, Bert Convy
(middle row) Alfie Wise, Dom DeLuise, Adrienne Barbeau, Michael Hui, Rick Aviles, Warren Berlinger
(bottom row) Tara Buckman, Dean Martin, Farrah Fawcett, Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Jackie Chan, Sammy Davis, Jr.
The $12 million film was directed by former stunt director Hal Needham, his fourth film with Burt Reynolds. The film’s song score was released on a Warner Bros. LP, but has not been reissued on CD. The film did excellent business, grossing about $90 million worldwide.
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Posted: |
May 17, 2021 - 4:06 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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The 1989 version of Agatha Christie’s TEN LITTLE INDIANS is set in the 1930s, as ten disparate characters go on an African safari at the behest of a mysterious benefactor. When reaching their destined campsite, the travelers begin to tell their stories of how they were summoned by the still-absent host. And then the murders begin, one by one, just like the title poem. It appears that each of them has a skeleton or two in the closet, and more importantly, one of them is most likely the killer. Frank Stallone plays “Capt. Lombard,” hired by the host to lead the safari, but whose luggage bears another person’s name. Donald Pleasence plays the ‘hanging Judge’ “Wargrave.” Herbert Lom is “General Romensky.” Paul L. Smith and Moira Lister play the camp cooks “Elmo” and “Ethel.” Brenda Vaccaro is “Marion Marshall,” an aging and plump actress. Yehuda Efroni plays doctor “Hans Werner.” Warren Berlinger is American detective “Blore.” Neil McCarthy plays caddish British gentleman “Anthony Marston,” and Sarah Maur Thorp appears as “Vera Claythorne,” a former nanny.
Frank Stallone, Sarah Maur Thorp, Donald Pleasence, Warren Berlinger, and Yehuda Efroni in TEN LITTLE INDIANS
Alan Birkinshaw directed the film. George S. Clinton’s score was released by Silva Screen. The film was a dud at the U.S. box office, earning less than $50,000.
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Posted: |
May 18, 2021 - 11:26 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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THAT THING YOU DO! is set in 1964. The film stars Tom Everett Scott as “Guy Patterson,” a jazz fan who works in his family's appliance store during the day and practices his drumming after the store closes. “Jimmy” (Johnathon Schaech), “Lenny” (Steve Zahn), the unnamed bass player (Ethan Embry), and “Chad” (Giovanni Ribisi) are the members of a local band that's struggling to figure out what their name should be. Eventually, they'll land on "The Oneders" - which is supposed to be pronounced like "The Wonders", but rarely is. After drummer Chad breaks his arm, the band has to ask their acquaintance Guy to replace him for a show... but when Guy speeds up their song "That Thing You Do" during the show, it suddenly becomes a local hit. They make a record, they get radio play, their song gets attention from managers. Soon a professional named “Mr. White” (Tom Hanks) is making The Oneders (quickly renamed The Wonders) a national sensation. Warren Berlinger has a small role as a “Polaroid T.V. Host.”
Tom Hanks wrote and directed this 1996 release, his first try at either job for a feature film. Howard Shore’s score did not make an appearance on the Play-Tone/Epic Soundtrax song CD. The film squeaked into the top 60 films of the year at the U.S. box office, with a $25.9 million gross, but added only an additional $8.7 million overseas.
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