Rosie O'Donnell Movies
No one could have predicted that brash, acerbic, and earthy standup comedienne Rosie O'Donnell would become the American sweetheart (dubbed the Queen of Nice) of daytime talk shows. She is also a veteran character actress of feature films and television. Born and raised on Long Island, NY, the third of five children in an Irish family, O'Donnell's father was the primary caretaker after her mother passed away from cancer when the comedienne was just ten. An avowed television freak, her favorite shows were Merv Griffin and The Mike Douglas Show, both of which would inspire her own talk show decades later. Inspired by Bette Midler and Barbra Streisand, O'Donnell dreamed of becoming a performer, performing on stage for the first time at age 16.Despite the trauma of losing her mother, O'Donnell grew to become a vivacious and popular teen; in her high school year book (class of 1980) she was named Homecoming Queen, Class Clown, and Personality Plus, and she was also elected Senior Class President and was a member of the student council. She participated in every class sport and was a drummer in a garage band. Following high school, she briefly attended Dickinson College in Pennsylvania and Boston University, but dropped out to establish herself on the live comedy circuit. After appearing in nearly every state, she successfully auditioned for Ed McMahon's television talent show Star Search and went on to become a five-time winner. In 1986, she won a recurring role as Nell Carter's neighbor on the final season of the sitcom Gimme a Break (1986). From there, O'Donnell hosted and produced a comedy showcase, Stand Up Spotlight, for VH-1. She next appeared on the Fox short-lived comedy Stand By Your Man (1992).
Having established herself as a formidable funny lady, O'Donnell landed the role of tough-talking but goodhearted baseball player Doris Murphy in Penny Marshall's A League of Their Own (1992) and found herself a national star. She continued her film career with a small role as Meg Ryan's confidante in Sleepless in Seattle (1993), followed by a co-starring part opposite Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez in Another Stakeout (1993). As the bubbly Betty Rubble, she stole the show from John Goodman and Rick Moranis in The Flintstones (1994) and she had her first flop, playing a cop who masquerades as a leather-clad dominatrix opposite Dan Aykroyd in Exit to Eden (1994). She added Broadway to her list of successes when she breathed new life into the feisty Rizzo in the revival of Grease. In 1996, she played an understanding nanny in Harriet the Spy.
Though she could have continued to have steady work as an actress and live performer, O'Donnell steered her career in a different direction; capitalizing on her phenomenal popularity as a talk show guest by becoming the host of her own gab fest, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, in 1996. Not wanting her program to be yet another of the exploitational, issues-oriented freak shows that characterized the 1990s, she chose to pattern hers after the afternoon talk/variety shows of old, focusing on celebrity interviews, entertaining acts, helpful household hints, and current events. Daytime audiences were hungry for what she offered and, in no time, her show became the most popular of its kind, topping even the venerable Oprah Winfrey Show. During its first three years, O'Donnell and her series garnered numerous Emmys and Emmy nominations.
In 2002, after 6 years on television, The Rosie O'Donnell Show bowed, but not before its host ended long speculation by coming out as a lesbian. After leaving the show, O'Donnell transformed her persona to a passionate champion of GLBT-related causes. The adopted mother of three, she particularly focused her attention on lobbying against legal hurdles for gays and lesbians wishing to adopt.
In 2005, O'Donnell appeared in her first feature role in several years, playing a mentally-disabled woman in the made-for-TV melodrama Riding the Bus with My Sister. The following year, it was announced that O'Donnell would step in for the departing Meredith Viera on ABC's long-running daytime panel show The View. Her presence on the show regularly sparked controversy, with a public feud between O'Donnell and mogul Donald Trump gaining particular attention.
In 2007, after a year on the show, O'Donnell announced that a deal could not be reached with ABC, and she would be leaving the program. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In this made-for-TV movie from the Lifetime Channel, Rosie O'Donnell stars as Dr. Maureen Brennan, a child psychiatrist who helps a 16-year-old boy named America (Philip Johnson) overcome years of childhood trauma, including growing up with a crack-addicted mother and being shuffled through a series of foster homes. The teleplay is based on a novel by E.R. Frank, who used her real-life experiences as a social worker as the basis for this tragic but ultimately hopeful story of transformative healing. ~ Kimber Myers, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rosie O'Donnell, Philip Johnson, (more)
As Season 5 begins, Christian (Julian McMahon) joins Sean (Dylan Walsh) in Los Angeles, where they soon discover they're pretty small fish in a very big plastic-surgery pond. Needing exposure for the practice, they hire a publicist (Lauren Hutton), who finds them work as medical advisers for the prime-time soap opera "Hearts & Scalpels." It doesn't pan out for Christian, but the opposite holds true for Sean, who begins wielding a scalpel on-screen after the show's star (Bradley Cooper) is fired in a sex scandal. Sean also dates his costar (Paula Marshall) and meets another publicist, Colleen Rose (Sharon Gless), on the set. Colleen takes an intense interest in him, but Julia (Joely Richardson), who arrives in L.A. from New York, has lost interest in him. She's also involved with someone else -- a woman named Olivia Lord (Portia de Rossi). Olivia's promiscuous and duplicitous teen daughter Eden (AnnaLynne McCord) immediately dislikes Julia. Eden also has a brief fling with Sean and ends up in a threesome with Kimber (Kelly Carlson) and Kimber's old porn boss Ram Peters (John Schneider). Kimber has left Matt (John Hensley), but they share custody of their daughter. Meanwhile, Liz (Roma Maffia) follows Christian and Sean from Miami, but leaves McNamara/Troy after a falling out with Christian. Her replacement, adventurous Theodora "Teddy" Rowe (Katee Sackhoff), a recreational anesthesia user, has an affair with Sean. And Dawn Budge (Rosie O'Donnell) finds herself at McNamara/Troy after being bitten by an eagle while hang gliding. She becomes romantically involved with "Hearts & Scalpels" executive producer Freddy Prune (Oliver Platt). And then there's Christian, who has his own issues. He gets sexually reacquainted with Julia and Gina Russo (Jessalyn Gilsig), his adopted son Wilber's sex-addicted mother. Then he faces a health crisis. ~ Paul Droesch, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dylan Walsh, Julian McMahon, (more)
Sex. Seduction. Liposuction. Find them all in the fearless Nip/Tuck, the award-winning series that's the scalpel's edge of entertainment...and the spark for debate about what cosmetic surgery can or cannot bring to a patient's life. Dylan Walsh and Julian McMahon play plastic surgeons/best friends whose glamorous South Beach practice is a revolving door for Season 4's hot-button issues (including a terrifying story arc about an organ-harvest ring) and human foibles (a ventriloquist wants to look like his dummy). Guest stars include Jacqueline Bissett, Larry Hagman, Alanis Morissette, Mo'Nique, Rosie O'Donnell, Brooke Shields and more. Thrills, surprises, shocks, stars abound in this 5-Disc Set. And all it takes is a little Nip/Tuck.
- Starring:
- Dylan Walsh, Julian McMahon, (more)
- 2006
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Entertainer Rosie O'Donnell, her wife, Kelli, and their children set sail for the Bahamas with 500 other gay, lesbian, and transgendered families in this television documentary. All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise goes behind the scenes of the 2004 inaugural voyage of R Family Vacations, a gay travel company founded by the O'Donnells. Interviews with a cross-section of passengers are interspersed with footage of on-ship entertainment (including Broadway-style musical numbers featuring O'Donnell) and on-shore demonstrations by anti-gay activists. The cruise's passengers include not only gay parents and their adopted and biological children, but also straight parents, siblings, and friends of gay passengers. O'Donnell says the goal in launching her company was to provide vacations with an atmosphere in which same-sex partners and their kids could feel welcome instead of scrutinized. Interview subjects recount tales of other, less queer-friendly vacations, while others give a peek at the realities of gay marriage and adoption. Several longtime couples celebrate weddings and commitment ceremonies, while others meet new friends and, in some cases, sperm donors and surrogate mothers. All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise premiered April 6, 2006, on HBO. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2005
- PG
The documentary ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway journeys behind the scenes of four Broadway productions mounted during the 2003-4 theatrical season that ultimately garnered nominations for Best Musical: Wicked, the Rosie O'Donnell/Boy George collaboration Taboo, Tony Kushner's Caroline, or Change and the iconoclastic puppet review Avenue Q. The film provides a glimpse into each stage of the theatrical process for these productions - from auditions to staging to rehearsals to previews to opening night to awards season. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 2005
Based on a true story, this "Hallmark Hall of Fame" TV movie was produced by Rosie O'Donnell, who also stars as the profoundly mentally challenged Beth Simon. When Beth's father dies, her sister, Rachel (Andie MacDowell), a brittle, self-absorbed fashion photographer, takes charge of Beth -- who, having been allowed to grow up without learning anything of self-discipline and social propriety, is no prize herself. Though she loves her sister, Rachel is embarrassed by Beth's obnoxious, obstreperous behavior, especially when riding the bus, which she does religiously and obsessively every day, much to the dismay of the other passengers. (Be warned: this is not one of those lachrymose "lovable handicapped adult" movies so common to network television.) Also, Beth has been allowed by her overindulgent father to neglect her health and hygiene in a deplorable fashion. Gradually, the two sisters connect and manage to profoundly change one another. Those viewers and critics who condemned Rosie O'Donnell for her abrasive, over-the-top portrayal of Beth were generally those who had had little contact with genuine handicapped people; conversely, those who had such people in their own families, or who had worked extensively with them professionally, applauded O'Donnell for her disturbingly accurate performance. Adapted from the book by the real-life Rachel Simon (actually an English professor and not a photographer), Riding the Bus with My Sister was telecast by CBS on May 1, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rosie O'Donnell, Andie MacDowell, (more)
- 2005
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When East Village theater Renaissance man Charles Busch's sexually salacious Vampire Lesbians of Sodom first premiered on the New York stage in 1984, few would have suspected that the cross-dressing slice of kitsch theater would eventually be honored as one of the longest-running shows in off-Broadway history. A runaway hit with the underground art community that quickly found its way to the mainstream, Vampire Lesbians of Sodom defied convention to become one of the hottest tickets in town, and eventually served to launch the career of a man known best for being a woman. Devastated by the death of his mother at a young age, Charles Busch escaped into the world of classic film before being spirited away from the suburbs by his caring aunt and encouraged to explore his creativity in Manhattan. Though originally rejected by a variety of directors who dismissed him as either "too odd," or "too gay," Busch eventually decided to take control of his destiny by writing his own plays and became one of the most celebrated figures in New York theater. From Busch's early success with the Theater-in-Limbo to his later success in film with Psycho Beach Party and Die Mommie Die, the remarkable story of the self-made theater phenomenon is explored in this documentary from filmmakers John Catania and Charles D. Ignacio. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Busch
Filmmakers Geoff Callan and Mike Shaw examine the shifting perception of legal unions in 21st Century America with this documentary centering on the subject of same-sex marriage. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was just thirty-five days into his term when, on February 12, 2004, he gave San Francisco's Assessor-Recorder Mabel Teng orders to preside over the marriage of iconic lesbian activists Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. Shortly thereafter, United States President George W. Bush implored Congress to pass an amendment explicitly defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. As thousands of same-sex couples flocked to San Francisco City Hall in hopes of pledging their love for their partners, a deeply divisive storm began to brew in the American political landscape. Protestors accused Mayor Newsom of political anarchy, demanding that he resign immediately and that the weddings stop. Less than one month later, on March 11, 2004, the justices of the California Supreme Court declared that same-sex marriages were to cease immediately. In this documentary, filmmakers allow viewers a closer look into San Francisco's new generation of politics while examining the long-term implications of civil and human rights decisions and posing questions about the roles that values and government play in the lives of everyday Americans. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2003
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Prepare to witness a comedy superstar in the making in this release of an early performance by outspoken comedienne and future talk show host Rosie O'Donnell. Years before she took her seat across from Barbara Walters on The View, O'Donnell was just another touring comic attempting to get some laughs and make a buck. Now fans can see O'Donnell as few have seen her before in this performance captured live at Rascal's Comedy Club and featuring the kind of topical humor that kept comedy fans doubled over with laughter. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2003
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Rascals Presents: Comedy Knockouts features stand-up sets from such celebrated comics as Tim Allen, Drew Carey, Sinbad, and Ray Romano. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Like its predecessors, this installment to the popular Laughing Out Loud series offers viewers the experience of a standup comedy club from the comfort of home. This production features a variety of comedians performing some of their funniest bits; among those included are Jerry Seinfeld, Kelsey Grammer, Adam Sandler, Mark Alexander, John Caponera, John Ferrantino, Judy Tentua, Carol Leifer, Rosie O'Donnell, and Jeff Foxworthy. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
Actors and political activists come together to take a long, hard look at the State of the Union during the 2000 U.S. Presidential election in this documentary, a follow-up to 1993's The Last Party, in which actor Robert Downey Jr. followed the 1992 presidential campaign. In The Last Party 2000, with Robert Downey Jr. unavailable due to drug convictions (he does make a brief appearance, and his legal problems as well as the current state of American drug laws are discussed), Philip Seymour Hoffman takes his place as he visits the 2000 Democratic and Republican National Conventions and talks to politicians and activists both famous and obscure as a pitched battle is fought between supporters of democratic candidate Al Gore, republican nominee George W. Bush, and the many voices who believed neither candidate represented a worthwhile or reasonable choice. Along with Downey and Hoffman, celebrities speaking out on the issues in this film include Courtney Love, Rosie O'Donnell, Reese Witherspoon, and David Crosby; the rock band Stone Temple Pilots also appear at a political rally. The Last Party 2000 was directed by actor and musician Donovan Leitch, who served as a producer on the first film. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
This is a documentary portrait of a Hollywood comedy writer cited by many of entertainment's biggest stars as their comedic "secret weapon." Bruce Vilanch is a rotund, hirsute New Jersey native who left a job at a Chicago newspaper in the 1970s to become a gag writer for singer and actress Bette Midler. After toiling for several years in the dying genre of television variety shows and celebrity roasts, Vilanch became a staple of awards shows, scripting one-liners and song parodies at the Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys, for such luminaries as Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, and Whoopi Goldberg. All three of those stars, and many others, are interviewed about Vilanch's contributions to their work. Of particular note is a national controversy sparked by Vilanch's "off-color" racial remarks written for Ted Danson and Goldberg at a Friar's Club event, and his memorable riffs for emcee Crystal on the one-armed push-ups of Jack Palance at an Oscar telecast. Get Bruce! made Vilanch a more recognizable figure to mainstream audiences, and he became a regular on the TV game show revival of Hollywood Squares. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Vilanch, Bette Midler, (more)
Author Edgar Rice Burroughs once suggested that animation would be the ideal medium to bring his Tarzan to the screen, and 81 years after the first film about the famous ape-man, Disney brings us the first full-length animated film starring the King of the Jungle. After a disaster at sea causes their ship to sink off the coast of Africa, a British couple finds their way to shore with their infant son in tow. However, the parents are killed by a leopard, leaving the baby to fend for himself. The child is discovered by a gorilla named Kala (voice of Glenn Close), mate of Kerchak (voice of Lance Henriksen), the leader of the tribe of apes. While Kerchak is taken aback by the foundling and would just as soon leave him in the jungle, Kala's maternal nature is stirred. Kala and Kerchak take the baby with them, naming him Tarzan and raising him among their own. Although Tarzan (voice of Tony Goldwyn) grows up painfully aware that he's different from the apes, he comes to love and respect the gorillas and learns their ways, while they accept him into their tribe as he grows to adulthood. However, Tarzan's idyllic life in the jungle is changed forever by the arrival of Professor Porter (voice of Nigel Hawthorne), his daughter Jane (voice of Minnie Driver), and their guide, a hunter named Clayton (voice of Brian Blessed). The Professor and Jane have arrived in Africa to study the wildlife in its natural habitat, although Clayton would prefer to bag as many trophies as he can. When the explorers encounter Tarzan, they at first think they've discovered the missing link, although soon realize that he's as human as they are. Tarzan finds himself torn between his desire to be with his own kind (and the new, unfamiliar emotions that he feels for Jane) and his loyalties to the gorilla family that raised him -- especially since Clayton sees the apes not as friends but as prey. Dominated by fast-paced jungle action sequences, Tarzan also features voices by Rosie O'Donnell and Wayne Knight, as well as new songs by Phil Collins. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Blessed, Glenn Close, (more)
- 1998
In order to prove a point about sexual double standards, Kay (Lily Tomlin) disguises herself as a man named Rick. Later, it is "Rick" who rescues Murphy from the lecherous advances of an IRS accountant (Frederic Forrest). Unfortunately, Murphy didn't entirely want to be rescued; she was hoping that the accountant would turn over a list of names that would help her complete her latest TV expose! Rosie O'Donnell appears as Murphy's 92nd secretary--who is disastrously devoted to Broadway tunes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this film by writer-director M. Night Shyamalan, a young boy learns lessons about life and God during a trying year of discovery in fifth grade at a Catholic boys' school. As the school year opens, Joshua Beal (Joseph Cross) is despondent over the recent death of his grandfather (Robert Loggia). On his first day at school, Joshua is harassed by the class bully. Because his grandfather played football, Joshua tries out for the school team, over the objections of his parents (Dana Delaney and Denis Leary), two physicians who don't like the risk of injury. But Joshua is inept athletically and does not make the team. Joshua continues to seek answers from God about his grandfather, so his teacher, Sister Terry (Rosie O'Donnell), advises him to approach a cardinal who is coming to visit the nearby girls school. Joshua meets a young girl at the school and falls for her. As the year goes by, Joshua continues his quest for spiritual answers and finds them in unexpected places, such as a winter snowstorm. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joseph Cross, Dana Delany, (more)
It's musical fun with the Sesame Street Muppets as they're joined by some of their friends for this collection of favorite songs from the long-running children's series. Guests include Jimmy Buffett, Gloria Estefan, The Fugees, En Vogue, Rosie O'Donnell and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Stewart, Shawn Colvin, (more)
- 1998
Important issues that may affect a child's life are portrayed in a lighthearted but sincere manner in this HBO special based on Rosie O'Donnell's book by the same name. O'Donnell shows how laughter and a sense of humor are a vital part of dealing with things that might be beyond one's immediate control. The 30-minute program mixes short animated tales that contain a particular lesson or theme with short clips of children talking candidly about what things they think are funny. Issues that are addressed in this innovative format are slavery, heaven, and the death of a classmate. A good show for families to watch and discuss together. Net proceeds are donated to the For All Kids Foundation, a group that awards grants to programs helping disadvantaged children throughout the United States.
~ Sarah Block, All Movie Guide
~ Sarah Block, All Movie Guide
- 1997
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If you're looking for a gentle video to entertain your preschooler quietly, this is NOT it! Sesame Street: Get Up and Dance is an all-star musical dance-a-bration! Kids will need lots of space to dance the "I'm a Little Airplane," "Birdland Jump," "Do the Dog," "Do the Jelly," "Cat Had a Birthday," "Doin' the Grouch," "A Very Simple Dance," and "A New Way To Walk." Guest dancers include Rosie O'Donnell, Michael Chang, Garth Brooks, and Maya Angelou. Great active fun for ages two to six. ~ Heather M. Fierst, All Movie Guide
Co-written by Jonathan Tolins and based on his original stage play, this Showtime drama concerns the possible role of genetics in determining sexual orientation. Suzanne Gold (Jennifer Beals), a medical-school dropout who manages a clothing store, marries genetic researcher Rob Stein (Jon Tenney), the son of Orthodox Jews who disapprove of what they perceive as their son's meddling with God's prerogatives. When Rob submits his and Suzanne's unborn son to his colleagues' experimental test procedures, the baby appears to have a 90 percent chance of being homosexual. Suzanne confides to her mother, Phyllis (Faye Dunaway), that she fears for the added burden her new family will face. Mom's got a big mouth, and before long Suzanne's father, Walter (Garry Marshall), and gay brother, David (Brendan Fraser), are weighing in with their conflicting opinions about whether or not Suzanne should abort the child and what such an action would mean about David's place in the family. The strain of such a decision ruptures existing fault lines in both the Gold family and Suzanne's marriage, culminating in revelation, transformation, and a group hug. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Beals, Jon Tenney, (more)
