Garry Marshall Movies
The career of producer/director Garry Marshall has been marked by many peaks, the highest of which include such classic television sitcoms as The Odd Couple (1970-1975), Happy Days (1974-1984), and Mork and Mindy (1978-1982), and the phenomenally popular feature film Pretty Woman (1990). A Brooklyn native, Marshall (born Gary Marsciarelli) is the son of an industrial filmmaker and a dance instructor. His sister, Penny Marshall, is a comic actress and noted film director. Marshall majored in journalism at Northwestern University and subsequently served a stint in the army before becoming a reporter for the New York Daily News. He was also a jazz drummer in a band before becoming a television comedy scriptwriter for such artists as Joey Bishop and Phil Foster and the writer for Jack Parr on The Tonight Show.Marshall moved to Los Angeles in 1961, but he didn't make it big until he teamed up with writer Jerry Belson. Together, they penned numerous episodes for several sitcoms, notably The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Lucy Show. In 1970, Marshall produced The Odd Couple, which starred Jack Klugman and Tony Randall and was based on a popular Neil Simon play and movie. He reached his apex as a television producer during the '70s, with such hits as Laverne and Shirley (1976-1983) (a Happy Days spin-off starring sister Penny) and Mork and Mindy. In addition to his producing and television directorial efforts, Marshall occasionally appeared as a supporting actor.
In features, Marshall co-produced and co-wrote (with Belson) his first film, How Sweet It Is!, in 1968. A year later, the two produced and penned The Grasshopper. Marshall made his directorial feature film debut in 1982 with Young Doctors in Love, a comic look at daytime serials. As a film director, Marshall's output has received uneven critical reviews. Films such as the Goldie Hawn/Kurt Russell vehicle Overboard and the Bette Midler/Barbara Hershey melodrama Beaches (1988) had good box-office business, but were considered of average quality. 1990's Pretty Woman was Marshall's first big movie hit. Following its tremendous success, he tried his hand at a serious drama with Frankie and Johnny (1991) starring Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer. Since then, Marshall's films have tended more toward sentimental and straight dramas such as The Twilight of the Golds (1997) and The Other Sister (1999). Marshall returned to comedy -- and to his teaming of Julia Roberts and Richard Gere -- in 1999 with Runaway Bride.
In addition to his work behind the camera, Marshall has occasionally appeared as an actor in films and television shows alike. During the mid-'90s, many TV audiences came to recognize him for playing Candice Bergen's ratings-crazy boss, Stan Lansing, on Murphy Brown. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Murphy (Candice Bergen) is stunned when, in the course of a live TV interview, billionaire media mogul Duncan Briggs (Ian Ogilvy) proposes marriage. Though flattered, Murphy refuses, only to discover that Briggs is willing to go to any lengths to get an affirmative answer--even if it means "buying" our heroine from network president Stan Lansing (Garry Marshall). Politician-comic actor-game show host Ben Stein also appears in this episode (though he doesn't mention "Bueller" even once). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Murphy (Candice Bergen) desperately seeks an ally at the network when Kay (Lily Tomlin) presumptively decides to move the entire "FYI" staff to California. The situation prompts Murphy to join forces with Mr. Lansing's weaselly nephew Andrew (Paul Reubens), now ensconsed in a Buddhist monastery. Unfortunately, Andrew proves to be an even greater threat to "FYI" than Kay, whereupon Murphy comes up with "Plan B" (or is it "Plan C"). Watch for a hilarious cameo by Drew Carey Show regulars Diedrich Bader and Ryan Stiles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Co-written by Jonathan Tolins and based on his original stage play, this Showtime drama concerns the possible role of genetics in determining sexual orientation. Suzanne Gold (Jennifer Beals), a medical-school dropout who manages a clothing store, marries genetic researcher Rob Stein (Jon Tenney), the son of Orthodox Jews who disapprove of what they perceive as their son's meddling with God's prerogatives. When Rob submits his and Suzanne's unborn son to his colleagues' experimental test procedures, the baby appears to have a 90 percent chance of being homosexual. Suzanne confides to her mother, Phyllis (Faye Dunaway), that she fears for the added burden her new family will face. Mom's got a big mouth, and before long Suzanne's father, Walter (Garry Marshall), and gay brother, David (Brendan Fraser), are weighing in with their conflicting opinions about whether or not Suzanne should abort the child and what such an action would mean about David's place in the family. The strain of such a decision ruptures existing fault lines in both the Gold family and Suzanne's marriage, culminating in revelation, transformation, and a group hug. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Beals, Jon Tenney, (more)
In this comedy, a man trying to turn away from a life of crime starts performing a little larceny in the interest of helping others. Tom Turner (Greg Kinnear) is a small-time con man who makes the mistake of trying to cheat a pair of undercover cops one night. Fortunately for Tom, his case is heard by a lenient judge who orders him to get a straight job and stay out of trouble; if he can stay employed for a year, his conviction will be wiped from the record. Tom is hired at the Post Office and assigned to the Dead Letter Office, where he and his co-workers Rebecca (Laurie Metcalf), Herman (Tim Conway), and Vladek (Hector Elizondo) try to figure out what to do with the sacks of mail addressed to Santa Claus, Elvis Presley, and God. Against orders, Tom opens one of the letters to God and is moved by the sad story of the woman who sent it. He decides to reply and accidentally mails her his pay check; but when he sees how happy the answer made the recipient, Tom and his co-workers start opening more letters and trying to answer a few prayers that would be within their reach -- which leads Tom back to the courthouse again. Director Garry Marshall has a small role as Preston Sweeney. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Greg Kinnear, Laurie Metcalf, (more)
- 1996
Murphy (Candice Bergen) is certain that obnoxious Andrew Lansing (Paul Reubens) is trying to come on to her when she is barraged with candy, flowers and other assorted gifts from a "mysterious" admirer. Not surprisingly, Murphy goes to great pains to convince Andrew that he is not and never will be the man in her life. Ultimately, Murphy is "rescued" by gallant Frank (Joe Regalbuto), but not before both colleagues are slammed with a jaw-dropping surprise. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
With Miller Redfield's "Q" ratings in the toilet, Murphy (Candice Bergen) at last sees a chance to get rid of her hated co-anchor. Her plan involves handing Miller (Christopher Rich) over to her incompetent former agent Steve (Chris Elliott), knowing that Steve will try to use the "underdog" plan to get Miller a raise--a plan that always failed spectacularly for Murphy. Miracle of miracles, the scheme works--but it still manages to backfire on our conniving heroine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Hoping to get Kay (Lily Tomlin) off her back, Murphy (Candice Bergen) arranges for Kay to produce an afternoon talk show--hosted by network president Stan Lansing (Garry Marshall), and featuring a band fronted by "FYI" investigative reporter Frank (Joe Regalbuto). Unfortunately for Kay, the first telecast of the new show threatens to be the last when guest star Tom Hanks flees from the studio in terror. But Murphy's triumph turns to disaster when she is forced on-camera as Hanks' replacement! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
As the ninth season of Murphy Brown gets under way, the staff of "FYI" is still adjusting to the loss of longtime producer Miles Silverberg. Network president Stan Lansing (Garry Marshall) wants to install his "little weasel" nephew Andrew (Paul Reubens) in the producer's chair, but Murphy Brown (Candice Bergen) and her colleagues angrily reject this idea out of hand. Lansing's second choice is former game show producer Kay Carter-Shepley (Lily Tomlin in her first series appearance)--a tough customer indeed, and one who may well prove to be Murphy's match in every way. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Having resigned from "FYI" in the wake of his controversial confrontation with Big Tobacco, Jim (Charles Kimbrough) accepts the position of news-division head at the upstart ICN network. Much to dismay of the "FYI" staffers, dimbulb Miller Redfield (Christopher Rich) is chosen as Jim's replacement. It finally falls to Murphy (Candice Bergen) to try to coax Jim back into the fold--a job which she thinks will be easy considering the cacophonous chaos within ICN headquarters. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
In case there's any doubt, this episode is a sly takeoff of the notorious 60 Minutes debacle later dramatized in the 1999 film The Insider. Contentious ex-"FYI" anchorman Stuart Best (Wallace Shawn) returns to his former stamping grounds as a Man on a Mission. A former lobbyist for the tobacco industry, Best has "seen the light" and intends to blow the whistle on Big Tobacco. Murphy (Candice Bergen) is eager to tackle the story on the air, but the network backs down in the face of a huge lawsuit. Ultimately, it is Jim (Charles Kimbrough) who attempts to carry Best's anti-tobacco message to the public--with shocking results. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Murphy (Candice Bergen) protests the severe cut-backs at "FYI" by quitting the network, with Frank (Joe Regalbuto) and Corky (Faith Ford) following suit. Forced by Miles (Grant Shaud) to admit he has made a mistake, network president Lansing (Garry Marshall) tries to woo back the "FYI" staff--and even attempts to bring Jim (Charles Kimbrough), now head of the ICN network news division, back into the fold with an offer he can't refuse (well, maybe he can't). This final episode of Murphy Brown's eighth season also marks the last regular appearance of costar Grant Shaud. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
The 200th episode of Murphy Brown is actually the first episode of a two-part story, bringing the series' eighth season to a close. Now that she's been clean and sober for eight whole years, Murphy (Candice Bergen) now dedicates herself to healing the wounds of those whose feelings she has hurt during that same period. This may prove impossible when Murphy finds out that "FYI" will be moved to a less choice timeslot, and that the staff will be severely reduced--two facts which she is forced to keep secret from her colleagues! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Acting on orders from Mr. Lansing (Garry Marshall), Jim (Charles Kimbrough) takes on the challenge of transforming vapid "Front and Center" host Miller Redfield into a "real newsman." The "FYI" staff is astonished that stuffed-shirt Jim would accept such an demeaning (and seemingly impossible!) assignment. But as it turns out, Jim has his own personal reason--one might even call it payback--for helping Miller gain respectability. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
After nearly getting killed during a jailhouse interview with a multiple murderer, Frank (Joe Regalbuto) wants nothing more to do with "action" stories. Network president Lansing (Garry Marshall), however, has other ideas, and insists that Frank continue risking his neck for big ratings. Thus it is that the hapless Mr. Fontana is subjected to one hazardous on-the-air stunt after another--and if this keeps up, he will be literally riding for a fall! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
It is bad enough when the insufferable Miller Stanfield (Christopher Rich) wins the Humboldt Award for a story which the "FYI" staff had labored on to save Miller's behind. It's even worse when the clueless Miller displays a mile-long streak of ingratitude, acting as though he and he alone was responsible for his success. Curiously, Murphy (Candice Bergen) makes no move to exact vengeance upon Miller--at least not right away! Edwin Newman makes a cameo appearance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Shelley Long makes her first appearance as Dottie Wilcox, one-half of the hosting team of the popular daytime talk show "Dick and Dottie" (based on guess-which syndicated talkfest). Unable to hide her disdain for the lightweight Dottie, Murphy (Candice Bergen) makes a catty comment about the woman during an "FYI" broadcast. Forced by the network to apologize to Dottie, Murphy proceeds in her own inimitable fashion to make a bad situation worse. Comedian Dom DeLuise and Hollywood columnists Army Archerd and Liz Smith appear as themselves. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Network president Stan Lansing (Garry Marshall) enters the hospital after an alleged heart attack, but he's actually covering his behind while executing a series of radical changes on the "FYI" format. His most controversial move is to hire an ultra-hip MTV veejay named McGovern (Paula Korologos in her first series appearance) as an "FYI" anchorperson in order to cater to youthful viewers. Though uncomfortable at first, Murphy begins to warm up to McGovern--until she finds out a deep dark secret about the girl's political persuasion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Murphy (Candice Bergen) is still upset that network president Lansing (Garry Marshall) has hired former MTV veejay McGovern (Paula Korologos) as "FYI"'s newest anchorperson. But Murphy's reaction is entirely different when McGovern poses nude for the cover of "Rolling Stone" magazine. Now, Murphy reasons, Lansing will see the light about McGovern and fire the girl for besmirching the integrity of "FYI"--or will he? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Shedding his familiar "Pee-wee Herman" persona, Paul Reubens makes his first series appearance as Andrew J. Lansing III, the nephew of network president Stan Lansing (Garry Marshall). On the strength of his family ties, Andrew is hired as Murphy's 76th secretary--and contrary to expectations, he does a great job. Unfortunately, the obnoxious Andrew rubs everyone on the "FYI" staff the wrong way...and there's a strong possibility that he's a few bricks shy of a full load. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Paul Reubens returns as Andrew Lansing III, geeky nephew of network president Stan Lansing (Garry Marshall) and former "secretary from Hell" to Murphy Brown (Candice Bergen). Newly promoted to the position of Vice President of Current Affairs, Andrew entices Murphy with an offer to cohost "The Awful Truth", a hard-hitting news program with Walter Cronkite. But by the time the program gets out of development and on the air, it has degenerated into a vapid info-tainment series specializing in brain-dead trivia contests and "special features" about hot new sitcom stars--and cohosted by Murphy's longtime bete noir Miller Redfield (hristopher Rich)! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
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This sexy farce stars Dan Aykroyd and Rosie O'Donnell as Fred Lavery and Sheila Kingston, a pair of cynical detectives investigating the disappearance of a key witness in a diamond-smuggling case. The case leads them to a Club Med-styled S&M resort where dog collars and cat o' nine tails abound; further complicating matters, the smugglers end up on the island as well. The missing witness, photographer Elliot Slater (Paul Mercurio), takes a job as a bondage boy, and he falls in love with the resort manager, Mistress Lisa (Dana Delany. Adapted from Anne Rice's novel of the same name. ~ Jeremy Beday, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dana Delany, Paul Mercurio, (more)
- 1994
Murphy (Candice Bergen) defies network policy to accept a role in a film directed by Louis Malle (then the real-life husband of star Bergen, playing "himself") No sooner has she stepped on the set, however, than Murphy goes into full "diva" mode, insisting upon script changes so that she will be able to maintain her image as a serious journalist. Garry Marshall makes his first appearance as new network president Stan Lansing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
While his wife Doris is out of town, Jim decides to cut loose in his own inimitable--and essentially innocent--fashion. Alas, through no fault of his own, Jim gets involved in a series of compromising situations, which serve to make him choice fodder for the tabloid press. Complicating matters is the presence of a tall, middle-aged gent (Michael Zemenick) who looks exactly like our boy Jim. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
This episode was inspired by the recent defections of several long-time CBS, affiliates to the upstart Fox network. It all begins when the ever-outspoken Murphy (Candice Bergen) uses her "FYI" forum to trash her own network's new fall-lineup. In retaliation, network boss Stan Lansing (Garry Marshall) orders Murphy to do a major suck-up job at a convention of angry network affiliates. Somehow or other this leads to a rare photo-op in which Murphy puts her arms around network "star" Jeri the Orangutan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The All-American Girls' Professional Baseball League was founded in 1943, when most of the men of baseball-playing age were far away in Europe and Asia fighting World War II. The league flourished until after World War II, when, with the men's return, the league was consigned to oblivion. Director Penny Marshall and screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel re-create the wartime era when women's baseball looked to stand a good chance of sweeping the country. The story begins as a candy-bar tycoon enlists agents to scour the country to find women who could play ball. In the backwoods of Oregon, two sisters -- Dottie (Geena Davis) and Kit (Lori Petty) -- are discovered. Dottie can hit and catch, while Kit can throw a mean fastball. The girls come to Chicago to try out for the team with other prospects that include their soon-to-be-teammates Mae Mordabito (Madonna), Doris Murphy (Rosie O'Donnell), and Marla Hooch (Megan Cavanagh). The team's owner, Walter Harvey (Gary Marshall) needs someone to coach his team and he picks one-time home-run champion Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks), who is now a broken-down alcoholic. After a few weeks of training, as Dugan sobers up, the team begins to show some promise. By the end of the season, the team has improved to the point where they are competing in the World Series (which is no big deal, since there are only four teams in the league). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, (more)
