Rhoda Gemignani Movies
Jon Favreau, George C. Scott, and Judd Hirsch star in this biography (produced for the Showtime premium cable network) about the life and career of Rocky Marciano, who rose from a childhood of poverty through the often corrupt ranks of professional boxing to become the only undefeated heavyweight champion of the world. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Favreau, Penelope Ann Miller, (more)
- 1997
Monica (Courteney Cox) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) are in danger of losing their illegal sublet, thanks to "good samaritan" Joey (Matt LeBlanc). Somehow the girls' salvation rests with Joey's dancing skills. In other news, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) has a more than professional interest in her new massage client Rick (Jason Brooks), and Chandler (Matthew Perry) can't wriggle out of his current arrangement with a workout center. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Another of Disney's Touchstone Pictures rehashes of a lightweight French farce, Three Fugitives goes the trend one better by importing French director Frances Veber to supervise a shot-for-shot remake of his French original Les Fugitifs. Nick Nolte stars as a bank robber named Lucas, recently released from prison, who ambles into a bank to open up a checking account. Into the bank enters the inept Ned (Martin Short), who tries to rob the place and takes Lucas hostage. The police, knowing Lucas's criminal history, assume Lucas and Ned are pulling the heist together. With no choice in the matter, Lucas is compelled to engineer their getaway. Complicating the situation further is Ned's six-year-old daughter Meg (Sarah Rowland Doroff), who has been mute since the death of her mother. With his bank account depleted, Ned has robbed the bank to get money to send Meg to a special school. Meg loves her father, but finds herself drawn to the gruff Lucas. As the three go on the lam from the cops, the trio of misfits bond as a makeshift family. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nick Nolte, Martin Short, (more)
- 1987
Under normal circumstances, Danny (Bob Saget) would greet the news of his mother's impending visit by scurrying around to clean up the house before her arrival. Alas, Joey (David Coulier) has neglected to inform Danny that mom Claire (Alice Hirson) is on her way. Confronted with a mess of mammoth proportions, Claire not only begins cleaning herself, but also calls in Joey's mom Mindy (Beverly Sanders in her only series appearance) and Danny's mom Irene (Rhoda Gemignani, in the role later played by Yvonne Wilder) as her backup crew. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
With Moonlighting stars Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd off-screen for most of this episode, it is up to supporting actress Allyce Beasley--a.k.a. ditzy, poetry-spouting secretary Agnes Dipesto--to carry the ball. Once again, Ms. Dipesto is tired of merely answering the phones at the Blue Moon Detective Agency, and yearns to be in the thick of the action herself. She gets her wish (and learns to be very, very careful of what she wishes for!) when she probes into the truth behind a supposedly haunted mansion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
When a pregnant woman is caught in the crossfire of a mob hit, Hunter (Fred Dryer) and McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) find themselves faced with two daunting tasks. Not only do they have to locate the killer, but they must also establish the identity of the brain-dead victim in order to save the life of her unborn child. A crucial decision by the compassionate McCall caps this pivotal episode, which was directed by series star Fred Dryer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Originally made for television, the story focuses on a reporter trying to track down a killer while he wins his wife back. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson star as a quartet of Manhattan-based "paranormal investigators". When their government grants run out, the former three go into business as The Ghostbusters, later hiring Hudson on. Armed with electronic paraphernalia, the team is spectacularly successful, ridding The Big Apple of dozens of ghoulies, ghosties and long-legged beasties. Tight-lipped bureaucrat William Atherton regards the Ghostbusters as a bunch of charlatans, but is forced to eat his words when New York is besieged by an army of unfriendly spirits, conjured up by a long-dead Babylonian demon and "channelled" through beautiful cellist Sigourney Weaver and nerdish Rick Moranis. The climax is a glorious sendup of every Godzilla movie ever made-and we daresay it cost more than a year's worth of Japanese monster flicks combined. Who'd ever dream that the chubby, cheery Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man would turn out to be the most malevolent threat ever faced by New York City? When the script for Ghostbusters was forged by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, John Belushi was slated to play the Bill Murray role; Belushi's death in 1982 not only necessitated the hiring of Murray, but also an extensive rewrite. The most expensive comedy made up to 1984, Ghostbusters made money hand over fist, spawning not only a 1989 sequel but also two animated TV series (one of them partially based on an earlier live-action TV weekly, titled The Ghost Busters. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, (more)
- 1982
Sitcom stalwart Valerie Harper trades jokes for the judiciary in Farrell: For the People. Valerie stars as New York attorney Elizabeth Farrell ("All she wants to be is a DA", declared the TV Guide ad copy, "but her toughest case is being a woman!"), whose case load runs the gamut from rapists to killers. This TV movie borrows a page from current events by fictionalizing the notorious Norman Mailer/Jack Henry Abbott contretemps. Farrell takes on an ex-convict who has become a best-selling author thanks to the intervention of the Manhattan intellectual elite--and whose latest creative achievement is murder. Farrell: for the People was the pilot for a projected TV series, but the central character was too bland and confining for Valerie Harper's talents. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
- PG
In this black comedy, a humble cab driver spends his days daydreaming of becoming a rock-star. His blissful reverie is one day interrupted when ends up inadvertently blamed for the assassination of a world-renowned nuclear scientist. Soon afterward he finds that he has a stowaway, the late scientist's chimpanzee, the only one who knows his master's secret formula, which if ever written down could cause the destruction of the world. Now the hapless taxi driver must evade both the cops and two villainous Russian Spies. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robby Benson, Linda Grovenor, (more)
- 1976
Circumstantial evidence has implicated Nico Triforos (George Pan Casselman), a reclusive young Greek immigrant, in the murder of a prostitute. Assigned to solve the case, Kojak (Telly Savalas) runs afoul of his fellow Greek-Americans, who disapprove of his "persecution" of a downtrodden countryman. Featured in the supporting cast as heavily accented Greek characters are Alan Napier (Batman) and Oscar Beregi, respectively born in England and Hungary. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Rhoda Gemignani is cast as Emily, an employee at George Jefferson's dry cleaning establishment. Though Emily is the most qualified candidate for the position of manager, George (Sherman Hemsley) refuses to give her the job. Can it be that George is prejudiced against Emily's gender? No, his resistance goes a lot deeper -- skin deep, in fact. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1974
Bob's first mistake is to allow his all-female consciousness-raising group to hold a session in his apartment. His second mistake is to let Emily sit in during the discussion. His third mistake is not to duck when his patients, enraged at Emily's "unliberated" marriage, kick Bob out of his own group. Featured in the cast as Rhoda Gemignani as Joan Rossi, Ann Weldon as Adele Sinclair, Inge-Maria as Ingrid, and Joan Tompkins as Mrs. Cowens. First shown on November 30, 1974, "We Love You...Good-Bye" was written by Charlotte Brown. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
- 1974
Raul Julia guest stars as orthodontist Jerry Robinson's younger brother, Greg. Fresh out of dental school, Greg accepts Jerry's invitation to move in with him. Before long, Greg has not only taken over Jerry's life, he has also stolen most of his older brother's patients. Rhoda Gemignani rounds out the guest cast as Miss Rossi. Written by Martin Cohan, "Oh, Brother" made its first network appearance on January 5, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
- 1973
When Carol goes on vacation, Emily offers to fill in as receptionist. Everybody on the "professional" floor is in favor of the idea, except Bob, who worries that Emily's presence will foment marital discord. Once she reports to work, Bob's predictions come true -- along with several unexpected complications. Featured in the cast are Teri Garr as Miss Brennan, Rhoda Gemignani as Joan Rossi, and Nora Marlowe as Mrs. Manning. Written by Jerry Mayer, "Emily in for Carol" first aired on October 13, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
