Ed McMahon Movies
"Professional sidekick" Ed McMahon attended 15 schools while growing up in Detroit, New Jersey, New York City and Massachusetts; his father was a part-time plumber and entertainer, whose work in both fields kept the family forever on the go. The 15-year-old McMahon's first appearance before a microphone was as the "caller" at a bingo game in Maine; he was 15 years old. He spent the next three years touring the state fair and carnival circuit then worked his way through Boston College as a jack-of-all-trades at a Lowell, Massachusetts radio station. After World War II service, McMahon found work as a sidewalk pitchman, which paid his tuition at Catholic University in Washington D.C.As a journeyman television performer in the 1950s, McMahon delivered vegetable-slicer TV commercials, hosted a late-night interview show in Philadelphia and briefly appeared as a clown on the CBS kiddie show Big Top. In 1959, MacMahon was hired as the announcer/straight man on Who Do You Trust?, a daytime quiz program hosted by Johnny Carson. When Carson succeeded Jack Paar on NBC's Tonight Show, he took MacMahon with him; both men remained with Tonight until Carson's retirement in 1992. On his own, MacMahon has continued making commercial appearances for a multitude of products, starred in straw-hat theatre productions (The Music Man is his favorite), played straight supporting roles in such films as The Incident (1967) and Slaughter's Big Rip-Off (1973), lent a comedic turn to the Larry Cohen horror comedy Full Moon High (1982), and hosted the popular TV talent contest Star Search. McMahon died in June 2009 at age 86; though no cause of death was officially given, he had been suffering from cancer and pneumonia. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Nora Ephron directed and co-wrote this updated adaptation of a classic situation comedy that also casts a satirical eye on the entertainment industry. Jack Wyatt (Will Ferrell) is a movie star whose career has been going into a slow and steady decline. Desperate for a project that will give his reputation a jump start, Jack agrees to star in a film version of the once-popular television series Bewitched as hapless hubby Darrin Stephens, under the condition that an unknown actress be cast as the female lead so he won't be upstaged. After auditioning dozens of women who fail to make the grade, Jack meets lovely and charming Isabel Bigelow (Nicole Kidman), and is immediately certain she's the perfect choice to play witch-turned-housewife Samantha. However, there's one thing neither Jack nor the producers of the film know -- Isabel really is a witch, and while she's been trying to get along without her powers to better fit in among mortals, she will use her special talents when need be. The film also stars Michael Caine as Isabel's father, Nigel, Shirley MacLaine as Iris Smythson (the actress hired to play Endora), and Jason Schwartzman as Jack's agent. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, (more)
- 2002
While Chris (voice of Seth Green) has problems with his math homework, an insurance salesman talks Peter (voice of Seth MacFarlane) into using Lois' (voice of Alex Borstein) rainy day money to buy "volcano insurance." When Lois finds out about it, she's very angry, and questions Peter's maturity. "If I'm a child," Peter responds, "you know what that makes you? A pedophile." When Peter finds out that Quagmire (MacFarlane) and Cleveland (voice of Mike Henry) both have Jewish people handling their finances, he decides to find a Jew of his own to help him with his money. He sings a little prayer, "I Need a Jew," to the heavens, and the next day, Max Weinstein (voice of Peter Riegert), an accountant, shows up at his door with car trouble. Peter convinces Max to get his money back from the insurance agent, and balance his checkbook. Peter even goes with Max to temple. Convinced that Judaism is the path to wisdom and financial security, Peter decides that Chris should convert and have a bar mitzvah. When the rabbi (voice of Ben Stein) at Temple Beth Thupporting Actor refuses to perform the ceremony, despite Peter's contention that his son is "bi-curious," Peter drags Chris off to Las Vegas for a quickie bar mitzvah. When Lois finds out where they've gone, she frantically races to stop them. This episode features the voices of Tom Kenny, Mark Hamill, and Ed McMahon. It was never aired on FOX, presumably due to its controversial nature. It eventually debuted on Cartoon Network, with one line from Peter's song changed, and was included in the Family Guy, Vol. 2 DVD set. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
- 1995
In January 1996, Politically Incorrect moved to Los Angeles and began booking local talent on the program. In this video Bill Maher hosts two 1996 installments of his provocative and irreverent round-table talk show. Jay Leno headlines both episodes. In the first, Maher, the prodding moderator, stirs things up between Leno, star George Clooney, former Beverly Hills 90210 cast member Gabrielle Carteris, and former L.A. police chief Daryl Gates. The second bout features Leno, Ed McMahon, Randy Newman, and the first woman speaker of the California Assembly, Doris Allen. ~ Steve Blackburn, Rovi
The 1939 Irene Dunne-Charles Boyer romance Love Affair, remade with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in 1957 as An Affair to Remember, became a vehicle for real-life couple Warren Beatty and Annette Bening in this 1994 rendition. The well-worn story remains the same, as a man and a woman, both engaged to other people, fall madly in love while traveling, indulge in a brief but intense affair, then agree to part and sort out their feelings. They are to meet again at the top of the Empire State Building if their feelings persist, but a series of unfortunate circumstances threatens to keep the lovers apart. Despite polished visuals and a time-tested narrative, this variation suffers in comparison to its two predecessors, not to mention the previous year's Sleepless in Seattle, which had drawn on An Affair to Remember for several of its most memorable sequences. It does features Katherine Hepburn's first film appearance in 13 years. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, (more)
- 1993
Love blinds a lonely sidekick on this episode of HBO's The Larry Sanders Show. Despite Hank's (Jeffrey Tambor) elation at the prospect of marrying a younger woman whom he has just met, his enthusiasm may be short-lived as Larry (Garry Shandling) attempts to decide whether he should reveal some relevant, and ultimately damning, information concerning the bride-to-be. Guest stars include Leah Lail, Ed McMahon, Roger Eschbacher, Katherine Olsen, Dennis Tracy, Adam Sandler, and Alex Trebek. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 1989
Nearly a decade ago, Joey (David Coulier) had promised himself that he'd change careers if he hadn't succeeded as a comedian within ten years. With the deadline rapidly approaching, Joey makes a last-ditch effort to achieve success by appearing on the popular TV talent show Star Search, hosted by Ed McMahon (appearing as himself, along with real-life Star Search. The challenge now for Joey is not only to win big, but to defeat the series' current champ Steve Butler (played by real-life Star Search contestant--and future creator of the cartoon hero "Jimmy Neutron"--Steve Oedekerk). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1988
In ALF's most offbeat episode, the obstreperous little alien subs for Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show. It doesn't take long for ALF to alienate Johnny's announcer Ed McMahon and Tommy Newsom, but the "fun" really begins when he matches wits with guests Joan Embery, Dr. Joyce Brothers and Rich Little. All these shenanigans serve as clever method to present a "clip" show comprised of highlights from past ALF episodes. Originally telecast as a one-hour special, "Tonight, Tonight" has since been edited into two half-hours for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1986
This hilarious comedy video contains performances from some of the funniest stand-up comedians of the 1980s as they do their schtick at the Improv comedy clubs. Performers include funnyman/magician Harry Anderson, Billy Crystal, and Michael Keaton. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1982
- PG
This oddball werewolf outing from hit-and-miss genre auteur Larry Cohen details the comic misadventures of Tony Walker (Adam Arkin, son of Alan), a former high-school jock who is transformed into a werewolf during a family visit to Transylvania. Cursed with immortality, Tony is able to return to his old school stomping ground twenty years later and pass himself off as his own son. The outcome proves more disconcerting for Tony than for his unsuspecting friends, to whom the passing years have been less than kind. Ed McMahon co-stars as Tony's dad. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Starring:
- Adam Arkin, Roz Kelly, (more)
- 1981
The infamous casting couch is the center point of this Hollywood behind-the-scenes drama that chronicles the exploits of a movie mogul and the actresses he turns into stars. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
Pia Zadora stars in an over-cooked melodramatic adaptation of the 1946 James M. Cain novel that is every bit as smutty and sleazy as Zadora's vampish character of Kady. The location of the novel has been switched from Appalachia to the barren lands of Arizona and Nevada in 1937. Stacy Keach plays Jess Tyler, a desert hermit who has spent years guarding an abandoned silver mine. Suddenly, Jesse is confronted by his very grown-up and sexy daughter, who, when she was a baby, had been taken away from him by his wife, Belle (Lois Nettleton). Kady, it so happens, hasn't come home for a family reunion -- she has just been dumped by a rich young man who is the father of her illegitimate child and whose family owns the very silver mine that Jess is guarding. Kady hopes to use her feminine wiles to seduce Jess and reopen the mine and extract the money from the earth that she feels is due her from the family. As if his seductive daughter walking around bare-breasted in front of him isn't enough, Jess must also deal with the sudden return of his older daughter, Janey (Ann Dane), who appears with Kady's son; Belle, who comes back to Jess dying of tuberculosis; and Moke Blue (James Franciscus), the man who stole Belle away from Jess years ago. Also squeezing his way into Jess's shack is Wash Gillespie (Edward Albert), the father of Kady's child, who now wants to marry her. Butterfly also features Orson Welles as Judge Rauch. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Stacy Keach, Pia Zadora, (more)
- 1980
In this made-for-TV farce, the urban phenomenon of the traffic jam and the effect it has on the lives of the participants is examined. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
- 1980
Some sort of Bad Timing Award must surely be bestowed upon the otherwise worthwhile Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story. David Keith stars as American athlete Wayne Robinson, whose main goal in life is to win the Olympic Decathlon. His dream is compromised when he falls in love with Soviet athlete Anya Andreyev (Stephanie Zimbalist), sparking an international cause celebre. First shown in two parts on May 25 and 26, 1980, Golden Moment was timed to coincide with the telecast of the 1980 Olympics--from which the United States had just withdrawn! Even with this working against it, the film performed reasonably well in the ratings, and also managed to pick up an Emmy nomination for best sound mixing. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1979
In this made-for-TV remake of the 1953 comedy, the wisdom of a young batboy (Gary Coleman) leads the San Diego Padres from worst to first and an eventual berth in the World Series. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
- 1977
- PG
Beau Geste, the classic adventure story of a young man's dangerous journeys as part of the French Foreign Legion, becomes the subject of broad parody in this slapstick comedy. The original tale, best known to film lovers from William Wellman's 1939 classic, tells of several brothers who join the Foreign Legion after claiming responsibility for the mysterious disappearance of an invaluable family heirloom. Eventually, brothers Beau and Digby find themselves in conflict with their vicious commander, leading to a potential mutiny. The plot here is similar, with Michael York assuming Gary Cooper's role as Beau, and first-time director Marty Feldman co-starring as Digby. However, following the lead of former collaborator Mel Brooks, Feldman plays strictly for laughs, loading the story with jokes ranging from the satirical to the vulgar. A cast of notables keeps things lively, with Peter Ustinov and Ann-Margret mocking their own images as the sadistic commander and lusty Geste stepmother. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ann-Margret, Marty Feldman, (more)
Dick Harper (George Segal) and his wife Jane (Jane Fonda) have always lived way beyond their means. Just because Dick has just lost his high-paying job is no reason for Jane to stop spending like there's no tomorrow. To make ends meet, Jane takes up a new career: armed robbery. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- George Segal, Jane Fonda, (more)
A former Green Beret who set out to settle a score with the mob finds they don't give up easy in this action-packed blaxploitation drama. After killing the mobster who killed his parents in Mexico, Slaughter plans to return to a quiet life in Los Angeles, but police detective Reynolds (Brock Peters) warns him that his life is in danger -- it seems crime boss Duncan (Ed McMahon), an associate of the man Slaughter killed, isn't about to allow his killing to pass without retaliation. After an ambitious assassination attempt involving a World War I biplane fails dramatically, Duncan recruits a vicious new hit man, Kirk (Don Stroud), and one of Kirk's first assignments is to take care of Slaughter once and for all. Duncan also has ties to the L.A.P.D., and rather than put Slaughter in protective custody at Reynolds' suggestion, the war hero is put back on the street. However, as Slaughter tracks down the men who murdered his family and threatened the life of his girlfriend Marcia (Gloria Hendry), it looks as if the crooks may need protection from Slaughter more than he needs to be protected from them. A sequel of the successful Jim Brown vehicle Slaughter, Slaughter's Big Rip-Off included an original score by James Brown and his long-time musical partner Fred Wesley. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 1967
Martin Sheen may be the Grey Eminence of movies nowadays, but back in 1967 he often as not played switchblade-wielding punks. This he does, in the company of Tony Musante, in The Incident. After mugging a helpless old man, Sheen and Musante take over a subway car, terrorizing its occupants. In Stagecoach fashion, all the best and worst qualities of the passengers are brought to the surface by the presence of danger. Among the passengers are angry black man Brock Peters and his supplicative wife Ruby Dee, ex-alcoholic Gary Merrill, timorous Jewish couple Jack Gilford and Thelma Ritter, blowhard Ed McMahon, and homosexual Robert Fields. It is furloughed army private Beau Bridges who puts an end to Sheen and Musante's reign of terror. Based on Ride with Terror a 1963 TV play by Nicholas E. Baehr, The Incident is an unpleasant but undeniably fascinating character study. And yes, that cute young blonde playing Alice Keenan is Donna Mills. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tony Musante, Martin Sheen, (more)
- 1963
Highlights and outtakes from The Tonight Show make up the meat of this collection, which, for good measure, also tosses in some footage from Carson's early game show Who Do You Trust?. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
One of the most deliberately weird exercises in the history of horror cinema, Daughter of Horror (aka Dementia) plays like a surreal nightmare journey through the unraveling mind of a young woman (Adrienne Barrett), unfolding completely without dialogue -- and featuring legendary Tonight Show second-banana Ed McMahon as the omniscient narrator. After murdering her own father, Barrett is taken in by a wealthy, lecherous mystery man (the Devil?) who paws her relentlessly and manages to seize her necklace before she shoves him over a balcony to his death. Unable to free the necklace from his death grip, she is forced to amputate the man's hand to recover the evidence. After a subsequent evening of carousing in a jazz club, she awakens the next morning in a hotel room and concludes that the ghastly events were only a dream...or were they? This one-of-a-kind film broke virtually every established convention of horror filmmaking in its time (or any other, for that matter), generating terror solely through disorientation of the audience. Viewers will certainly draw parallels to Roman Polanski's Repulsion, which it predates by ten years; though it may lack the intensity of the latter film's vision, it is nevertheless an eerie, groundbreaking landmark among modern horror movies. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Starring:
- Adrienne Barrett, Bruno Ve Sota, (more)
