Fred Willard Movies
Born in the Midwest and educated in the military, actor Fred Willard has proven his talent for improvisational comedy on the stage, television, and the big screen. His characters are frequently grinning idiots or exaggerated stereotypes, but Willard's skillful timing has always added a unique spin. An alumni of Second City in Chicago, he's worked with many of the biggest-named comedians of his time. His early TV credits include a regular stint on The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour, a supporting part on the sitcom Sirota's Court, and the role of Jerry Hubbard, sidekick of TV talk-show host Barth Gimble (Martin Mull) in the satirical Fernwood 2Night. He went on to appear in subsequent incarnations of Fernwood and continued to work with Mull and his gang for the next few decades. In the early '80s, he hosted the actuality series Real People and co-hosted the talk show Thicke of the Night. Some of his small, yet memorable, performances in feature comedies included President Fogerty in National Lampoon Goes to the Movies; the garage owner in Moving Violations who's mistaken for a doctor; the air force officer in This Is Spinal Tap; and Mayor Deebs in Roxanne.Doing a lot of guest work on television, he was also involved in Martin Mull's The History of White People in America series and was the only human actor amid a cast of puppets on the strange show D.C. Follies. In the '90s, he worked frequently in the various projects of fellow satirists Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and the like. He was travel agent Ron Albertson in Waiting for Guffman, TV announcer Buck Laughlin in Best in Show, and manager Mike LaFontaine in A Mighty Wind. He also appeared in Eugene Levy's Sodbusters, Permanent Midnight with Ben Stiller, and showed up in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. On television, he picked up a regular spots on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Roseanne (as Martin Mull's lover), and Mad About You, along with voice-over work on numerous cartoons. He also received an Emmy nomination for his role as Hank McDougal on Everybody Loves Raymond. Since 2000, he has shown up in quite a few mainstream commercial films, including The Wedding Planner, How High, and American Wedding; but he also played Howard Cosell in the TV movie When Billie Beat Bobby. Projects for 2004 include Anchor Man: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.
In 2004, however, he returned to his roots in outlandish comedies with Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. He also joined up with his Mighty Wind and Waiting for Guffman castmates again in 2006 with For Your Consideration, a satire of Hollywood self importance injected with Willard's trademark clever silliness. The next year he appeared in the spoof Epic Movie, as well as the romantic comedy I Could Never Be Your Woman. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- 2008
- Add Comic Relief: The Greatest... and the Latest to QueueAdd Comic Relief: The Greatest... and the Latest to top of Queue
Comic Relief: The Greatest... and the Latest features a number of performances by some of the most talented comics of their day performing for a charity that collects money for the homeless. Among the performers who appear on this release are Sarah Silverman, Lewis Black, Jon Stewart, and David Cross. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, (more)
- 2007
- Add Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen to QueueAdd Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen to top of Queue
Santa finds himself in serious trouble when Rusty Reindeer leaves the North Pole in order to do some soul searching in the big city, and a malfunctioning "Nice 'N Naughty O'Matic" leaves him unable to distinguish the good kids from the bad in this animated adventure for the entire family. Rusty Reindeer is having a personal crisis, and now he's hoping to find his true role in Christmas by venturing into the city and joining a support group for holiday icons. Meanwhile, as Rusty is trading stories with Albert the Thanksgiving turkey and Mr. C the ornery cupid, Santa's "Nice 'N Naughty O'Matic" goes on the fritz. Now a young boy who should have been on the good list has been mistakenly shifted to the bad, and in order to ensure that the child has a good Christmas Rusty will enlist the aid of moody Halloween ghosts Trick and Treat. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred Savage, Fred Willard, (more)
Fox's Back to You was a tailor-made vehicle for two sitcom favorites, Frasier's Kelly Grammer and Everybody Loves Raymond's Patricia Heaton. Grammer was cast as vainglorious TV news anchor Chuck Darling, who after publicly humiliating himself with an internet tirade lost his job with a prestigious big-market station, and found himself right back where he started at Pittsburgh's WURG-TV. While Chuck had been away from Pittsburgh, his former co-anchor Kelly Carr (Heaton) had become a star and "news diva" in her own right. Now Chuck and Kelly were forcibly teamed again by the WURG management, and neither was happy over the arrangement. Much of the series' humor arose from the backstage squabbling between these two giant egos, which often focused on Chuck's reputation as a womanizer and Kelly's habit of playing "Ms. Know-It-All". Like most sitcoms of this nature, Back to You boasted a large supporting ensemble: Josh Gad as neurotic news director Ryan Church, Fred Willard as dunderhead sports anchor Marsh McGinley, Ayda Field as well-endowed weatherperson Montana Stevens, Ty Burrell as accident-prone field reporter Gary Crezyewski (pronounced Kre-Shoov-Ski), and Laura Marano as Kelly's 10-year-old daughter Gracie. Originally titled Action News, Back to You made its network bow on September 19, 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton, (more)
- 2006
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Star Trek star William Shatner settles into the celebrity hot seat, opening the floodgates for a series of relentless barbs by eager friends and colleagues in this installment of the popular Comedy Central Roast series. The tranya flows, the band rocks, and the insults fly as a series of celebrities including Clint Howard, George Takei, Jason Alexander, Jeffrey Ross, Nichelle Nichols, Fred Willard, Betty White, and Kevin Pollak all line up to take a shot at the man who would boldly lead television viewers to realms where no man, or woman for that matter, had gone before. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Shatner
An 18-year old rock & roll fan finds her crafty scheme to have a little fun in the sun with her favorite musician thwarted in this romantic teen comedy starring Amanda Bynes and Jamie-Lynn Sigler. Jenny (Bynes) is a wide-eyed teen who has recently been hired to work at a popular tropical resort for the summer. When Jenny learns that handsome rock star Jason (Chris Carmack) will be a guest at the posh resort, her excitement is simply too powerful to contain. Fortunately for Jenny, fate is on her side this summer, and when Jason falls overboard from his cruise ship Jenny reflexively dives in to save him. Upon rafting to the safety of a nearby shore, Jenny convinces the hunky rocker that the pair are castaways on a deserted island paradise. Of course, considering that the luxury resort is just a stone's throw away, this minor deception is a bit of a stretch, but what's a little white lie when the object of her affections is none the wiser? Jenny's brilliant plan for romance is soon complicated, however, when her romantic rival, Alexis (Sigler), washes ashore pretending to be shipwrecked as well. Now, as the pair competes for Jason's affections, Jenny's deception rapidly begins to unravel. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amanda Bynes, Chris Carmack, (more)
Devastated after being fired by director Woody Allen, actress Annabelle Gurwitch sets out on a soul-searching journey to discover whether getting the axe was the best or worst thing ever to happen in her professional career. Anyone who has been in the workforce for an extended amount of time has likely been there -- one minute you've got a good-paying job that you love, and the next minute you're standing in the unemployment line. When Annabelle Gurwitch got fired by the legendary director of such classics as Annie Hall and The Purple Rose of Cairo, she thought her career was over. Upon turning to her many showbiz pals for advice, however, Gurwitch quickly discovered that she was not alone. In this documentary, Gurwitch enlists the aid of filmmakers Chris Bradley and Kyle La Brache in traveling the country to interview such celebrities as Tim Allen, David Cross, Sarah Silverman, and Jeff Garlin to find out exactly how they dealt with the heavy hand of rejection. Additional interviews with GM workers in Lansing, MI, who were handed their pink slips offer some tales that are tragically comedic and others that seems to reinforce the old adage about one door closing and another door opening, while a visit to job fairs and "outplacement services" show just what the jobless endure on a day-to-day basis. Conversations with the downsizers as well as the downsized offer viewers a chance to explore the topic from both sides as host Gurwitch reminds viewers that sometimes the greatest success stories are born of failure. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Andy Borowitz, (more)
When the brain of a talented animator is transplanted into the body of a twelve year-old boy who was done in by a theme park trolley, life becomes a cartoon in this outrageous adventure for the whole family. Milt Appleday was the man behind some of the most popular cartoons ever drawn. But Milt knew he wouldn't live forever, so before the cartoonist died he made arrangements to have his brain put on ice. Twelve year-old Jimmy Roberts was one of the deceased animator's biggest fans, and one day while visiting Milt Appleday's Gollyworld he is sadly flattened by a runaway trolley. The time has finally come to install Milt's brain in a new host body, and what better candidate than a young boy who doesn't need his own grey matter anymore? Now, as Jimmy wakes up to discover a rich world of animated characters that only he can see, everyday life suddenly becomes a bit more interesting. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dominic Janes, Matt Knudsen, (more)
Owen (Paul Schneider of All the Real Girls) wants to be a serious writer, but ever since moving to Los Angeles, the only work he can get is co-writing trashy autobiographies for people who'd prefer he omit the unseemly truth, like Bucky (Fred Willard) an egotistical, philandering former astronaut. Owen thinks L.A. is keeping him from achieving his romantic and professional goals, but he can't bring himself to leave. After a big earthquake inspires Owen's manipulative, unfaithful ex-girlfriend to tell him she wants nothing more to do with him, he finally decides to get out of town. He arranges to write a bio for a Princeton physicist, and he tells all his friends and acquaintances the brutal truth, so that he won't be tempted to stay or come back to L.A. He tells his friend and housemate Rob (Dorian Missick) that he can't stand his girlfriend. He admits to Stephanie (Tori Spelling) that his other housemate, Allison (Poppy Montgomery), has always found her attractive, but he neglected to tell Stephanie this because he doesn't like her. But he can't bring himself to say anything unpleasant to his promiscuous bisexual best friend, Allison. Owen is at the airport, ready to board his flight, when he runs into Val (Jennifer Westfeldt of Kissing Jessica Stein), an attractive acquaintance of his ex. She's seeing off her ex-boyfriend, and invites Owen to have coffee, causing him to miss his flight. There's an immediate attraction. Owen is still determined to leave town, and now no one wants him around, but he has to take a few days to prove to himself that things would never work out with Val. How to Lose Your Lover, the feature debut of writer/director/producer Jordan Hawley, had its world premiere at the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Schneider, Jennifer Westfeldt, (more)
- 2004
Pregnant Kellie (Cynthia Watros) craves a "dream vacation" in Italy. Problem is, Drew (Drew Carey) has very little money, and boss Scott (Jonathan Mangum) is averse to giving him a $2000 advance. Rather than wait for the Continental Drift to bring America and Europe closer together, Drew enters into a deal with sleazy travel agent Fred Tuttle (Fred Willard), who accepts a modest deposit--and runs! This episode originally aired in tandem with "House of the Rising Son-In-Law". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
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Airplane stars Robert Hays and Leslie Nielsen are reunited in this animated fairytale about a bratty prince who learns a lesson about wishes. After carelessly handling some magical nuts, the prince turns everyone in the kingdom into toys. Now it's up the young prince to stop the nasty Mouseking before he claims the kingdom as his own. The Nutcracker and the Mouseking also features the voices of Fred Willard and Eric Idle. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- 2004
After completing the final cut of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, producers were left with enough deleted material to create an entire alternate film--so they did just that. Wake Up, Ron Burgundy uses alternate takes, cleverly edited pre-existing scenes, and additional voice-over narration from the stately Bill Kurtis to establish the story, then follows a completely different plot arc that was cut from the main film. Revolving around the news team's coverage of a radical terrorist group known as the Alarm Clock, Wake Up, Ron Burgundy finds Ron (Will Ferrell), Brick (Steve Carrell), Brian (Paul Rudd), and Champ (David Koechner) arriving desperately at the home of their mentor, near cannibalism in the California wilderness, and ready to kick ass in the hideout of a terrorist group. It also features appearances by comedic actors whose characters never made it into Anchorman like Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, and Chris Parnell of SNL, and Justin Long of Dodgeball. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, (more)
- 2002
Brian (voice of Seth MacFarlane) takes Lois (voice of Alex Borstein) to see his friend's one-man show at the Quahog Community Playhouse. Disgusted by the show's self-indulgence, Brian decides to try his hand at acting. At his audition, however, he's upstaged by Stewie (MacFarlane), who gets put into the drama school's "Rising Star" program. There, he quickly runs afoul of a classmate, a bitchy diva named Olivia (voice of Rachael MacFarlane). But when Stewie learns that they're both in danger of being kicked out of class, he convinces Olivia to team up with him, performing a musical number that brings the house down. This inspires their teacher to start booking gigs for them. While the two click together perfectly on-stage, they constantly bicker off-stage. At a big show with a critic from The Providence Journal in the house, the two get into a fistfight on-stage, leading to the dissolution of the act. Meanwhile, Peter (MacFarlane) rescues a man at sea who turns out to be a nudist. In gratitude, Dave Campbell (voice of Fred Willard) invites the Griffins to dinner, where they awkwardly meet the nude family. Meg (voice of Mila Kunis) takes a liking to the Campbells' naked teenage son, Jeff (voice of Chris Cox), and is distraught to learn that her parents don't approve of the relationship. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- 2002
In this follow-up to the "Road to Rhode Island" episode, Peter (voice of Seth MacFarlane) sees a commercial for "Kiss-Stock" while watching "Kiss Forum" on Rhode Island Public Access. He decides that since he and Lois (voice of Alex Borstein) have always been huge fans of the group, they'll go to the festival, leaving Brian (MacFarlane) to look after Stewie (MacFarlane). Stewie, who has grown obsessed with the BBC children's program, "Jolly Farm Revue," immediately runs away from home. He's decided to take up residence at Jolly Farm. He sneaks onto a plane with a British family, and as Brian arrives to bring him back home, the plane takes off. To make matters worse, Stewie has gotten on the wrong plane, and the pair end up in the Middle East. Stuck with no money and no way home, Stewie and Brian perform a musical number to distract a merchant so they can steal a camel. They also steal a hot air balloon, have an encounter with the Pope, and visit a hash bar in Amsterdam before Stewie reaches Jolly Farm, which is not everything he dreamt of. Meanwhile, at "Kiss-Stock," Lois brings shame upon Peter when he learns that she doesn't know the words to "Rock & Roll All Nite." This episode features the voices of Andy Dick, Jon Favreau, Lauren Graham, Michael McKean, Fred Willard, and Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
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
This 2001 TV docudrama relates the story of tennis' 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" between Wimbledon champions Billie Jean King (Holly Hunter) and Bobby Riggs (Ron Silver), an event considered by many to be an early victory for feminism. Riggs, 20 years past his prime, lives to wager on anything and everything. Seeing the rise of feminism, he decides he can make some money by challenging top female players, 30 years his junior, into exhibition matches. His first choice for an opponent is Billie Jean King, but she turns him down because she is too busy organizing the members of the female tennis tour into a de facto union, and winning tennis tournaments. After Bobby defeats the number one female tennis player in the world, Margaret Court, King realizes she needs to beat him. Following months of hype in which Bobby's bluster is matched at every point by Billie's confidence, the two face off in the Astrodome before a huge live and television audience. When Billie Beat Bobby was written and directed by Jane Anderson who had previously written The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader Murdering Mom, which also featured Holly Hunter in the title role. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Holly Hunter, Ron Silver, (more)
- 2001
Yet one more derivation of Malcolm in the Middle, the WB Network sitcom Maybe It's Me went into production under the less sensitive but more amusing title Maybe I'm Adopted. The "Me" in question was 15-year-old Molly Stage (Regan Dale Neis), a resident of "the smallest town in the smallest state," who did her best to survive life with her nutty family: soccer-coach dad Jerry (Fred Willard), super-stingy mom Mary (Julia Sweeney), Christian-rocker brother Grant (Patrick Levis), punkish sibling Rick (Andrew Walker), spawn-of-satan twin sisters Mindy and Cindy (played by real-life twins Daniella and Deanna Canterman), and eccentric (to say the least) Grandma Harriet (Ellen Albertini Dow). That grand old trouper Dabbs Greer was seen as goofy old Grandpa Fred. Series creator Suzanne Martin claimed that the Stage clan was based on her own family; if so, the poor woman deserves all our sympathy. Part of a Friday-night WB comedy block, Maybe It's Me debuted on October 5, 2001, its original September 21 premiere date preempted by continuing coverage of the World Trade Center tragedy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Reagan Dale Neis, Julia Sweeney, (more)
After parodying the idiosyncrasies of community theater devotees in the mock documentary Waiting for Guffman, actor/director Christopher Guest returns with another semi-improvised comedy that casts a satirical gaze on the world of championship dog breeding and training. A television crew is on hand to document the prestigious Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show, and competition is fierce among the canine devotees vying for top honors. Salesman Gerry Fleck (Eugene Levy), who is cursed with two left feet (literally), and his wife Cookie (Catherine O'Hara) have entered their Norwich terrier "Winky" in competition. Wealthy and neurotic Meg Swan (Parker Posey) and her husband Hamilton (Michael Hitchcock) are on hand with their Weimaraner "Beatrice," who they fear may have been traumatized by watching them have sex. Scott Donlan (John Michael Higgins) and his life partner Stefan Vanderhoof (Michael McKean) have brought their beloved Shih Tzu, "Miss Agnes." Trophy wife Sherri Ann Cabot (Jennifer Coolidge) and her close friend and trainer Christy Cummings (Jane Lynch) are hoping for a repeat victory for Sheri's poodle, "Rhapsody In White." And Harlan Pepper (Guest), who operates a store specializing in fly-fishing gear, has decided to stack his bloodhound "Hubert" up against the competition. In addition to Guest, Levy, O'Hara, and Posey, several other veterans of the Waiting for Guffman cast also appear in Best in Show, including Fred Willard, Bob Balaban, and Lewis Arquette. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, (more)
- 2000
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This video features the music icon Paul McCartney, with a stellar cast of performers, giving a live benefit concert for PETA. The organization, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, was the special concern of the former Beatle's deceased wife Linda McCartney. The concert honors her memory while it raises funds for an organization that has been embraced by people around the world. The performers include Ricki Lane, Brian McKnight, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ellen DeGeneres, Chrissie Hynde, Sarah McLachlan, and the B-52's. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul McCartney, Jamie Lee Curtis, (more)
Actor and playwright Stephen Burrows makes his directorial debut with this independent comedy that takes a witty look at the downside of working in the movie business. Steve (Burrows) is a writer, actor, and comic who years ago left his hometown of Milwaukee, WI, for the bright lights of Hollywood and who, after years of struggling, has managed to get his foot in the door of show business thanks to his appearance in a widely seen commercial for a personal hygiene product called "Crotch Fresh." Steve decides to pay a visit to his friends in the Midwest, and while in Milwaukee he meets Sam (Traci Elizabeth Lords), an attractive woman interested in knowing more about his career in entertainment. As Steve and Sam get to know each other, he regales her with a number of remarkable stories about fascistic acting coaches, egocentric producers, and studio heads too young to hold a driver's license. Stephen Burrows was able to persuade a number of his well-known colleagues to appear in Chump Change, including Tim Matheson, Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara, Fred Willard, and Abe Vigoda. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Matheson, Traci Lords, (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
