Anthony LaPaglia Movies
Despite spending the first 25 years of his life in Adelaide, Australia, Anthony LaPaglia is best known for playing street-savvy Italian New Yorkers. This was not, however, LaPaglia's original plan. Rather than testing the waters of show business, LaPaglia traveled to the United States intending to pursue a full-time teaching career. As luck would have it, however, one of LaPaglia's odd jobs was a small role in Cold Steel (1987), a low-budget detective drama. LaPaglia began pursuing theater and television in his spare time -- one of his more notable early performances was in 1988's Frank Nitti: The Enforcer -- and considered himself a full-time actor by 1989, when he made his feature-film debut in Slaves of New York. It was 1990, however, when the young actor earned critical recognition for his role as an exceedingly polite mobster in Betsy's Wedding.LaPaglia continued to build his resumé throughout the early '90s, most of which he spent playing either kindly policemen or good-hearted mobsters, and was delighted to work alongside a variety of noted actors so early in his career. Among those actors were Alan Alda in Betsy's Wedding, Michael Keaton in One Good Cop (1991), and Nathan Lane, Sharon Stone, and Kevin Bacon in He Said, She Said (1992). Later in 1992, LaPaglia could be found playing his first leading role in George Gallo's gangster farce 29th Street. Though the film did not fare particularly well, audiences were nonetheless impressed with LaPaglia's intensity, and he played a more serious gangster with great success opposite Susan Sarandon in The Client (1994). The actor switched gears for his next handful of films; in Mixed Nuts (1994) he played a disillusioned Santa Claus, while Empire Records (1995) found him as a down-on-his-luck store manager, and the Australian-helmed Brilliant Lies (1996) featured him as the defendant in a sketchy sexual-harassment case.
Despite a smattering of mediocre films between 1995 and the early 2000s, LaPaglia continued to earn critical acclaim for many of his endeavors, such as Steve Buscemi's directorial debut, Trees Lounge (1996), for which LaPaglia joined a star-studded supporting cast, as well as for his role as a detective in Spike Lee's Summer of Sam (1999). Luckily for him, 2000 and 2001 proved excellent for his career, as it was during this period that he played a wealthy businessman in The House of Mirth and an adulterous police detective in Lantana. In addition to receiving international success, Lantana earned LaPaglia the prestigious Best Actor award from the Australian Film Institute, as well as a nomination from the Film Critics Circle. In the meantime, he was adding several major television credits to his resumé, including a starring role as the head of the FBI's Missing Persons Squad on CBS's Without a Trace, and a recurring role on the long-running sitcom Frasier, a performance for which he would receive an Emmy in 2002. Far removed from his fledgling days as a teacher, 2002 also found LaPaglia working with Val Kilmer for The Salton Sea; Sigourney Weaver for The Guys; Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal in Analyze That; and Eric Stoltz in Happy Hour. In 2003, after filming Manhood with Janeane Garofalo and the late John Ritter, LaPaglia agreed to star in director Josh Sternfeld's Winter Solstice (2004). ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- 2001
First seen over the Showtime cable network on June 29, 2001, On the Edge is a compendium of three short science-fiction films, each with a decidedly feminist slant. The first segment, directed by Helen Mirren, is "Happy Birthday," in which a straight-A student (Sidney Tamilia Poitier) seeks recourse after she is "quota'd out" of graduate school. Next up is "The Other Side," directed by Mary Stuart Masterson, wherein a scientific genius (Anthony LaPaglia) clones himself upon learning that he has inoperable cancer -- only to find himself and his clone as two points in a romantic triangle. Closing out the program is writer/director Anne Heche's "Reaching Normal," the tale of a bored housewife (Andie McDowell) and her "telepathic twin," an eccentric college professor (Paul Rudd). The best of the batch is "Happy Birthday"; the other two stories are distressingly predictable. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andie MacDowell, Paul Rudd, (more)
Adapted for the screen from Edith Wharton's much-loved novel of the same name, House of Mirth follows the fortunes -- or lack thereof -- of Lily Bart, an ambitious but financially imperiled young woman looking for a rich husband in early 20th century New York. The story opens as Lily (Gillian Anderson) takes tea at the apartment of Lawrence Selden (Eric Stoltz), a young bachelor lawyer to whom Lily is attracted but cannot marry because he is not wealthy enough for her liking. Lily stops at Selden's apartment en route to Bellomont, where she is planning to husband-hunt at the country home of shifty businessman Gus Trenor (Dan Aykroyd) and his wife. Gus agrees to invest some money for Lily, but his intentions toward her quickly turn carnal, and when she rebuffs his advances, she finds herself $9,000 in debt. Help arrives in the form of financier Sim Rosedale (Anthony LaPaglia), who extends to Lily a businesslike proposition of marriage; though she is tempted, Lily refuses his offer because he is nouveau riche rather than blueblood society. Soldiering on, Lily journeys to the Mediterranean, where she has been invited to the home of Bertha Dorset (Laura Linney), an alpha socialite who schemes to use Lily as an unwitting decoy for an affair under the nose of her husband George (Terry Kinney). When the trip starts to go bad, George tells Lily that he wants to divorce the slatternly Bertha, but needs some solid proof of her affairs in order to do so. Lily knows that one of Bertha's previous lovers was Selden, but her loyalty to him prevents her from speaking up to George. So, still in debt to Gus and given only a paltry inheritance by her aunt (Eleanor Bron), Lily endures a slew of unsuccessful jobs and, tragically, gradually sinks into the mire of genteel poverty. Directed by Terence Davies, House of Mirth premiered at the 2000 Locarno Film Festival. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gillian Anderson, Eric Stoltz, (more)
- 2000
A teenage girl confronts the crises of growing up -- some typical, some unusual -- in this drama. Josie (Pia Miranda) is the 17-year-old daughter of Christina Alibrandi (Greta Scacchi), a single mother and member of a large extended family of Sicilian immigrants living in Sydney, Australia. While Josie loves her mother, she's grown weary of her strict family, especially her grandmother Nonna Katia (Elena Cotta). The fact that her relatives still have issues with Christina raising her child out of wedlock hasn't made Josie's life any easier. A good student, Josie has earned a scholarship at a top private school, where she has to deal with Carly (Leeanna Walsman), a racist who often taunts Josie for her Sicilian heritage. Josie is also suffering from the tribulations of teenage romance, as she finds herself attracted to both clean-cut John (Matthew Newton) and working class Jacob (Kick Gurry). Meanwhile, the house is abuzz over a visit from Michael (Anthony LaPaglia), who Josie soon learns is Christina's old flame -- and her father. Looking for Alibrandi was based on a novel for young people by Melina Marchetta, which was a major best-seller in Australia. Marchetta also wrote the screenplay for this film adaptation. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Graeme Blundell
An man gets an unexpected lesson in love and life from a much younger woman in this romantic drama. Will Keane (Richard Gere) is a wealthy 50-year-old restaurant tycoon who has a knack for wooing beautiful women, but is unable to commit to a lasting relationship. On day Will meets a beautiful woman in her early-20s named Charlotte Fielding (Winona Ryder); he turns on the charm in an effort to impress her, and soon the two are having an affair. But what Will thought would be a brief, casual fling proves to have far deeper repercussions when he learns that Charlotte is suffering from a serious illness and does not have long to live. Autumn in New York was directed by actress-turned-filmmaker Joan Chen and co-stars Anthony LaPaglia, Elaine Stritch, and Jillian Hennessy. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Gere, Winona Ryder, (more)
- 2000
In the concluding half of Frasier's eighth-season opener, outraged lawyer Donny Douglas (Saul Rubinek) and infuriated plastic surgeon Mel Karnofsky (Jane Adams) draws up plans to get even with their respective mates Daphne (Jane Leeves) and Niles (David Hyde Pierce) for running out on them (Niles had sped off in the same Winnebago used by Daphne to escape her wedding to Donny). As Donny prepares to sue Daphne for breach of promise, Mel sharkishly promises to divorce Niles, with whom she had earlier eloped -- but only under certain humiliating conditions. Originally telecast as a 60-minute special, this episode has since been reedited as two half-hours for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
In part one of Frasier?s eighth-season opener, the wedding of Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves) and attorney Donny Douglas (Saul Rubinek) has come to end before the knot has even been tied as Daphne runs off with her true love, Niles Crane (David Pierce). Left standing in the exhaust fumes of the fugitive couple's Winnebago are both Donny and Niles' vengeful bridge Dr. Mel Karnofsky (Jane Adams). The upshot of all this is an enormous lawsuit brought against Daphne by Donny and an even more sinister revenge cooked up by Mel. Originally telecast as a 60-minute special, this episode has since been reedited as two half-hours for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
In the concluding half of Frasier's Emmy-winning season-seven finale, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) tries to bring Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and Daphne (Jane Leeves) together for one last fond farewell before Daphne marries Donny Douglas (Saul Rubinek). Meanwhile, Daphne's boorish brother Simon (Anthony LaPaglia) continues putting the moves on Roz (Peri Gilpin) -- who, as Donny's ex-girlfriend, is not altogether unresponsive. A shocking revelation about Niles' current companion Dr. Mel Karnofsky (Jane Adams) sets off a chain reaction of calamitous events, culminating in perhaps the series' most famous season-ending cliffhanger. Originally telecast as a one-hour special, this episode has since been reedited as two half-hours for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
In the first part of Frasier's Emmy-winning season-seven finale, the wedding day of Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves) has arrived -- and so have several members of Daphne's bombastic cockney family. Admidst preparations for the big event, Daphne confesses to Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) that, although she is promised to Donny Douglas, she is still in love with Niles (David Hyde Pierce). Meanwhile, Daphne's loutish brother Simon (Anthony LaPaglia) tries to make time with Roz (Peri Gilpin). Originally telecast as a one-hour special, this episode has since been reedited as two half hours for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
With her wedding day rapidly approaching, Daphne (Jane Leeves) finds herself in a court-ordered anger-management therapy program. As her counselor (S. Epatha Merkerson of Law & Order fame) listens with professional detachment, Daphne recounts the events leading up to the outburst that led to her current plight. What it boils down to is this: Daphne may be marrying Donny Douglas (Saul Rubinek), but her heart still belongs to Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce). Anthony LaPaglia makes his first series appearance as Daphne's boorish, hard-drinking brother Simon, who turns out to know his sister's heart better than she does. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Former Woody Allen collaborator Douglas McGrath co-wrote, co-directed, and stars in this historical screwball comedy that offers up its own creative suggestion as to what might have spurned 1961's Bay of Pigs invasion. McGrath plays Allen Quimp, a nebbish schoolteacher who -- in an attempt to appease his browbeating wife Daisy (Sigourney Weaver) -- boasts that he leads a double life as a CIA operative. Daisy immediately sets to work writing a tell-all biography, and as his rumor spreads, Quimp bumbles his way into working at an actual CIA post in Cuba. There, he's confronted by a Cold War vigilante (John Turturro) who enlists his help in taking down the country's communist strongman, Fidel Castro (Anthony LaPaglia). Company Man was co-written and co-directed by New York stage director Peter Askin; both Askin and McGrath sued the film's production company in 1999 when, they claimed, the privilege of editing the final cut was denied to them. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Douglas McGrath, Sigourney Weaver, (more)
Woody Allen immerses himself in the world of vintage jazz in this period mock-biography of a musician gifted in his art but a sad student in life. Emmet Ray (Sean Penn) is a 1930s jazz guitarist considered one of the finest musicians ever to touch a fretboard, second only to the legendary Django Reinhardt. For all the passion and sensitivity of his music, Emmet is a louse off-stage; he earned his living as a pimp before gaining fame, and he throws his money away on flashy clothes and big cars, going through women like guitar picks. He also has another charming hobby: shooting rats at the city dump. But when Emmet meets Hattie (Samantha Morton), a shy, mute woman who earns her living doing laundry, he discovers that she loves his music, and he promptly falls for her. However, his inability to be faithful, his arrogant conviction that a musician should never marry, and his belief that he can do better than Hattie eventually doom their relationship. Emmet later marries Blanche (Uma Thurman), a beautiful and refined woman with a career as an author, but she is no more interested in fidelity than he is, and in time he realizes how foolish he was to give up Hattie. Jazz guitarist Howard Alden plays Emmet's solos on the soundtrack, while several authorities on jazz discuss "Emmet's" music, including Nat Hentoff, Douglas McGrath, and one Woody Allen. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Penn, Samantha Morton, (more)
Based on the "Oprah Book Club" selection by Anna Quindlen, Black and Blue stars Mary Stuart Masterson as New York City housewife Fran Benedetto. Outwardly living an ideal existence, Fran harbors a painful secret: She is regularly abused, both verbally and physically, by her husband Bobby (Anthony LaPaglia). But why does not Fran go to the police? The answer is tragically simple: Bobby is a cop himself. Ultimately, Fran goes into hiding in Florida -- whereupon Bobby grimly applies the skills gleaned from years of detective work to track his hapless spouse down. Benefiting from believable characterizations and logical plot twists, the made-for-TV Black and Blue originally aired November 14, 1999 on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Stuart Masterson, Anthony LaPaglia, (more)
In the summer of 1977, a serial killer who called himself Son of Sam (real name David Berkowitz) held New York City in terror as he went on a killing spree, periodically writing letters to New York's media in which he took full responsibility for the murders and made clear that he intended to kill again. Spike Lee's Summer of Sam deals in part with this crime spree, but it mostly looks back at the fearful impact of his crimes on New York's collective consciousness. Vinny and Dionna (John Leguizamo and Mira Sorvino) are an unhappy young married couple living in the Bronx; Vinny often cheats on Dionna but is wracked with guilt about it, while Dionna fears she lacks the looks or allure to hold onto a man. Ritchie (Adrien Brody) is a neighborhood kid turned punk rocker (complete with a fake British accent); he has a band and a girlfriend (Jennifer Esposito) but also makes money as an exotic dancer at a gay club. And Luigi (Ben Gazzara), a longtime leader of organized crime in the Bronx, is approached by the police, with whom he generally has a less cordial relationship, to help them find the killer, as the citizens of some neighborhoods barricade their streets in fear that he will strike there next. Meanwhile, a tortured psychopath named David Berkowitz (Michael Badalucco) seethes with rage in his gloomy apartment and receives messages from a demonic dog who commands him to kill and kill again. Spike Lee's first film without a primarily African-American cast (though bearing the unmistakable New York stamp that's one of his hallmarks), Summer of Sam was shown as part of the Directors Fortnight series at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Leguizamo, Adrien Brody, (more)
- 1998
This documentary, narrated by Anthony LaPaglia, explores the life of Oscar Goodman - an ambitious young attorney who acted as legal defense for many well-known Mob figures, during a time when organized crime in Las Vegas was more prevalent. The film examines Goodman's belief that strong criminal defense is an important safeguard for constitutional rights, and reflects on some of the complexities of Goodman and his clients. (Goodman was later elected the mayor of Las Vegas and plays himself in Martin Scorsese's film, Casino. ~ Alice Duncan, All Movie Guide
This noir crime drama set in Arizona and updated for post-modern sensibilities is similar in tone to other hip B-movie homages such as Bad Lieutenant (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994) and the previous year's award winning L.A. Confidential (1997). Ray Liotta stars as Phoenix police detective Harry Collins, a good-hearted cop with an understanding bartender (Anjelica Huston) and a gambling problem that's gotten him $32,000 in debt to a bookie, Chicago (Tom Noonan). Although Chicago offers to forgive Harry's debt in exchange for a murder, and Harry's crooked partner Mike (Anthony LaPaglia) offers to kill Chicago, Harry refuses their generosity, insisting that he will never welsh on a bet or betray a friend. Instead, Harry devises a plan to rip off a sleazy loan shark and strip club owner, Louie (Giancarlo Esposito) with the help of Mike and two fellow corrupt cops, James (Daniel Baldwin) and Fred (Jeremy Piven). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ray Liotta, Anthony LaPaglia, (more)
- 1997
This wartime drama concerns a Catholic priest who finds his beliefs tested by his desire to defeat fascism and his love for a woman. Don Paolo (Anthony LaPaglia) is a priest in a small Italian village during World War II. While he espouses pacifism and non-violence, his words fall on increasingly less receptive ears as the anti-fascist Partisans, led by Capt. Zito (Dan Hedaya), become a greater force in the community. When an American solider parachutes into the village to encourage the Partisans to keep up their fight until Allied troops can liberate Italy, Zito's men step up their activities, leading fascist troops to capture, torture, and execute Zito's right hand man, Aldo (Jorge Sanz). After Aldo's death, one of Don Paolo's associates, Don Sebastiano (David Neal), decides that he can no longer stand idly by and watch his people be butchered; he joins the underground forces and helps ambush a group of Nazi soldiers, which leads to his death. After Don Sebastiano's passing, Don Paolo finally agrees to help Zito's forces by delivering a schedule of bridge bombings to American operatives in a neighboring town, though his nerve begins to fail him en route. Amidst the village's political turmoil, Don Paolo has become acquainted with Adriana (Embeth Davidtz), a beautiful woman working with the Partisans; he has developed a romantic attraction to her which she obviously shares, and as he struggles to keep his emotions in check and stay true to his vows, he is forced to call upon her for help in order to complete his mission for Zito. Based on a short story by Anthony DiFranco, The Garden of Redemption was intended to be the first in a series of films based on stories about World War II, produced for cable television. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony LaPaglia, Embeth Davidtz, (more)
It begins as a seemingly cut and dried case of sexual harassment, but the more the conciliator assigned to the case investigates, the more obvious it becomes that either or both side is lying. Based on the premise that survival and success in the '90s is largely based on one's ability to lie brilliantly, the Australian drama follows the ins and outs of a very complex case that begins when recently fired Susy Connor files a formal complaint with the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal about an alleged incident in which her employer Gary Fitzgerald grabbed her breasts, whispered suggestive things in her ear and showed her his genitals while working late one night. The married Fitzgerald calls her a liar. Marion is called in to mediate and find the truth. Both parties have creditable character witnesses, and at the same time, both have gaping holes in their stories. Susy's witness is her sister Katie, whom she claims she told all about the upsetting incident. Unfortunately, Susy never said a word and still expects Katie to lie. On the other hand, Gary's witness Vince, his partner, knows that his friend is a notorious womanizer and strongly suspects that Susy tells the truth. Susy, herself, with her sexy dressing, provocative ways and her openness about an active sex-life has the advantage of being a woman as Gary is famed for his macho posturing around the office (a trait that in the hyper-sensitive '90s automatically makes him guilty of lechery). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony LaPaglia, Gia Carides, (more)
- 1996
Based on a true story, this inspirational made-for-television drama recounts the valiant struggle of North Carolina state basketball coach Jim Vavano to overcome cancer and to turn his players into champions. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony LaPaglia, Ashley Crow, (more)
In this dark comedy, Seth Warner (Aidan Quinn) is a good man having a run of bad luck. His pregnant wife disappeared in the ocean during a trip to the beach, a tornado destroyed his house while leaving everything else in the neighborhood untouched, his boss fired him, and he was struck by a bolt of lightning that also injured his dog. While recovering in the hospital, Seth comes to the conclusion that God has cursed him. His brother-in-law Harry (Anthony LaPaglia) thinks that this conclusion is absurd -- after all, Harry reasons, he violates five or six commandments every day before lunch, and things are just great with him. This notion puts a bug in Seth's ear, and when he gets out of the hospital, he decides to confront God by deliberately violating all ten commandments; he hopes to start by seducing Harry's wife, Rachel (Courteney Cox). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Aidan Quinn, Courteney Cox Arquette, (more)
Character actor Steve Buscemi made his debut as a writer and director with this seriocomic tale of a guy who is going through something but doesn't know just what it is. Tommy is a 31-year-old auto mechanic who lost his last job after "borrowing" 1,500 dollars from the cash register and heading to Atlantic City, where he wasted no time losing it all at the tables. The fact that he can't get his own car to run isn't impressing any prospective employers, so Tommy spends much of his time at the Trees Lounge, a local watering hole conveniently located downstairs from his apartment. Eventually Tommy lands some work driving an ice cream truck and becomes acquainted with his ex-girlfriend's 17-year-old niece, Debbie (Chloë Sevigny). When they half-heartedly fall into a romance, it's just one more thing for Tommy to be confused about. Buscemi draws upon a rich cast of supporting actors, including Elizabeth Bracco, Anthony LaPaglia, Carol Kane, Debi Mazar, Samuel L. Jackson, and Mimi Rogers. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Buscemi, Mark Boone, Jr., (more)
When the original format of Murder One, that of chronicling a single murder trial through an entire TV season, proved to be less successful than hoped, the series' format was altered for its second season on ABC. This year, three cases would be prosecuted and defended, the first involving the murder of California governor Van Allen and his mistress. Replacing season one's head defense lawyer, Theodore Hoffman, is Anthony LaPaglia as James "Jimmy" Wyler; and while three members of Wyler's defense team -- Chris Docknovich (Michael Hayden), Arnold Spivak (J.C. MacKenzie), Justine Appleton (Mary McCormick) -- are still on the job, fourth member Lisa Gillespie (Grace Phillips) has been replaced by streetwise Aaron Mosely (David Bryan Woodside). As for the prosecution, Assistant DA Miriam Grosso (Barbara Bosson) finds herself in a potential conflict-of-interest quandary when her own boss, DA Roger Garfield (Gregory Itzin), is shown to have ties with chief murder suspect Malcolm Dietrich (Ralph Waite). The second case on the docket bears a remarkable resemblance to a recent real-life trial involving a major sports figure. Rick Worthy is cast as swaggering basketball star Rickey Latrell, accused of killing a shady Las Vegas team owner named Sandy Fortas. Murder One was canceled as a weekly series before the season's third murder trial could get off the ground. However, the property returned in a five-part miniseries format, in which Wyler's team defends a serial killer (Pruitt Taylor Vince) who considers himself above the law because all of his victims are notorious criminals. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony LaPaglia, Michael Hayden, (more)
A funky little record shop provides the setting for this youthful comedy that centers on the workers there as they try to help poor Joe Anthony LaPaglia), the manager who really wants to buy the place, recoup his losses after his well-meaning, but dim-bulbed employee Lucas (Rory Cochrane ) steals his savings and loses it all in Atlantic City while trying to increase it twofold at the gaming tables. If they cannot come up with the loot, the mega-chain Music City will buy it. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony LaPaglia, Rory Cochrane, (more)
- 1995
This National Geographic film documents the efforts of Peter McMillan and Lang Kidley to recreate a famous biplane flight from England to Australia in 1919. Using the original plans, the pair builds an exact replica of the original biplane and then sets flight from England. Cameras follow the pair during their flight, capturing breathtaking views of Egypt, India, and the long string of islands stretching from Asia to Australia. ~ Ed Atkinson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
During its first year on the air, the weekly, hour-long ABC series Murder One was unique among legal dramas, in that it dealt with only a single murder case per season. Debuting September 19, 1995, the series spent all of season one focusing on the murder of a young substance-abusing woman, with her lover, obnoxious movie star Neil Avedon (Jason Gedrick), as prime suspect. Handling Avedon's defense were Chris Docknovich (Michael Hayden), Arnold Spivak (J.C. MacKenzie), Justine Appleton (Mary McCormick), and Lisa Gillespie (Grace Phillips), all ambitious young attorneys working for celebrated, controversial, and not entirely ethical criminal lawyer Theodore Hoffman (Daniel Benzali). Appearing for the prosecution were ruthless Assistant DA Miriam Grasso (Barbara Bosson), who worked for the even more ruthless DA Roger Garfield (Gregory Itzin). The Grasso-Garfield team included police detective Arthur Poulson (Dylan Baker) and investigator David Blalock (Kevin Tighe). Among the other first-season regulars were Patricia Clarkson as Theodore Hoffman's long-suffering wife, Ann; John Fleck as Hoffman's office manager, Louis; and Grace Phillips as his receptionist, Lila. While the "one case per year" gimmick attracted a lot of publicity, and -- for a while, anyway -- a lot of viewers, the ratings for Murder One fell precipitously as season one wore on. Thus, when the series returned for its second season, several changes had been imposed, the first being that three cases would be dramatized, rather than merely one. On the docket for season two were a political assassination in which DA Garfield was implicated, an O.J.-like celebrity murder case involving an arrogant basketball star, and a case involving a serial killer who preyed only on professional criminals. Series co-star Daniel Benzali was gone, replaced by younger but no less crafty and cunning defense attorney James "Jimmy" Wyler (Anthony LaPaglia). Also missing was Grace Phillips as Lisa Gillespie, whose replacement, hotheaded junior attorney Aaron Mosely, was played by David Bryan Woodside. Concluding its weekly run on January 23, 1997, Murder One briefly returned five months later in a miniseries format, remaining on the air from May 25 to 29, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Benzali, Anthony LaPaglia, (more)
A holiday comedy with dark overtones, Mixed Nuts presents a supposedly humorous look at the behind-the-scenes events at a crisis hotline on Christmas Eve. Philip (Steve Martin) runs Lifesavers, a Venice, California organization dedicated to helping the depressed and troubled. Unfortunately, Philip is a bit down himself, having learned that Lifesavers is on the verge of eviction. His staff isn't feeling particularly helpful either, with Mrs. Munchnik (Madeline Kahn) giving gruff, often insulting advice, and Catherine (Rita Wilson) obsessing over her own unspoken love for Philip. As the holiday approaches, various weirdoes of all shapes and sizes -- from to a pregnant clothing store owner (Juliette Lewis) to a disenchanted Santa Claus (Anthony LaPaglia) -- begin dropping in, throwing the already strained office into utter chaos. Director Nora Ephron followed her smash success Sleepless in Seattle with this remake of the cult 1982 French comedy Le Père Noël est une Ordure, co-authoring the script with her sister Delia Ephron. However, Mixed Nuts met with little box office or critical approval, with most viewers finding the film's manic farce disappointingly forced and abrasive. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Martin, Madeline Kahn, (more)
