Shelley Berman Movies
A trained dramatic actor, Shelley Berman rose to fame in the 1950s by becoming the first "sit-down" comedian. Berman's calculatedly self-pitying nightclub monologues concerned his tiltings with the minor frustrations of everyday life. His specialty was the "telephone" monologue; seated on a stool and holding an imaginary receiver, Berman invariably cast himself as the victim of Ma Bell bureaucracy and thick-headed unseen "second parties." He tended to wear his neuroses on his sleeve, and was well-known for his unpredictable temperament; in one notorious TV-special appearance of the 1960s, Berman was interrupted in mid-monologue by a ringing offstage pay phone, whereupon he stomped backstage and tore the offending phone off the wall. A busy TV guest-star, Berman showed up frequently on the Paar/Sullivan/Allen variety show circuit of the 1950s and 1960s, and played seriocomic roles on such TV series as Peter Gunn, The Twilight Zone and The Girl From UNCLE. He also played a recurring role on the satirical soap opera Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1977), and was co-producer of the 1970 summer replacement series Comedy Tonight. Berman's film credits include The Best Man (1964), Divorce American Style (1967) and Son of the Blob (1970). Dropping out of public view due to profound personal problems (not least of which was the death of his son), Shelley Berman staged a comeback in the 1980s with appearances in such films as Teen Witch (1989) and Elliot Faumann MD (1990). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2008
- PG13
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Judd Apatow teams up with his former roommate Adam Sandler to write a star comedy vehicle for the actor in You Don't Mess With the Zohan, the tale of an Israeli commando who fakes his own death so he can follow his dream -- to be a hairstylist in New York City. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry's Dennis Dugan directs for Happy Madison Productions and Columbia Pictures. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Adam Sandler, John Turturro, (more)
Nancy Meyers' romantic comedy Holiday stars Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet as two women who exchange houses in order to get a new lease on life. After each suffers her fair share of romantic disappointments, Englishwoman Iris (Winslet) and L.A. woman Amanda (Diaz) meet on-line at a website devoted to helping people exchange houses for vacations. Each agrees to spend the Christmas holiday at the other's home. While each suffers from a minor case of culture shock, both women also end up becoming involved with a man. Iris makes the acquaintance of an upbeat everyman played by Jack Black, while Amanda spends time with a handsome Brit played by Jude Law. Both women must decide what to do with these new relationships as their pre-arranged house switch is scheduled to last less than two weeks. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, (more)
- 2005
Addison (Kate Walsh) is caught in the middle when her old friend Esme Sorrento (Janet Rotblatt) wants to have her uterus removed to prevent cancer, while Esme's husband Joe (Shelley Berman) is dead set against the operation. Elsewhere, George (T.R. Knight) is saddled with another eccentric patient, this one a suicidal window washer (Geoffrey Rivas); try though she might, Meredith can't avoid running into Derek (Patrick Dempsey); and Cristina (Sandra Oh) prepares for an important date with Burke (Isaiah Washington). The episode's pivotal moment occurs when Dr. Bailey discovers why she has been so unusually lethargic (a plot twist dictated by actual events in the life of actress Chandra Wilson, who plays Bailey). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2005
A sex offender moves into the neighborhood, and Larry (Larry David) notes that because the offender is bald, "It's very bad for the bald community." Later, he meets the aforementioned sex offender, Rick (Rob Corddry of The Daily Show), and he turns out to be a pretty good guy. He's a huge Seinfeld fan, he helps Larry with his groceries, and he gives him some valuable golf tips. So Larry hesitantly invites him to the Seder that Cheryl (Cheryl Hines) is preparing. When Cheryl predictably freaks out about the invite, Larry reassures her, "He's cool," and asks pointedly, "What would Jesus do?" Also at the event are Jeff (Jeff Garlin), Susie (Susie Essman), and Susie's brother-in-law, Len (Stephen Tobolowsky), a staunch Republican. Mark (Rob Huebel) and Marla (Lauren Katz) are also guests in the David household, and Larry invites the cranky couple from across the street, Mac (Pat Harrington Jr. and Ethel (Jennie Ventriss), because he suspects that Mark has been stealing his newspapers, and Larry wants Ethel to ID Mark. The event goes sour when there's a controversy involving the afikomen. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
"A family walks into a talent agent's office..." So begins "The Aristocrats," a joke kept mostly secret by stand-up comedians for decades. An intentionally "bad" joke, the laughs in The Aristocrats aren't in the punch-line (one of the only elements that's the same every time), but in the set-up, made unique by each comedian who tells it in an attempt to fashion the world's dirtiest joke. The cat was finally let out of the bag by Penn Jillette and Paul Provenza, the seasoned funnymen who gathered together a hundred people to tell a hundred different renditions of the bit. Among those presenting their personal take on The Aristocrats in this film of the same name are Jason Alexander, Robin Williams, Gilbert Gottfried, Jon Stewart, Emo Philips, and Chris Rock. The Aristocrats premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
After suffering the humiliation of being given the third degree by his girlfriend's father, one man now faces the even more embarrassing task of introducing his own mother and father in this star-studded sequel to the box-office smash Meet the Parents. After getting off on the wrong foot (to put it mildly) with his prospective in-laws, Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) has finally won the grudging approval of Jack and Dina Byrnes (Robert De Niro and Blythe Danner) to marry their daughter Pam (Teri Polo). But after clearing the first hurdle, now Greg has to face an even bigger challenge -- introducing the straight-laced Byrnes family to his folks, free-spirited sex therapist Roz (Barbra Streisand) and eccentrically open-minded Bernie, who blend with Pam's parents not quite as well as oil and water. Meet the Fockers was directed by Jay Roach, who handled the same chores for Meet the Parents. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, (more)
- 2004
Larry (Larry David) visits his dentist, Len Funkhouser (Saul Rubinek), who insists on rolling up Larry's sleeve to inject a sedative, causing Larry's cuff to lose its elasticity. Larry plans to attend the reception for Len's uncle Leo (Lou Cutell), who is suffering from Hodgkin's disease. Len naturally objects when Larry refers to it as "the 'good' Hodgkins." Jeff (Jeff Garlin) and Susie (Susie Essman) invite everyone to dinner, where many things go wrong. Larry gets into a tiff with the Russian cousin of the Funkhousers (Boris Krutonog), who asks to try on his glasses. Susie sees him playing with Oscar, their German shepherd, and mistakes it for something more sinister. Larry is outraged when, at dinner, he learns that Len's hygienist (Maria Canals) has been circulating a rumor that he has a plaque problem, and then little Sammy (Ashly Holloway) is traumatized when she finds the dentist's photo of Larry's rotting tooth. Aside from revealing to many people that he pees sitting down, Larry also puts his foot in it when he accuses a local weatherman (Gary Kroeger), a friend of Marty Funkhouser's (Bob Einstein), of falsely forecasting rain in order to clear the golf course. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
- 1997
While drunk, Chandler (Matthew Perry) has a fling with one of Joey's (Matt LeBlanc) sisters. Once his head clears up, he can't remember which sister was the lucky one (Gina or Dina?). On other fronts, Phoebe's (Lisa Kudrow) new date is both very charming and very loud. And Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) is offered a job at Bloomingdale's by a handsome stranger, arousing Ross' (David Schwimmer) suspicious nature. Steven Eckholdt makes his first series appearance as Mark. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1997
Upset when her boss, Gunther (James Michael Tyler), suggests she needs more training, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) quits her job. Elsewhere on the employment front, Joey (Matt LeBlanc) lands a job selling Christmas trees, leading Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) to lend a hand despite a long-harbored hatred for those selfsame trees. And Ross (David Schwimmer) sells Brown Bird Cookies as penance for accidentally breaking a little girl's leg. Yes, that's comedian Shelley Berman, making his first series appearance as Mr. Kaplan Jr. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
This allegorical comedy from scriptwriter Joe Minion (After Hours, Vampire's Kiss) offers a unique twist on the standard road movie formula. It tells the story of a young boy named Gus who grows sick and tired of parental squabbles and decides to steal his dad's red Mustang and hit the highway on a cross-country journey. The country presented in this film, however, is not the U.S., but a fictional land with states such as Bergen and Essex - a land with parallels to a giant board game. While on the road, Gus spots a billboard inviting him to play the "Motorama" game, a promotional effort by a major gas station that promises winners $500 million dollars. In order to win, one simply has to collect enough game cards from Chimera gas stations all over the country to spell out the word "Motorama." As Gus approaches his goal of collecting all eight letters, he has assorted adventures, many of them strange and a few that are distinctly unpleasant. The film features cameos from several notable cult favorites, including character players Jack Nance and Dick Miller, actress Drew Barrymore, and even the pop singer Meat Loaf. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jordan Christopher Michael, John Diehl, (more)
- 1990
- PG13
In this comedy, uptight Professor Elliot Fauman (Randolph Dreyfuss) has to publish or he won't get tenure. He's decided to write a paper on the psychological complications of prostitution. Through his research, he comes across a woman with whom he becomes obsessed. He thinks she's a hooker; in fact, she's an actress researching a role. But since she has fallen for him, she continues her role-playing. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Randolph Dreyfuss, Jean Kasem, (more)
An otherwise boring and unpopular Louise is enamored with Brad, the star of the high-school football team, but her feelings are not reciprocated. One week before her birthday, she visits a psychic and is told she has latent, genetically predisposed witch abilities that will blossom on her sixteenth birthday. Soon she finds the information to be true and uses her powers to gain the typical teen goals: popularity, revenge on cruel teachers and other meanies, and high-school football star Brad... ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robyn Lively, Dan Gauthier, (more)
- 1988
- R
A pair of naive documentarians find themselves in over their heads when they agree to finish an "art film" for the head of a local public television station in exchange for a chance to direct a documentary on Indian farming techniques. Comical situations ensue when they discover that "Halloween in the Bunker," is really a porno film detailing the sexual practices of the Nazis. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Martin Mull, Dick Shawn, (more)
- 1988
John Astin returns as Buddy, perennial mental-home habitue and self-proclaimed stepfather of Judge Harry T. Stone (Harry Anderson). Obliged to spend an inordinate amount of time keeping Buddy from being permanently committed by his condescending brother Phil (Alex Henteloff), Harry may well miss yet another opportunity to meet his idol Mel Torme, forcing an empathetic Dan (John Larroquette) to take drastic action. Also appearing is Shelley Berman as Al, a man suffering from self-imposed catatonia...not to mention a "noogie" fetish. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1984
Comedian David Brenner hosts this appreciative look at some of America's funniest standup comics and how their careers unfolded. Several of the comedians share how they create their material and collaborate with others. All of the featured comedians perform in front of live audiences on this video. Brenner speaks with some of them off-stage to capture their personal reflections on their careers. The profiled comedians include Henny Youngman, known to many for his "take my wife" joke; Carl Ballantine; Jackie Gayle; George Gobel, who appeared "slow" but often displayed a sly, quick wit; and Jackie Vernon and Shelley Berman. ~ Elizabeth Smith, Rovi
- 1974
In the opening episode of Emergency!'s fourth season, comedian Shelley Berman guest stars as obnoxious screenwriter Art Frommich, who insists upon seeking "inspiration" by accompanying paramedics Roy (Kevin Tighe) and John (Randolph Mantooth) on their daily rounds. The emergency load this week includes a fire at a toy factory, a motorcycle crash, and an emergency birth. NFL Hall of Famer (Larry Csonka) appears as a factory worker who goes violently berserk after being exposed to toxic chemicals. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Cashing in on director Larry Hagman's fame as star of Dallas, a canny distributor reissued Beware! the Blob (aka Son of Blob) with the come-on line "The Film That J.R. Shot!" Picking up where the original Blob (1958) left off, the film begins as the pudding-like goo thaws out and begins wreaking havoc on the civilized world. Steve McQueen, star of the first Blob, is understandably absent; this time the heroics are handled by Robert Walker Jr., who takes on the Blob himself when the local authorities fail. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Stahl, Godfrey Cambridge, (more)
- 1971
Comedian Shelley Berman) guest stars as a crooked Hollywood agent who is running a scam with a sexy starlet (Katie O'Price). There is also a third player in this intrigue, a tough customer named Jack Donahue (Leo Gordon). Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) are disinheartened by the knowledge that Donahue is a former cop who has apparently gone astray. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1970
- R
This offbeat comedy finds Teddy (Marty Feldman) as a television advertising man given a seemingly meaningless project. Slated to make frozen porridge commercials, he comes up with the idea to find an erotic Goldilocks to sell the product. Soon a nationwide search is launched for the female spokesperson. He has trouble at home because his wife is the leader of the "Keep Television Clean" movement. Teddy dreams up a wild bunch of commercials and his daydreams harken back to silent era comedies. This was the first full length film for Feldman, the bug eyed comic who parlayed his television success in Britain into a comedy film career in Hollywood. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Marty Feldman, Shelley Berman, (more)
- 197z
Historical individuals are documented in this series as hosted by Arte Johnson and Jim Backus. ~ Rovi
An unhappy couple discover breaking up really is hard to do in this satiric comedy. Richard Harmon (Dick Van Dyke) and his wife, Barbara (Debbie Reynolds), are a typical married couple in American Suburbia -- which is to say they're not very happy with each other. After 15 years together, Richard and Barbara decide they've reached the end of their collective rope, and after several rounds of marriage counseling proves fruitless, they file for divorce. Between negotiating child custody, alimony, and finding new places to live, Richard and Barbara discover divorce isn't appreciably easier than being married; meanwhile, Richard makes a new friend in Nelson Downes (Jason Robards), a fellow divorcé who would love nothing more than for Richard to marry his former wife, Nancy (Jean Simmons), and take away the burden of alimony. Also featuring Van Johnson, Lee Grant, Shelley Berman, and Eileen Brennan in her first film role, Divorce American Style earned an Oscar nomination for Norman Lear and Robert Kaufman's original screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dick Van Dyke, Debbie Reynolds, (more)
- 1964
Gore Vidal adapted his biting and bitter political satire from his hit Broadway play. Franklin J. Schaffner directed and Haskell Wexler provided the sharp-edged cinematography. The story concerns the political back-biting and smear politics involved in a presidential election year scramble by potential presidential party nominees. Lee Tracy (in an Oscar-nominated performance and his final screen role) is Art Hockstader, a dying president who refuses to throw his support behind any of his party's presidential hopefuls. Hoping to get the nod as the party's presidential candidate is liberal do-gooder William Russell (Henry Fonda). His wife Alice (Margaret Leighton) wants to get a divorce from Russell but is delaying the divorce proceedings until after the party convention. Opposing Russell for the nomination is Joe Cantwell (Cliff Robertson), a slick and unscrupulous political monster who will use any bit of dirt to get ahead in the party. When he discovers that Russell once suffered from mental problems, he threatens to use it against him. Russell then finds out that Cantwell once had a homosexual relationship. Russell, who abhors smear politics, now has to decide whether to use the information against Cantwell or bury the secret and risk losing the nomination. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Henry Fonda, Cliff Robertson, (more)
- 1964
Marion Lorne makes her first series appearance as Samantha's dotty Aunt Clara. On this occasion, Clara and Sam are offended by the picture of an ugly witch on the advertisements for the Halloween candy manufactured by Darrin's new client, Mr. Brinkman (Shelley Berman). Combining their powers, the two ladies endeavor to "persuade" Brinkman to adopt a more politically correct approach. Written by Bernard Slade, "The Witches Are Out" was originally telecast on October 29, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, (more)
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