Jane Kaczmarek Movies
Down to earth midwesterner Jane Kaczmarek established herself as a multi-talented supporting actress in movies and TV before Malcolm in the Middle turned her into a bona fide TV star in 2000. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Kaczmarek considered a teaching career, but majored in theater at the University of Wisconsin instead. After earning her M.F.A. at the Yale Drama School, Kaczmarek headed to New York to hit the stage. Moving from theater into TV and film in the early '80s, Kaczmarek revealed her aptitude for both comedy, in such TV movies as Door to Door (1984), and drama, with recurring guest parts on St. Elsewhere in 1983 and Hill Street Blues in 1984, as well as a small role in the ground-breaking TV film There's Something About Amelia (1984). As a testament to her acting chops, Kaczmarek earned her first starring film role as Robert De Niro's wronged wife in the De Niro/Meryl Streep romance Falling in Love (1984). Kaczmarek was back to comedy with the ill-received fantasy The Heavenly Kid (1985) and the Judge Reinhold age-switch romp Vice Versa (1988). After she married fellow actor Bradley Whitford in 1992, Kaczmarek starred in the TV movie Without Warning (1994) and nabbed multi-episode guest-starring parts in several TV series, including Party of Five and Cybill in 1996. Following a small role as Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon's mother in the reflexive fantasy Pleasantville (1998), Kaczmarek was ready to settle down to raise her family. When the producers of Malcolm in the Middle came calling, however, Kaczmarek signed on, figuring it wouldn't last. Instead, Malcolm's absurd, unsentimental take on sitcom family life became a spring 2000 hit, earning Kaczmarek Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors' Guild nominations for her performance as the no-nonsense mother of a genius and his incorrigible brothers. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- 2006
Sitcom veteran Ted Danson starred in this 30-minute ABC series, characterized by more than one critic as an edgier, up-to-date Bob Newhart Show. This time, Danson was seen as outwardly cool, calm, and collected psychotherapist Dr. Bill Hoffman, who conducted a weekly therapy session with a group of truly messed-up people. So beneficial was Dr. Bill's advice to his charges that it was just as well they had no inkling about his own chaotic private life, in which he continued to moon over his ex-wife (a recurring character played by Jane Kaczmarek) and brood over the fact that his restless daughter, Sasha (Lindsay Sloane), was carrying on with a much-older man. Dr. Bill's patients included Darlene (Darlene Hunt), whose nymphomania was but one of many hang-ups; Michael (Jere Burns), who had serious issues with anger; Dave (Charlie Finn), an office worker and would-be suicide who was inept at both pursuits; and Inger (Suzy Nakamura), who was bereft of all forms of basic social graces. Help Me Help You first hung up its shingle on September 26, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ted Danson, Charlie Finn, (more)
- 2003
Organized by New York's Museum of Television and Radio, this impressively assembled tribute to the funny women boasts a stellar all-female cast, drawn from half a century's worth of video entertainment. Hosted by Megan Mullally (Will & Grace), the special uses rare film clips and interviews to pay homage to such iconic figures as Mary Tyler Moore, Carol Burnett, Bea Arthur, and especially the woman who started it all, Lucille Ball. A number of veteran comediennes are in attendance, along with the newer crop of "girls." Amidst the hilarity, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss (Seinfeld) offers a poignant paean to the late Gilda Radner. Great Women of Television and Comedy was originally broadcast by NBC -- which may explain the preponderance of guest stars from that network's then-current sitcom manifest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Unlike her earlier comedy series and specials, in which she "took on" dozens of vivid and distinct characterizations, Tracey Ullman focuses herein on only three of her famous alter egos. First and foremost is faded glamour gal Ruby Romaine, veteran Hollywood cosmetician and shameless dispenser of libelous gossip. In her efforts to gain re-entry into Local 706 of the Hair and Makeup Guild, the heavily wrinkled Ruby crosses paths with two other Ullman creations, Russian émigré Svetlana and actress Pepper Kane, a black woman trying to pass as white (not surprisingly, both ladies are prime targets for Ruby's unending stream of ethnic slurs). Somehow or other, Ruby's return to her days of glory also brings her in contact with such real-life popular culture icons as Debbie Reynolds, Barbara Bain, Cheech Marin, Rose Marie, Jane Kaczmarek, and former Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In producer George Schlatter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tracey Ullman
Gary Ross, Oscar nominated for his Dave and Big screenplays, made his directorial debut with this comedy. The cheerful '50s TV sitcom "Pleasantville" is revived in the '90s for a loyal cable audience. One devoted fan is shy suburban teen David Wagner (Tobey Maguire), who has an almost obsessive interest in the series. Living with his divorced mother (Jane Kaczmarek), David sometimes has disputes with his ultra-hip twin sister Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon). She wants to watch MTV just when a Pleasantville marathon is about to begin. They struggle over the remote control, and it breaks. A strange TV repairman (Don Knotts) supplies their new remote, a potent high-tech device which zaps David and Jennifer inside Pleasantville, where their new sitcom parents are businessman George Parker (William H. Macy) and wife Betty (Joan Allen). As "Bud" and "Mary Sue," the teens take up residence in a black-and-white suburbia where sex does not exist and the temperature is always 72 degrees. Life is always pleasant, books have no words, bathrooms have no toilets, married couples sleep in twin beds, the high school basketball team always wins, and nobody ever questions "The Good Life." David revels in Pleasantville's Prozac-styled peacefulness. He fits right in, but Jennifer's 1990s attitude upsets the blandness balance, painting parts of Pleasantville in "living color." Repressed desires surface, cracks appear in the '50s lifestyles, and the Pleasantville populace finds their lives changing in strange, wonderful ways. It's liberating -- but there's also a darker side. This film breaks an all-time record with more than 1700 special effects shots. Shown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, (more)
- 1997
Michael Nolan wrote and directed this erotic tale of Los Angeles gallery owner Joe (Kristoffer Tabori), who is married to Rita (Jane Kaczmarek) but courts prostitute-dominatrix Wendy (Jennifer Sommerfield). It's a situation which leads Rita to a therapist (Megan Cole), while Joe experiments with bondage and S&M, mainly just to please Wendy. Lou Rawls does a brief bit as a jazz singer, and the film's choreographer, Sara Costa, is seen performing at a New York strip club. Shown at the 1997 Hollywood Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kristoffer Tabori, Jennifer Sommerfield, (more)
- 1997
Marsha Mason makes her first series appearance as brassy barmaid Sherry Dempsey. Upon meeting Sherry, widower Martin Crane (John Mahoney) instantly falls in love with her. Well and good -- except that the outspoken, banjo-playing Sherry does not pass muster with Martin's prissy, classical music-loving offspring, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Niles (David Hyde Pierce). Future Malcolm in the Middle star Jane Kaczmarek also appears in this episode. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1996
Awakening from a coma after five years, Steve Bell (played by future West Wing regular Bradley Whitford) finds that his life is in a shambles. Most devastating is the discovery that Steve's wife Bonnie (Malcolm in the Middle's Jane Kaczmarek) has fallen in love with his business partner Matthew (D. David Morin), and has divorced Steve on the assumption that he would never recover. Inasmuch as it was Monica (Roma Downey) who'd saved Steve's life during the accident which rendered him comatose, it is Monica who feels totally responsible for the whole sorry mess--and in the end, it is up to Special Agent Angel Al (Brenda Vaccaro) to straighten things out. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Pulled over for speeding, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) is instantly smitten by sexy female traffic cop Maureen Cutler (played by future Malcolm in the Middle co-star Jane Kaczmarek). Following up the episode, Frasier asks Maureen to come to his apartment. She does -- whereupon she develops a strong attraction to Frasier's ex-policeman dad, Martin (John Mahoney). Filmed as the fourth episode of Frasier's third season, "Police Story" was held back until April of 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
A threatening phone call leads to censure proceedings against Joel Thayer (David Groh), a prominent New York judge. When the case arrives at the office of D.A. Adam Schiff (Steven Hill), his subordinate Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy) surprises him by resigning. It seems that Kincaid once clerked for Judge Thayer -- and there is talk that a romance developed, one that may have been decidedly (and injuriously) one-sided. Future Malcolm in the Middle star Jane Kaczmarek appears as Janet Rudman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Forget the Hollywood-heavy sci-fi flash of Armageddon and Deep Impact as you experience the terror of a destructive asteroid impact firsthand in this startlingly realistic faux news broadcast from filmmaker Robert Iscove. The unthinkable has happened, and it's not long before television news cameras across the globe bring images of death and destruction to the evening news. With advanced news technology that allows for the kind of extensive coverage never before possible, viewers will be riveted as veteran journalist Sander Vanocur, author Arthur C. Clarke, and Malcolm in the Middle star Jane Kaczmarek step before the camera for a startling piece of speculative science fiction that may be a bit too realistic for more sensitive viewers. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Veteran comic actor George Segal plays a wealthy industrialist whose real passion in life is paint-gun war games. In fact, he's so addicted to these quasi-military games that he insists on being addressed as "Colonel." The way to promotion in his company is through these games, rather than through doing a good job. Hard working Ann (Jennifer Edwards) is tired of seeing less competent males promoted because of their war game skills. She joins forces with the Colonel's wife Florence (Sally Kellerman), with whom he's in the midst of a divorce, and the other company wives to form their own war games team. They hire a mercenary (Lou Ferrigno) to train them, leading to a climactic showdown with the men. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Segal, Sally Kellerman, (more)
- 1989
Spooner stars Robert Urich as a forger, recently escaped from prison. Urich cooks up a phony resume and assumes the identity of a high-school teacher. He becomes the wrestling coach for a group of misfit kids with the lowest of low self esteem. In urging the kids not to give up, Urich's eyes are opened to the possibility of his turning his own life around. Jane Kaczmarek and Brent Fraser costar in Spooner, which premiered over the Disney Channel cable service on December 2, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
"They didn't kill me; I was dead already," is the statement uttered by Dexter Cornell (Dennis Quaid), an English professor at the University of Texas at Austin who has been poisoned by a slow-acting toxin and who has twenty-four hours to track down his killers before he ceases to exist. Remade from the 1949 Rudolph Mate thriller by Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton, the co-directors jazz up the old luridness with slap-up doggishness that boosts the intensity-level higher than it deserves to go. Cornell is a burned-out novelist trying to hold on to tenure at the university while seeing his marriage collapse around him. As if that weren't enough, he is receiving amorous come-ons from smart, young student Sydney Fuller (Meg Ryan) and being badgered by another student, Nick Lang (Robert Knepper), to read his brilliant first novel. Not long after Dex demurs to Nick to read his novel, Nick is killed in a fall. Only then does Dex find out that Nick has been having an affair with his wife. Things keep going from bad to worse when, after an all-night drinking binge, Dex discovers that he has been slipped a poison that will kill him within 24 hours. Teaming up with the adoring Sydney, Dex tries to track down the person who poisoned him while dodging the cops, since he happens to be a prime murder suspect. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, (more)
A magical jeweled skull makes the wish of 11-year-old Charlie (Fred Savage) come true in this routine but entertaining situation comedy. Charlie wishes he can switch places with his father Marshall (Judge Reinhold), a shallow junior executive of a toy-manufacturing company. Marshall retains his adult form but has the mind of an 11 year old. Charlie still looks 11 but has all the cynical wisdom and experience of his father. The switch provides for many amusing episodes, as father and son try to cope in each other's worlds. Marshall (as Charlie) goes to school while Charlie (as Marshall) tackles the pressures of the corporate boardroom. The performances of Reinhold and Savage are the highlights of this amusing comedy. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judge Reinhold, Fred Savage, (more)
