The Cheap Detective (1978)
- Starring:
- Peter Falk, Ann-Margret, (more)
- Director(s):
- Robert Moore
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG
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Spoofing the entire 1940s detective genre, and his own performances as a bumbling private detective, Peter Falk plays Lou Pekinpaugh, a San Francisco private detective accused of murdering his partner at the instigation of his mistress, the partner's wife, Georgia Merkle (Marsha Mason). Police Lieutenant DiMaggio (Vic Tayback) has his eye on Lou and blunders around in a way which complicates Lou's efforts to clear his name. Lou gets a new client when Mrs. Montenegro (Madeline Kahn) and her cronies (John Housman, Paul Williams and Dom DeLuise) hire him to search out a dozen diamond eggs. Marlene DuChard (Louise Fletcher) also comes to him for help of a complicated nature. In this madcap comedy written by Neil Simon, obstacles and complications appear every few minutes, and a great many famous actors show up in hilarious cameos. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 92 mins
Complete Cast:
- Peter Falk - Lou Peckinpaugh
- Eileen Brennan - Betty DeBoop
- Stockard Channing - Bess
- Dom DeLuise - Pepe Damascus
- John Houseman - Jasper Blubber
- Fernando Lamas - Paul DuChard
- Phil Silvers - Hoppy
- Paul Williams - Boy
- Emory Bass - Butler
- Scatman Crothers - Tinker
- Jonathan Banks - Cabbie
- Lew Gallo - Cop
- Barry Michlin - Bandleader
- Henry Sutton - Desk Clerk
- Gary Alexander - Dancer
- Carole Wells - Hat-Check Girl
- Joe E. Ross - Michel
- Richard Narita
- George Simmons
- Lee Mc Laughlin - Fat Man
- Zale Kessler - Courier
- Wally K. Berns - Floyd Merkle
- John Calvin - Qvicker
- Ann-Margret - Jezebel Dezire
- Sid Caesar - Ezra Dezire
- James Coco - Marcel
- Louise Fletcher - Marlene DuChard
- Madeline Kahn - Mrs. Montenegro
- Marsha Mason - Georgia Merkle
- Abe Vigoda - Sgt. Rizzuto
- Nicol Williamson - Col. Schissel
- Carmine Caridi - Sgt. Crosseti
- Vic Tayback - Lt. DiMaggio
- Charles Bastin - Croupier #2
- David Matthau - Military Man
- Steve Fisher
- Armando Gonzales - Bartender
- Ronald L. Schwary - Cab Driver
- David Ogden Stiers - Captain
- George Rondo - Cab Driver
- Jerrold Ziman
- Dean Perry
- Maurice Marks - Doorman
- James Cromwell - Schnell
- Bella Bruck - Scrub Woman
- Director(s):
- Robert Moore
- Writer(s):
- Neil Simon
- Producer(s):
- Raymond Stark, Margaret Booth
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG(Questionable for Children, Adult Language)
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
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