Dody Goodman Movies
American actress/dancer Dody Goodman gained a measure of newspaper column space for her dancing solos in such '40s Broadway musicals as High Button Shoes and Wonderful Town. Adopting the guise of a fey airhead, Goodman was good for a few off-the-wall quotes whenever she submitted to an interview. She came to the attention of nighttime talkshow host Jack Paar, who after becoming enchanted by Goodman's ditzy persona and seemingly spontaneous malaprops, invited the lady to become a semi-regular on The Tonight Show. As Goodman's fame grew, she became difficult to handle on the show, and Paar wasn't happy with her upstaging habits. Commenting on another guest one evening, Paar quipped "Give them enough rope." "And they'll skip!" ad-libbed Goodman brightly. Dropped summarily by Paar in 1958, Goodman spent the next decade showing up on other talk programs, game shows and summer stock as a "professional celebrity." Goodman staged a comeback in 1976 as Louise Lasser's mother on the TV soap opera parody Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. After this, Dody Goodman's career gained momentum with regular appearances on TV's Diff'rent Strokes, movie roles (Grease [1978]) and cartoon voiceover work (The Chipmunk's Adventure [1987]). She died in 2008 at the age of 93. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1992
- PG
When an adopted 21-year-old finds that she was adopted, she forsakes her adopted parents and goes on a crazed hunt to discover her real parents. When at last she finds them, she is disappointed to discover that they are very empty and shallow people; her adoptive parents earn a new respect in her eyes. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martha Plimpton, Dermot Mulroney, (more)
- 1992
- PG13
A rising young executive is ecstatic to learn that he is to be acting president at the small-town bank his company just purchased until he gets there and realizes that it is a sperm bank. This base little comedy centers on his attempts to make the place profitable and also chronicles the growing love between himself and the uptight but pretty biologist who works there. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shelley Long, Corbin Bernsen, (more)
- 1991
- PG
The leader of a motorcycle gang (rapper Vanilla Ice) falls in love with a small-town girl (Kristen Minter) and finds out that while her family is involved in the Witness Protection Program, they are being pursued by corrupt cops. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vanilla Ice, Kristen Minter, (more)
- 1988
This comedy is based on the comic fantasy hit Splash and was designed as the pilot for a television sitcom. In the story, the Manhattan yuppie and his magical mermaid marry and try to live a normal life in the big city. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1988
The second of two TV-movie attempts to revive the Dobie Gillis sitcom series of the 1950s and 1960s, Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis rounds up as many cast members of the old show as humanly possible. Dwayne Hickman took a break from his busy career as a CBS daytime-drama executive to recreate the role of Dobie Gillis, while Bob Denver was back as his beatnik "good buddy" Maynard G. Krebs. Also making return appearances are Sheila James as Zelda Gilroy (now Mrs. Dobie Gillis), Steve Franken as ridiculously wealthy Chatsworth Osborne Jr., and William Schallert as Dobie's college teacher Mr. Pomfritt. The plot concerns the attempts by Dobie's former high school sweetheart, the ever-mercenary Thalia Menninger, to wrest Dobie away from wife Zelda and claim him for her own. Tuesday Weld, the original Thalia, wasn't interested in reprising the character (nor was Dwayne Hickman interested in working with the troublesome Ms. Weld again), so the role was assumed by another 1950s TV icon, Connie Stevens. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Denver, Dwayne Hickman, (more)
- 1987
Sheriff Amos Tupper (Tom Bosley) is understandably distressed when Audrey Martin (Antoinette Bower), the wife of Amos' bucolic deputy Jonathan Martin (Rick Lenz), apparently commits suicide. Further investigation reveals that Audrey was murdered, at which point Amos discovers that the seemingly harmless Jonathan was carrying on extramarital affairs with several of Cabot Cove's most eligible middle-aged ladies! With the help of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), Amos tries to determine if one of Jonathan's conquests could also be a murderess. Among the suspects in this episode are two of Angela Lansbury's former MGM colleagues, Gloria DeHaven and Kathryn Grayson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Join Alvin, Simon, and Theodore as they graduate from their weekly TV adventures to the big screen in the exciting, feature-length animated tale The Chipmunk Adventure. The three boys use a clever scheme with a tape recorder to trick their babysitter, Rebecca Miller, into letting them out of the house. The Chipmunks con the woman into believing that David Seville has granted them permission to set off on a trek around the world, in pursuit of the diamond smugglers Claudia and Claus. Of course, the boys make a point to solicit help from their female friends, The Chipettes, who excitedly agree to tag along on this globe-charting odyssey. A musical to boot, The Chipmunk Adventure features the boys singing such numbers as "Diamond Dolls," and the rollicking and rousing "Woolly Bully."The Chipettes join in as well, with the memorable tune "The Girls of Rock 'n' Roll." ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ross Bagdasarian, Jr., Janice Karman, (more)
- 1985
In this comedy, a revival of the popular TV-series from the mid-60s, the wedded bliss of astronaut Tony Nelson and his magical djin and wife Jeannie is endangered when Jeannie desires to become more independent. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
A wacky teenage sex comedy of the sort that proliferated in the mid-1980s, this farce is notable for featuring two lead actors who would go on to bigger and better things. Rob Morrow and Johnny Depp star as Ben and Jack, respectively, teen buddies who are on the sexual prowl for beautiful, wealthy girls at a posh Miami resort where they are weekend guests. Also on the prowl is The Maestro (Hector Elizondo), a skilled jewel thief who evades detection by cross-dressing as a woman while he pursues the diamond necklace of society woman Amanda Rawlings (Dody Goodman). When they accidentally run afoul of the Maestro, Ben and Jack suddenly have their hands full. Private Resort was the third in a series of comic teen sex romps from producer R. Ben Efraim, each of which had the word Private in the title. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Morrow, Johnny Depp, (more)
- 1984
Child actress Soleil Moon Frye played the title role in the lightweight half-hour sitcom Punky Brewster. After being abandoned by her parents, resourceful eight-year-old Penelope "Punky" Brewster moved into an an empty Chicago apartment with her little dog, Brandon. They were discovered and subsequently adopted by the building's owner, middle-aged photographer Henry Warnimont (George Gaynes), the archetypal "old grouch with the heart of gold." Punky quickly became friends with Cherie Johnson (played, amazingly enough, by Cherie Johnson), who lived in the apartment upstairs with her legal guardian, registered nurse Betty Johnson (Susie Garrett). The two youngsters attended school with their other friends, stuck-up Margaux Kramer (Ami Foster) and mischievous Allen Anderson (Casey Ellison). Their teacher during season one was Mrs. Morton (Dody Goodman), succeeded in season two by Mike Fulton (T.K. Carter). Also on hand during the series' inaugural season was Eddie Deezen as the apartment's goofy maintenance man, Eddie Malvin. The series debuted September 18, 1984, on the NBC network, whose programming head, Brandon Tartikoff, had actually had a childhood friend named Punky Brewster (still alive at the time the series was produced -- and, incidentally, generously compensated for the use of her name). Though the series lasted only two seasons on NBC, it proved to be a huge hit in rerun syndication after its cancellation on September 7, 1986. Thus, beginning in the fall of 1987, new episodes of Punky Brewster were seen in first-run syndication with virtually the entire cast (except for T.K. Carter) intact. The property remained in production for an additional two years, during which time the character of Henry Warnimont forsook his photography career to open up a restaurant, appropriately christened "Punky's Place." And from 1985 to 1989, an animated cartoon spin-off featuring the same cast in voice-over roles, It's Punky Brewster, was seen on NBC's Saturday-morning manifest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Soleil Moon Frye, George Gaynes, (more)
"I'm in love with a mermaid!" read the opening line of Leonard Maltin's original review for Splash. And with the delightful Darryl Hannah in the lead, who could fault Maltin for his public declaration of ardor? The story begins in 1959, when a young boy is rescued from a watery grave by an adolescent mermaid. Twenty-five years later, the boy has grown up--and lo and behold, it's Tom Hanks. Meanwhile, the mermaid, likewise grown up, has surfaced in search of Hanks, her long-lost love. On dry land, the mermaid is able to walk about on legs; any contact with salt water, and she reverts to her half-fish form. Adopting the name of Madison from a New York street sign, the girl manages to win Hanks' heart. Alas, a secret government lab, populated by such smarmy types as Richard B. Shull and Eugene Levy, captures Madison for research purposes--and possible vivisection. Egged on by his brother John Candy, Hanks rescues his beloved, joining her in the ocean depths as a mer-man (mer-fellow? mer-guy?) A captivating confection from the peerless creative team of director Ron Howard and screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, Splash was a winner all the way--especially at the box office, where the $11 million film racked up a huge profit. Historical sidebar: Splash was the first release from Disney's Touchstone Pictures division. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, (more)
Max Dugan (Jason Robards Jr.) is an elderly ne'er-do-well whose tenuous mob connections have made him persona non grata with his daughter Marsha Mason. Struggling to raise her restless son Matthew Broderick on her own, Mason is none too pleased when Max returns to the family fold with yet another portfolio of get-rich-quick schemes. Forced to leave town due to the investigative habits of cop Donald Sutherland, Mason's new boyfriend, Max does one last good deed to renew the faith of the disillusioned-with-life Broderick. Watch for Donald Sutherland's son Kiefer in his film debut, and for former Kansas City Royals' batting coach Charlie Lau in the baseball-game finale. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marsha Mason, Jason Robards, Jr., (more)
Given the runaway success of Grease, which became the biggest-grossing movie musical of all time, it was all but inevitable that there would be a sequel, and four years later this follow-up brought a new group of kids back to Rydell High. It's 1961, and Stephanie Zinone (Michelle Pfeiffer) is the tough leader of the Pink Ladies, while Michael Carrington (Maxwell Caulfield) is a clean-cut British exchange student. Michael likes Stephanie, but the Pink Ladies' by-laws prevent her from dating guys who aren't members of the T-Birds, their affiliated male gang. However, when a Zorro-like masked avenger on a motorcycle rescues Stephanie from a gang of ill-mannered toughs, she's eager to get to know the hero with the cool wheels. Any guesses as to who he might be? Eve Arden, Sid Caesar, and Dody Goodman return from the first film as members of the Rydell High faculty, while actual '50s teen icons Tab Hunter and Connie Stevens are on board as new members of the staff; Didi Conn as Frenchy is the only one of the students to appear in both movies. Patricia Birch, who served as choreographer on Grease, made her debut as a director on Grease 2; while she's remained active as a choreographer, she hasn't directed again since. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maxwell Caulfield, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)
- 1980
The made-for-TV Valentine Magic on Love Island was accurately dismissed by one reviewer as a "bubble headed brew of I Dream of Jeannie and a Club Med Vacation." Janis Paige stars as Madge, a benign sorceress who runs a lavish tropical resort with the help of her nephew Jimmy (Christopher Knight) and niece Cheryl (Dominique Dunne). Through mystical, magical means of her own (manifested in a bouquet of enchanted roses), Madge sets about to transform eight of her unattached hotel guests into four loving couples. Naturally, the supporting cast is top-heavy with celebrity guest stars, among them Adrienne Barbeau, who was seen in one of the two Fantasy Island pre-series specials, and Bill Daily, an alumnus of the aforementioned I Dream of Jeannie. The pilot for an unsold weekly series, Valentine Magic on Love Island first aired February 15, 1980, on NBC; in syndication, it was retitled simply Magic on Love Island, apparently to avoid the "holiday special" onus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Originally made for television, this film concerns another case for the legendary super sleuth. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
"Grease," said the poster and the Barry Gibb song, "is the word." Transferring its setting from Chicago to sunny California, and adding a dash of disco to the ersatz '50s score, producer Allan Carr and director Randal Kleiser turned this long-running Jim Jacobs - Warren Casey Broadway smash into the biggest blockbuster of 1978. 1950s teens Danny (John Travolta) and Australian transfer Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) spend their "Summer Nights" falling in love, but once fall comes, it's back to Rydell High and its cliques. As one of the bad boy T-Birds, Danny has to act cool for best pal Kenickie (Jeff Conaway) and their leather-clad mates Sonny (Michael Tucci) and Doody (Barry Pearl, in the role Travolta played on stage). Despite befriending Frenchy (Didi Conn), one of the rebel Pink Ladies, virginal Sandy is "too pure to be Pink," as the Ladies' leader Rizzo (Stockard Channing) acidly observes. Declaring their devotion in such ballads as "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "Sandy," Sandy and Danny split, reconcile, and split again amidst a pep rally, dances, drive-ins, and a drag race, before deciding "You're the One That I Want" at the climactic carnival. With Travolta white-hot from Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease soundtrack singles climbed the charts and summer movie crowds poured in. With the presence of Joan Blondell, Eve Arden, Sid Caesar, Edd "Kookie" Byrnes and Frankie Avalon appealing to grown-up memories, Grease became the highest grossing film of 1978, the highest grossing movie musical ever, and the third most popular film of the new blockbuster '70s after Star Wars (1977) and Jaws (1975). Its sequel, Grease 2, did not exactly set the world on fire in 1982. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, (more)
- 1963
An exercise in "black humor" bordering on the tasteless, Bedtime Story stars Marlon Brando and David Niven as a pair of womanizing confidence tricksters, operating up and down the Riviera. Pooling their talents, Brando and Niven pull off several scams, many of these requiring Brando to pose as a mental or physical defective. Their current "mark" is soap heiress Shirley Jones, who isn't quite as gullible as she seems. The film's highlights-or low points, depending on one's point of view-feature Brando pretending to be a mentally challenged man with a Napoleon complex, and a paraplegic who is "cured" by Jones' love (remember that this is the same actor who so sensitively portrayed a genuine paraplegic in The Men). Created by the same folks who brought you such TV favorites as Green Acres and Beverly Hillbillies, Bedtime Story was remade in 1988 as Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, with Steve Martin, Michael Caine, and Glenne Headley in the roles originally filled by Brando, Niven and Jones. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marlon Brando, David Niven, (more)
