Peter Riegert Movies

This documentary is a portrait of Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem, whose popular Teyve stories inspired the Broadway smash Fiddler on the Roof. Peter Riegert and Rachel Dratch narrate the film, which features rare archival footage and an interview with Aleichem's granddaughter, author Bel Kauffman. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Adapted from the novel by Anne Tyler, the made-for-TV "Hallmark Hall of Fame" presentation Back When We Were Grownups stars Blythe Danner as 53-year-old Baltimore widow Rebecca Davitch. Having long since given up her dreams of college to get married and raise a family, and also having abandoned all of her other goals and ambitions in order to manage her family's catering business, Rebecca is attending an engagement party for her stepdaughter when it suddenly strikes her that she has, in the words of the film's press release, "been living the wrong life!" Thus begins Rebecca's quest to reclaim her lost youth -- with her childhood sweetheart Will Allenby (Peter Fonda) figuring prominently in Rebecca's "second wind." Boasting a star-studded supporting cast (Faye Dunaway, Jack Palance, Nina Foch, Peter Reigert, Ione Skye), Back When We Were Grownups was first broadcast November 21, 2004, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the release of the classic "raunch comedy" National Lampoon's Animal House, the Spike TV cable channel offered this behind-the-scenes special on the making of the film. Amidst a sea of anecdotes concerning the mercurial behavior of the film's star, John Belushi, the documentary offers a number of hitherto unknown factoids. Though filmmakers John Landis and Ivan Reitman, National Lampoon editors Matty Simmons and Chris Miller, and Animal House stars Tim Matheson, Peter Riegert, Karen Allen, and Bruce McGill are among the noteworthy interviewees, the real "star" of the documentary is the original film's script, which spoke more eloquently to its generation than many another more serious efforts of the era. Also featured are outtakes, alternate scenes, and clips from the dead-at-birth TV series spin-off, Delta House (which co-starred a very young Michelle Pfeiffer). The original telecast of Unseen + Untold: Animal House coincided with the DVD anniversary edition of the film, which contains even more bonus material. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Actor and dancer Gregory Hines served as both executive producer and star for this biographical drama that chronicles the life of legendary entertainer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. In 1916, Robinson was a successful vaudeville performer and considered the finest tap dancer of his generation when he met Fannie (Kimberly Elise), a college student nearly two decades his junior. Even though Robinson was already married, he quickly fell in love with Fannie, and in time she was swept off her feet by the charismatic dancer and became his second wife. Fannie was one of the first people to encourage Robinson to stop performing in blackface (common for African-American vaudeville performers of the time), and in the 1930s, she and manager Marty Forkins (Peter Riegert) persuaded Bill to move to Hollywood and find work in the movies. While roles for black actors in Hollywood were severely limited at the time, Robinson managed to become a recognized film star, headlining the musical Stormy Weather and appearing in a number of pictures with child star Shirley Temple. But while Robinson's film work helped make him the best-known black performer in America, his frequent roles as domestic servants did little to earn him respect among his own people, and he was often seen as an "Uncle Tom" for his aggressively cheerful on-stage demeanor. And while Robinson was confronted with the less fortunate consequences of fame, he and Fannie had to deal with his growing addiction to gambling, which threatened to leave the highest-paid black man in America flat broke. Bojangles also features Savion Glover and Maria Ricossa; the film was produced for the Showtime premium cable network, where it first aired on February 4, 2001. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A sportscaster's nightmare occurs when a highly touted prizefight ends after only seven seconds into the first round, leaving the Sports Night crew with the remaining 89 minutes and 53 seconds that was dedicated to the fight. Dan (Josh Charles) and Casey (Peter Krause) fly into super-stall mode, while coming to the realization that their fight commentator Chuck Kimmel (Allen Garfield) is not only vastly underqualified to be on television, but he's also drunk and a complete loon. Meanwhile, Dan's psychiatric well-being meets another obstacle when his father Jay (Peter Riegert) comes to town for a visit and begins berating Dan on nearly every aspect of his life. As the show begins its slow decent into an absurd chaos, Dana (Felicity Huffman) agonizes over what may be a missed romantic opportunity with Casey, who is now smitten with one of the women Dana made him go out on a date with. ~ Ryan Shriver, Rovi

For this TV movie, writer-director Jane Anderson adapted her own play contrasting biological and adoptive mothers. Impoverished and pregnant Wanda LeFauve (Laura Dern) lives in a trailer outside Shreveport with her four children and her unemployed husband Al LeFauve (Richard Lineback). When Wanda spots the classified ad of a couple who want to adopt a newborn baby, she responds with a phone call that puts her in touch with a wealthy Los Angeles Jewish couple -- Rachel (Stockard Channing) and Richard Luckman (Peter Riegert). The Luckmans arrive in Louisiana to meet the donors, and both couples deal with the legalistics, while also overcoming their fears and transcending the inevitable cultural and class barriers. Filmed in Vancouver, the film preemed August 23, 1998 on Showtime. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

A lawyer is murdered, and high on the list of suspects is the dead man's abrasive girlfriend. Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) track down the suspect, only to discover that "she" is really a "he." As if that wasn't baffling enough, another suspect suddenly resurfaces, one who might be protectively shielding the genuine culprit. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on a Broadway play and featuring the Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim score, this is a remake of the 1962 movie which was based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, a stripper, depicting her life growing up in "show biz." ~ Tana Hobart, Rovi

As nearly as anyone can figure, this first-time directorial effort by the American actor Ben Gazzara was never released in the United States. It was produced in Italy, shot in England, and uses a large cast of big-name American actors. However, reviewers have said that its style owed a bit too much to the meditative, home-video style of the director's friend John Cassavetes. In the story, a big-time businessman (Gazzara) throws in the towel on his company and high-tails it out to Bali just as its stock is about to be publicly offered. There, he tries to avoid the insistent phone calls coming from Manhattan and records his philosophical ponderings about this mid-life crisis on videotape. Before long, he is partying with another burnt-out businessman (Treat Williams) and avidly avoiding the attentions of colleagues (including Jill Clayburgh who have come to Bali to try and get him to come back to Manhattan. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

The seven-hour TV miniseries Ellis Island was adapted from a novel by Fred Mustard Stewart. Per its title, the film is a mosaic of subplots involving several European immigrants who passed through New York's Ellis Island before taking up residence in the Big Apple. Most of the characters are based on real people, notably the Irving Berlin-like musician played by Peter Riegert. Co-stars Faye Dunaway, Richard Burton (in his last film role) and Ann Jillian were honored with Emmy nominations. Ironically, this essentially American saga was largely filmed in London. Originally telecast November 11, 13, and 14, 1984, Ellis Island was re-edited and re-telecast in the summer of 1986, just in time for the Statue of Liberty Centennial. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the future (the distant year of 1997), the United States of America is in crisis. The oil shortage has grown to epic proportions, leading to people living in their cars and bicycling to work. Cigarettes and meat have been outlawed, gold coins are needed to operate common household appliances, and the Western White House (located in a luxury apartment in California) has been forced by economic necessity to operate round-the-clock tours for vacationing Chinese citizens. The economy is deep trouble; President Chet Roosevelt (John Ritter) has borrowed four billion dollars from Native American tennis shoe manufacturer Sam Birdwater (Chief Dan George), and he's foreclosing on the loan. When a media expert, Eric McMerkhin (Peter Riegert), is summoned for advice (since despite all hardships, Americans refuse to give up their televisions), he suggests a telethon. It's a great idea, except the President's assistant Vincent Vanderhoff (Fred Willard) is in cahoots with the United Heb-Rab Republic, a sinister coalition of Israeli and Arab nationals who want to snap up America if the debt can't be paid. He ensures that the show is stocked with endless ventriloquists and insists on Monty Rushmore (Harvey Korman), a washed-up, drug-addicted television personality as host. The star of the popular sitcom "Both Mother and Father," he is sure to self-destruct over the grueling 30-day-and-night telethon schedule. Despite terrorist attacks and the kidnapping of President Roosevelt, the patriotic spirit prevails and American citizens dig deep and pledge their gold to the cause. This outrageous farce (based on a play by Firesign Theatre alumni Philip Proctor and Peter Bergman) features cameos from Elvis Costello, Jay Leno, Meat Loaf and the Del Rubio Triplets, and is narrated by George Carlin. The Beach Boys, Eddie Money, and Nick Lowe contribute to the musical soundtrack. ~ Fred Beldin, Rovi

Psychiatrist Sidney Freedman (Allan Arbus) makes a return visit to the 4077th--at the personal request of Col. Potter (Harry Morgan). It seems that the entire camp is at each other's throats, thanks to the nervous tension built up over a period of several weeks. Ultimately, the doctors and nurses heal their emotional wounds with a cathartic bonfire, while Sidney tries to resolve a personal crisis involving a wounded--and very vindictive--G.I. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi