Joe Piscopo Movies

Three young, mischievous boys get more than they bargained for in this 2000 film directed by Eric Hendershot. Brad's sister Becky gets hired to babysit by star NBA basketball player Mosiah "The Messiah" Jackson (Reggie Theus), who happens to live nearby. Brad and his two friends decide to play a prank on Becky by leaving a ransom note and taking the baby, which they hide in one of the cars in the professional athlete's garage. After the infant unexpectedly (to the boys, at least) "makes a mess," the boys quickly decide to end the prank, leaving the baby in the car as they go back into the house to let Becky in on the joke. But a desperate and not so bright car thief named Jack (Joe Piscopo) breaks in and steals the car, along with the baby. Jack -- who was actually blackmailed into stealing the hoopster's vintage Rolls Royce by a pair of mafia goons -- has a change of heart after discovering that not only did he steal the wrong car but he inadvertently kidnapped the star's infant. While he decides what to do with the baby, the two goons learn of the kidnapping and decide to find Jack, take the baby from him, and put a ransom on the infant. Meanwhile, Brad and his friends attempt to track down the baby and return him to Becky before Mosiah and his wife return home from their night out. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide

Although many genre filmmakers have managed to blend horror and humor with great success, movies employing this formula often run the risk of both elements canceling each other out, resulting in a horror comedy that is neither scary nor funny. Alas, Dead Heat is a textbook example of this kind of failure. It details the weird misadventures of a pair of mismatched L.A. cops -- the straitlaced and by-the-book Roger Mortis (Treat Williams) and wisecracking loose cannon Doug Bigelow (muscle-headed Saturday Night Live alum Joe Piscopo). Their quest is to reach the heart of a sinister crime ring that employs indestructible undead henchmen. In a strange twist, their inept handling of the case results in both cops -- first Williams, then Piscopo -- being killed in action and subsequently reanimated in a secret laboratory managed by the barely seen Vincent Price (whose walk-on role is more entertaining than the combined performances of the two leads). The potential for "splatstick" comedy in the mode of Evil Dead 2 or Peter Jackson's Bad Taste is defeated by two major obstacles: first, the painfully unfunny mugging of Piscopo, who was unwisely allowed to ad-lib much of his performance; and second, the MPAA's trimming of several minutes from Steve Johnson's sensational makeup effects in order to avoid the dreaded X rating -- including a clever scene involving a zombie go-go girl played by Linnea Quigley. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

An innocent prank involving a stolen atomic bomb turns three mischievous teens into national criminals. This being a zany comedy, all of the ensuing chases and plot twists are all in good fun. The whole fine mess begins when a trio of adolescent boys sneak off to their secret hideout to avoid their parents' wrath and find the big bomb just sitting there. Hearing opportunity's knock, they call the President and threaten to detonate the weapon if he does not immediately cancel school. Not only do they soon find themselves fleeing the FBI but also an idiotic pair of villains who want the A-bomb for themselves. The pranksters soon find themselves in the unlikely situation of world saviors. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This spoof of the 1930s and '40s crime stories ranges from the ridiculous to the sublime as it tells the story of Johnny Dangerously (Byron Thames as the young Johnny, Michael Keaton as the older), a devoted son to his ailing mother (Maureen Stapleton), so ill that she needs money for several operations. Johnny has nowhere to turn, and because gangsters tend to flourish in his neighborhood he goes to work for Dundee, a benevolent godfather-gangster type, in order to cover his mother's medical bills. Johnny hides his association with Dundee from his younger brother Tommy (Griffin Dunne) and goes so far as to pay for Tommy's law school fees -- supporting him until Tommy joins the staff of the local (and corrupt) district attorney's office for Burr (Danny DeVito). When Johnny starts working for Dundee, he clashes with the evil Vermin (Joe Piscopo) right from the beginning, but things only get worse. After Dundee decides to retire, Johnny ascends to the helm, and it does not look like Vermin is going to take that sitting down. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

The murder of an audio installation salesman has links to Jeff Stahl (Joe Piscopo) and Tom Wilder (Mark-Linn Baker), the co-owners of a Manhattan strip club. It turns out that both men are paying protection to the arrogant son (Jeremy Davidson) of Mafia boss Joseph Russo (Ralph Lucarelli). A deal to offer testimony in exchange for police protection is struck by A.D.A. McCoy (Sam Waterston) -- but as it turns out, not all promises are cast in stone, especially when the Government is involved. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Revel in the music and look of the '80s with this commemorative video. In 1986, The New York Mets were at the top of their game. As world champions, they boasted an all-star lineup and soaring popularity. At the height of Mets frenzy, the ball team came out with a music video celebrating the incredible season. "Let's Go Mets" became the official theme song, resulting in a gold record and triple platinum sales. The video also features interviews with Gary Carter, Keith Hernandez, Dwight Gooden, Kevin Mitchell, Darryl Strawberry, and others. Let's Go Mets offers viewers a slice of history packaged in an unforgettable time capsule. ~ Sarah Ing, All Movie Guide

The title character in this tongue-in-cheek Next Generation entry is a charming scoundrel named Captain Thadiun Okona, played by William O. Campbell. The skipper of a disabled space vessel, Okona is accused of being a jewel thief and, even worse, an insatiable womanizer. Meanwhile, Data, in his never-ending efforts to become a full human being, tries to understand the concept of humor with the help of a 20th century stand-up comedian (Joe Piscopo). Also appearing in this hectic episode is future Lois and Clark leading lady Teri Hatcher, in a tiny role as a transporter technician. Written by Burton Armus, Les Menchen, Lance Dickson, and David Landsberg, "The Outrageous Okana" was first telecast on December 17, 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In a dual role, Joe Piscopo plays a pair of bungling crooks who kidnap a pair of attractive teen girls and hold them hostage. Fortunately for the gals their two talking equine pets, the pony Two-Bits and Pepper the horse, are around to save them, but not without great danger for themselves. While billed as a family-oriented film, there is some violence, one of the horses gets seriously injured, and there is enough potty humor to warrant a caveat to parents. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide