Ed Begley, Jr. Movies
Tall and blond with a handsome craggy face, Ed Begley Jr. became a star for his convincing portrayal of the obsequious, socially awkward Dr. Erlich on the acclaimed television series St. Elsewhere (1982-1988). He is the son of distinguished radio, television, and screen actor Ed Begley and made his acting debut at age 17 in an episode of My Three Sons. Later, he worked on the college and nightclub circuit as a standup comedian and then was a TV cameraman for a short while. During the '70s, Begley returned to acting and guest starred on several series, including Happy Days and Starsky and Hutch. In film, he made his debut in the Disney comedy Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972), and went on to play small roles in a couple more Walt Disney comedies, including Super Dad (1973). By the mid-'70s, Begley was getting larger supporting roles in such films as Stay Hungry (1976) and Blue Collar (1978). For his work as Dr. Erlich on St. Elsewhere, Begley was nominated for an Emmy. Though he is steadily employed in Hollywood as a supporting actor and an occasional lead (as in Roseanne's unjustly panned film debut She-Devil where he played a spineless cheat of a husband) in television and feature films, and has displayed a broad range of talent that has allowed him to play anything from hippies to deadly villains in a variety of genres, Begley is still only a mid-range star. In the fall of 1997, Begley was scheduled to return to series television in the CBS sitcom Meego. When not acting, Begley is a tireless promoter of environmental causes; he actively practices what he preaches in accordance with his belief that if individuals begin conserving and find their own alternatives to petroleum power sources, they can force governments to begin sanctioning cleaner energy alternatives. He lives in a modest, energy-efficient two-bedroom home in the San Fernando Valley that stands out only because it is entirely powered by solar energy. He drives a VW rabbit he converted to electric power (most of which comes from his home) and also bicycles and takes the bus when necessary. A vegetarian, he grows much of his food at home and only buys recycled products. Begley has also served as the Environmental Affairs Commissioner for the City of Los Angeles and on the boards of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Environmental Research Foundation, the Coalition for Clean Air, and the American Oceans Campaign. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 2009
nWave Pictures presents this animated adventure surrounding a sea turtle's 50-year journey around the globe, featuring the voices of Anthony Anderson, Ed Begley Jr., Tim Curry, Melanie Griffith, Stacy Keach, and Jenny McCarthy. Fly Me to the Moon 3-D's director, Ben Stassen, heads up the project, written by Domonic Paris. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Anderson, Ed Begley, Jr., (more)
Kevin Spacey and Bob Balaban headline Austin Powers director Jay Roach's all-star docudrama examining the events surrounding the most controversial presidential election in United States history. The highest office in the country is up for grabs, and the fate of the free world may hang in the balance. When the initial tallies from Florida voting polls prove inconclusive, the decision is made to hold a recount. But it's a controversial decision to say the least, and one that caused many skeptical voters to suspect foul play. Eventually the case would go all the way to the Supreme Court, and as the trial gets under way charismatic Texas republican James Baker (Tom Wilkinson) attempts to rally public support for the recount. But the Democrats aren't about to lie down and die just yet, because Al Gore's former chief of staff Ron Klain (Spacey) can play hardball with the best of the old elephants. Now, as these two opposing giants come to blows over the fate of the presidency, they gradually begin to develop a grudging respect for one another. Laura Dern, John Hurt, Dennis Leary, and Ed Begley, Jr. round out the cast for the film that blends actual news footage and verbatim dialogue into fictionalized recreations that are both highly entertaining and deeply dramatic. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Spacey, Bob Balaban, (more)
Critically acclaimed director David Gordon Green takes a break from the brooding drama that defined such early efforts as George Washington and Undertow for this action-flavored buddy comedy concerning two pot-smoking friends (Seth Rogen and James Franco) who unwittingly become involved with a vicious gang of drug dealers. Judd Apatow and Shauna Robertson produce a script co-penned by star Rogen and Evan Goldberg. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Seth Rogen, James Franco, (more)
- 2008
After fifteen years of marriage, painting contractor Gary Barnes (Joy Mohr) and his controlling wife Allison (Paula Marshall) have finally split, and now as the unhappy couple attempts to navigate the treacherous waters of divorce while sharing custody of their two kids - environmentally conscious eleven year old Louise and socially awkward fourteen year old son Tom - Gary discovers that there's no such thing as the "perfect divorce. Despite the fact that Gary is determined to follow the advice of their marriage counselor and not begin dating so soon after the divorce, he can't help but develop feelings for lovely single mother Vanessa after the two connect while he's working on her house. Later, when Allison reveals to Gary that she's engaged to their shrink, Gary decides to throw caution to the wind and finally take his relationship with Vanessa to the next stage. But it won't be easy, because when you're juggling so many relationships, achieving true post-marriage happiness can be an especially difficult endeavor. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jay Mohr, Paula Marshall, (more)
Jon Seda, Alison Eastwood, Paul Rodriguez, Ed Begley, Jr., and Karen Black star in writer/producer/director David Siquerios' fish out of water comedy following a conservative half-Mexican, half-Caucasian businessman as he attempts to navigate a foreign land that he could have called home. The year is 1994. California Governor Pete Wilson has just signed the proposition that drove a sizable wedge between Mexicans and Americans. Into this catastrophe wanders Richard Macedo (Seda), an average businessman of mixed heritage who's about to get lost in Mexico. Can Richard survive one night in this close but strangely foreign land, or has he been so Americanized that he's forgotten what it means to be a true Mexican? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
As originally screened at the Tribeca Film Festival, at the Cannes Film Festival, and on Turner Classic Movies, the mammoth, epic-length documentary Brando chronicles in encyclopedic detail (and with a consistently reverent overtone) the life and career of the man widely regarded as the most formidable American actor of the 20th century - famous for not only reshaping, but reinventing the craft of film acting and teaching audiences how to view a motion picture performance. Divided into chronological, thematically-unified segments, the film first treats Marlon Brando's dysfunctional upbringing - his alcoholic mother, his abusive father, his stint at a military academy - before charting his acting tutelage at the behest of Stella Adler and his early cinematic and theatrical roles, including work for Elia Kazan, who famously made many aggressive (and unsuccessful) attempts to discipline the headstrong actor onscreen. Throughout this segment, many Hollywood A-list actors appear - among them, Al Pacino, Johnny Depp and Robert Duvall - expostulating at length on Brando's influence over their approaches to performance, and attempting with great effort to define the elusive style known as "method acting" that Brando helped to create. The second half of the documentary moves into Brando's career during the '70s, '80s and '90s, covering the production of The Godfather, the actor's noteworthy political activism, and his tumultuous personal life. Francis Ford Coppola, who of course teamed with Brando for the first Godfather installment and for Apocalypse Now, is noticeably absent from the proceedings. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, (more)
Filmmakers Chris Bradley and Kyle LaBrache co-directed this film that exists somewhere between an improvisational mockumentary and an actual documentary. Starring Jeff Goldblum as himself, the film follows the actor's attempts to put on a production of The Music Man in the titular town. The play really happened, but how much is real and how much is just deadpan comedy remains for the audience to discern. Goldblum's friends Illeanna Douglas and Ed Begley Jr. co-star as themselves. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Goldblum, Ed Begley, Jr., (more)
- 2006
Veronica's term paper turns up on the internet, leading the TA to accuse her of cheating. The young sleuth must prove her innocence, all while Wallace copes with long basketball practices distracting him from his studies. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- 2006
The illegal casino that Veronica's been visiting is robbed, and now she must discover who the thief was, so she can retrieve the necklace Lilly gave her, which was taken with the rest of the casino's loot. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- 2006
Veronica and Keith are hired to find the missing daughter of the founder of Hearst College, who just happens to be the swing vote in the case to ban all fraternities and sororities at the college. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
A struggling actor and a has-been rock star attempt to make the rent by selling cocaine to supermodels in this buddy comedy starring Chris Fogelman, William Gregory Lee, Ed Begley, Jr., M.C. Gainey, and Ezra Buzzington. As an actor, Ford (Fogelman) is a modestly successful commercial spokesman, and as a musician, Tripp (Lee) is a fantastic mooch. When Tripp decides to give up music in order to concentrate on his drug-intake and Ford finds his funds drying up, the realizes that in order to pay the rent they will have to improvise. While Tripp's suggestion of selling cocaine to supermodels will no doubt bring in some much needed cash, Ford isn't quite comfortable getting into the drug trade. His opposition begins to soften, however, when he realizes that in order to remain in his acting classes - and by turn close to dream girl Gwen (Amber Benson) - he will have to earn a little extra income. But now a drug deal has gone bad, and Ford is stuck dealing with his brain-dead roommate while attempting to avoid a mob boss who would castrate him without a second thought. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Fogleman, William Gregory Lee, (more)
A woman hounded by jealousy, doubt, and guilt commits a shocking crime and suffers unexpected consequences in this psychological thriller. Laurel (Helene Joy) is a fortysomething artist living in rural Canada with her husband, Michael (Ian Tracey), but their relationship is hardly ideal -- he's often sullen and uncommunicative, and his work takes him away from home on a regular basis. Laurel is initially happy when an old friend, Elizabeth (Jennifer Beals), comes by to visit, but things become unexpectedly tense after a spell, and when Michael heads out on another assignment, Elizabeth shares a shocking secret with Laurel -- she and Michael have been having an affair. An argument follows which turns physical with disastrous results as Elizabeth dies after a high fall from a rooftop deck. Turning to one of her few friends in town, a troubled man with a dark past named Benny (Lothaire Bluteau), Laurel and Benny bury Elizabeth's body and attempt to cover their tracks. However, Doug (Ed Begley Jr.) begins to suspect that something is wrong and starts snooping around Laurel's house; at the same time, she finds herself slowly taking on the personality of the late friend who betrayed her. Desolation Sound received its premiere at the 2005 Vancouver Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Beals
- 2005
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Spirit Bear: The Simon Jackson Story concerns an awkward teenager who, after being attacked in the forest, befriends a Kermode bear. He soon learns that the bears are seriously endangered. The boy grows out of his shell and begins a political campaign to save his large furry friends. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Rendall, Ed Begley, Jr., (more)
- 2004
As the prom draws near and the popular head cheerleader of Echo Lake High dumps her star quarterback boyfriend in favor of attending the dance with the biggest loser in school, the raging footballer plots murderous revenge in cult animation icon Bill Plympton's darkly satirical take on the teen tragedy radio hits and high-school melodramas of the 1950s and '60s. High-school sweethearts Cherri (Sarah Silverman) and Rod (Dermot Mulroney) are a match made in popularity heaven. When nerdy new student Spud (Eric Gilliland) makes the fateful mistake of offending both Cherri and Rod on his first day at Echo Lake High, his punishment is to serve as Cherri's "slave" until both she and her brutish boyfriend decree that he has made up for his unintentional transgression. Though the mere sight of Spud at first makes Cherri's skin crawl, the unlikely pair soon grow exceptionally close until, one day, love blossoms between them. Upon learning that his onetime sweetheart will now be attending the prom on the arm of the socially awkward Spud, Rod angrily forces their car off of the road on and into the icy waters of Echo Lake as the couple makes their way to the big dance. Though cunningly successful in thwarting attempts made by local authorities to locate the missing teens, Rod soon discovers that sometimes the dead have a curious way of exposing the crimes of their killers. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dermot Mulroney, Zak Orth, (more)
An altruistic divorcée learns that sometimes it takes a patient to heal the healer in a touching tale of forgiveness and compassion starring Annabeth Gish, Ethan Embry, and Ed Begley, Jr. Denise (Gish) has just been through an emotionally taxing divorce, and when the hospital she is employed at commits an unforgivable act of injustice, she inadvertently compounds her emotional woes by walking off the job in a defiant act of disapproval. After taking a temporary position at a rehabilitation facility for patients who have suffered brain injuries, Denise is assigned the task of looking after 25-year-old car-accident victim Rick (Embry). Now, as she begins a new life at a new job, Denise finds that love can blossom in the most unlikely of environments and finds that even the most competent of caregivers can learn a thing or two from those they so lovingly look after. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Annabeth Gish, Ethan Embry, (more)
A feature-length pilot film for a proposed NBC series, War Stories is set in a battle-torn Middle Eastern country that is obviously Uzbekistan (but not identified as such). Cynical, hard-as-nails American war correspondent Ben Dansmore (Jeff Goldblum) balks at being assigned a new photographer/partner so soon after the newcomer's predecessor (who happened to be Ben's best friend) was literally blown to bits while covering a hot story. "There's no such thing as truth; that's why they call them stories." That is Ben's philosophy, one that he hopes to impart to idealistic young Nora Stone (Lake Bell). But Nora, whose sister died in the terrorist attacks of September 11, refuses to be as cold and dispassionate as Ben. It takes a series of near-death experiences dodging bullets and fanatical rebels for Ben and Nora to find the common ground so necessary to their future teamwork. War Stories premiered January 29, 2003, on the eve of what seemed certain to be the United States' ultimate showdown with Iraq. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The debut film from director Joseph A. Pineda, Going Down is a raunchy independent comedy starring Jay Michael Ferguson and Josh Blake as two pals who find themselves mired in a fiasco in the aftermath of a wild party. With Jack's (Ferguson) parents due back in just a few hours, the guys find themselves running ragged to not only get the house in order but also take care of the two dead bodies that mysteriously made their way into the suburban abode. As the clock ticks, the mishaps mount. The film also features appearances by Ed Begley Jr. and Saved by the Bell's Dennis Haskins. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jay Michael Ferguson, Josh Blake, (more)
Various lives intersect to curious results in this sometimes surreal tale of life in Silverlake, from the duo who scripted crazy/beautiful and The Tuxedo. As Chinese-food restaurant and donut shop owner Cyr's (Brian Cox) obsessive-compulsive leanings begin to get the best of him, his workers' lives seem to be falling into a bizarre state of disrepair. Manager Sung (Alexis Cruz) soon begins to tire of Cyr's increasingly odd tendencies, and fortune-cookie message scribe Dwight's (Jamie Kennedy) girlfriend has recently decided to end their relationship; leaving Dwight to vent his frustrations by penning various inappropriate message for the restaurant's fortune cookies. When Mitchell discovers a fortune that reads "You will meet the girl of your dreams" and subsequently runs into a prospective female, his unyielding affections are seemingly rejected, crushing the lonely soul's hopes for love. Meanwhile, Ernie (Chris Bauer) and Olive's (Christina Kirk) marriage seems to be heading south for reason's yet unknown, and a successful businessman (Michael Hitchcock) grows increasingly distressed when he loses his job after losing his cool at a business dinner. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Cox, Michael Hitchcock, (more)
- 2001
Directed by Neal Israel, Hounded is a made-for-television family film about a 13-year-old boy named Jay Martin who has both a school paper and his chances for a scholarship stolen by his rival, Ronny Van Dusen, who just so happens to be the headmaster's son. Jay concocts a plan to right the situation, but when he breaks into the headmaster's house, he can't stop the Van Dusen's dog from following him home. As if that weren't enough, without the proper medication, the dog gets completely out of control. The film originally aired in 2001 and stars Tahj Mowry as Jay, Shia LaBeouf as Ronny, and Ed Begley Jr. as Mr. Van Dusen. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tahj Mowry, Craig Kirkwood, (more)
- 2000
Some six months after the cancellation of the popular, hard-hitting TV cop series Homicide, most of the cast members were reunited for a two-hour TV movie, which deftly (and somewhat surprisingly) combines stark, raw realism with Sartre-esque flights of fantasy. Several members past and present of the Baltimore Police Department's homicide squad are brought back together when their former skipper and current mayoral candidate, Al "G" Giardelli (Yaphet Kotto), is gunned down by a would-be assassin. As former partners Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher) and Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor) conduct their own personal search for the perpetrator, the comatose "G" discovers that not all police review boards are conducted by the living. Like its weekly predecessor, Homicide: The Movie was co-produced by Baltimore native Barry Levinson. The film made its first NBC network TV appearance on February 13, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 2000
An amateur sleuth gets some help from her pets in this family-oriented mystery. Mary Haristeen (Ricki Lake), known to her friends as Harry, is the Post Mistress in a small Southern town; when she's not reading mystery novels, she tends to her cat, Mrs. Murphy (voice of Blythe Danner), and her dog, Tucker (voice of Anthony Clark). When handsome stranger Blair Bainbridge (Linden Ashby) moves in next door, Harry's friends try to play matchmaker, but Harry thinks something is not cricket about her new neighbor. Mrs. Murphy and Tucker, who share Harry's enthusiasm for solving whodunits, also think that something's not right, especially after Ben Seifert (Wayne Robson), a local banker, is found dead several days after being discovered in Blair's new home. Things don't look good for Blair, especially after it's learned that his ex-girlfriend died under mysterious circumstances, but local socialite Fitz-Gilbert Hamilton (Ed Begley Jr.) also has a few secrets he's not sharing. This made-for-TV drama, produced for the Wonderful World of Disney TV series, was based on characters from Rita Mae Brown's "Mrs. Murphy" mystery series. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ricki Lake, Blythe Danner, (more)
After parodying the idiosyncrasies of community theater devotees in the mock documentary Waiting for Guffman, actor/director Christopher Guest returns with another semi-improvised comedy that casts a satirical gaze on the world of championship dog breeding and training. A television crew is on hand to document the prestigious Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show, and competition is fierce among the canine devotees vying for top honors. Salesman Gerry Fleck (Eugene Levy), who is cursed with two left feet (literally), and his wife Cookie (Catherine O'Hara) have entered their Norwich terrier "Winky" in competition. Wealthy and neurotic Meg Swan (Parker Posey) and her husband Hamilton (Michael Hitchcock) are on hand with their Weimaraner "Beatrice," who they fear may have been traumatized by watching them have sex. Scott Donlan (John Michael Higgins) and his life partner Stefan Vanderhoof (Michael McKean) have brought their beloved Shih Tzu, "Miss Agnes." Trophy wife Sherri Ann Cabot (Jennifer Coolidge) and her close friend and trainer Christy Cummings (Jane Lynch) are hoping for a repeat victory for Sheri's poodle, "Rhapsody In White." And Harlan Pepper (Guest), who operates a store specializing in fly-fishing gear, has decided to stack his bloodhound "Hubert" up against the competition. In addition to Guest, Levy, O'Hara, and Posey, several other veterans of the Waiting for Guffman cast also appear in Best in Show, including Fred Willard, Bob Balaban, and Lewis Arquette. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, (more)
- 1998
Hesitant to have Illeana Douglas as a guest on the show despite the fact that he's currently dating her, Larry (Garry Shandling) is compelled to coach the confounded actress through her appearance. Meanwhile, amidst a seemingly endless barrage of gay jokes from Phil (Wallace Langham), Brian (Scott Thompson) announces that he's considering filing a sexual harassment suit. Despite the chaos around him, Hank (Jeffrey Tambor) uses a video camera to coax celebrity guests into wishing the departing host well as the crew prepares for the final broadcast. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
