Stephen Root Movies
Though best known for his work as radio station bigwig Jimmy James on the television series NewsRadio, Stephen Root is one of the busier character actors at work today, and a familiar face to television and movie audiences. Born in Sarasota, FL, on November 17, 1951, Root received a degree in acting and broadcasting from the University of Florida, and after graduating passed an audition to join the touring company of the National Shakespeare Company. After three years with the NSC, Root settled in New York City, where he began working in off-Broadway theater, making his debut in a revival of Journey's End. His first Broadway role, in So Long on Lonely Street, was a bust at the box office, but the 1987 revival of All My Sons was a big hit which generated plenty of enthusiastic press for Root.1988 saw Root making his motion-picture debut in the George Romero horror opus Monkey Shines, and over the next several years Root worked steadily in feature films, episodic television, and made-for-TV movies, scoring recurring roles on L.A. Law, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Blossom; guest spots on Northern Exposure, Murphy Brown, and Quantum Leap; supporting parts in Ghost, Dave, and Robocop 3; and an acclaimed turn in A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story, as well as its sequel, Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, The Last Chapter.
In 1993, Root was cast as R.O. on the television series Harts of the West; the show only lasted a season, but his next role on a series would last a bit longer; cast as Jimmy on the sitcom NewsRadio in 1995, Root would last with the show for five seasons, until the show was canceled after a disappointing final season following the death of co-star Phil Hartman. During hiatus from NewsRadio and after the series ended, Root continued his busy schedule, making memorable appearances in feature films (including Office Space and O Brother, Where Art Thou?) and guesting on other shows. Root also began doing voice work, speaking for Buck Strickland and Bill Dauterive on the animated series King of the Hill and the Sheriff on Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.
Root's small-screen voice-work would soon lead to his involvement in two popular big-screen animated features. In 2002's Ice Age, audiences could hear him along with Cedric the Entertainer as a pair of Rhinos. And the next year, Root lent his pipes to the blockbuster underwater adventure Finding Nemo.
While his voice became more familiar to moviegoers, Root continued to become more of a presence in live-action films as well. Turning in no less than four supporting performances in high-profile films, Root spent 2004 reteaming with the Coen brothers for The Ladykillers, showing up in a prominent role in Kevin Smith's Jersey Girl, and costarring in the broad comedies Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Mad Money, and Leatherheads. ~ All Movie Guide
A quadriplegic former athlete finds his darkest urges being acted out by an animal familiar in this psychological horror film. When Allan Mann (Jason Beghe) loses the use of his legs and arms in an accident, he becomes bitter -- no surprise given that his girlfriend dumps him for his surgeon, his new nurse (Christine Forrest) is a shrew, and his smothering mother (Joyce Van Patten) keeps threatening to move in and take care of him. Enter Kate McNeil (Melanie Parker), a scientist who is working to provide handicapped people with highly trained animal helpers. Soon Allan is bonding with Ella, an adorable Capuchin monkey, who, unbeknownst to him, has been injected with human brain tissue by drug-addicted scientist Geoffrey Fisher (John Pankow). At first Allan loves little Ella, but the monkey seems to grow jealous as Allan slowly develops a romance with the beautiful Kate. Meanwhile, Allan begins having strange dreams in which he experiences the world from a monkey's-eye point of view. These visions culminate in a fiery nightmare -- the same night Allan's ex-girlfriend and her new lover die in a house fire. Realizing the growing link between his own inner demons and the violence occurring around him, Allan tries to sever the connection with Ella. But the limitations of even his high-tech wheelchair give the psychic primate the upper hand. Written and directed by horror veteran George Romero, Monkey Shines re-teams the filmmaker with his frequent collaborator, Christine Forrest. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Beghe, John Pankow, (more)
An evil drug baron rears his ugly head in this sequel to the blockbuster Crocodile Dundee, kidnapping Sue so that Dundee will butt out of the Baron's affairs. Using outback strategy, Dundee attempts to rescue his girlfriend. Reversing the procedure of the first film, the story later takes the hero and heroine from America back to Australia, making Sue the fish out of water. In the interim between the two films, stars Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski became husband and wife. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, (more)
Under scrutiny by his superiors for allegedly dipping into confiscated drug money, New York vice cop Michael Douglas can expect no sympathy from his ex-wife, who is gouging him for alimony. Douglas gets a chance to redeem himself when he is assigned to escort Japanese mob boss Yusaku Matsuda back to his own country to stand trial. Upon arriving in Osaka, Douglas and his partner Andy Garcia are tricked into releasing their prisoner. Now on the outs with both the American and Japanese police authorities, Douglas is forced to deal with the Yakuza-the Japanese equivalent of the Mafia-to retrieve the elusive Matsuda. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Douglas, Andy Garcia, (more)
In this socially conscious drama with romantic overtones, Iris (Jane Fonda) is a working mother with a job at a large commercial bakery who is still getting over the death of her husband, though her circumstances don't give her much time to grieve. She's sharing her house with her two children, Kelly (Martha Plimpton) and Richard (Harley Cross), her unemployed sister Sharon (Swoosie Kurtz), and her thuggish brother-in-law. The tensions at home become even greater when teenage Kelly announces that she's pregnant. One of the few bright spots in her life is her blossoming friendship with Stanley (Robert DeNiro), a nice guy who works in the bakery's cafeteria. However, Iris starts noticing a few odd things about Stanley and it slowly dawns on her that he can't read. When the boss figures this out, Stanley loses his job -- an especially troubling development, as Stanley has just had to put his father in a retirement home. Homeless and out of work, Stanley turns to Iris with a special request -- he'd like her to teach him how to read. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane Fonda, Robert De Niro, (more)
An interesting hybrid of popular film genres, Ghost showcases the talents of its entire cast. While out on the town one evening, New York couple Sam (Patrick Swayze) and Molly (Demi Moore) are confronted by a mugger. After submitting to his demands, Sam is murdered anyway. He then finds himself a disembodied spirit, invisible to the living world, wandering without hope until he finds a spiteful spirit aboard the subway (Vincent Schiavelli) who gives him some helpful pointers on how to co-exist. Soon Sam comes back into contact with those he knew in life, and he begins to learn piece-by-piece of his close friend and co-worker Carl's (Tony Goldwyn) embezzling plot which caused his death; the apparent mugging was, in fact, a premeditated murder. In the meantime, Carl has designs on Molly, and Sam is determined to extract revenge. He contacts a psychic (Whoopi Goldberg), and together, the two set out to serve justice and stop the maniacal Carl from getting to Molly. Blending comedy, romance, action, and horror, Ghost was a box-office smash and managed to garner five Academy Award nominations, including "Best Picture," "Best Supporting Actress" (Goldberg), "Best Original Screenplay," "Best Editing," and "Best Score"; Goldberg won her first Oscar. ~ Jeremy Beday, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, (more)
- 1990
In this Halloween episode written by series star Harry Anderson, a defendant claiming to be the Spirit of Death (Stephen Root) is put behind bars by Judge Harry T. Stone (Anderson). Weirdness ensues when, during incarceration, several people survive accidents that would otherwise be fatal. Though Harry pooh-poohs the notion that his prisoner is whom he claims to be, a nervous Dan (John Larroquette) insists that "Mr. Death" remain locked up--especially after a local newspaper accidentally prints Dan's obituary! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Arnold Schwarzenegger sheds his action image in Ivan Reitman's police comedy Kindergarten Cop, where he plays an undercover cop teaching a class of hyperactive six-year-olds. As the film begins, John Kimble (Schwarzenegger) and his partner Phoebe O'Hara (Pamela Reed) are in pursuit of notorious drug dealer Cullen Crisp (Richard Tyson) and his scabrous mother Eleanor (Carroll Baker). John learns Cullen is searching for his ex-wife and his little boy, and Kimble plans to nail them when they find the former wife, who is believed to have $3 million of Cullen's drug profits. John and Phoebe follow the trail to Astoria, Oregon, where they believe Cullen's son is attending kindergarten. Although the child and his mother have changed names, John hopes they can pick up some clues. By coincidence, Phoebe used to be a schoolteacher and the school board permits her teach the kindergarten class, but Phoebe gets food poisoning and John is forced to teach the six-year-old whippersnappers himself. Along with lighthearted gags with the kids and the pursuit of the drug dealers, John has time for a little romance when he falls in love with one of the teachers (Penelope Ann Miller), who ends up surprising him with more than love. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Penelope Ann Miller, (more)
The directorial debut of producer Irwin Winkler, Guilty by Suspicion is a sobering account of one movie executive's woes in dealing with the political fallout from the McCarthy Era Hollywood blacklist. Robert De Niro stars as David Merrill, a film director in the 1950s whose obsession with his burgeoning career has estranged him from his wife Ruth (Annette Bening) and their son. When he returns from a trip to Paris, Merrill is surprised when told by his boss, Darryl F. Zanuck (Ben Piazza) that he's been summoned to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee, which is investigating Communist ties to Hollywood. Although Merrill once attended a meeting years before, he's not a Communist, and he refuses to help the committee wreck the career of his friend Bunny Baxter (George Wendt). Merrill becomes blacklisted, unable to find work even in menial positions or under assumed names as the editor of a B-movie or the director of a low-budget Western. Reconciled with his family, Merrill caves in and agrees to testify, but as he prepares to "name names," his conscience plagues him. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert De Niro, Annette Bening, (more)
- 1991
In the second half of this two-parter, Picard and Data learn the truth behind Ambassador Spock's (Leonard Nimoy) unauthorized visit to the hostile planet Romulus. Spock, it seems, hopes to negotiate a reunification of the Romulans and Vulcans. Regarding this alliance as potentially dangerous, Picard objects, despite the logical nature of Spock's argument. Things heat up considerably when Picard and Data discover a Romulan scheme to double-cross Spock. Dedicated to the late Gene Roddenberry, part two of "Unification" was written by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and first aired November 16, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
While Next Generation began its run with a two-part episode, and it trafficked in two-part season-ending "cliffhangers," this was the series' first "sweeps week" two-parter. It also represented the return of Leonard Nimoy in the role of the supremely logical Mr. Spock. Now an ambassador of the Federation, Spock curiously embarks upon an unauthorized mission to the hostile planet Romulus. Disguising themselves as Romulans, Picard and Data investigate Spock's highly unorthodox behavior. Just when it seems that an explanation is at hand, the picture freezes, and the viewer is told to return next week. Mark Lenard, who like Leonard Nimoy was a veteran of the original Star Trek, recreates his familiar role as Spock's father Sarek. First aired November 9, 1991, part one of "Unification" carried a pre-show dedication to Gene Roddenberry, who had died eleven days earlier. The episode was written by Jeri Taylor from a story by Rick Berman and Michael Piller. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Kathleen Turner stars as V.I. Warshawski in Jeff Kanew's film version of the hard-boiled detective character from Sara Paretsky's series of crime novels. Warshawski is a freelance private investigator in Chicago, who lives the part of the hard-boiled detective. But in her heart of hearts, she is a softy. One night, while she is drinking at her favorite bar, she meets an ex-Blackhawks hockey player named Boom-Boom Grafalk (Stephen Meadows). The two connect and a romance appears to be in the making. But Warshawski is nevertheless surprised when Boom-Boom appears at her doorstep later that night with his 13-year-old daughter, Kat (Angela Goethals) in tow. He asks Warshawski if she could watch her and Warshawski agrees. Later that night, Boom-Boom is killed in a boat explosion and Kit hires Warshawski to track down her father's killer. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kathleen Turner, Jay O. Sanders, (more)
The idea of fusing teen sex-comedy and horror genres into a boffo box-office bonanza seems like classic braindead Hollywood-think... but somehow, beyond all reason, the makers of this film manage to pull it off. Much of the credit goes to director Fran Rubel Kuzui (Tokyo Pop) who chooses wisely to let the jokes and action rip by so quickly that viewers won't have time to realize there's practically nothing going on. Also excellent is Kristy Swanson as the bubble-headed cheerleader who learns from a Van Helsing-ish stranger (Donald Sutherland) that she's, like, the reincarnation of this pure female warrior and stuff, destined to rid the world -- or at least the Valley -- of vampires. No sooner is the Buffster being schooled in the ways of vampire butt-kicking (much to the consternation of meek pretty-boy beau Luke Perry) than the lead vampire (Rutger Hauer) and his leering cronies show up -- and leading up the pack is none other than Pee-Wee Herman himself, Paul Reubens. Fans of this film's popular TV offspring will appreciate the fang-sharp humor but may be surprised to find little evidence of the spooky atmosphere that permeates the series -- though there are some inspired moments, particularly the ridiculous death-by-ruler scene. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, (more)
- 1992
When a San Diego socialite is convicted of murdering her ex-husband and his new bride, truth is stranger than fiction as she hires a public relations firm in an effort to keep the media in her corner. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meredith Baxter, Judith Ivey, (more)
In this second sequel to Robocop, the mechanical humanoid opposes the evil designs of his creators, who have gone corrupt and are trying to take over all real estate in Detroit, kicking the poorer citizens out of their homes and turning them out into the streets. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert John Burke, Nancy Allen, (more)
- 1992
No sooner has he finished the screenplay for his own spy novel The Little Dutch Boy than Will Forrest (Scott Bryce) is sued for plagiarism. In order to clear her husband's name, Corky (Faith Ford) must read portions of her own diary in court. Unfortunately, what Corky has written in private bids fair to publicly expose the innumerable flaws in the "perfect" Sherwood-Forrest marriage. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
Angry over the demolition of his home, eccentric Mr. Willard (Stephen Root) begins buying up major New York City landmarks--including the Night Court building. When it turns out that Willard is within his legal rights, Harry (Harry Anderson) is put on the trail of a serious financial snafu made by the city government. Meanwhile, Dan (John Larroquette) savors the prospect of judging the annual "Miss Mass Transit" beauty pageant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A raging ex-wife exacts revenge on her former husband in this made-for-television drama. Based on a true story, Meredith Baxter stars as Betty Broderick, the well-to-do ex-wife of Dan Broderick (Steven Collins). Furious at Dan for divorcing her and attempting to get on with his life, the insanely jealous Betty instigates some nasty encounters that culminate with murder. Baxter gives an all-out, over-the-top performance as the crazed ex-wife. This installment was followed by another TV-movie entry, Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, The Final Chapter. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meredith Baxter, Stephen Collins, (more)
- 1992
A mysterious stranger has a surprising effect on three generations of women in this romantic comedy-drama. Ruth (Colleen Dewhurst) is a widow who runs a bed and breakfast in a small New England tourist community. Ruth shares her home with Claire (Talia Shire), who recently lost her husband, a well-known 1960s political activist, and Claire's daughter Cassie (Nina Siemaszko). Claire has to deal with the humiliation of a recent biography of her late husband that reveals the impressive degree of his infidelity, while Cassie is expected to follow in her father's political footsteps, even though she'd rather pursue a career in music. One day, the three women discover a gentleman who calls himself Adam (Roger Moore) has washed up on the shore. Adam is a con artist who was literally thrown off the yacht of someone he was trying to cheat, and now he fakes amnesia while he tries to get back on his feet and hide from his most recent victims. He does some odd jobs around the B&B to earn his keep and begins courting Claire, while he urges Ruth to take a chance with the lobster fisherman who has been after her for a date and encourages Cassie to follow her dream of making music. Bed and Breakfast was directed by Robert Ellis Miller, best known for his TV work and the feature Reuben, Reuben; the film was shot in 1989 but didn't receive its limited release until three years later. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger Moore, Talia Shire, (more)
Filmed just before the Rodney King incident, Extreme Justice is a violent tale of "police procedure" gone bonkers. Troublesome LAPD cop Jeff Powers (Lou Diamond Phillips) is assigned to an elite squad headed by his old friend Dan Vaughn (Scott Glenn). Ostensibly organized to collar violent repeat offenders, Vaughn's men actually comprise a "Death Squad." Always careful to cover their tracks, the squad seldom brings 'em back alive. Powers' dilemma: should he turn in his buddies, or should he uphold their rather direct but undeniably effective deterrent to urban crime? Extreme Justice was withdrawn from distribution after the Los Angeles riots. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lou Diamond Phillips, Scott Glenn, (more)
- 1993
Former Bewitched TV-star Elizabeth Montgomery plays against type and stars as a murderess in this made-for-television movie. Based on the book Preacher's Girl by Jim Schutze, Montgomery stars as the real-life killer Blanche Taylor Moore who was caught by authorities in 1989. The movie chronicles her transformation from the innocent 1950s daughter of a preacher into the serial killer known for poisoning her husbands with arsenic. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, David Clennon, (more)
The ghost of Frank Capra must have smiled when he saw Dave, an amusing and effective update of one of Capra's favorite themes -- the scrupulously honest little guy who becomes a force for good against a corrupt system. Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline) runs an employment agency and seems to genuinely enjoy finding work for people who need it. He also bears a striking resemblance to the president of the United States, Bill Mitchell (also played by Kline) and occasionally gets work as a Bill Mitchell impersonator. One day, Dave gets a call from the Secret Service -- for security purposes, they want to hire him to act as a decoy for an upcoming appearance by the president. All goes well, but later that evening President Mitchell suffers a massive stroke while in bed with his mistress. Wanting to keep the matter a secret, two of the president's top advisors appeal to Dave to stand in as Bill Mitchell until he regains his health. One of the men behind this scheme, Bob Alexander (Frank Langella), hopes to use Mitchell's absence to promote his own right-wing political agenda, but after a few weeks "in office," Dave decides it's time to promote some changes of his own that will help increase employment and keep homeless shelters open. Dave also finds himself growing fond of Ellen Mitchell (Sigourney Weaver), the President's wife, while Ellen sees in Dave the idealism her husband left behind years ago. Dave features numerous cameo appearances by politicians, Washington insiders, and journalists; Oliver Stone also appears to explain a conspiracy theory regarding sudden changes in Bill Mitchell's behavior. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, (more)
- 1994
Recognizing his problem, Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) attends an open AA meeting. Donna (Gail O'Grady) has high hopes when she learns that Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) has again left his wife. Martinez (Nicholas Turturro) sparks racial tensions when, after shooting a black motorist, he is unable to prove that the man drew on him first. And seeking spiritual solace, Janice (Amy Brenneman) confesses to a priest (Dean Norris) that it was she who killed mobster Marino. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Wide-eyed Wisconsinite Dave Nelson (Dave Foley) becomes the latest in a long of a news directors brought in to the hype the ratings of New York all-news radio station WNYX as Newsradio beams forth its first season. Almost immediately, Dave clashes with newscaster Lisa Miller (Maura Tierney), who thought that she was in line for Dave's job. Lisa and Dave will eventually bury the hatchet and enjoy a brief affair, but not before our hero has made the acquaintance of the rest of the WNYX staff, namely his bombastic, buck-passing boss Jimmy James (Stephen Root), preening and pompous male news anchor Bill McNeal (Phil Hartman), antagonistic female anchor Catherine Duke (Khandi Alexander), terminally nerdish reporter Matthew Brock (Andy Dick), viper-tongued, all-knowing station secretary Beth (Vicki Lewis) and mercenary maintenance man Joe Garelli (Joe Rogan). In the opener for the series' seven-episode inaugural season, Dave finds out that his first responsibility is to fire his predecessor. Other crises loom large as Bill is forced to stop smoking in the office; a late-breaking news story takes second place to a turf battle involving desk sizes; Dave is stuck with the job of handing out unfairly distributed bonuses; and Beth spectacularly turns the tables on Bill when the lascivious newsman tries to make time with her at a restaurant. The season ends with a guest appearance by Janeane Garofolo as Dave's former girlfriend--who hasn't yet been informed that she is indeed his former girlfriend! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Foley, Phil Hartman, (more)
Baby-faced news director Dave Nelson (Dave Foley) continues to leap over unexpected obstacles in his efforts to put New York radio station WNYX at the top of the ratings heap as NewsRadio commences its second season. Ingredients essential to the action this season include a boobytrapped refrigerator (courtesy of indolent station maintenance man Joe Garelli [Joe Rogan]); a collection of nudie-cutie pictures featuring WNYX's acid-tongued receptionist Beth (Vicki Lewis); the short unhappy life of Mike the "office rat", and the rodent's subsequential funeral via the mail chute; the announcement by station owner Jimmy James (Stephen Root) that he plans to get married;a homicidal Santa Claus who has it in for swell-headed news anchor Bill (Phil Hartman); an embarrassing moment in which Dave overhears the staff making fun of him; a practical-joke war which threatens to go thermonuclear when Bill and his co-anchor Catherine (Khandi Alexander) are the combatants; a nocturnal poker game in which Jimmy loses Bill to a rival station; the dreams of nerdish staffer Matthew (Andy Dick) of having a "group home" in The Hamptons; and the on-again, off-again romance between Dave and news reporter Lisa (Maura Tierney) Season Two guest stars include John Ritter as a psychiatrist hired to de-stress the WNYX staff, Bebe Neuwirth as a friend of Beth's who copies her every move, and Mr. Show's David Cross as a pathetic magician. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Foley, Phil Hartman, (more)
- 1995
- R
This is a '90s version of a good old fashioned B monster movie. It is set in a small rural town that is outwardly upright and peaceful and is inwardly rotten to the core. It seems that in its earliest years, the town fathers made a devil's bargain with a wandering warlock to insure good crops and prosperity for the residents. They soon came to regret the deal and decided to murder the magician and bury his bones in a field. The trouble begins in modern times when the hellish bones are inadvertently unearthed thereby freeing the warlock's evil spirit which immediately takes over a scarecrow and goes on an unequaled killing spree. The strawman's handiwork is discovered by young lovers Claire and Dillon. They soon find themselves pursued by the demonic creature, but eventually they knock the stuffing out of him and destroy the evil spirit, but not before more creative murders and mayhem ensue. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
