Falling Star: The 40th Anniversary of "My Favorite Year"

 by Michael Lyons    

 

"I'm not an actor. I'm a movie star!"

Just one of the many clever, insightful, and funny lines of dialogue from one of the best comedies of the 80s, My Favorite Year.

And that year in the film is 1954.  It's New York City during the Golden Age of Television.  Young Benjy Stone (played by Mark Linn-Baker, later of Perfect Strangers, here in his first major role) is an up-and-coming writer on Comedy Cavalcade, a fictional comedy-variety show based on the real Your Show of Shows. 

The guest on the show that week is Alan Swann, played by Peter O'Toole, a swashbuckling movie star in the mold of Eroll Flynn.  Swann's carer is on a downslide and has developed a terrible reputation for carousing, womanizing, and drinking.

Benjy, who idolizes Swann, is given the responsibility to keep Swann on track, off of alcohol, away from women, and on time for the show.  Not an easy task.

What follows in the week leading up to the show is that Benjy realizes celebrities are just as human as anyone else; Swann realizes the responsibility that comes with being a celebrity.

Written by Norman Steinberg and Dennis Palumbo, My Favorite Year sparkles with sharp dialogue that feels like it was written by the team of Comedy Calvacade writers.  In addition to O'Toole's "movie star” line above, a classic exchange between the actor and legendary comedienne Selma Diamond defines comedy gold.

O'Toole rightfully received an Oscar nomination for his performance, constantly walking a tightrope of comedy and tragedy throughout the film.  Linn-Baker has the thankless task of being O'Toole's straight-man but brings to it such emotion and empathy as the wide-eyed surrogate for all star-struck movie fans.

The supporting cast of My Favorite Year is full of MVPs.  Joseph Bologna is pompously perfect as King Kaiser, the show's star, and Bill Macy, Anne DeSalvo, and Basil Hoffman add a great backdrop as a trio of disparate writers on Comedy Calvacade.

But, stealing the show is Lanie Kazan as Benjy's mom, Belle, and Lou Jacobi as his Uncle Morty.  The scene in My Favorite Year, where Benjy takes Swann to Brooklyn to meet his family, ranks as one of film's greatest and most hysterical "clash of cultures" scenes.  Belle calls Allan "Swanee," to which Benjy declares, "Ma! He's an actor, not a river!"  

Actor Richard Benjamin made his directorial debut with My Favorite Year. As a great comic himself, he shows a deft hand with the film's funnier scenes and allows the film its quieter moments of character development and even pathos.

Debuting on October 8, 1982, My Favorite Year was a big enough of a hit and long remembered enough to inspire a popular Broadway musical version that debuted in 1992.

It's no wonder that My Favorite Year was able to provide such rich inspiration.  The film is that rare comedy that allows us to see a little bit of ourselves and our world and delivers an insightful message.

As Alan develops a case of stage fright around live TV, Benjy pleads with him: "...don't tell me this is you life-size!  I can't use you life-size!  I need Alan Swanns as big as I can get them!"

My Favorite Year speaks to the frailty of our celebrities and how much we all “need” our celebrities.

True in 1954.  True today.

 

 

Setting the Bar High: The 40th Anniversary of "Cheers"

by Michael Lyons

 

"Every day, during happy hour, they sit and drink and solve problems - their own, the world's - it doesn't matter much.  And while they're at it, they come up with some of the funniest lines to hit the small screen this season." - The Hollywood Reporter review of Cheers, October 19, 1982.

 

It seems that the staff of The Hollywood Reporter knew at the outset what we all know now about Cheers. The bar "where everybody knows your name" made its TV debut forty years ago this fall and has earned its rightful place as one of television's most beloved and classic sitcoms.

The show was the brainchild of Glen and Les Charles and James Burrows, who sought to create an ensemble show around a workplace, a la The Mary Tyler Moore Show.  A tavern was chosen as the setting, using the real Bull & Finch Pub in Boston as the inspiration (and used the bar for the exterior shots).  The pub eventually was re-named Cheers, becoming a tremendous tourist attraction to this day.

It's more evidence of the popularity of Cheers and how audiences could relate to the characters on the show.  From recovering alcoholic, womanizing, former Red Sox pitcher Sam Malone (Ted Danson) to wanna-be intellectual waitress Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) and from innocent philosopher Coach (Nicholas Colasanto) to tough-as-nails veteran waitress Carla (Rhea Perlman), the personalities of the bar staff ran the gamut.  And, with the regulars like the accountant Norm (George Wendt), mailman and know-it-all Cliff (John Ratzenberger), and snobbish psychiatrist Frasier (Kelsey Grammer), we could see ourselves or someone we knew.

Cheers managed to do what few sitcoms could, becoming better and funnier as cast members changed. After Calasanto sadly passed away in 1985, Woody Harrelson joined the cast as Woody, segueing nicely with the other characters.  Long eventually left the show in 1987, replaced by Kirstie Alley as Rebecca, a hilariously opportunistic manager of Cheers. She proved a nice alternative to Long's prim turn as Diane.

From 1982-1993, Cheers would dominate ratings, eventually becoming the cornerstone of NBC's "Must See TV" line-up on Thursday nights.  For those ten seasons, audiences soaked up Diane and Sam's on again/off again-will they/won't they relationship, the entire bar shouting "Norm!" as he would enter, as well as his sharp responses ("What would you say to a beer, Norm?" Coach asked him.  "Going down?" was his response), and, of course, both Coach and Woody's earnest personalities.

The theme song, performed by Gary Portnoy, became a Top 40 hit and an anthem to make anyone feel welcome.

When the final episode, entitled "One for the Road," aired on May 20, 1993, it was watched by 42.4 million viewers, making it the most watched show of the year.

Seinfeld and Friends would pick up the mantle of "Must See" on NBC for the remainder of the 90s. Still, Cheers would remain the last show of the pre-VCR generation, when popular shows were "appointment TV," where viewers cleared the calendars to watch the first-run show and didn't dare risk the chance of having to wait for a summer rerun.

Writing about the Cheers finale in Entertainment Weekly, writer A.J. Jacobs called it "classy as a flute of Cristal."

The same could be said of the entire series.

Happy 40th anniversary, and cheers to Cheers!

 

Sources:

hollywoodreporter.com

wikipedia.com

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A Job Well Done: Movie Quotes About Work, In Honor of Labor Day

 by Michael Lyons    

Oh sure, it's "summer's last gasp."  That's what Labor Day weekend has come to be known as.  That last chance to head to the beach, jump into the pool and fire up the bar-b-que before the leaves start falling and Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas" plays on repeat.

However, with all this, we may forget that Labor Day was initiated, as Wikipedia tells us, "...to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States."

As this day is all about celebrating the hard work done each day and also a time to relax, it's the perfect opportunity to celebrate movies that have celebrated this work.

What follows are just some of the many quotes from some of the many movies that have shed light on our workplace and workforce.  Here they are in all of their humor, cynicism, and inspiration:

 "I am your employee, and, as such, I expect to be treated equally, with a little dignity and a little respect!"

 - Violet (Lily Tomlin), 9 to 5 (1980).

"First rule of leadership: everything is your fault."

 - Hopper (Kevin Spacey), A Bug's Life (1998).

"Normally, it takes years to work your way up to the twenty-seventh floor.  But it only takes thirty seconds to be out on the street again."

 - J.D. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray), The Apartment (1960).

"Never burn bridges.  Today's junior prick, tomorrow's senior partner."

 - Katherine (Sigourney Weaver), Working Girl, 1988.

"Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computer screens all day, filling out useless forms and listening to eight different bosses drone on about mission statements."

 - Peter (Ron Livingston), Office Space, 1999.

"So you got a job, where you play with all of these toys?"

"Yup!"

"And, they're gonna pay you for that?"!?"

"Yup!"

"SUCKERS!"

 - Josh (Tom Hanks) and Billy (Jared Ruston), Big, 1988.

"Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about...they do most of the working and paying and living in this community.  Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath?"

 - George (Jimmy Stewart), It's a Wonderful Life, 1946.

"Hey, I don't have all of the answers.  In life, to be honest, I failed as much as I have succeeded.  But I love my wife.  I love my life.  And I wish you my kind of success."

 - Dicky Fox (Jared Jussim), Jerry Maguire, 1996.

 

So, this weekend, as the sun sets on another summer, take the time to enjoy one of these, or one of the many other, films that celebrate our jobs, our dreams, and our hard work.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

 

 

Sources:

IMDb

Wikipedia

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