George Wendt Movies
There's no mystery concerning the hometown of George Wendt. The heavyset, curly haired actor never misses a talk show opportunity to cheer on his beloved Chicago "Cubbies" or "Da Bears." After theater work in Chicago and New York and a handful of TV appearances on sitcoms like M*A*S*H and Alice, Wendt inaugurated his signature role of burly, unemployed barfly Norm Peterson on TV's long-running Cheers (1983-1993); so far as it can be determined, he still hasn't paid his bar tab, which according to TV Guide totalled up to 64,218 dollars at the end of 11 seasons. In 1994, George Wendt starred in The George Wendt Show, a lampoon of the NPR radio series Car Talk, which lasted about as long as it takes to read this sentence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Tony Todd Tiffany Shepis, Daniel Roebuck, and George Wendt star in this thriller inspired by the true story of a well-known Arizona cult. Small town therapist Jonathan has recently formed a strange fixation on a local cult that worships a mythological figure who was brutally murdered. With every step that Jonathan takes towards understanding the true inner-workings of the dangerous cult, his chances of escaping with his belief system intact diminishes. Perhaps Jonathan was destined to become yet another covert to this warped belief system from the very beginning. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Todd, George Wendt, (more)
Written and directed by Ian Gurvitz, the comedy/drama LA Blues follows a police detective who attempts to unravel why a man has attempted to kill himself. Soon she interviews a man who knew what was going on in the man's life, and eventually the officer and the audience learn about the problems of a group of male friends. The ensemble cast includes Anthony Michael Hall, Nicholas D'Agosto, William Ragsdale, and Dave Foley. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Michael Hall, Dave Foley, (more)
When Santa's estranged daughter Mary learns that her typically jovial father has fallen too ill to finalize his Christmas plans for the year, she sets her sights on the North Pole and hatches a plan to update her father's outdated system in this family friendly holiday comedy directed by Ron Underwood (City Slickers) and starring Jenny McCarthy, Kandyse McClure, and Michael Moriarty. Depressed that her ideas for the holidays were perpetually dismissed, Arctic entrepreneur Mary Clause (McCarthy) leaves her family behind in order to seek her fortune in New York City. Years later, Mary receives word that Father Christmas (George Wendt) is too ill to travel, and seizes the opportunity to finally give dad's antiquarian system a complete overhaul. But in order to truly prove her mettle, Mary will not only have to reconcile her relationship with her father, but with her former boyfriend Luke (Ivan Sergei) as well. In the meantime, Mary's current beau (Tobias Mehler) hatches a plan to turn his girl's home into a tacky holiday mall and the elves panic at the thought of not having everything in place for the big night. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jenny McCarthy, George Wendt, (more)
- 2006
A rare situation comedy from the Jerry Bruckheimer factory, the WB series Modern Men concerned a trio of lifelong pals in search of lasting romance with the opposite sex. Tim (Josh Braaten) had had many girlfriends, but no enduring relationships; Kyle (Max Greenfield) was a one-night stand specialist; and Doug (Eric Lively) was still reeling from an unpleasant marital breakup. Our heroes engage the services of a "life coach" named Dr. Victoria Stangel (Jane Seymour), who offered sage and often harsh advice in manners of the heart. Somehow or other, each episode explored the common theme of "Men are jerks and women are always right." Another of the "jerks" in the series was Tim's thickeared dad, Tug, played by former Cheers regular George Wendt. Originally bearing such titles as Men Behaving Better and The Evolution of Man, Modern Men made its initial network appearance on March 17, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Josh Braaten, Max Greenfield, (more)
A successful young couple moves into a posh neighborhood inhabited by a killer who is far from the benign suburbanite that appearances would suggest in legendary horror director John Landis' second installment into Showtime's Masters of Horror series. David (Matt Keeslar) and Celia Fuller (Meredith Monroe) seem to have everything a young couple could want: good jobs, a great house, and plenty of money. David is a hardworking doctor and Celia is an investigative reporter with a knack for always getting to the bottom of the story. Upon moving into their new neighborhood, the Fullers soon make the acquaintance of their new neighbor Harold (George Wendt), an outwardly amiable single man who seems to be quietly occupied by his job and his hobbies. One night while drunkenly driving home from dinner, David and Celia jump the curb and slam into Harold's mailbox. After inviting Harold over for dinner in hopes of making amends for their clumsy transgression, the couple soon reveals that they have moved into the new neighborhood in a bid to recover from the recent loss of their young daughter. As the pair gradually becomes better acquainted with their jovial neighbor, it soon becomes obvious that all involved have their fair share of dark secrets. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meredith Monroe, Matt Keeslar, (more)
Teenagers stand up for their rights and take on the woman who wants to scuttle their freedoms in this comedy drama inspired by a true story. Principal Weller (Julie Bowen) is the ambitious but hard-headed leader of Booker High School. Weller plans to run for superintendent of her school district, and believes if she wants to win she needs to project the image of a no-nonsense leader, and with that in mind she begins cracking down on what she sees as discipline problems at Booker High. However, in many cases what she sees as kids out of control are seen by others as kids expressing themselves, including a girl who wants to distribute condoms to recognize National Safe Sex Day, and two boys who are caught kissing in the hallway between classes. Mr. Drucker (Malik Yoba) is a teacher at Booker who tries to champion the students' rights of free expression, but his conflicts with Principal Weller end up costing him his job when he's fired for questioning her authority. Holden Donovan (Gregory Smith) is a student at Booker who is alarmed that the students have lost one of their few allies, and decides to do something about it -- along with his classmates, he sets out to establish and defend the right of free expression for high-school students, and launches a campaign against Weller's bid to become superintendent. Kids in America also stars Stephanie Sherrin, Nicole Richie, Adam Arkin, George Wendt, and Elizabeth Perkins. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gregory Smith, Stephanie Sherrin, (more)
David Mamet wrote the screenplay for this adaptation of his play about a man who suddenly stumbles into a new and dangerous life. Edmond Burke (William H. Macy) is on his way home from work one evening when he impulsively stops to have his fortune read by a woman who informs him, "You are not where you belong." When he does arrive home, Edmond soon falls into an argument with his wife (Rebecca Pidgeon), and he storms out into the city, where he stops at a bar for a few drinks. There, Edmond finds himself talking with a man (Joe Mantegna) who freely shares his racist views about the role of African-Americans in society, and suddenly Edmond begins letting go of the sense of self-control that has always governed his actions. After a crawl through the city's underbelly of watering holes, strip clubs, gambling dens, and brothels, Edmond comes face to face with the violence of this world, and unexpectedly finds himself responding in kind. Edmond also stars Julia Stiles, Denise Richards, Mena Suvari, Bai Ling, and Dylan Walsh; it was directed by Stuart Gordon, who worked often with David Mamet during their early days at Chicago's Organic Theater Company. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William H. Macy, Julia Stiles, (more)
Touted as something of a return-to-form for Re-Animator director Stuart Gordon, King of the Ants offers the brutal tale of a man discovering his previously untapped potential for violence. Despite the fact that his future seems relatively undefined, young drifter Sean Crawley (Chris McKenna) is an easygoing guy who makes a meager living by painting houses. When electrician Duke Wayne (George Wendt) suggests that the naïve young painter could make more money if he could expand his horizons, an eager Sean takes him up on the offer and Duke introduces Sean to local construction magnate Ray Mathews (Daniel Baldwin). Ray quickly enlists Sean's assistance in trailing a local city accountant whose number crunching is beginning to make the crooked construction heavy uncomfortable, and it's not long before Ray asks Sean to carry out a hit on the overzealous accountant. Although Ray and Duke subsequently attempt to distance themselves from the crime, Sean's attempt to collect on the hit results in a brutal attempt on the amateur hit man's life. Though he is beaten to within inches of death, Sean makes an unexpectedly speedy recovery fueled by an unquenchable thirst for revenge. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris L. McKenna, Kari Wuhrer, (more)
Although he later received notoriety as a member of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention and as half of the duo Flo & Eddie, Howard Kaylan is likely best remembered as the lead singer of the 1960s pop band the Turtles. It is this period of his life that Kaylan illustrates in his autobiographical screenplay for My Dinner With Jimi. Beginning right before the band hit it big with their single "Happy Together," the film follows Kaylan (played here by Justin Henry from Kramer vs. Kramer) as he and his bandmates struggle through gigs at small clubs and spend their free time hanging out in a deli, discussing the draft with Jim Morrison (Bret Roberts), Mama Cass (Lisa Brounstein), and Zappa (Adam Tomei). When their song hits number one on the charts, the Turtles head out to tour England, where they catch up with their old friend Graham Nash (Chris Soldevilla). Nash takes the band to a club where they meet the Beatles and Kaylan has a lengthy chat with John Lennon (Brian Groh). Further cementing his rapid transformation from fan to star, Kaylan is then introduced to Jimi Hendrix (Royale Watkins), leading to the titular dinner. Featuring a supporting cast led by George Wendt, John Corbett, and Curtis Armstrong, My Dinner With Jimi was directed by Bill Fishman, best known for his cult-classic directorial debut, 1988's Tapeheads. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Justin Henry, Royale Watkins, (more)
- 2002
The cast of Frasier meets most of the cast of Cheers in this landmark episode. Arriving in Boston to deliver a speech at a conference, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) is reunited with his old drinking buddy Cliff (John Ratzenberger) -- who thinks that Frasier is in town to attend his retirement party. Later on, Frasier's dad, Martin (John Mahoney), bonds with the loquacious Norm (George Wendt); Daphne (Jane Leeves) becomes captivated by Cliff's long-winded stories; and Carla (Rhea Perlman) helps Niles (David Hyde Pierce) get even with Frasier for embarrassing him in public. This episode was written by Rhea Perlman's sister Heide Perlman and features a cameo appearance by the ladies' father Philip Perlman. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Ratzenberger, Rhea Perlman, (more)
Actor and comedian Harry Shearer makes his directorial debut with this mock documentary about the slightly sordid pastimes of some of America's wealthiest and most powerful men. Zambesi Glen is a private resort in Northern California whose highly exclusive membership rolls includes high-echelon politicians, leaders of America's military, owners of the nation's biggest corporations, renowned and respected political thinkers, and a handful of celebrity guests; the club's membership is overwhelmingly white and exclusively male. Once a year, Zambesi Glen holds a week-long retreat for its members, and while this gathering features the occasional group discussion of political and economic issues, most of the week is devoted to swilling booze, staging comic skits, performing odd rituals not out of place at a Boy Scout camp, doing business with the prostitutes imported for the festivities, and generally carousing like frat boys on a bender. However, not all is well in this playground for the power elite; feminist groups are protesting Zambesi Glen's "men only" membership policy, and far more embarrassing, a television reporter has found a way to smuggle cameras into the well-guarded resort, giving the world a less than flattering look at what America's leadership likes to do for a good time. The revelers at Zambesi Glen are played by a top-shelf comic cast, including Michael McKean, George Wendt, Henry Gibson, Kenneth Mars, Fred Willard, Howard Hessman, and Bob Einstein; among the female interlopers are Morgan Fairchild, Joyce Hyser, and Ming-Na. Teddy Bears' Picnic was inspired by Harry Shearer's visit as a guest to Bohemian Grove, the real-life men's-only retreat whose members are said to include George W. Bush, Henry Kissinger, Dick Cheney, Malcolm Forbes, David Rockefeller, Casper W. Weinberger, and William F. Buckley, though the film's opening credits humorously disavows any resemblance between Zambesi Glen and Bohemian Grove. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Originally filmed in 2001 under the title "My Beautiful Son," the made-for-cable Strange Relations stars comedian Paul Reiser in the largely noncomic role of 39-year-old Manhattan psychiatrist Dr. Jerry Lipman. Diagnosed with leukemia, Lipman desperately seeks out a close relative -- any close relative -- for a crucial bone marrow transplant. The news from his mother, Esther Lipman (Olympia Dukakis), is both dispiriting and shocking; Jerry, it seems, was adopted as an infant, and his real family is in far-off England. Flying to Liverpool in search of that all-important donor, Jerry is reunited with his birth mother, an earthy Liverpudlian named Sheila Fizpatrick (Julie Walters). The ensuing rapport between stars Reiser and Walters is ample compensation for the film's weaker passages and unbelievable plot contrivances. Lensed on-location in New York City and London, Strange Relations made its Showtime network bow on March 31, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Reiser, Julie Walters, (more)
- 2000
A woman who wants to get rid of her husband has second thoughts when he's suddenly not the man he once was in this romantic comedy shot in Ireland. Harry McKee (Brendan Gleeson) is the host of a long-running television series called "What's Cooking?" in which he shares recipes with celebrity guests. Harry is also an alcoholic, and chronically unfaithful to his wife Ruth (Amanda Donohoe), which has earned him a certain amount of bad publicity over the years. Ruth decides she's had enough of Harry's unreliability and demands a divorce, which Harry is in no position to contest. But the day before their divorce is to be declared final, Harry is attacked by muggers; his injuries leave him severely disoriented, and as a result he humiliates a powerful politician (James Nesbitt) on the air before passing out and falling into a coma. A week later, Harry regains consciousness, but something has happened to his memory -- he can't recall anything that has happened in the past 25 years, and he's convinced that he is only 18 years old. Ruth discovers her husband is now literally a different person, and with a little prodding she's able to re-educate Harry into a sweet-tempered and monogamous teetotaler. Harry isn't able to leave his past entirely behind, however; even if he can't remember it, the politician he embarrassed is eager to get revenge. Wild About Harry also features George Wendt and Adrian Dunbar. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brendan Gleeson, Amanda Donohoe, (more)
Vince Vaughn stars in this drama as Pendleton "Penny" Wise, a gifted telemarketer who can sell almost anything over the phone. He's making a good living doing phone sales for Mick (Stephen Tobolowsky), until Mick's operation goes bust without enough funds to pay Penny or his co-workers Archie (George Wendt) and Gene (Wallace Shawn). Suddenly in dire financial straits, Penny is approached by Caitlin Carlson (Julia Ormond), who is recruiting telephone salesmen for Kelly Grant (Ed Harris). Grant is a legend in the telemarketing industry, but not always for positive reasons; one of his previous operations landed him in jail, and Penny isn't sure if Grant's latest scheme -- selling shares in a gold mine -- is on the level. Grant assures Penny that his new operation is legit, and even gives him a tour of the mining facilities; Penny signs on, though he still has his doubts. Soon Penny is outpacing his fellow sales people; he receives healthy bonus checks from Grant and has also become involved with Carlson; but he has a funny feeling that the good times can't last forever. The Prime Gig was the first feature film from successful theatrical director Gregory Mosher. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vince Vaughn, Julia Ormond, (more)
Renowned character actor Joe Mantegna makes his directorial debut with this film adaptation of one of David Mamet's first plays, boasting such onscreen talent as Peter Falk, Charles Durning, and Robert Forster. Based on Mamet's experiences of working on Great Lake freighters while a grad student, the film centers on Dale (Tony Mamet, David's brother), an Ivy League college kid working on the Seaway Queen on an internship one summer. Though his romantic vision of life on the sea is soon dashed, he befriends a half-dozen members of the world-weary crew and learns about the unexpectedly rich -- and occasionally tragic -- lives they lead. This film premiered at the 2000 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Durning, Robert Forster, (more)
- 2000
One of Mark Twain's best loved stories gets a new twist in this made-for-cable comedy for the family, produced for The Disney Channel. Liberty is a dog who is lazy, ill-tempered, and doesn't often behave well. Liberty, however, happens to be the pet of the President of the United States (Fred Willard), which means he has the run of the White House, and the president's household staff has to put up with his antics. But one day, Moocher, a stray dog on the run from Washington D.C.'s animal control officer (George Wendt), happens by the White House -- and since he looks almost exactly like Liberty, Moocher finds himself enjoying the perks of life in our executive branch, while Liberty is out on the street and into the pound. When someone at the animal shelter notices the new dog they've brought in looks a lot like the White House canine, they figure they might have a gold mine on their hands, little suspecting that they actually have the President's dog behind bars -- and that an imposter is sleeping on the White House carpet. The Pooch and the Pauper also stars Richard Karn and Cody Jones; Liberty and Moocher are played, respectively, by four-footed thespians "Screamer" and "Petey." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Based on a novel by Peter Farrelly, published in 1988 before he became famous as a writer and director of such films as Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin, and There's Something About Mary, Outside Providence is a coming-of-age story set in the 1970s. Timothy Dunphy (Shawn Hatosy), known as Dunph to his friends and Dildo to others, is a high school burn-out with a gift for getting into trouble; it doesn't help that his best friend is named Drugs Delaney (Jon Abrahams), and it somehow makes sense that Dunph's pet would be a three-legged dog with one eye. Dunph's father (Alec Baldwin) is convinced his son is on the fast track to Palookaville, so when Timothy gets in a wreck with a police car, his dad pulls a few strings and enrolls him in a private prep school. Dunph quickly learns the biggest difference between his old friends at home and his new classmates: rich kids have money, and money buys privilege. They can buy drugs from expensive dealers who won't fink on them, and pay for abortions when their girlfriends get unexpectedly pregnant, instead of having to get married. Dunph doesn't entirely fit into a school full of rich kids, but when he falls in love with Jane Weston (Amy Smart), he's determined to win her heart. Peter Farrelly adapted his novel with the help of his brother and screenwriting partner Bobby Farrelly and director Michael Corrente, whose previous credits include the film version of David Mamet's American Buffalo. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shawn Hatosy, Jon Abrahams, (more)
Originally produced for NBC television, this adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic features an impressive cast, including Miranda Richardson, Martin Short, Ben Kingsley, Whoopi Goldberg, Gene Wilder, Peter Ustinov, and George Wendt. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1998
- R
Jonathan Blank (Sex, Drugs, & Democracy) directed this satirical slap at the media, centered around a reverend (Alan Thicke) who objects to public-access station Channel 69, where his daughter (Jessica Hecht) and other young radicals program such shows as Conspiracy of the Week. The reverend's solution is to buy the station and kick everyone out. They retaliate with protests and a fake bomb threat, barricading themselves in the studio to stage telecasts minus clothing. This film features one of the last film appearances of the late Timothy Leary. Shown at the 1998 Cinequest San Jose Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jonathan Penner, Jessica Hecht, (more)
Bob Spiers (director of TV's Absolutely Fabulous) directed this feature-film debut of the five Spice Girls -- Posh Spice, Sporty Spice, Scary Spice, Ginger Spice, and Baby Spice -- as the quintet challenges the London pop scene during five days before their first live performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Photojournalists follow as they travel from press conferences to practice sessions to photo ops, passing London landmarks in the comfort of their cavernous Spicebus and emerging in a musical cascade of color, trendy clothes, and blinding flashbulbs. Shot in 43 days, the film features cameos by everyone from Elton John and Elvis Costello, to Stephen Fry and Bob Hoskins. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Spice Girls, Melanie Brown, (more)
- 1998
In this Canadian road movie, two brothers who haven't seen each other in years are uncomfortably reunited when they have to travel together from Vancouver to remote Prince Rupert for their father's funeral. Rupert is a stuffy lawyer who has emigrated to Canada, while Dale ekes out a living dealing drugs. Along the way, they find themselves stranded in a commune where their father once lived, populated by a pack of half hippie/half redneck dropouts who like to get high on mushrooms and drive trucks. George Wendt appears in a supporting role. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Samuel West, Ian Tracey, (more)
Craig (Craig Shoemaker) is a comic who is fond of saying "my act is my life," and in this film we watch him as he jumps back and forth between performing stand-up at a comedy club, discussing his multiple personalities (and even more numerous anxieties) with his analyst (George Wendt), and indulging in his rich fantasy life, in which he gets to date Farrah Fawcett. Both onstage and off, Craig assumes a dizzying variety of personas, from a dead-on impersonation of Barney Fife from The Andy Griffith Show and a mental patient whose medication has run out to The Lovemaster, a super-cool genius of seduction. However, real-life occasionally intrudes, in which Craig has to deal with his wife Karen (Harley Jane Kozak) and his good friend Deb (Courtney Thorne-Smith). The Lovemaster's concert sequences were filmed at The Improv, a comedy venue in Tempe, Arizona; most of the rest of the picture was shot in Los Angeles, California. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Craig Shoemaker, Farrah Fawcett, (more)
Former National Lampoon editor Ted Mann, who scripted this $27 million science-fiction comedy, calls it "the first outer-space road movie." According to Mann, the film has "no scientists, no techies, none of the usual polished, sanitary environments we're used to in our space films. Space is like anywhere else -- the people who are there are underpaid and poorly regarded." In the year 2196, freight pilot John Canyon (Dennis Hopper), one of the last of the independent truckers competing against the huge mega-corporations, is hassled by high-tech interference plus corrupt bosses. After Canyon delivers a cargo of pigs, genetically engineered to be square and stackable for more efficient shipping, he finds his profits siphoned off by a crooked labor boss (George Wendt). When Canyon heads for Earth with a secret cargo, he's accompanied by young apprentice trucker Mike Pucci (Stephen Dorff) and waitress Cindy (Debi Mazar), who plans to marry Canyon if he gets her safely to Earth. The trio goes through the asteroid belt and are captured by pirates, led by engineering wiz Captain Macanudo (Charles Dance), who discovers the secret cargo of the army androids stolen from him by capitalist corp chief E.J. Saggs (Shane Rimmer) -- who's plotting an android takeover of Earth. Filmed at Ireland's Ardmore Studios, Space Truckers was shown at several 1997 film festivals (Sundance, Sitges, Vancouver). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dennis Hopper, Stephen Dorff, (more)
