Andrea Martin Movies

It was all but inevitable that the most successful independently produced film of all time, 2002's My Big Fat Greek Wedding, would spawn a weekly, half-hour TV sitcom. What was not inevitable, and indeed a bit surprising, was that the CBS series My Big Fat Greek Life would feature virtually the entire cast of the original film -- with one noteworthy exception. Nia Vardalos, who created the movie and served as a co-executive producer for the TV version, reprised her screen role as Nia (originally Toula) Portokalos Miller, the new Greek-American bride of non-Greek teacher Ian Miller. The two lovebirds did their best to assert their independence, despite the well-meaning omnipresence and interference of Nia's colorful -- and bombastic -- Greek family. In addition to Vardalos, the series featured a number of carryovers from the film, among them Michael Constantine as Nia's domineering restauranteur father, Gus; Lainie Kazan as her eternally freeting mother, Maria; Louis Mandylor as her macho-man brother, Nick; Andrea Martin as advice-dispensing Aunt Voula; and Gia Carides as garrulous cousin Nikki. Conspicuous by his absence on the series was John Corbett, the original Ian Miller; his role was taken over by Steven Eckholdt. My Big Fat Greek Life first aired on February 24, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally filmed as a pilot for a Nickelodeon cable network TV series, the computer-animated feature Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius turned out so well that it was decided to release the film theatrically in 2001. One year later, things came full circle, and the weekly, half-hour TV version of Jimmy Neutron was unveiled by Nickelodeon. The title character was a ten-year-old inventor, living in the sitcomish town of Retroville with his mom, dad, and robot dog Goddard. Together with his colorful schoolmates -- many of them even geekier than he was -- Jimmy was regularly called upon to save his family, his town, or his world by concocting a whole slew of intricate gadgets, some of which actually worked properly. Created by John A. Davis and Steve Oedekerk, the weekly version of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius premiered on September 6, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Friendship is harder than it looks. So learn George and Martha, hippopotamuses and best buds. This Doors of Wonder presentation goes beneath the surface to examine the harder aspects of getting along. Based on the books by James Marshall, Doors of Wonder: George and Martha - Best Friends includes four episodes. "The Book" and "The Acting Class" each depicts what happens when George discovers friends are more important than hobbies. "The Misunderstanding" and "The Secret Club" find George and Martha separated by hurt feelings. These two hulking characters always find gentle ways of forgiveness. This animated release features the voices of Nathan Lane and Andrea Martin. George and Martha is recommended for ages two to seven. ~ Sarah Ing, All Movie Guide

In this direct-to-video sequel to Don Bluth's 1982 animated adventure The Secret of NIMH, Timmy (voice of Ralph Macchio) is the son of two courageous mice who helped save the day for the animals of Thorn Valley. While the wise Nicodemus has predicted that Timmy will some day be a great hero -- and his father expects nothing less -- the mouse is at once anxious to prove his courage and worried if he can live up to the expectations of others. Timmy's opportunity finally comes when his friend Jenny (Hynden Walch) asks him to help her find her parents, who may have been kidnapped by the nefarious human scientists of the National Institute of Mental Health. The voice cast for The Secret of NIMH II: Timmy to the Rescue includes Eric Idle, Harvey Korman, Doris Roberts, and William H. Macy. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This is a children's video about the life and work of the author commonly known around the world as Dr. Seuss. The video also contains original musical productions based on Dr. Seuss' books, including Oh, The Places You'll Go, Green Eggs and Ham, and The Cat in the Hat. On this video, you will see Dr. Seuss characters featured in original animated and live-action tales and fun games for fans of the author's books. Some of the participants featured in this video are Kathy Najimy, Robin Williams, Christopher Lloyd, David Paymer, Patrick Stewart, Eileen Brennan, Billy Crystal, and Howie Mandel, among others. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide

In this sequel to the much-loved "Frosty the Snowman" cartoon special, Frosty reappears to befriend a girl named Holly and help save Christmas from the invention of an evil snow-exterminating chemical. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide

For many years, comedian John Candy was a staple of the prestigious Second City comedy troupe where he was known for creating such unforgettable characters as Johnny La Rue and Dr. Tongue. He was also a noted impressionist who had audiences rolling in the aisles with his take on such figures as Jake LaMotta, Divine and even Julia Child. This video presents only but a few of the most hysterical moments of the show. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Released by the now-defunct Simitar Entertainment rather than Rhino Video, which handles the other Comic Relief videos, Comic Relief II is featured on two separate 60-minute videos. A 1987 live charity event benefiting America's homeless, part one of Comic Relief II is hosted by Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, and Billy Crystal, and features comic turns by Elayne Boosler, Louie Anderson, Judy Tenuta, and Michael J. Fox. Part two of Comic Relief II is a continuation of part one, boasting an all-star lineup that includes comic luminaries Richard Lewis, Steven Wright, Steve Allen, Arsenio Hall, and Roseanne. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide

The second and final season of NBC's 90-minute comedy-variety series SCTV Network finds the show's familiar acting troupe short of three members: Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis, and Catherine O'Hara. Fortunately, John Candy, Eugene Levy, Joe Flaherty, and Andrea Martin are still on hand, as is relative newcomer Martin Short, who this season introduces a fresh new batch of brilliant comic characterizations, among them the ultra-geeky Ed Grimley and vainglorious Australian pop star Jackie Rogers Jr. And beginning with the sixth episode, Mary Charlotte Wilcox, heretofore seen in minor roles, is elevated to full regular status. Wilcox would remain with the troupe for their next TV venture, SCTV Channel -- which also featured Jim Hemphill, who appears sporadically throughout SCTV Network's second season. The second season's 12 episodes contain some of SCTV Network's all-time best material. Highlights include "Sammy Maudlin's 23rd Anniversary," which also incorporates dead-on spoofs of the hidebound, outdated programming typical of Canadian network television; "Bowery Boys in the Band," spotlighting guest star Robin Williams as an incongruously light-in-the-loafers Slip Mahoney; a takeoff of the Streisand-Kristofferson version of A Star Is Born, featuring musical guest Crystal Gayle; the benighted efforts by perennial talk show second banana William B. (Candy) to launch his own starring series; and best of all, the Emmy-winning episode "Sweeps Week," at once a devastating lampoon of pointless all-star TV variety specials and an affectionate bouquet to the golden days of black-and-white TV. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This is the last of three 90-minute NBC specials offering prized vignettes from SCTV's three seasons and the first season of SCTV: Network 90. Highlights include Gregory Peck and Woody Allen's versions of Taxi Driver; the 2-minute adaptation of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf; Doug and Bob McKenzie's discourse on Darth Vader; "Quincy: Cartoon Coroner"; "Lola Heatherton in Concert"; "Death Takes No Holiday"; and "Ingmar Bergman's Whispers of the Wolf." The Best of SCTV (3) originally aired in the time slot generally reserved for Saturday Night Live. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Expanding from 30 to 90 minutes per week in the process of "graduating" from Canada's Global Television Network to America's NBC, the popular sketch comedy series SCTV also boasts an expanded title -- SCTV: Network 90 -- as it launches its first NBC season. The "new" series' format is primarily the same as the "old" one, with each episode chronicling a typical broadcast day on SCTV's flagship station, Channel 109 in Melonville. Returning from the earlier series are John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, and Rick Moranis; beginning with the 25th episode of season one, Martin Short joins the cast, adding his own unique comedy characterizations to the cast of "regulars" already established by his colleagues.
Among the recurring segments introduced during the shakedown season of SCTV: Network 90 are "Farm Film Report," with bucolic emcees Billy Sol (John Candy) and Jim Bob (Joe Flaherty) exhorting various ersatz celebrities to "blow up reeeal good"; "The Happy Wanderers," featuring Leutonian polka kings Stan and Yosh Schmenge (John Candy, Eugene Levy); "One on the Town," a fatuous investigative reporting series hosted by news anchor Earl Camembert (Levy); "Street Beef," the cheesy man-on-the-street interview show to which SCTV personality Johnny LaRue (Candy) is exiled after the failure of his first starring movie "Polynesiantown"; and "The Gerry Todd Show," a lampoonish music video disc jockey program that predated the debut of MTV by four months! Many of the sketches seen during SCTV: Network 90's first season are reruns, culled from three seasons' worth of the original SCTV (some of these, however, had not previously been seen on U.S. television). Of the new sketches, several are standouts, including "CCCP1," in which the SCTV satellite is hijacked by the Soviet Union; "Zontar," an extended parody of Invasion of the Body Snatchers; "The People's Golden Choice Awards," arguably the single most crooked awards show in TV history; and the hilariously self-explanatory "PBS Battle of the Network Stars." On orders from NBC, SCTV: Network 90 was obliged to accommodate musical guest stars, but for the most part these performers were smoothly integrated into the comic action. This season's crop of guests includes Levon Helm, Dr. John, Natalie Cole, Al Jarreau, The Tubes, Tony Bennett, Talking Heads, Roy Orbison, and even classical violinist Eugene Fodor and Johnny Puleo and His Harmonica Gang. Mention should also be made of non-musical guest Bill Murray, who -- to no one's surprise -- melded beautifully with the series' general zaniness. (DVD alert: Most of the aforementioned guest star turns have been removed from the half-hour syndicated versions of the individual SCTV Network episodes.) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide