Lou Fant Movies
Well known as one of the founders of the National Theater for the Deaf, actor Lou Fant helped to found that organization in 1967, gaining praise and attention for their sign language performance of Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky.Born in Greenville, SC, to deaf parents, Fant gained a unique perspective and insight into deaf acting while serving as the "voice" for deaf actors while at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. Soon focusing his efforts on the organization of the National Theater for the Deaf, Fant later moved to Southern California to pursue acting, appearing in such features as The Pom Pom Girls (1976) and Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977). Fant also made frequent guest appearances on such popular television shows as Kojack, Little House on the Prairie, and Cheers. As a signing instructor in film, Fant coached such actors as Diane Keaton and Henry Winkler in addition to serving as sign language coach for Children of a Lesser God (1986). Fant also authored the American Sign Language Phrase Book.
On June 11, 2001, Lou Fant died of complications of pulmonary fibrosis in Seattle, WA. He was 69. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 1986
When his latest date with an "intellectual equal" doesn't pan out, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) relies upon Sam (Ted Danson) to fix him up with a girl -- any girl. Unfortunately, Frasier's new amour (Jennifer Tilly) is equally desperate for male companionship, the upshot being an overnight courtship and instant marriage proposal. Despite the amusing complications stemming from the basic situation, the most fascinating aspect of this episode is the woman with whom Frasier breaks up in the early scenes. That woman is fellow psychologist Dr. Lilith Sternin, played by Bebe Neuwirth in her first Cheers appearance. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
This routine film catalogues what happens to a teen's life when he is wrenched from an easy existence in affluent, East Coast suburbia and dropped into the lean, mean streets of a downscale L.A. suburb. James Spader is Morgan Hiller, displaced with his parents and brother when his father loses some of the wealth to which they were accustomed and the family moves to California. Morgan soon attracts Frankie (Kim Richards), the girlfriend of Nick (Paul Mones), a high school tough who does not appreciate Frankie's change of heart. The antagonism between Morgan and Frankie mounts as they both approach a high-noon showdown. Aside from some musical numbers which seem to have wandered in from another film about teen singers and dancers, the story is compelling and the film is notable for one of the early performances of Robert Downey in a subsidiary role. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Spader, Kim Richards, (more)
- 1981
Amy Medford (Jenny Agutter) is a dutiful housewife of the early 1900s. But when her husband objects to a wife with a career, Amy leaves her husband and comfortable lifestyle. She goes on to devote her life to teaching sight-and-hearing-impaired students at a tradition-bound special school. This film betrays its Disney-studio origins with an audience-rousing action climax, in which Amy's students take on a team of "normal" kids at a football game. Amy was produced by onetime Hollywood leading man Jerome Courtland. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jenny Agutter, Barry Newman, (more)
- 1980
Alban Branton, a deaf child, makes his acting debut in the role of hearing-impaired Daniel Page. Taking it upon herself to teach Daniel sign language, Laura (Melissa Gilbert) never dreams that the boy will fall in love with her -- but that is precisely what happens. This dramatic situation is tempered somewhat by a comic subplot involving the mischievous Willie Oleson (Jonathan Gilbert) and his efforts to construct an elaborate doghouse for his favorite pooch, Bandit. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, (more)
- 1980
- PG
Ellen Burstyn plays Edna McCauley, the wife of a man (Jeffrey DeMunn) who is killed in an auto crash. Edna herself survives, but not before enduring an "out of body" experience. Crippled in the accident, Edna heads to her hometown in Kansas to recuperate. There she discovers that she has the power to heal people, presumably a byproduct of her brief trip into the beyond. She accepts her gift, but resists the notion that she has been blessed with divine powers. On the other hand, her young lover (Sam Shepard) believes that she is the embodiment of Jesus Christ. It is his method of proving his hypothesis that brings the film to its startling conclusion. Both Ellen Burstyn and Eva Le Gallienne (as Burstyn's grandmother) were nominated for Academy Awards. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ellen Burstyn, Sam Shepard, (more)
- 1978
In this classic episode, Adam Kendall (Linwood Boomer) asks Laura Ingalls (Melissa Sue Anderson) to marry her. Though Laura loves Adam, she declines his proposal, worried that a blind couple could never properly care for a family. But a crisis during a devastating dust storm reveals that Laura and Adam are far more qualified for responsible parenthood than either of them could ever have imagined. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, (more)
- 1976
- R
Guys go crazy for the gals cheering on the home team in this raunchy teen comedy from the Seventies. It's football season at Rosedale High, and Johnny (Robert Carradine) and Jesse (Michael Mullins) are eager to lead the school's team to victory. But while Coach Hartmann (Robert Gammon) wants to put the team on the right track, his abusive methods and obnoxious attitude are turning some of the players against him. Meanwhile, the guys on the team are just as interested in making time with the girls on the cheerleading squad as they are in scoring touchdowns, and Johnny starts dating Laurie (Jennifer Ashley), much to the annoyance of her former boyfriend Duane (Bill Adler), a thick-headed tough guy. Meanwhile, the Rosedale High team is gearing up for their annual game with cross town rivals Hardin High by launching a battle of pranks, which reaches its peak when the Rosedale guys steal a fire engine. The Pom-Pom Girls was an early credit for director Joseph Ruben, who later went on to make The Stepfather, True Believer and The Forgotten. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Carradine, Jennifer Ashley, (more)
- 1973
After a routine heist, two-bit car thief Artie Fowler (Mark Alaimo) is killed in cold blood. Kojak suspects that there's something bigger than a standard robbery going on--especially after Artie's girlfriend Maria (Lara Parker) lets slip that an upcoming "caper" will make fools of the authorities. It turns out that a $500,000 heist is in the works, masterminded by mob leader Hugh Jellicoe (Paul Lambert) and an unknown party whose theatrical bravado astonishes even the professional crooks. Future Dallas costar Ken Kercheval appears in a significant role. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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