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87-496: Barry Bostwick , Red Buttons , Art Carney and Eli Wallach appear in both segments, with Harry Hamlin , Barbara Harris and Ann Reinking featured in one each. The script was written by Larry Gelbart and Sheldon Keller . The film is introduced by George "The Burns" Burns , who tells viewers that they are about to see an old-style double feature . In the old days, he explains, movies were in black-and-white except sometimes "when they sang it came out in color." Joey Popchik,

174-972: A Russian -born British media proprietor and impresario . Originally a dancer, and later a talent agent , Grade's interest in television production began in 1954 when he founded the Incorporated Television Company (ITC; commonly known as ITC Entertainment) to distribute programmes, and following the success of The Adventures of Robin Hood decided to focus on bringing them to the American market. Grade had some success in this field with such series as Gerry Anderson 's many Supermarionation series such as Thunderbirds , Patrick McGoohan 's The Prisoner , and Jim Henson 's The Muppet Show . Later, Grade invested in feature film production, but several expensive box-office failures caused him to lose control of ITC, and ultimately resulted in

261-565: A trouser-presser while his three sons (Grade and his younger brothers, Bernard (later Bernard Delfont ) and Leslie ) attended the Rochelle Street Elementary School near Shoreditch , where Yiddish was spoken by 90% of the pupils. For two years the Winogradskys lived in rented rooms at the north end of Brick Lane, before moving to the nearby Boundary Estate . At the age of 15, Grade became an agent for

348-472: A beating in the first four rounds. Near the start of the fifth round, when he hears about his sister having gotten married in New Jersey and seeming happy with her new husband, decides to go all out for the round in fighting. Joey wins the fight with a tremendous round of blows. Malloy, having put the pieces together, tries to get Joey away from the angry Marlow (who bet all his money against him), but Malloy

435-505: A boxer to raise the money to have her cured, complete with a handshake deal with Malloy (rather than a contract) with a guy named Peanuts as his second in the ring while a first fight is set up in quick time. Within a couple of months and over two dozen victories but a middling amount of money made, Joey wants to fight at the prominent venue of all in the Madison Square Garden . Vince Marlow, a crooked rival of Malloy, gets him

522-543: A clothing company, and shortly afterwards started his own business. In 1926, he was declared Charleston Champion of the World at a dancing competition at the Royal Albert Hall . Fred Astaire was one of the judges. Grade subsequently became a professional dancer going by the name Louis Grad; he changed this name to Lew Grade, which came from a Paris reporter's typing error that Grade liked and decided to keep. He

609-510: A connection with Grade until Grade lost control of his companies in 1982. In the mid-1970s, Grade approached American puppeteer Jim Henson , who was in need of assistance for his latest television project. Henson wanted to create a new variety show starring his Muppet characters, but had been dismissed by American networks on account of his contributions to children's programmes such as Sesame Street (1969–present). CBS came close to agreeing to broadcast The Muppet Show , but only if it

696-690: A consortium that included impresarios Val Parnell and Prince Littler, the Incorporated Television Programme Company (ITP), which soon changed its name to Incorporated Television Company (ITC; also known as ITC Entertainment), was formed. ITC's bid to the Independent Television Authority (ITA) was rejected on the grounds of its conflict of interest from its prominence and involvement in artist management. The Associated Broadcasting Development Company (ABD) had gained ITA approval for both

783-754: A disease Bostwick had in real life. In 2008, he appeared in an episode of TV series Ugly Betty as an attorney to the Meade family. In 2007, Bostwick gained a recurring role, as Grandpa Clyde Flynn on the animated television series, Phineas and Ferb . Bostwick is also the spokesperson for Optimum Voice . In June 2009, he played Father Jimmy, the ineffective exorcist in the independent horror comedy The Selling , written by Gabriel Diani and directed by Emily Lou. Other television credits include guest appearances in Charlie's Angels , Hawaii Five-O , The Golden Palace , Grace Under Fire , and Las Vegas . Bostwick

870-701: A double-whammy spoof on the old movie-type movies of 40 years ago. It carries off this risky assignment with such bouncing style that you are hugging yourself with glee at every hokey scene and every luscious line of dopey dialogue. It amounts to a paste-up of specimens from 1930s Warner Brothers movies not the actual footage, but adroitly skewed museum-replicas of the ideas, attitudes, characters, stories and settings of that studio-factory's output, which kept myriad Depression-era filmgoers happily entertained." Terry Lawson of The Journal-Herald in Dayton, Ohio , called it "a hilarious, loving tribute to 1930s film fare, particularly

957-549: A fight first in Hollywood while Popchik tries to make sure that Malloy never leaves his corner. Along the way, he gets seduced by fame and fortune. He finds that his sister has taken a liking to a gangster in Johnny Danko near to Marlow, and he reacts badly to seeing them together at first. Marlow, rejected by Popchik when he comes back to his senses, advises him to take a dive when it comes to the championship fight. He takes

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1044-552: A flood of fairy tales about shoe-shine boys becoming stars" and Colin Bennett of The Age in Melbourne called it "a lot of innocent nostalgic fun". Not everyone praised it, however. Rex Reed said it was "the latest in a long and boring series of remakes", and added that "all they've proved is that they can make old movies that are just as dumb as they made them 40 years ago; in their attempts at parody, they've ended up creating

1131-406: A grandfatherly fight manager; a dandified musical comedy producer; an Oil Can Harry gangster; an Oil Can Harry World War I flying ace; a slightly punchy prize-fight corner man; Pop, the stage door watchman; a heart-as-pure-as-gold-librarian and a sultry, temperamental, but fading Broadway star. It also helps, in my opinion, to have Ann Reinking glittering-up the place. This is her first movie part, and

1218-535: A long, long time ago as a lost tribe in California and has ended up as a theatrical performing company in New York City." In 1970, Bostwick was a member of a pop band called The Klowns, assembled and promoted by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus , whose members performed wearing stylized clown makeup and costumes. Their sole album, released in 1970, was produced by Jeff Barry , and generated

1305-415: A minor Billboard hit single, "Lady Love." Bostwick replaced C.C. Courtney in the musical Salvation . His next stage appearance was in the 1971 rock opera Soon , which closed after three performances. In 1972, Bostwick originated the role of bad boy Danny Zuko in the stage production of Grease , earning a Tony Award nomination for his performance. This was followed by a voice role as Terr in

1392-568: A music publishing division with ATV Music and gained a half interest in Pye Records in 1959; later Pye became a wholly owned subsidiary. Grade was deputy managing director of ATV under Val Parnell until 1962, when he became managing director having contrived to have the board oust Parnell. Grade soon decided that the Midlands deserved its own regular soap opera as a rival to Coronation Street . Crossroads , much derided but ultimately

1479-497: A newsreel used to open the film was dropped, along with a trailer for a fake movie. A new ending was shot for "Dynamite Hands," which took one day. A prologue was added starring George Burns, in which Burns explained what double features were. The film premiered at the Sutton Theatre in New York City on November 22, 1978. In the theatrical release, as George Burns leads us to expect in the film's prologue, "Dynamite Hands" and

1566-689: A partnership with his brother Leslie (Lew and Leslie Grade Ltd., or the Grade Organisation). That year, the brothers travelled in the United States, where they developed their entertainment interests. His connections included, among others, Bob Hope and Judy Garland , who performed in Britain for the first time. The brothers became the main bookers of artists for the London Palladium in 1948, then managed by Val Parnell for

1653-553: A recurring role as Roger Frank on the sitcom Cougar Town which starred Courteney Cox . In season three of the show, we learn that Bostwick's character has become mayor of the town the comedy is set in, Gulf Haven. In 2015, he portrayed Collin Winthrop, father of the Gig Harbor Killer, in the season-ending CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode "The End Game." He has also had a return to cult musical horror films in

1740-421: A recurring role between 2004 and 2007 on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit . He has also had leading roles in various mini-series, including George Washington , its sequel George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation , Scruples , A Woman of Substance , War and Remembrance , and Till We Meet Again . Bostwick served as host of the nationally televised annual Capitol Fourth celebration on

1827-610: A series of partnerships and mergers. In 1982, he lost control of ACC to Robert Holmes à Court , who dismissed him and all his staff. Grade was brought in by American producer Norman Lear in June 1982 to head the London division of Embassy Communications International , to be involved in the production and distribution of films and television programmes. Subsequently, he became a producer of Andrew Lloyd Webber 's musical Starlight Express . After Coca-Cola had bought Embassy, he became

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1914-476: A serious challenge to Granada's series in the ratings, began its initial quarter century run in November 1964. ITC's success continued and had many internationally successful TV series, leading Howard Thomas , managing director of ABC Weekend TV , to complain that Grade distributed programming for " Birmingham, Alabama , rather than Birmingham , England". These series included The Saint (1962–1969), which

2001-530: A son Brian Bostwick and a daughter Chelsea Bostwick. In 1997, Bostwick was diagnosed with prostate cancer , and had his prostate removed in July of that year. In 2004, he won the Gilda Radner Courage Award from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center . Lew Grade Lew Grade, Baron Grade , OStJ (born Lev Winogradsky ; 25 December 1906 – 13 December 1998) was

2088-567: A studio executive named "Lew Lord" in the first film. One domestic British film made by the ITC subsidiary Black Lion Films, The Long Good Friday (1980) was purchased and released by HandMade Films after Grade and his company had effectively disowned it for, in Grade's reputed opinion, seeming to be sympathetic to the IRA . Grade's backing of an expensive "all-star" flop was to prove decisive. Of Raise

2175-520: A while, but eventually trotted out too much clumsy slapstick. "Movie Movie" gallops along beautifully; most brilliantly, the creators know when to quit. Wilted cliches becomes crisp quips, especially enhanced by the straight delivery of the cast." Corbin Patrick of The Indianapolis Star said that "the clever scripts as written by Larry Gelbart and Sheldon Keller do not hold these memory gems up to ridicule. They are treated fondly, and in good humor. And

2262-472: A young man from a poor family, dreams of one day becoming a lawyer, even attending night school while selling food on the side. However, his sister is losing her eyesight and the only doctor who could possibly cure her costs around $ 25,000. This occurs after he encounters a gruff boxing manager in Gloves Malloy, who gave him a business card after he sees Joey pop an arrogant contender. As such, he becomes

2349-490: Is affectionately kid '30s melodrama in the same way Brooks kidded '30s horror films in Young Frankenstein . Movie, Movie is full of in-jokes about '30s tear-jerkers. You will spend half your time looking for and laughing at the cliches." Tom McElfresh of The Cincinnati Enquirer called it "a film that carefully, affectionately, kids the socks off "those movies they used to make" back in the '30s. But—and here's

2436-410: Is at heart a genius songwriter, writes an entirely new show in a couple of days. Baxter's star, Isobel Stuart, is a spoiled alcoholic actress who almost destroys the entire production with her drunkenness and reckless spending of the show's money. At one point, the production requires $ 36,000 to save the show from being closed. Miraculously, Baxter receives a check from a mysterious benefactor who wants

2523-443: Is found unconscious on her dressing room floor, passed out from drunkenness. Baxter fires her. Without a leading lady, Baxter's Beauties 1933 appears ready to close before it opens. Luckily, Dick Cummings is there to tell Baxter that Kitty knows all of the songs and choreography, and that after being fired, she returned to New Rochelle. Baxter sends for her. Trixie, a chorusgirl and Kitty's former roommate, tells Baxter that Kitty

2610-461: Is shot and dies. Joey, so that "poetic justice could be served," races through law school to become the prosecutor that could prosecute Marlow. The jury, evidently moved with no need for deliberation, find Marlow guilty. After the trial ends, his sister, now cured, announces her pregnancy while Joey credits his friends in his corner as "a man can move mountains with his bare heart." Legendary theatrical producer Spats Baxter learns he's dying. To support

2697-446: Is the mysterious benefactor, having saved the $ 36,000 from checks she received throughout childhood from an unknown source. Baxter realizes that Kitty is his long lost child, and when she arrives, he claims her as his daughter. Kitty and the company perform joyfully, and Kitty becomes a star. As the curtain falls, a dying Baxter tells her "One minute you're standing in the wings, the next minute you're wearing 'em." The film originally

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2784-448: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote that it "comes dangerously close to being an overdose of schmaltz. But that's the beauty of this delightfully wacky takeoff of a 1930's double feature, it never quite reaches the point of 'enough, enough.' Of course it helps to have George C. Scott, Eli Wallach, Art Carney, Red Buttons and Trish Van Devere in your repertory company, playing such diverse roles as

2871-523: The ABC Television Network in the United States. This received positive reviews and seven Emmy Awards , including the title of 'Best Variety Series'. The action series The Protectors (1972–74) and The Persuaders! (1971–72), were not especially successful. Gerry Anderson moved to live action science fiction shows UFO (1969–71) and Space: 1999 (1975–77). After Space: 1999 , Anderson made no new series for ITC, but maintained

2958-663: The Moss Empires Group owned by the family of Prince Littler . The agency became the most successful in the UK and in 1967 it was acquired by EMI for $ 21 million with Grade and his two brothers joining the EMI board. In 1954, Grade was contacted by the manager of singer Jo Stafford , Mike Nidorf, who notified him of an advertisement in The Times inviting franchise bids for the new, commercial ITV network. Assembling

3045-645: The National Mall in Washington, D.C. for eight years. Bostwick was also seen in a Pepsi Twist commercial. In the Cold Case episode "Creatures of the Night," in which he is the main suspect, the theme of the episode revolves around The Rocky Horror Picture Show , which is among his best-known performances to date. In 2003, Bostwick appeared on Scrubs as a patient diagnosed with prostate cancer ,

3132-507: The comedy horror film Helen Keller vs. Nightwolves . In 2020, Bostwick executive produced and starred in the short film Molly Robber as Ron Baker, which won an Audience Award at the 2020 Austin Film Festival and was an official selection at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival . Bostwick married Stacey Nelkin in 1987, and they were divorced in 1991. He married his second wife Sherri Ellen Jensen in 1993; they have two children,

3219-600: The 1930s. That's why The Gazette has asked me to come out of retirement and tell you all about it." Internationally, Alexander Walker of the London Evening Standard called it "the happiest package deal on the current screen" while John Lapsley of the Sydney Sun-Herald called it "an appreciative send-up of films the way they were in 1933 when Hollywood's answer to the Depression was

3306-463: The American representative of Lew Grade . Both Starger and Grade loved the script; Grade had been a backer of Gelbart's Sly Fox and he agreed to finance Double Feature . The budget was $ 6 million. Stanley Donen agreed to direct. Filming started in October 1977. It was decided to shoot the film using color stock that could be printed in black-and-white to give the filmmakers the option of showing

3393-887: The English-dubbed version of Fantastic Planet in 1973. He later starred with Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), portraying Brad Majors. He also won a Tony Award for his performance in the 1977 musical The Robber Bridegroom . In 1981, Bostwick starred in the TV series adaptation of the 1978 film Foul Play , with his role modeled after Chevy Chase 's and co-star Deborah Raffin in Goldie Hawn 's part. The following year, he starred in Megaforce . Bostwick starred, along with Carl Weintraub , as Rick Armstrong in

3480-618: The Hillbarn Theatre stage now located in Foster City, and worked for a time as a circus performer. He also attended NYU's Graduate Acting Program , graduating in 1968. Bostwick was a member of First National Nothing, who released one album, 1970's "If You Sit Real Still and Hold My Hand, You Will Hear Absolutely Nothing." They are described on the album as "A rock-theater commune made up of musicians, actors, dancers, singers, designers, writers, composers, and friends that started

3567-538: The London weekend and Midlands weekday contracts, but was undercapitalised; Grade's consortium joined with the ABD to form what became Associated Television (ATV). Reflecting his background in variety, Grade's favourite show and a success for the new company was Sunday Night at the London Palladium (1955–1967, 1973–1974), one of the most popular programmes on British television in its day. Grade did not avoid

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3654-466: The Pink Panther franchise as a TV series, an option Edwards was not keen on, but he did work on developing scripts. Eventually, he persuaded Grade to finance the property as a feature film project with he and Peter Sellers waiving their fees in return for a profit-sharing arrangement. Both men's careers had not been prospering for a few years. Only Grade's second big budget feature, ITC produced

3741-578: The Titanic (1980), an adaptation of the novel by Clive Cussler , Grade himself observed that "It would have been cheaper to lower the Atlantic ". The film was panned by critics and, after costing $ 36 million, returned only $ 8 million in rentals. This film along with other expensive box office failures – including Saturn 3 (1980) and The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981) – marked

3828-565: The United States. In 1962, AP Films became a subsidiary of ITC. Co-founded by Gerry Anderson , AP Films produced two marionette puppet (" Supermarionation ") series for children during the 1960s: Thunderbirds (1965–1966) and (as Century 21) Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967–1968). After a screening of the pilot for Thunderbirds (" Trapped in the Sky ", 1964), Grade insisted that

3915-533: The Warner Bros. studio in the ’30s." Four reviews of the film are listed on Rotten Tomatoes , which does not have a sufficient score on the film as of 2023. Lew Grade liked the movie so much that he commissioned a sequel. In October 1978, he said this would be called Movie Movie Two and would be written by Gelbart and Keller and once more directed by Donen. Gelbart wrote a script which is among his papers at UCLA, but it went unproduced. The movie failed at

4002-476: The box office. Grade blamed poor distribution from Warner Bros. This contributed to Grade deciding to help set up his own distribution company, Associated Film Distribution , with ultimately disastrous financial consequences for him and his company. Some home video editions (like the 1980 Magnetic Video Corporation edition) featured the original color version of "Dynamite Hands" that was printed on black-and-white film stock during its theatrical release. The film

4089-445: The child he never knew after he dies, Baxter plans to create one last Broadway smash, Baxter's Beauties of 1933. He has never been able to face his child because his past alcoholism led to the death of his wife in a car crash. Instead of raising her as a single father,, he sent her anonymous checks in the mail. Kitty Simpson, a young ingenue with dreams of performing on Broadway, arrives to audition. Baxter's accountant, Dick Cummings,

4176-504: The dancing sensation of the musical, ' Chicago ,' plays a steamy-blonde movie vamp the equal of Mae West or Jean Harlow." Bruce McCabe of The Boston Globe called the film "first-rate fun" and wrote that it "succeeds as one movie because each movie within it works. They work because Stanley Donen, the producer and director, brought many MGM musicals to the screen." George Anderson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said it

4263-538: The disestablishment of ATV after it lost its ITV franchise. Grade was born in Tokmak , Berdyansky Uyezd , Taurida Governorate , Russian Empire (now Ukraine ), to Isaak and Olga Winogradsky. In 1912, when Grade was five years old, his Jewish family escaped the pogroms by emigrating from Odessa , via Berlin to London and resettled on Brick Lane near Shoreditch in the East End of London . Isaak worked as

4350-412: The efficiency and manic, upbeat innocence of those Depression pictures. This has to do with more than screen styles—wacky montages and attention-getting wipes and fades, which anyone can imitate. The movie's spirits are high even when its eyes are filled with tears. The film makers genuinely like their models." Canby later ranked it as the fourth-best film of 1978, writing: Forget the title—it's awful—but

4437-441: The end of Grade's involvement in major film production. Despite this, several of the most critically acclaimed films produced by Grade were released after the failure of Raise the Titanic : these included On Golden Pond (1981) and Sophie's Choice (1982), both winners of Academy Awards , as well as The Dark Crystal (1982), which was Jim Henson's final project created in association with ITC. In 1980, Grade's standing in

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4524-496: The episodes be lengthened to fill a one-hour slot. Unusually for children's television series , these colour programmes were generously budgeted for the time (Grade paid £22,000 per episode), and were successfully repeated internationally. In 1966, Grade's companies were re-organised again to form the Associated Communications Corporation (ACC). That year, The Sunday Times investigated

4611-455: The eventual film The Return of the Pink Panther (1975), while United Artists (UA), who had earlier rejected the project themselves, gained distribution rights and a 5% share of the profits. Distribution in other countries was undertaken by ITC. The Return of the Pink Panther was a commercially successful release. It also prompted Grade to move into the film industry, where he had success with Farewell My Lovely (1975). Other films of

4698-471: The exuberant affection he brings to the task." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film a three-and-a-half star rating, observing that it was "the idea of the very clever Larry Gelbart, who has written a number of M*A*S*H episodes and the comedy hit Oh, God! . Gelbart worked with Mel Brooks on the old Sid Caesar Your Show of Shows , and what Gelbart has done with Movie, Movie

4785-411: The film in black-and-white or color. The title was changed to Movie Movie because it was felt Double Feature might be confusing. There were plans to include a Flash Gordon -type serial, but this was not filmed. George C. Scott said "Gelbart is such a good writer and the picture was so much fun I was almost ashamed to take the money." The film was previewed extensively. As a result of the preview,

4872-578: The film, Stanley Donen's remembrance of double‐features past, is a delight, composed of parodies of two 30's‐style pictures: a boxing melodrama called “Dynamite Hands” and a backstage musical, “Baxter's Beauties of 1933,” which means it would have come out in 1932. George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere star in both films and receive super support from Barry Bostwick, Barbara Harris, Eli Wallach, Ann Reinking, Rebecca York, Art Carney and Kathleen Beller. The script, which takes particular delight in scrambled language (people are inclined to say things like “I heard it in

4959-583: The films that originated at Warner Brothers' studios. And the two hours you spend laughing your way through Movie Movie may be the best time you've had at a movie house since Animal House ." Dave Chenowith of the Montreal Gazette wrote his review of the film under the pseudonym of Louella Hopper , saying that "it's so good to see a movie that knows what entertainment is all about—good, clean fun like we used to see when Jack Warner and that nice Mr. Goldfish were still alive—not like so much of

5046-484: The form of Terrance Zdunich 's Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival , which is a sequel to the 2012 short film The Devil's Carnival , of which he was not previously a cast member, being a newcomer to the franchise. He starred in Darren Lynn Bousman 's segment of the anthology film Tales of Halloween , which was his second time acting under Bousman after Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival , and appeared in

5133-537: The head of a new venture, the Grade Company, in 1985, and was elected a vice-president of the Loews Group chain of cinemas in the United States. The Grade Company produced adaptations for television of works by novelist Dame Barbara Cartland ; he owned the rights to 450 of her romances. By the early to mid-1990s, Grade had returned to ITC to head the company one final time until his death in 1998. Grade

5220-477: The interconnected nature of the companies controlled by Grade and his two brothers, Bernard Delfont and Leslie Grade. Their firms, effectively amounting to a "cartel", were agents for most of the major talents in acting as well as entertainment and controlled theatres in both London and the rest of the UK and ATV was a major provider of televised entertainment. The following year, ATV lost its London franchise to what would become London Weekend Television (LWT); at

5307-623: The jazz group Quintette du Hot Club de France . Following the beginning of the Second World War in 1939, Grade became involved in arranging entertainment for soldiers in Harrogate , and later joined the British Army . He was discharged after two years when an old problem with swelling of the knees , which had earlier ended his dancing career, recurred. In 1945, the arrangement with Collins having been terminated, Grade formed

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5394-401: The mass media industry was damaged by two events: the poor reception for Raise the Titanic , and a decision that, effective from 1 January 1982 ATV Midlands would be permitted to keep its licence only on the condition that it terminate its association with Grade and ITC (ultimately leading to its re-branding as Central Television ). Grade resigned his position in the company while it underwent

5481-683: The mock film trailer (for Zero Hour , a flying-ace movie set in World War I) were in black-and-white, and the musical "Baxter's Beauties of 1933" was in color. The film received generally positive reviews upon its release between November 1978 and February 1979. Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times called the film "a whizbang and hugely enjoyable exercise in nostalgia for the kind of all-singing, all-talking, all-dancing, all-corny movies that everybody says nobody makes any more. It celebrates, with accuracy, skill and warm affection,

5568-403: The movie itself turns out to be." Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote that "it seems so effortlessly funny that I suspect that the real intelligence and discipline that guide the project will be overlooked. Mr. Gelbart and Mr. Keller not only appreciate the comic uses of the mixed metaphor—one that is driven into the ground to the bursting point—but, more importantly, they have recreated

5655-482: The other end of the cultural spectrum and in 1958 Sir Kenneth Clark began to talk about the history of art on television. Meanwhile, Grade committed the funds for what would become the first trans-Atlantic success of the ITP subsidiary: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955–1960), commissioned by UK-based American producer Hannah Weinstein . ITC became a wholly owned ATV subsidiary in 1957, That same year ATV established

5742-415: The papers”), is by Larry Gelbart and Sheldon Keller. Desmond Ryan of The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that the film "arrives at a time when much of what passes for comedy on the screen can be dismissed as parodies lost. That it is infinitely superior to the lame thrusts of such films as The Cheap Detective and The World's Greatest Lover is a tribute to both [Stanley Donen's] professional skills and

5829-633: The passage of time and newspaper headlines shouting advancements of plot will get nostalgia's special pleasure out of 'Movie, Movie.' Those who have never seen that kind of montage, or the use of the 'iris' to mark scene changes, or even the obligatory overhead 'kaleidoscope' shot of a Busby Berkeley production number, will find the film educational as well as entertaining." Donna Chernin of The Plain Dealer remarked that "recent comic tributes to bygone film genres (specifically Mel Brooks ' ' Young Frankenstein ' and ' Silent Movie ') cantered along humorously for

5916-592: The period made with Grade's involvement include the co-releases The Boys From Brazil (1978) with 20th Century Fox and Movie Movie (also 1978) with Warner Bros . He was a producer on the Ingmar Bergman films Autumn Sonata (1978) and From the Life of the Marionettes (1980). Grade was executive producer of The Muppet Movie (1979) and The Great Muppet Caper (1981); Orson Welles portrayed

6003-549: The playing by George Scott. Trish Van Devere and others, most of whom appear in both segments, is beautiful." David Mannweiler of The Indianapolis News said that "if this inviting spoof of the highly stylized Hollywood formula films of the 1930s is seen in the right frame of mind, it qualifies as the funniest movie of 1978, the year in which it was released. It certainly is much more sophisticated and energetic than recent parodies of "old" films by Mel Brooks (' Silent Movie ') or Neil Simon (' The Cheap Detective ')." John M. McGuire of

6090-451: The plotty and propulsive film delights a later generation speaks of fervently as real, by God, movie movies, whence the title. The writers, Larry Gelbart and Sheldon Keller, have concocted a whole double feature: a fight film in period black and white and a musical in all the colors of a hyped-up rainbow, the two digest-sized movies linked by one of those hyperthyroid previews of coming attractions that are still, and they often were, better than

6177-537: The role of Danny Zuko in the original production of Grease . Bostwick was born February 24, 1945, in San Mateo, California . He is the son of Elizabeth "Betty" (née Defendorf), a housewife, and Henry "Bud" Bostwick, a city planner and actor. His only sibling, older brother Henry "Pete" Bostwick, died at the age of 32 in a car accident on July 20, 1973. Bostwick attended San Diego's United States International University in 1967, majoring in acting, got his start on

6264-566: The same thing they're sending up." Clyde Gilmour of the Toronto Star wrote that "George Burns introduces the film (at the Uptown 3 ) in a prologue obviously tacked on at the last minute—and the famous old funnyman doesn't say anything funny. True enough, there are some laughs in what follows. For me, however, there are not nearly enough of them in this fond lampoon of the sorts of movies that were being cranked out on an assembly-line basis at

6351-670: The same time, however, ATV's Midlands franchise was expanded to run throughout the week from July 1968. Through ATV Music, Grade acquired Northern Songs , gaining control of the Lennon–McCartney song catalogue. Foreign sales remained strong for a time (valued at $ 30 million in 1970) and the ACC received the Queen's Awards for Export in both 1967 and 1969. Some of the 1970s distributions performed poorly: these included The Julie Andrews Hour (1972–73), which aired for only one season on

6438-526: The screen in 1976 and ensuring its success; it ran until 1981. Grade's other accomplishments in television included the mini-series Jesus of Nazareth (1977), which was successfully sold to the American market and secured a record-breaking $ 12 million in revenue. Several years in preparation, the deal with the Italian broadcaster RAI and director Franco Zeffirelli had been announced three years previously. Grade approached Blake Edwards to revive

6525-733: The sentimental film fare of the 1930s, could be expected to fall on its film can in the cynical Seventies. But all I can say is I enjoyed it." William Mootz of The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky , wrote that it "happily recalls the innocent pleasures of going to the Bijou back in the 1930s, when talkies were young and so was Hollywood. It floated blithely Into the Showcase Cinemas [on January 26, 1979] to brighten this generally sad-sack movie season." Don Morrison of The Minneapolis Star called it "an absolutely delectable movie,

6612-461: The short-lived ABC sitcom Dads during the 1986–87 season. From 1996 to 2002, Bostwick portrayed Randall Winston, the mayor of New York City in the sitcom Spin City opposite Michael J. Fox and his successor, Charlie Sheen . In 2006, Bostwick replaced Peter Scolari as Mr. Tyler, the father of Amanda Bynes 's and Jennie Garth 's lead characters, on What I Like About You . Bostwick had

6699-418: The show to go on. Isobel, who has been enticing songwriter Cummings with her feminine wiles, see him kissing young Kitty Simpson backstage. In a jealous rage, Isobel tells Baxter to fire Simpson, or she will not perform in the show. With opening night in a few days, Baxter acquiesces to Isobel's demands. Despite getting all of her demands met, two hours before the curtain is to rise on opening night, Isobel

6786-576: The so-called 'hard-hitting' violence and dirt the studios shovel out today. (Remember what that poor Sen. McCarthy once told me in the MGM cafeteria: 'A cynic is just a Commie who wants to be rich.' Wasn't that the truth. . .) Well, Movie Movie is something different. Director Stanley Donen (I remember him when he was still in flannels, directing Singin' in the Rain ) has made two movies in one and they're both beautiful takeoffs on those terrific Grade-B films of

6873-556: The wonder of all the wonders in it—he has managed, somehow, to sweetly preserve the genuinely entertaining, if genuinely corny, impact of the same old movies he's teasing." Susan Stark of the Detroit Free Press said that "Donen gives us satire of the sweetest kind, looking back with affection upon the kinds of stories the movies gave us 40 years ago, and also reverting to the style in which those screen stories were told. Those who remember montages with train wheels clacking out

6960-645: Was "like all the films you grew up with, yet it's like no other movie around right now. That seeming contradiction explains its special appeal." A critic for the San Francisco Chronicle called it "a delightful, funny, novel and loving parody of the melodramatic dramas and musicals of the '30s." Eleanor Ringel of The Atlanta Constitution called the parodies "dead-on". Perry Stewart of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram said that "a picture like Movie Movie , which lovingly satirizes

7047-685: Was a member of the Founding Council of the Rothermere American Institute at the University of Oxford . In 1969, Grade was knighted . He was created a life peer (as Baron Grade of Elstree in the County of Hertfordshire) on 22 June 1976. He reportedly chose Elstree as his territorial designation because ATV's main studios were based there. In 1978, Grade, then aged 71, told interviewer Mike Wallace on

7134-492: Was called Double Feature and was based on an idea of Larry Gelbart. He pitched the project in 1975 and was successful at Universal. He says it took him and co-writer Sheldon Keller six weeks to write the film and six months to get paid. In June 1976, Universal announced Gelbart would write, direct, and produce the film. The studio disliked the script and allowed Gelbart to take it elsewhere. Gelbart showed it to Martin Starger,

7221-536: Was during a syndicated block of its programming. After watching one of Henson's pilots and recalling a special made in one of his studios, Grade allowed Henson to realise his project in Britain (the series was recorded at the ATV Elstree Studios , later bought by the BBC, primarily used for EastEnders ) and distributed internationally by ITC. Grade's action was instrumental in bringing The Muppet Show to

7308-533: Was released on Blu-ray by Scorpion Releasing June 28, 2016. Barry Bostwick Barry Knapp Bostwick (born February 24, 1945) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Brad Majors in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and Mayor Randall Winston in the sitcom Spin City (1996–2002). Bostwick has also had considerable success in musical theatre , winning a Tony Award for his role in The Robber Bridegroom and performing

7395-526: Was signed as a dancer by Joe Collins (father of Jackie and Joan Collins ) in 1931. Decades later, the octogenarian Lord Grade once danced the Charleston at a party Arthur Ochs Sulzberger gave in New York. Around 1934, Grade went into partnership with Joe Collins and became a talent agent in their company Collins & Grade. Among their earliest clients were the harmonica player Larry Adler and

7482-543: Was sold to over 80 countries, and two featuring Patrick McGoohan : Danger Man (1960–1968) and The Prisoner (1967–1968). The series, exclusively thrillers, were normally used as summer replacements for American-made programmes until the mid-1960s. While many of Grade's series used American actors in lead roles ( The Baron and Man in a Suitcase , for example) it was those series which used an exclusively British cast, such as The Saint (and The Avengers , made by another ITV contractor), which were more successful in

7569-671: Was supposed to appear on the third season of Private Practice as "the Captain," a father of the Addison Montgomery character, but had to resign due to a scheduling conflict. In 2011, Bostwick portrayed a small-town sheriff in the John Landis –produced thriller Some Guy Who Kills People In October 2010, Bostwick briefly appeared in the Rocky Horror -themed Glee episode. From 2010 to 2014, Bostwick had

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