Jonathan Winters Movies
"Pound for pound, Jonathan Winters is the funniest man on earth." These words, spoken by talk show host Jack Paar in the early '60s, were not chosen lightly. After war service and graduation from Kenyon College, Winters began his career on a radio station in his hometown of Dayton, OH. The rotund comedian was supposed to merely introduce the records and announce the temperature, but ever so gradually his irrepressible ad-libs and improvisations took over the show. His TV career began on CBS' daytime The Garry Moore Show, where he introduced such imperishable characters as freewheeling senior citizen Maudie Frickett and doltish Elwood P. Suggins. He was a regular on the 1955 summer series And Here's the Show, and in 1956 landed his own 15-minute NBC series (the first network program to be regularly videotaped). Though never less than side-splittingly funny on camera, Winters was plagued by severe emotional problems in real life, not the least of which was his reliance on what he called "the sauce." After a highly publicized sanitarium stay, a clean and sober Winters returned to TV, though it would be 1967 before any network would take a chance on his headlining a regular weekly show (during the 1964-1965 season, he starred in a group of well-received specials, and was also a frequent guest on The Tonight Show, The Jack Paar Program, and The Andy Williams Show). During the early '60s, Winters' recorded bits began frequently popping up on the NBC radio series Monitor, and in 1963, he made his movie debut in the all-star It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). In answer to critics who felt that Winters was tied down by scripted material, the comedian starred in the two-season syndicated weekly The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters (1972-1973), which was completely ad-libbed. Many young comics of the 1970s and 1980s have declared that Winters was a prime influence in their choice of career. No comedian was more vocal in his praise of Winters than Robin Williams, who in 1981 arranged for Winters to be cast as overgrown baby Mearth on Williams' popular sitcom Mork and Mindy. Jonathan Winters remained as funny and active as ever into the 1990s, making uproarious appearances on Jay Leno's Tonight Show and co-starring in such big-budget theatrical films as The Shadow (1994). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2006
- Add National Lampoon Presents Cattle Call to QueueAdd National Lampoon Presents Cattle Call to top of Queue
A group of disgruntled actresses plot revenge after learning that a high profile casting call was actually a scam cooked up by three lonely losers just looking to get laid. Sherman and Glen just wanted a little action, but romantic Richie Ray was looking for his dream girl. At first their seedy scam seemed to be working brilliantly, and then the truth came out. When these ambitious actresses realize they've been had, it doesn't take long for them to throw together their own diabolical plan. Nicole Eggert, Thomas Ian Nicholas, and Diedrich Bader star in a sexy comedy featuring special appearances by Paul Mazursky and Jonathan Winters. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Master animator Richard Williams (best known for his work on Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) created this visually dazzling full-length cartoon. Tack (voice of Matthew Broderick) is a shy and humble cobbler in love with the beautiful Princess Yum Yum (voice of Jennifer Beals). Tack gets his chance to impress the Princess when he's pressed into service to help defeat a wicked sorcerer, Zigzag (voice of Vincent Price); Tack also runs afoul of a charming but duplicitous thief (voice of Jonathan Winters). Arabian Knight (also shown as The Thief and the Cobbler) was reportedly long in production and held back from release for a time because the distributors were afraid that many Americans would not be inclined to see a family film set in the Middle East in the wake of the Gulf War; by the time it finally opened, two members of the voice cast, Vincent Price and Donald Pleasence, had passed on. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1992
In this sequel to the much-loved "Frosty the Snowman" cartoon special, Frosty reappears to befriend a girl named Holly and help save Christmas from the invention of an evil snow-exterminating chemical. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1992
Based on the book The Story of Holly and Ivy, this animated children's film follows the adventures of young orphan Ivy as she flees from her home in the orphanage to make her Christmas wish come true. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Tiny Toons Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation is a direct-to-video feature film based on the Steven Spielberg-produced animated television series. How I Spent My Vacation chronicles the adventures of the series' regular characters--Plucky Duck, Uncle Stinky, Dizzy Devil, and Buster and Babs Bunny, among many others--during their summer vacation. The film is arranged as a series of comic episodes instead of a coherent story, but that's a benefit, since each sequence gives a few cartoon characters a chance to shine. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1990
The Little Troll Prince is saved when he discovers God's love. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1990
Jonathan Winters and Bill Cosby host this captivating collection of internationally produced cartoons. Many of the subjects offered in Animation Wonderland have won major industry and festival awards. Others have been selected purely for their entertainment value (as good a reason as any). The titles include "Early Birds", "The Tinder Box", "Petroushka", "The Chocolate Princess"and "King Midas." At 62 minutes, Animation Wonderland is over all too quickly. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Enjoy this video rendition of the Old Farmer's Almanac hosted by Willard Scott and Jonathon Winters supplying household tips, weather information as well as cures for hiccups. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1989
Part of the popular Dorf series in which Tim Conway, beloved comedian and staple of The Carol Burnett Show, portrays an eccentric Scandinavian midget named Dorf, Dorf: 'Scue Me features a cast of Dorf favorites. Viewers get reacquainted with Judy's Child, a gourmet chef whose head doesn't quite reach the kitchen counter, and Daryl Dorf, teeny-tiny weight-lifting god. Roger Beatty, Julie Dees, and Jonathon Winters are featured. ~ Betsy Boyd, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Another adaption of Lewis Carroll's classic Alice in Wonderland, this animated feature places the young girl in a contemporary setting and features the voices of Phyllis Diller, Jonathon Winters, Mr. T and Leif Erickson. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- 1986
These are the funniest pieces taken from one of the all-time funny TV men, Steve Allen. These takes from his hit The Steve Allen Show series, are priceless. Featured with Allen in these takes are such notables as Johnny Carson, Sammy Davis Jr., Don Knotts, Jerry Lewis and Zsa Zsa Gabor. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1985
This live action trip back to Wonderland finds Alice dodging the Jabberwocky and encountering a Wonderland crew including Humpty Dumpty, Tiger Lily, and Tweedledum and Tweedledee. The voice cast is staggering, including (to mention a few) father and son Lloyd Bridges and Beau Bridges, Phyllis Diller, and George Gobel, Ringo Starr, Jonathan Winters, Sally Struthers, Karl Malden, and many, many more. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1985
Essentially a long commercial for a popular line of stuffed toys, this animated feature chronicles the adventures of a pack of adorable pooches. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1985
This animated fantasy is aimed at children and tells the story of wish-fulfilling fairies. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
This 1982 made-for-TV version of the Lewis Carroll classic Alice in Wonderland features an all-star cast. Such celebrities as Donald O'Connor, Maureen Stapleton and Eve Arden struggle to perform while buried under mounds of makeup and tons of eccentric costuming as Carroll's alternate-world loonies. Alice in Wonderland was first telecast Oct 3, 1983, on PBS' Great Performances. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
During the 1950s and 1960s, San Francisco's hungry i nightclub (the lower case is not a mistake: that's how the name read on the club's outside wall) was a primary breeding ground for young and hungry comedy talent. The "i" is no longer in existence, but most of its more illustrious alumni are still alive and kicking. Taped in 1981, The hungry i Reunion is comprised of interviews and brief snatches of several classic comic monologues. The star roster includes Mort Sahl, Jonathan Winters, Ronnie Schell, Jackie Vernon and the inimitable Professor Irwin Corey. And just so we won't forget that the "i" was also famous for its folk-singing sessions, the Kingston Trio is on hand to stir up fond baby-boomer memories. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
The second of two attempts to revive the 1960s TV series The Wild, Wild West (the first was Wild Wild West Revisited), More Wild, Wild West was telecast October 7, 1980. Robert Conrad is back as 19th- century secret-agent James West, while Ross Martin returns to the role of "man of many faces" Artemus Gordon. The principal heavy, played with tongue firmly in cheek by Jonathan Winters, is a mad scientist who plans to create an army of invisible supermen. Victor Buono, who was special guest villain on the very first Wild Wild West episode in 1965, plays a supporting role; carried over from Wild Wild West revisited are Harry Morgan and Rene Auberjonois. Several networks evinced interest in More Wild, Wild West, but Ross Martin's death in 1981 ended all plans for a weekly series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Conrad, Ross Martin, (more)
- 198z
An animated adventure that features the Pound Puppies when they try to rescue their friends from the pound! ~ All Movie Guide
- 1969
This comedy was banned in Mexico and plagued by vandalism and threats of violence during film production in San Antonio, Texas. General De Santos (Peter Ustinov) organizes a ragtag group of Mexican nationals for the purpose of retaking the Alamo. Using the Washington's Birthday Parade in Laredo as a guise to enter the United States, the group continues towards San Antonio ignored and unchallenged. With the help of Sergeant Valdez (John Astin), the unlikely invaders manage to raise the Mexican flag over the old mission for 24 hours. General Billy Joe Hallson (Jonathan Winters) is a colorful redneck called on to lead the National Guard to the site of the occupied landmark. Keenan Wynn, Alice Ghostley, Pamela Tiffin and Harry Morgan also star in this film farce. During filming, one irate Texan was arrested after waving a rifle in protest over the raising of the Mexican flag over the Alamo, long a symbol of Texas' pride and history. Electric cables were cut during the filming of this production, as some Texans could not even tolerate the fictional premise of the plot. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Ustinov, Pamela Tiffin, (more)
- 1967
A domineering mother and her sheltered son fly face first into love, murder, and the meaning of family in this black comedy based on Arthur Kopit's Broadway play. Wealthy Madame Rosepettle (Rosalind Russell) and 25-year-old Jonathan (Robert Morse) arrive at the Port Royal Hotel on a tiny Caribbean island with the man of the family in tow, literally; he's been dead for many years and his stuffed corpse travels with them in a coffin. Madame is the kind of woman who keeps piranhas and Venus Flytrap plants as pets, and controls her son's life down to deciding what meal he'll have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (a hamburger and a maraschino cherry). Jonathan is kept indoors at all times and isn't allowed to mix with the outside world, though the hotel "babysitter," Rosalie (Barbara Harris), slips in through the window and flirts with the easily rattled young man. Madame is being courted by drunken millionaire Commodore Roseabove (Hugh Griffith), and while she welcomes his advances, her attention is diverted by trying to make sure that her son stays "pure." Rosalie isn't one to be put off by the meddling matriarch, so she doubles her efforts to get at Jonathan, who wants Rosalie too but might be pushed over the edge by the attention. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rosalind Russell, Robert Morse, (more)
- 1967
In his only starring made-for-TV movie, comedian Jonathan Winters plays an art expert engaged by an insurance company. Winters is assigned to protect a valuable Rembrandt, on loan from the Louvre to a major New York gallery. The Rembrandt disappears and passes through several hands (including the pudgy paws of an Arabian shiek) before Winters can save the day. Now You See It, Now You Don't is overloaded with guest stars (Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows, Jack Weston), as though the producers didn't think Winters could carry a film by himself. The best moment is a restaurant scene in which Jonathan Winters is permitted a few precious moments of improvisational fancy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
