[3], My Favorite Year was the first film directed by actor Richard Benjamin, who was an NBC page at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in 1956. He is perfect for this. Finney said it, Paula said it. Home Quizzes Movie Trivia Movies by Year 1960s Movies Benjy is assigned to look after him before the show, and it's all he can do to keep his former idol from going completely off the rails. Not surprisingly, Peter O'Toole, once a heavy drinker himself, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his flamboyant portrayal of Swann. In Theaters: Actor Mark Linn-Baker received an 'introducing' credit. He had a bona-fide movie star that his wife, Paula Prentiss, recommended after another actor regretfully declined the films plum role. The establishing shot of Peter O'Toole waking in the bed of a Lolita-esque young lady predates (in the timeline) Lolita (1962), Baby Doll (1956), and A Face in the Crowd (1957), all of which featured sexy young female protagonists. These are my favorites from that year. | Oct 5, 2019. Everyones game came up because of Peter. Music: Ralph Burns [8], This article is about the original film. [Alan Swann has blundered into the wrong restroom]. Hes completely charming. On February 3, 2003, she was found shot to death in the home of Phil Spector. & many more results. Both productions ran on Broadway in 1954. Don't tell us just yet, because that's what this #1 quiz is all about! O'Toole phoned Richard Benjamin to find out if they did that with all of the actors they had offered the part to. It was located at three different addresses, but at the time of this film was in its final location at 3 East 53rd St. where it was from 1934 to 1965. This realism gave authenticity and believability to a sequence which would be lost by faked sequences with doubles. A contemporary article in the New York Times noted filming exteriors in New York City to make them appear as they were in 1954 required the removal of modern traffic and street lights, signs, the use of 300 background extras dressed appropriately, and 50 period automobiles. Swann, dressed for a musketeer skit, grabs a rope and swings onto the stage and into action. Downing), Joseph Bologna (King Kaiser), Bill Macy (Sy Benson), Lainie Kazan (Belle Carroca). On his DVD audio commentary, director Richard Benjamin says how Peter O'Toole, who insisted on doing as many of his own stunts as he could, said that the great thing about swashbuckler actors like Errol Flynn was that they did many or most of their own stunts, so when the audience saw the action sequence, they knew it was really the star in the scene and not some faked double in a cutaway. the Extra-Terrestrial's 18th). Adolph Green (Leo Silver) was a celebrated writer of some of MGM's greatest musicals, such as Singin' in the Rain (1952) and The Band Wagon (1953). A deleted scene from the movie shows more of the sketch that confirms this. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. See production, box office & company info, A Comic Masterpiece with a Brilliant Performance by O'Toole, (horse riding over the Bow Bridge - mid-park at 74th St.), Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. How did the project come to you? Coming Soon, Regal For example, you worked with one of the best, Mike Nichols.Mike, yes. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. 1. That inspired one of the funniest movies of the 1980s: "My Favorite Year", produced by Mel Brooks and directed by Richard Benjamin. I can do this all day. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. A 1982 comedy film directed by Richard Benjamin and set in New York City in 1954, My Favorite Year is the story of Benjy Stone (Mark Linn-Baker), a comedy writer on King Kaiser's ( Joseph Bologna) TV Variety Show, who is tasked with keeping his childhood hero, swashbuckling English actor Alan Swann ( Peter O'Toole ), sober enough to perform that | Feb 4, 2005, Full Review Benjy Stone : Two years at the Sorbonne, she still gets it wrong. Swann's limo is a 1951 Cadillac Fleetwood 75. Answer: Mercury. [6], In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Janet Maslin called My Favorite Year "a funny and good-natured comedy" and wrote that director Richard Benjamin "works in a steady, affable style that is occasionally inspired, always snappy and never less than amusing."[7]. My Favorite Year is set in the mid-1950s when television was live and comedy was king. At one point, a television network expressed interest in turning the film into a weekly comedy series. Do you think we mischaracterized a critic's review? The picture shot for two weeks in New York City and in New York State, then the rest of the scheduled filming moved to sound stages at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio in Hollywood, California. We wont be able to verify your ticket today, but its great to know for the future. Editor: Richard Chew The next day, on the dot, he called and he said to turn to the last page of the script. Mark Linn-Baker, who plays one of the writers in Laughter on the 23rd Floor (2001), plays the young writer in this film, which was produced (uncredited) by Mel Brooks, a fellow writer with Neil Simon on Caesar's 1950s TV show. | Original Score: 3/5 The supporting cast and the story work as a vehicle for him to do his thing--and does he ever! A multiple-choice quiz by Reamar42 . That show played there from 6 December 1954 to 24 September 1955. | Aug 16, 2011, Full Review The fight spills onto the stage during the live broadcast, and the audience believes that it is part of the sketch. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter 24 Frames All-Time Lists Binge Guide . Everyones game came up because of Peter. Which he did. 1. Dont concern yourself.Director Howard Hawks once said that a good movie was three or four good scenes and no bad scenes. "I got the gig of a lifetime," says one cast member. Did he serve as the films guardian angel or offer any input?Guardian angels good. But in the broadcast version, we see Benjy take the elevator up; also on the elevator is K.C., who ignores Benjy's attempts to engage her in conversation. Albert Finney was considered for the lead in this picture, but he was working on Annie (1982), so Peter O'Toole was cast instead. To play this category, gather your favorite celebrities' baby photos from the internet. Or you could be someone who spent all their free time studying and reading for school, which may have influenced your love for puzzles and brain games. Scroll down to the bottom for the answer key. | Original Score: B+ Sign up now! Benjy narrates the epilogue, relating that Swann, his confidence bolstered, visits his daughter the next day, enjoying a heartfelt reunion. Hoda and Jenna throw down in flashback pop. Now, in the original script, theres a scene which I shot that would have played after whats in the movie. Genre: According to film critic Leonard Maltin, "The woman Peter O'Toole dances with in night club is 1930s leading lady Gloria Stuart". The restaurant scene has Alan Swann stealing another man's date. I cannot imagine anyone but Peter OToole as Alan Swann. Maybe you had a magical and whimsical childhood that was full of Disney movies, TV shows and fun toys to play with. He and Kaiser defeat the thugs together before the unwitting audience. With help from Swann's chauffeur Alfie, Benjy continuously monitors Swann. Hes been here for a week.. And one says, I think Alan Swanns beneath us, and the other guy says, Of course hes beneath us, hes an actor.I cannot imagine anyone but Peter OToole as Alan Swann. The film was adapted into an unsuccessful 1992 Broadway musical of the same name. Maybe you had a magical and whimsical childhood that was full of Disney movies, TV shows and fun toys to play with. Mikes thing was hed come up to you very quietly and say, Just like in real life. That was his main thing. It was a magical experience because of the screenplay and everyone involved. To view this content, please use one of the following compatible browsers: A flamboyant star throws a TV comedy show into chaos. He rarely visits but secretly keeps tabs on her, unable to muster the courage to reconnect with her. Feedback. 'Like no other year of my life, my favorite year, that time when I knew.' Recently Published. He was up in Sausalito making SHOOT THE MOON [1982]. Peter O'Toole's performance is almost perfect, with just the right balance of humour, drama & pathos. I'm Madelyn, and this is my fourth year on the cheer team. [4], Cameron Mitchell recalled that he met Mel Brooks when both were having lunch at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer commissary. Tonys Trivia; BWW 20; MY FAVORITE YEAR . A delightfully, zany film and one of my personal favorite comedies of all time. The film garnered one Academy Award nomination in 1983 which was for Best Actor - Peter O'Toole [but O'Toole did not win]. 6 to 1 Landmarks by State VIII. He died in prison in January 2021. But Norman and I came up with one of the best jokes in the movie while we were standing in his driveway watching him drive away. Belle : Something to drink before dinner? And Peter says, Therefore, I must do the film.. Green Book Covers. An excellent vehicle for O'Toole to shine in a tour de force performance. Scroll down to the bottom for the answer key. The film received a rating of 62 on Metacritic. Following Benjy and Alan's wild horse ride through Central Park, the broadcast version adds a shot of the horse parked in front of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. I was terribly reluctant to take that out because Peter did the movie because of it. Image: Fjola Dogg Thorvalds/ Moment / Getty Images, Special Offer on Antivirus Software From HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security, Catherine Falls Commercial/ Moment / Getty Images, 10'000 Hours/ DigitalVision / Getty Images, Klaus Vedfelt/ DigitalVision / Getty Images, Emanuel M Schwermer/ DigitalVision / Getty Images, Stanley Chen Xi, landscape and architecture photographer/ Moment / Getty Images, Luis Alvarez/ DigitalVision / Getty Images, Hill Street Studios/ DigialVision/ Getty Images, Jose A. Bernat Bacete/ Moment / Getty Images, Kseniya Ovchinnikova/ Moment / Getty Images, Towfiqu Photography/ Moment / Getty Images. Peter asked me to read the date that was on the tombstone. The bathroom scene required him to fall headfirst into the wall. Crossword Clue. This film is a delight, pure & simple. The DVD sleeve notes state that the movie was "inspired by incidents from comedy legend Mel Brooks' early career". During one life-changing week, he is assigned to chaperone the shows guest star, his idol, former swashbuckling screen hero, Alan Swann (Peter OToole in an Oscar-nominated performance), who has a penchant for drink, womanizing and otherwise behaving badly.Benjamin spoke with TCM about casting OToole, trying to pin down Mel Brooks and why you should never end a comedy in a graveyard.To quote Alan Swanns great line, dying is easy, comedy is hard. Before the climactic fight scene ends up spilling over to the live broadcast, Dumpling (Teresa Ganzel) tries to say her only line in the Boss Hijack sketch, "Bourbon!" They seemed to hit it off right away, but later, back in L.A. after we shot the long scene on the roof, which played like a mini-farce, Peter came up to me and said, I like the lad, you cast him well., I couldnt stop him from doing them! There are myriad reasons why people may choose one word over another as their favorite. Hear a word and type it out. I go over and there he is in a beautiful suite wearing a smoking jacket; he is the character. My Favorite Year (1982) Trivia Showing all 84 items Jump to: Cameo (1) | Spoilers (2) According to film critic Leonard Maltin, "The woman Peter O'Toole dances with in night club is 1930s leading lady Gloria Stuart ". Brooks told him that Gorilla at Large (which starred Mitchell and Brooks' wife Anne Bancroft) was his favorite film and asked him if he wanted to play a Jimmy Hoffa-type character in a film that he was producing at MGM. Richard Benjamin directs this insightful look at the American culture of hero worship, be the hero either real or created. Our casting director Ellen Chenoweth said the first person to get was Mark Linn-Baker. Mike, yes. Questions and Answers. He said he had to walk the dog. The venue was a real-life nightclub in Manhattan, New York City that operated from 1929 until 1965 and, as such, was still functioning in 1954, the favorite year in which the movie is set. The list of people M-G-M would go with was very short, because who are you going to believe with a sword in their hands? As the film progresses toward Swann's live appearance on television, Stone begins to share his charge's escalating panic over the upcoming event. Spector was found guilty of second degree murder and on May 29, 2009, he was sentenced to a prison term of 19 years to life. But people at M-G-M said I couldnt end a comedy in a cemetery. Swann mentors Benjy, and Benjy is unable to prevent the drunken star from crashing a party at the home of K.C. As the "Boss Hijack" sketch gets under way, Rojeck's men appear backstage and attack Kaiser. My Favorite Year is a 1982 American comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Richard Benjamin and written by Norman Steinberg and Dennis Palumbo from a story written by Palumbo. The name of the King Kaiser character is based on that of Sid Caesar ("Kaiser" is the German equivalent of the Roman title Caesar). 4. Read the most influential My Favorite Year Broadway reviews here! Summer. I get ready to ask the question which could change my life, by the way: Will you do it? He said, Well, and I could tell it was going to be a no. And the next thing you know, he was gone.But Norman and I came up with one of the best jokes in the movie while we were standing in his driveway watching him drive away. He didn't act in any MGM movies. & many more results. To hear Richard Benjamin tell it, My Favorite Year was a charmed production. Its the one where Swann falls off the roof and plummets past the two elitist guys. The film shows "The Comedy Cavalcade" as originating in NBC Studio 6-B, currently the home of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) (and previously with Jack Paar and Johnny Carson). The other is Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie (1982). The holiday marks the date in 1862 . The movie is considered a tribute to "The Golden Age of Television". Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way. Full Review Then he comes back, and he said he had to go, that there was a crisis at Fox. He was up in Sausalito making SHOOT THE MOON [1982]. Actor Adolph Green, who played Leo Silver in this MGM movie, was a veteran actor of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Then we had the screening without it and the audience was very enthusiastic and very up as they came out.How did you find Mark Linn-Baker?Our casting director Ellen Chenoweth said the first person to get was Mark Linn-Baker. The painting above the couch in Belle Steinberg's apartment is a landscape of Texas bluebonnets, which seems strange when taking into consideration that the scene takes place in Brooklyn. Some people love a word because they find it useful, some because they find it delightfully useless. You are an energetic personality, and you always do things with passion, no matter what. The film holds a 97% "fresh" rating with review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on 29 reviews with the consensus: "My Favorite Year is a joyful ode to the early days of television, carried with a deft touch and Peter O'Toole's uproariously funny performance." Disruptive events, ambiguous between real sabotage and random accidents, are noted after Kaiser belligerently insists on performing the "Boss Hijack" sketch. Both films feature a young comedy writer on a 1950s TV show that is based on Your Show of Shows (1950) and stars a Sid Caesar-like comedian. Benjamin spoke with TCM about casting OToole, trying to pin down Mel Brooks and why you should never end a comedy in a graveyard. Debut feature film as a director for actor-comedian Richard Benjamin. (Laughs) That meeting! I go over and there he is in a beautiful suite wearing a smoking jacket; he is the character. Art Direction: Herb Mulligan, Larry Rapaport, Donald J. Remacle | Original Score: 3/5 Answer: Brazil. Benjy's Jewish mother is married to Filipino former bantamweight boxer Rookie Carroca, and Benjy has embarrassing, uncouth relatives, including Uncle Morty. 2 is my birthday; did you know that? I asked Norman if he knew that, and Norman said no, he had made it up. According to the DVD commentary, the director said the original ending was to take place at Swann's grave. with updates on movies, TV shows, Rotten Tomatoes podcast and more. He said, Aug. 3. You are an energetic personality, and you always do things with passion, no matter what. Then, print the photos, cutting them into the size of an index card. Cameron Mitchell was offered his part after the filmmakers happened to see him in the studio commissary while discussing who to cast as Rojeck. MY FAVORITE THINGS QUIZ. Guardian angels good. Was he the first choice?Albert Finney had been offered the role, but he had not committed. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc. Production Co: Was that what making My Favorite Year was like for you? Produced by Brooksfilm and based on Mel Brooks's experiences during the week Errol Flynn hosted "Your Show of Shows," "My Favorite Year" concerns the tribulations of fledgling comedy writer Benjy Stone (Mark Linn-Baker) in having . The song "How High the Moon" shows up three times in the movie, twice in the Les Paul and Mary Ford version and once in an orchestral version when Swann dances with Mrs. Horn at the Stork Club. For 100 years, maps have . O'Toole was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Academy Award recipient* Peter O'Toole plays Swann. First of all, we couldnt find him. Some people love a word because they find it useful, some because they find it delightfully useless. Exquisite period detail and a intelligent screenplay, that is full of priceless moments and witty one liners. Is it summer, spring, fall, or winter? I lose count watching My Favorite Year of how many great scenes there are in it. Swann's young daughter Tess has been raised entirely by her mother, one of his many ex-wives. He kept saying he would give Norman and I two full days to sit down and go over the script to see if we could make it even funnier. Its like what [critic] Walter Kerr once said about Neil Simons jokes: They have the truth in them. It consists of things like my favorite color, tv show, fast food place, sport, & even my favorite theme park!" "If you think that you are a good friend who actually listens when I talk to you about the things that I love . And I was thinking, I have to go tell Peter OToole that he has to pick up the pace and it has to be lighter. I went up to him and said, Its good, but and before I could finish, he said, You want it faster and funnier. I said, Youve got it, and he said, And you shall have it. And I thought, This directing thing is not so hard. (laughs)Were there directors you worked with as an actor who particularly inspired you when you became a director? Estimated time: 4 mins. It meant that there should be no acting here; your character responds to situations as they would in life. The picture's opening street scene exterior shot of New York City was actually the first sequence that was filmed at the start of principal photography for the picture. He had Mel Brooks as the films guardian angel. Fledgling comic Benjy Stone (Mark Linn-Baker) can't believe his luck when his childhood hero, the swashbuckling matinee idol Alan Swann (Peter O'Toole), gets booked to appear on the variety show he writes for. The experience is far more stressful than Benjy expected, but after some adventures, he and Swann both learn some valuable lessons and develop a friendship. English, Director: [1965] with Peter, said, Get Peter. Moreover, Lainie Kazan recreated her role from the movie and was nominated for the 1993 Tony Award (New York City) for Best Supporting or Features Actress in a Musical for the same production. You're almost there! Swann becomes drunk and flees the studio. He thought the script was really good, but he had done two or three movies in a row and he said he wanted to get back to the theater. Nowadays, it's much simpler: product placement. | Original Score: 5/5 Benjy Stone, the narrator, recalls the week (in his "favorite year" of 1954) when he met his idol, swashbuckling actor Alan Swann (inspired by Errol Flynn, whose title roles such as that in Captain Blood would be evoked by Swann's imagined one in Captain from Tortuga). Estimated time: 5 mins. Director Richard Benjamin offered Peter O'Toole the role of Alan Swann the day that O'Toole was nominated for an Academy Award for The Stunt Man (1980). Mel Brooks (the producer of My Favorite Year) was a junior writer at the time and was assigned the role of chaperon for the former swashbuckler, who was hitting the bottle hard. All rights reserved. May 3, 2016, Runtime: 84. By creating an account, you agree to the Although the sight of walking cigarette boxes or hula dancers accompanying a life sized pineapple product might seem laughable to TV audiences today, such over-the-top catering to sponsors was essential in the early days of TV. With My Favorite Year, you make it look so easy. Excellent Peter O' Toole. The car that is focused on at the beginning of the film is a 1950 Buick Super. I called the pub and they said Peter wasnt there. When this occurs, Tax Day gets bumped to the following Monday - except when it doesn't. This brings us to the second reason: April 17 is when Emancipation Day in the District of Columbia is celebrated this year. And Peter says, Therefore, I must do the film.What happened to that scene? The narrator laments one cannot tell a Chevy from a Buick, Pontiac or Oldsmobile in the present day. Next, glue each photo on an index card. The film formed the basis of a Tony Award winning musical play also called "My Favorite Year", which opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre, 150 W. 65th St. on October 31, 1992 and ran for only 36 performances after 45 previews - a flop at the box office. I cant say there was a favorite. Then he comes back, and he said he had to go, that there was a crisis at Fox. The character of Alice Miller portrayed by actress Anne De Salvo was based on Your Show of Shows (1950) writer Lucille Kallen. Trying to get Mel to stop moving is a feat. Thats whats on the last page. Along with that, you are sympathetic, communicative, sincere, and imaginative. , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. So how has your past shaped your favorite movies, games, foods and people that you love to hang out with? First major role in a motion picture for actor Mark Linn-Baker. 25 results for "christmas is my favorite time of year". He said, Heres the thing and I thought, Here we go again. He said he liked it very much, but he hadnt read the last ten pages and to please indulge him and he would call tomorrow.

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