Dick Shawn
One-of-a-kind nightclub comedian and singer Dick Shawn (ne Richard Schulefand) was as off-the-wall as they came and, as such, proved to be rather an acquired taste. Way ahead of his time most say, it was extremely difficult indeed to know how to properly tap into this man's eclectic talents. Shawn began inching toward the forefront during the be-bop 50s and early 60s with his odd penchant for playing cool cats. During his mild bid for film stardom, he was top-billed as a hip, laid back genie in the thoroughly dismal satire The Wizard of Baghdad (1960), but seemed to have better luck when taken in smaller doses. He fared quite well opposite another "way-out-there" comedian, Ernie Kovacs, in Wake Me When It's Over (1960) as a hustling soldier out to make a buck in the Far East. Also on the plus side, he replaced Zero Mostel in the bawdy musical "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" on Broadway and stole a small scene in the all-star epic comedy It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963). By far, the one role that completely overshadows all of his other hard work is his mock portrayal of a singing Adolf Hitler in the show-within-a-movie The Producers (1968). In the film, which starred Mostel and Gene Wilder as two con artists deliberately producing a stage "bomb" called "Springtime for Hitler," Shawn sang the hammy, absurdly narcissistic song "Love Power." The movie finally captured Shawn in his element, but this stroke of genius of matching actor to role would never happen again for him. For the most part his roles came off slick and smarmy, and were stuck in mediocre material. Shawn won a huge fan base, however, touring in one-man stage shows which contained a weird mix of songs, sketches, satire, philosophy and even pantomime. A bright, innovative wit, one of his best touring shows was called "The Second Greatest Entertainer in the World." During the show's intermission, Shawn would lie visibly on the stage floor absolutely still during the entire time. By freakish coincidence, Shawn was performing at the University of California at San Diego in 1987 when he suddenly fell forward on the stage during one of his spiels about the Holocaust. The audience, of course, laughed, thinking it was just a part of his odd shtick. In actuality, the 63-year-old married actor with four children had suffered a fatal heart attack. A not-surprising end for this thoroughly offbeat and intriguing personality.
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It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
as Sylvester MarcusA group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them about...
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The Year Without a Santa Claus
as Snow Miser (voice)Feeling forgotten by the children of the world, old St. Nick decides to skip his gift-giving...
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The Producers
as Lorenzo St. DuBois (L.S.D.)Broadway producer Max Bialystock and his accountant, Leo Bloom plan to make money by charming...
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Angel
as MaeMolly Stewart, a teen at the top of her class who survives by working nights as a prostitute on...
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Love at First Bite
as Lieutenant Ferguson NYPDDracula and Renefield relocate to 70's era New York in search of Cindy Sondheim, the...
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Captain EO
as Commander BogIn this 3-D science fiction film that was shown at Disney theme parks, the infamous Captain EO...
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What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?
as Captain Lionel CashA by-the-book Captain is ordered to capture a strategic village in Italy. The Italian soldiers...
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The Opposite Sex
as SingerFormer radio singer Kay learns from her gossipy friends that her husband, Steve, has had an...
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Maid to Order
as Stan StarkeySpoiled Jessie Montgomery, whose wild behavior and spending excesses cause her well-meaning but...
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The Happy Ending
as Harry BrickerThe triumphs and failures of middle age as seen through the eyes of runaway American housewife...
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Water
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Penelope
as Dr. Gregory MannixWhen Penelope gets married to banker James Elcott, she finds him too preoccupied with work to...
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Way... Way Out
as Igor ValkleinokovA platonically wed American couple run a lunar weather station near an unwed Soviet couple.
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Evil Roy Slade
as Marshal Bing BellOrphaned and left in the desert as an infant, Evil Roy Slade (John Astin) grew up alone—save for...
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Mel Brooks: Unwrapped
as Self (archive footage)At the age of 91, Mel Brooks is unstoppable, with his musical "Young Frankenstein" opening to...
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A Very Special Favor
as Arnold PlumThe long-lost father of a frigid, uptight Freudian psychologist contracts a wealthy American...
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Best Chest in the West
as Self - HostWhat happens when dozens of beautiful California girls compete for the title of “BEST CHEST IN...
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The Wizard of Baghdad
as Genii-Ali MahmudA genie turned mortal after his many failures is sent to Baghdad. As his last chance to prove...
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Good-bye Cruel World
as Rodney Pointsetter / Ainsley PointsetterThe story involves newscaster Rodney Pointsetter (Shawn) who is so depressed between his job and...
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Fast Friends
as Deke EdwardsA young divorcee struggles to provide for her young son and make a new life for herself in the...
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The Check is in the Mail...
as DonaldMeet Richard Jackson - a man fed up with the insanity of "plastic" suburban living. Rallying his...
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The Perils of P.K
as The PsychiatristP.K., a former movie star now reduced to working as a stripper in a Las Vegas nightclub, is...
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The Tommy Chong Roast
as uncreditedA "tribute" to comedian Tommy Chong, given to him by many of his fellow comedians.
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The Making of Captain EO
as SelfDocumentary of the making of Michael Jackson's Captain EO film for the Disney theme parks.
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Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World'
as Self (archive footage)A star-studded documentary and tribute to the classic comedy, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.
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Rented Lips
as Charlie SlaterA documentary filmmaker, who has spent the last 15 years making films like "Aluminum: Our Shiny...
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Annie: the Women in the Life of a Man
as HimselfA CBS television special, renowned for its legendary "Yma, Ava....Yma, Uta... Yma, Oona"...
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Wake Me When It's Over
as Gus BrubakerThe war may be over, but that doesn't keep the hapless Gus Brubaker from being drafted and...
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Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration
as SelfA salute to Playboy Magazine on the occasion of its twenty-fifth anniversary, hosted by founding...
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The Emperor's New Clothes
as EmperorTwo con men take advantage of an emperor's vanity.
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Young Warriors
as Professor HooverAfter a young woman is gang raped and murdered in a California college town, her brother takes...
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Dames at Sea
as LuckyDames at Sea is a musical with book and lyrics by George Haimsohn and Robin Miller and music by...
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Leave 'em Laughing
as Self (archive footage)An evening of stand-up comedy takes a not so funny turn, leaving the audience wondering what...
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If the Shoes Fit...
as Bo GumbsGubernatorial candidate's belief that politics is nothing more than entertainment, is helped at...
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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
as SelfThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight...
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The Mike Douglas Show
as Self - Co-HostThe Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that...
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The Mike Douglas Show
as SelfThe Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that...
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The Twilight Zone
as uncreditedThis 1980s revival of the classic sci-fi series features a similar style to the original...
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Magnum, P.I.
as uncreditedA private investigator who works when he wants, lives in a beachfront estate in Hawaii, drives a...
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The Love Boat
as David JacksonPassengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or...
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The Love Boat
as Harvey BlanchardPassengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or...
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Tales from the Darkside
as Bo GumbsTales from the Darkside is an anthology horror TV series created by George A. Romero, each...
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St. Elsewhere
as uncreditedSt. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from...
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The Lucy Show
as Ace WinthropThe Lucy Show is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1962–68. It was Lucille Ball's...
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Medical Center
as uncreditedMedical Center is a medical drama series which aired on CBS from 1969 to 1976. It was produced...
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Laverne & Shirley
as uncreditedLaverne & Shirley is an American television sitcom that ran on ABC from January 27, 1976 to May...
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Amazing Stories
as Joe WilloughbyA truly amazing, fantastical, science fiction, funny and odd, and sometimes scary, sad and...
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Faerie Tale Theatre
as Guest IntervieweeA live-action children's television anthology series retelling popular fairy tales.
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Faerie Tale Theatre
as EmperorA live-action children's television anthology series retelling popular fairy tales.
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That Girl
as uncreditedThat Girl is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from 1966 to 1971. It stars Marlo Thomas as the...
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The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
as SelfThe Dinah Shore Chevy Show is an American variety series hosted by Dinah Shore, and broadcast on...
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The Ed Sullivan Show
as SelfThe Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June...
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The Dick Cavett Show
as Self - GuestThe Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various...
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Madame's Place
as SelfMadame's Place is an American sitcom that featured the misadventures of Madame, a puppet in the...
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The DuPont Show with June Allyson
as Charlie WilsonThe DuPont Show with June Allyson is an American anthology drama series which aired on CBS from...
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ABC Stage 67
as Paul BenderhofABC Stage 67 is the umbrella title for a series of 26 weekly shows that included dramas, variety...
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The Judy Garland Show
as SelfThe Judy Garland Show is an American musical variety television series that aired on CBS on...
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Hail to the Chief
as Ivan ZolotovHail to the Chief is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from April 9, 1985 until May 21, 1985....
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General Electric Theater
as Felix FranklinGeneral Electric Theater is an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was...
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