Dabney Coleman Movies
Coleman attended a Virginia military school before studying law and serving in the army. While attending the University of Texas, Coleman became attracted to acting, and headed to New York, where he studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse. After stage experience and TV work, Coleman made his movie debut in 1965's The Slender Thread. Minus his trademarked mustache for the most part in the mid-1960s, Coleman specialized in secondary character roles that were not outright villains, but somehow lacking in leading-man integrity. The first inkling that Coleman could handle comedy occurred during his supporting stint as obstetrician Leon Bessemer on the Marlo Thomas sitcom That Girl. In 1976, Coleman was cast as self-serving Mayor Jeeter (a role the actor still regards as a favorite) on Norman Lear's soap opera spoof Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Four years later, Coleman burst forth in full hissable glory as the nasty, chauvinistic boss in 9 to 5 (1980); he is so thoroughly trounced by Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton in this film that one wonders how he was able to subsequently co-star with both Fonda and Tomlin in On Golden Pond [1981] and The Beverly Hillbillies [1993] respectively without flinching. After 9 to 5, Coleman's film roles became increasingly stereotyped; he was better served on television, where he starred in the ground-breaking sitcom Buffalo Bill (1983), playing TV's first thoroughly, unremittingly despicable "hero" and winning a nomination for a "Best Actor" Emmy. The series didn't last (audiences laughed at but did not love Buffalo Bill), but made enough of an impression for Coleman to ever afterward find himself playing cantankerous, mean-spirited sitcom leads; as recently as 1994, Coleman sneered his way through the starring role of a reactionary newspaper columnist in NBC's short-lived Madman of the People. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 2006
Four years after ending her successful, star-making run on the series Dharma and Greg, Jenna Elfman returned to television with the heavily hyped situation comedy Courting Alex. Elfman starred as Alex Rose, a high-powered attorney working at a firm run by her father (Dabney Coleman). While Alex is a formidable opponent in the courtroom, her dedication to her career hasn't left her much time for a love life. Things begin to change when Alex meets Scott Larson (Josh Randall), but as it happens Scott is also a lawyer, and the would-be couple often find themselves representing rival point of view. Courting Alex also featured Jillian Bach as Alex's diminutive assistant Molly and Hugh Bonneville as her high-spirited neighbor Julian. Courting Alex's premiere on January 23, 2006 was extensively promoted by its network, CBS, but the show fared poorly in the ratings, and of the twelve episodes produced, only eight were ever aired. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jenna Elfman, Dabney Coleman, (more)
The (mostly) true story of a Hollywood princess turned bounty hunter is told in this witty action-drama from director Tony Scott. Domino Harvey (Keira Knightley) was the daughter of famed actor Laurence Harvey (played by Jesse Pate) who passed on when Domino was only eight years old. Domino's mother, former fashion model Paulene Stone (played by Jacqueline Bisset and renamed (%Sophie Wynn) in the film), strove to give her daughter a comfortable life, but Domino was naturally rebellious, and after a contentious stint in boarding school, a brief career as a runway model, and a fling with the fashion business, Domino was looking for something more exciting. She found it when he met Ed Mosbey (Mickey Rourke), an ex-con who had gone on to a successful career as a "bail recovery agent" -- in short, a bounty hunter. Ed also taught others how to join his profession, and Domino took his course and joined his team, along with Choco (Edgar Ramirez), a headstrong bail agent who took an immediate fancy to Domino. Domino, Ed, and Choco became a successful team -- successful enough that television producer Mark Heiss (Christopher Walken) asked them to become the subject of a television reality series. However, it was after the cameras were turned on Domino that her life got truly crazy. Bail bondsman Claremont Williams III (Delroy Lindo) had hired Domino and her friends for a risky case, and soon Domino, Ed, and Choco were chasing missing men and money while landing in hot water with both the FBI and the Mafia. Domino was loosely based on Domino Harvey's real life story; sadly her personal life was as reckless as her career, and Domino died as a result of drug abuse on June 27, 2005, after this film was completed. The film also features Lucy Liu, Mena Suvari, Macy Gray, and Dabney Coleman. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keira Knightley, Mickey Rourke, (more)
Based on the 1961 children's novel by Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows is a family-oriented drama four years in the making. This project is co-directed by Lyman Dayton, who also adapted the screenplay and produced the 1974 filmed version. The story involves 12-year-old Billy Coleman (Joseph Ashton), who lives in the Ozark mountains with his mother, Jenny (Renee Faia), and father, Will (Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band). Billy's grandfather (Dabney Coleman) encourages him to save money to buy a hunting dog. For two years, Billy does odd jobs in order to save the money. When he finally gets enough, he buys two puppies and names them Old Dan and Little Ann. Billy eventually trains them to become hunting dogs and enters the Fall Hunting Competition. Also starring Kris Kristofferson and Ned Beatty. Even though principal photography started in 1999, Where the Red Fern Grows didn't premiere until the 2003 Tribeca Film Festival due to numerous production difficulties and law suits. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joseph Ashton
Frequent television director Brad Silberling directs the romantic drama Moonlight Mile. Set in a Massachusetts town in the early '70s, Joe Nast (Jake Gyllenhaal) is distraught after the death of his fiancée. He moves in with her parents, Ben (Dustin Hoffman) and JoJo (Susan Sarandon), while trying to sort out all of the legal troubles and painful details of the wedding cancellations. While trying to locate the wedding invitations in the mail, Joe meets Bertie (Ellen Pompeo), whose boyfriend has been MIA in Vietnam. Despite his growing relationship with his late fiancée's parents, Joe begins to foster a romance with Bertie. Also starring Dabney Coleman and Holly Hunter. Moonlight Mile is based on Brad Silberling's real-life situation following the murder of his TV-star girlfriend Rebecca Schaeffer. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jake Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, (more)
- 2002
Filmmakers Phillip B. Kunhardt III, Nancy Steiner, and Peter W. Kunhardt explore the eternal struggle for liberty in America while simultaneously illuminating the hypocritical underlying factors that undermined the colonist's bold "experiment in freedom," in a revealing documentary featuring the voices of Brad Pitt, Martin Sheen, Michael Caine, Tom Hanks, Anthony Hopkins , Meryl Streep, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Robert Redford and many more. As the newly arrived British subjects staged the revolution that would cut loose their ties to Great Britain and give birth to a new era of freedom, a new hope for liberty emerged - but how then does one justify the presence of slavery in a society founded on the claim of all men being "created equal?" A blight on the quest for liberty and freedom that literally divided a struggling young nation right down the middle, slavery would be the last true obstacle in ensuring that the land of the free would truly live up to the ideals set forth by the founding fathers. As the north and the south set the stage for a bloody four-year war that would go down in history as one of the most brutal internal struggles ever waged, the resulting Civil War showed the willingness of Americans to actually stand up and fight to protect the rights of others as stated in the Constitution. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
An action-filled adventure drama with conservative Christian overtones, The Climb (2002) tells the story of Derrick Williams (Without a Trace's Jason George) and Michael Harris (Apollo 13's Ned Vaughn), two professional mountain climbers constantly at each other's throats. The men push their lives to the edge -- and test one another's endurance -- when they decide to scale one of the highest peaks in the Chilean Andes. Executive produced by Barry Werner (of Billy Graham's World Wide Pictures) and directed by John Schmidt (Kevin Can Wait, Wait of the World), The Climb co-stars Dabney Coleman, Clifton Davis, and Todd Bridges. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Winston George, Ned Vaughn, (more)
- 2001
- G
- Add Recess the Movie: School's Out to QueueAdd Recess the Movie: School's Out to top of Queue
Based on the popular animated children's program Disney's Recess, this full-length film focuses on the end of a school year, where young pupil T.J. Detweiler is looking ahead to having a wild, fun-packed summer vacation. T.J. stumbles upon a plot hatched by the villainous Dr. Benedict, a former principal who once tried to strike recess from the average school day. Dr. Benedict hatches a scheme to control weather patterns with a specialized laser beam to create a permanent winter, making it impossible for the students to have a summer vacation. T.J. calls in all of his best pals to defeat the villainous Dr. Benedict, as well as recruits the help of the faculty, who willingly join the young students on their crusade for freedom. Recess: School's Out was directed by Chuck Sheetz, who has helmed episodes of The Simpsons and King of the Hill. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rickey D'Shon Collins, Jason Davis, (more)
- 2001
Simon Baker stars in this weekly, 60-minute drama series as Nick Fallin, a hotshot attorney working for his father Burton's (Dabney Coleman) prestigious Philadelphia law firm. Arrested for doing cocaine, Nick is sentenced to 1,500 hours of community service. Reluctantly, he signs on as a part-time child advocate for an inner-city Legal Aid Services, all the while handling his usual high-profile clients. Ever so gradually, Nick finds himself caring more about his younger, poorer charges than he does about his wealthier customers -- and in so doing, he becomes the titular "guardian" of this CBS series. Also in the cast are Alan Rosenberg as Nick's skeptical new Legal Aid supervisor Alvin Masterson, Erica Leerhsen as Amanda Bowles, and Raphael Sbarge as Jake Strata. Created by David Hollander, The Guardian was originally set to premiere on September 18, 2001, but late-breaking news events caused the network to move the series up to September 25. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Simon Baker, Dabney Coleman, (more)
- 2001
An aspiring comic who has to hide behind others to get her humor in front of an audience finds you can't do the same thing when it comes to romance. Samantha Berger (Camryn Manheim) works as a bartender at a New York comedy club; possessing a sharp imagination and a quick wit , Samantha writes jokes of her own in her spare time. Samantha's material is good, but she's severely self-conscious about her weight problem, so she shops her routines to up-and-coming comics who play the room, most frequently Jennie (Alexondra Lee), a friend who is slim and beautiful but can't write a good gag to save her life. Michael True (cott Cohen) is an agent who frequents the club looking for new talent, and he thinks Jennie might have what it takes to make the big time. Michael soon finds himself developing a relationship with Jennie off stage as well, but she's never sure what to say to him and is afraid that one day he'll realize the killer material she's been using isn't her own. Michael starts e-mailing Jennie on a regular basis, and Jennie convinces Samantha to play Cyrano and answer his missives posing as Jennie. But the longer Samantha finds herself "chatting" with Michael, the more she realizes he's just the sort of man she's always wanted -- but lacks the courage to approach on her own. Camryn Manheim also served as executive producer for Kiss My Act, which debuted on the ABC television network on April 23, 2001; the supporting cast includes Dabney Coleman and Marlee Matlin. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Camryn Manheim, Scott Cohen, (more)
- 2000
This Yuletide-season TV movie reverses the standard "three girls on the make" formula of many an old 20th Century Fox movie, of which How to Marry a Millionaire is a choice example. This time out, a trio of enterprising young men decide to go on the prowl for rich wives, after first consulting a nonplussed department-store Santa with their intentions. The plan, as hatched by the impoverished heroes, Tom (John Stamos), Jason (Shermar Moore), and Mark (Joshua Malina), is as follows: They will pose as hot-shot Hollywood movie producers, the better to entice attractive and wealthy young women to invest in their newest "production" -- and hopefully, to entrap said women into matrimony. As so often happens in stories of this nature, however, love ultimately triumphs over money. A bit too top-heavy with racy double entendres and potentially unsavory situations, the film is redeemed somewhat by the presence of Dabney Coleman and Rhea Perlman, cast as an older couple named -- believe it or not -- John and Jackie Kennedy. How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale made its first Fox Network appearance on December 20, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Stamos, Joshua Malina, (more)
Matthew Broderick stars in this live-action adaptation of the popular animated series. When a well-meaning but overly trusting security guard is wounded in an explosion created by the evil Dr. Claw, a beautiful scientist named Brenda (Joely Fisher) takes him under her wing and turns him into a crime-fighting dynamo by replacing his limbs with a wealth of gadgets and gimmicks. Now dubbed Inspector Gadget, the once-naïve guard can fulfill his dream of becoming a crime-fighting detective, and as he investigates his first case - namely, who blew him up -- he finds out that the man responsible also killed Brenda's father. Now it's up to the Inspector to find the fiend's identity and bring him to justice, using his homegrown bionic powers to crack the case. Inspector Gadget co-stars Rupert Everett, Dabney Coleman, Andy Dick, and Cheri Oteri. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matthew Broderick, Rupert Everett, (more)
Rising advertising executive Ralph (Mark Feuerstein) is irresistible to women and he to them – he can even bed Lesbians. But when he falls for a new co-worker (Amy Redford) Ralph decides to change his ways by becoming celibate, and finds it harder than he thought to stay out of strange beds, including Amber’s (Ali Larter), a super model and Ralph’s lifelong fantasy woman. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Feuerstein, Amy Redford, (more)
- 1999
In this holiday-themed comedy, Santa Claus decides the time has come for him to retire. However, the selection process for a replacement doesn't go quite as expected, and the new St. Nick turns out to be a young African-American man, who is as puzzled as anyone at how he got the job. Dabney Coleman stars, with Arnold Pinnock and Deanna Milligan heading up the supporting cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dabney Coleman, Deanna Milligan, (more)
E.B. White's classic children's story is brought to the screen in this fantasy, which combines computer-animated characters with a cast of live actors. Mrs. Little (Geena Davis), Mr. Little (Hugh Laurie), and their son George (Jonathan Lipnicki) live in a brownstone near New York's Central Park. The Littles have decided to adopt a younger brother for George, and while they're meeting the children at an orphanage, they are greeted by a mouse named Stuart (voice of Michael J. Fox), who can talk, walk upright, wear clothes, and do nearly anything a human child can do. The Littles are so taken with Stuart that they decide to adopt him, and soon the rest of the family is just as charmed by Stuart -- with the possible exception of Snowbell (voice of Nathan Lane), their house cat. The cast of humans includes Jennifer Tilly, Bruno Kirby, and Dabney Coleman; animal voices are contributed by Chazz Palminteri and Steve Zahn, Jim Doughan, and David Alan Grier. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael J. Fox, Geena Davis, (more)
A man being held hostage discovers others besides his captors have it in for him in this taut thriller. Ethan Grover (Dabney Coleman) is a successful businessman who has made more than his share of enemies. His wife, Judy (Linda Smith), has been having an affair with Allan (Stewart Bick), one of Ethan's partners who has been embezzling money from the firm. Syd (Michael Rudder), Ethan's accountant, has been in cahoots with Allan, investing in a dubious real estate venture. And Alex (Brett Watson), Judy's son from an earlier marriage, is a drug addict who has been draining his stepfather's bank account to feed his habit. So when Ethan is kidnapped and held for a two-million-dollar ransom, his immediate family and closest business associates don't immediately come to his aid. Ethan's loyal secretary, Sandra (Dorothee Berryman), tries to untangle the web of deceit and betrayal that has enveloped him while Ethan tries to win the friendship of his kidnappers. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dabney Coleman, Linda Smith, (more)
- 1998
All poor Hallie Richmond wants is to be able to go on a normal date like every other teenage girl. Unfortunately, as the daughter of the U.S. president, she can never be treated as normal, and everywhere she goes she is followed by an obtrusive cadre of secret servicemen. Considered a bit of a nerd, Duncan too has trouble finding dates. He and Hallie hit it off but because it is an election year, the security around her is doubled. What choice do the young would-be lovers have but to sneak away so they can be alone? When they do, all heck breaks loose and a merry chase commences. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dabney Coleman, Jay Thomas, (more)
Sleepless in Seattle director Nora Ephron originally made a name for herself as the writer of romantic comedies such as Heartburn and When Harry Met Sally. She continues the genre with You've Got Mail, marking her second collaboration with actors Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. The story brings romance and courtship into the electronic age of the World Wide Web via e-mail and chat rooms. Joe Fox (Hanks) and Kathleen Kelly (Ryan) live and work blocks from each other on New York City's Upper West Side. Their lives are practically intertwined. They both shop at the same place, frequent the same coffee shop, and even own competing bookstores on the same street. They also both have significant others of their own. Joe has the overly hyper book editor Patricia Eden (Parker Posey), while Kathleen lives with the scholarly newspaper columnist Frank Navasky (Greg Kinnear). Then they meet in a chat room. Though they keep their identities secret (they're known only by screen names "NY152" and "Shopgirl"), they tell each other everything about their lives, including their private feelings, which slowly turn into affection for each other. When Joe decides to open a new branch of his "Foxbooks" chain that risks putting Kathleen's "Shop Around the Corner" out of business, the tension between them escalates. Surely her boutique business will be lost to the conglomerate with a built-in newsstand and coffee bar. When Joe sees Kathleen waiting for him in the restaurant where they agreed to meet up, he puts two and two together, but cannot face her, given their agreement not to reveal each others' names and professions. How can he reveal himself to her now, knowing that he is the cause of her misery? Hopefully, love will conquer all. ~ Chris Gore, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Ever since the 1950s, the area around the city of Springfield, Illinois has been plagued by mysterious 3-day abductions, with the victims returning just as quickly as they disappeared, seemingly none the worse for wear. In truth, however, these victims have been harvest by aliens, who, using implants on their human prey, are laying the groundwork for a mass takeover of the world once those implants are activated. But the only person who has an inkling of what is really going on is police detective Sam Adams (Christopher Meloni), a local "character" whom no one takes seriously. Things begin to intensify when Sam investigates the case of a local six-year-old girl who has undergone a sudden change of personality. Dabney Coleman and Chad Lowe play key roles in this made-for-TV derivation of the old favorite Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Target Earth originally aired February 5, 1998, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Essentially a feature-length episode of NBC's long-running series Law & Order, this crime and courtroom drama marks the return of Chris Noth (Detective Mike Logan) to Manhattan's 27th precinct. For the past three years, Logan has been stuck on Staten Island, the result of an incident in which he lost his temper. Regretting his outburst, Logan yearns to return to his home station. A murdered hooker's body found floating in the harbor may provide the key to his return. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Noth, Dabney Coleman, (more)
- 1997
The good witch Morgane bears a son and finds herself faced with a painful choice. Tradition requires that she select a godfather for the child at the exact moment of its birth. The moral alignment of the godfather will determine that of the child. The trouble is that there are only six witches left on the earth and the only eligible magical godfather, Molok, is a wicked warlock. If she refuses him, her only option is to select a mortal man who was born on the same day and time. Unfortunately if a mortal were to undergo the ceremony her son would lose his magic and the volunteer would literally lose his mind and become a living vegetable. This romantic French tale tells what happens when Morgane chooses the latter option. After much searching she and her remaining cronies narrow the eligible list down to three men. Unfortunately, Molok finds out and kills two of them, leaving only Michael, a handsome young New York inventor to fill the bill. Michael hates flying, but his business colleague Joel manages to convince him to go to Paris. There he meets Morgane who takes him to her grandmother's home. En route they pause to take magical potions and make love in the forest. Trouble brews when afterward Morgane finds herself falling in love with Michael and thinking twice about taking away his extraordinary intelligence. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vanessa Paradis, Jeanne Moreau, (more)
- 1996
Aspiring TV journalist Sally McCormick (Suzanne Somers) can't get anyone to hire her--and the reason, she concludes, is that she is simply too chubby for the small screen. Although her boyfriend Andrew Burns (William Katt) tells her that eventually her talent will be judged separate from her weight, Sally would give anything to be thin; in fact, she would even sell her soul. Enter Seymour Kecker (Dabney Coleman), a somewhat diabolical spokesman for a popular weight-loss product. Entering into the standard Faustlike deal with Seymour, portly Sally becomes a sylphlike "Size Six" literally overnight, and before long she is anchoring the news at top-rated WPKV-TV. Of course, there's a price to be paid for this success--and the devilish Seymour intends to be paid in full! Produced for the Lifetime cable network, Devil's Food debuted September 2, 1996, originally shown in tandem with Devil's Diet, a documentary about the famous "full-figured" women of history. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
For some six centuries, professional sports was male-dominated, but eventually women managed to break through the uni-gender status of various professional sports and shine through determination and great skill -- athletes like U.S. Olympic Gold winner and pro golfer Babe Didrikson, tennis professionals and Open winners Billie Jean King and Chris Evert, and basketball player Nancy Lieberman. This 95-minute documentary examines how opportunities have differed between men and women in professional sports through the examination of various women athletes and their contemporary male counterparts. ~ Forrest Spencer, All Movie Guide
