The Late Shift (1996)
- Starring:
- Kathy Bates, John Michael Higgins, (more)
- Director(s):
- Betty Thomas
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
- Category:
- Television
Member Rating
My RatingSynopsis of The Late Shift
Based on the non-fiction best-seller, The Late Shift is an irreverent, behind-the-scenes look at the conflict over who would succeed Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show, Jay Leno or David Letterman. Beginning with Carson's retirement, the made-for-cable film follows the backstage manueverings of both camps. When NBC chooses, Letterman refuses to lose quietly. Hosting The Tonight Show has been his life-long dream, and he is willing to do whatever it takes, even hiring an agent, to get what he wants. Indeed, Letterman soon finds himself working with ultra-powerful Hollywood agent Mike Ovitz and receiving huge offers from competing networks. Meanwhile, NBC has more trouble with the Leno Tonight Show than expected, thanks to Leno's manager Helen Kushnick (Kathy Bates). Kushnick's acerbic, foul-mouthed manner and increasingly petty behavior infuriates the higher-ups at NBC -- so much so that some suggest they give the show to Letterman after all. A series of intense negotiations follows, under the shadow of ludicrously frenzied media attention. While the presentation of both Leno and Letterman (played by unknowns Daniel Roebuck and John Michael Higgins, respectively) is fairly sympathetic, the film is far-less charitable to Kushnick and NBC executives. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 95 mins
Complete Cast of The Late Shift
- Kathy Bates - Helen Kushnick
- Daniel Roebuck - Jay Leno
- Ed Begley, Jr. - Rod Perth
- John Getz - Brandon Tartikoff
- John Kapelos - Robert Morton
- Steven Gilborn - Peter Lassally
- Rich Little - Johnny Carson
- John Michael Higgins - David Letterman
- Bob Balaban - Warren Littlefield
- Reni Santoni - John Agoglia
- Peter Jurasik - Howard Stringer
- Sandra Bernhard - Herself
- Treat Williams - Mike Ovitz
- Lawrence Pressman - Bob Wright
- Director(s):
- Betty Thomas
- Writer(s):
- George Armitage
- Producer(s):
- Don Carmody, Joe Medjuck, Daniel Goldberg
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Adult Language, Questionable for Children, Adult Humor)
- Categories:
- Television
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