IMDb > The World's Greatest Lover (1977)

The World's Greatest Lover (1977) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
5.5/10   784 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
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Director:
Gene Wilder
Writer:
Gene Wilder (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for The World's Greatest Lover on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
15 February 1978 (France) more
Genre:
Comedy more
Tagline:
Go ahead - laugh!
Plot:
A neurotic baker travels to Hollywood to attend a talent search for an actor to rival the great Valentino. Although not an actor, through blind luck he succeeds - to a certain degree! | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
User Comments:
Needed to be tighter, but parts of it were excellent more (19 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Gene Wilder ... Rudy Valentine aka Rudy Hickman

Carol Kane ... Annie Hickman

Dom DeLuise ... Adolph Zitz
Fritz Feld ... Tomaso Abalone, Hotel Manager
Mark Silberman ... Cousin Buddy
Robert Ball ... Bald Man (as Robert E. Ball)
Randolph Dobbs ... Yes Man #1
Sandy Rovetta ... Woman Dancer
Hannah Dean ... Maid
Rita Conde ... Whore #1
Lupe Ontiveros ... Whore #2
Teda Bracci ... Whore #3
Elaine Everett ... Whore #4
Gustaf Unger ... Producer
Harry Gold ... Freddie the Runner
Poncie Ponce ... Pineapple
Frank O'Brien ... Yes Man #4

Mews Small ... Slave Girl #2 (as Marya Small)
Harriet Gibson ... Pastry Customer
Richard A. Roth ... Chico (as Richard Roth)
Norbert Schiller ... Captain
Peter Elbling ... Robert Drake
Federico Roberto ... Priest
Charles Knapp ... Bakery Foreman
George Memmoli ... Truck Driver
Pat Ast ... Bakery / Wardrobe Lady
Tracey Cohn ... Little Girl on Train
John Ponyman ... Singer with Megaphone
Patrick Regan ... Assistant Director
Skip E. Lowe ... First Wardrobe Man
Nora Boland ... Woman

Elya Baskin ... Actor with Bad Breath

David Levy ... Elevator Operator
Bunny Summers ... Mother on Train
Carson King ... Guard at Rainbow Studio
Pavla Ustinov ... Leading Lady

Alvin Hammer ... Second Wardrobe Man
Vincent Edward Vaccaro ... Legionnaire
Zooey Hall ... Gary, Finalist #1 (as David Z. Hall)
Susanna Van Haaren ... Greta Ga-Ga
Lydia Goya ... Singer in Jail
Speedy Zapata ... Mexican Sidekick
Gino Gottarelli ... Make-up Man
Al Wyatt Sr. ... Arab Wrangler

Kay Dingle ... Young Woman on Train

Nick Dimitri ... Boyfriend on Train
Carol Arthur ... Woman in Record Store

Candice Azzara ... Anne Calassandro (as Candy Azzara)
Carl Ballantine ... Uncle Harry
Stanley Brock ... Yes Man #2
Warren Burton ... Drag Queen
Matt Collins ... Rudolph Valentino

Lou Cutell ... Mr. Kipper, Bakery Manager

Danny DeVito ... Assistant Director
Richard Dimitri ... Tony Lassiter, Finalist #2
Josip Elic ... Headwaiter
Melissa Fellen ... Cousin Corrine
Ricky Fellen ... Cousin Max

James Gleason ... Room Clerk
Ronny Graham ... Director Dorsey

James Hong ... Sven, Yes Man #3
Michael Huddleston ... Barber
David Huddleston ... Bakery Owner
Richard Karron ... Bodyguard
Michael McManus ... Yes Man #5 (as Mike McManus)
Art Mendelli ... Jailor
Sidney Miller ... Man at the Table
Jorge Moreno ... Mexican Gangster
Jack Riley ... Projectionist
Billy Sands ... Guard
Rolfe Sedan ... Conductor
Florence Sundstrom ... Aunt Tillie

Sal Viscuso ... Assistant Director
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Arthur M. Braham ... Jail Guard (uncredited)

Debra Deliso ... Dancer (uncredited)
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Directed by
Gene Wilder 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Gene Wilder  writer

Produced by
Frank Baur .... associate producer
Christopher Greenbury .... co-producer (as Chris Greenbury)
Terence Marsh .... co-producer
Gene Wilder .... producer
 
Original Music by
John Morris 
 
Cinematography by
Gerald Hirschfeld 
 
Film Editing by
Anthony A. Pellegrino 
 
Production Design by
Terence Marsh 
 
Art Direction by
Steven P. Sardanis  (as Steve Sardanis)
 
Set Decoration by
John Franco Jr. 
 
Costume Design by
Ruth Myers 
 
Makeup Department
William Tuttle .... makeup artist (as Bob Tuttle)
 
Production Management
Frank Baur .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mel Dellar .... assistant director
Jack Frost Sanders .... second assistant director (as Jack Sanders)
 
Art Department
John Rozman .... set dresser
 
Sound Department
William Hartman .... sound effects editor
Theodore Soderberg .... sound re-recording mixer
Jack Solomon .... sound production mixer
Richard Sperber .... sound effects editor
 
Special Effects by
Logan Frazee .... special effects
Terry D. Frazee .... special effects (as Terry Frazee)
 
Stunts
Mickey Gilbert .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Curtis Foster .... lamp operator
Michael R. Marquette .... assistant camera
Owen Marsh .... camera operator
Jeffrey W. Petersen .... electrician
 
Editorial Department
Christopher Greenbury .... supervising editor (as Chris Greenbury)
 
Music Department
Ralph Burns .... orchestrator
Dan Wallin .... score mixer
Tommy Tedesco .... musician: guitar (uncredited)
 
Transportation Department
James Nordberg .... driver: makeup/hair
 
Other crew
Alan Johnson .... choreographer
Julia Tucker .... script supervisor
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
USA:89 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Iceland:L | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Sweden:11 | USA:PG
Filming Locations:
California, USA more
Company:
Jouer Limited more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Lupe Ontiveros' film debut. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: The "audition" record that Rudy listens to is obviously an LP running at 33 1/3 rpm. LPs would not be invented until the late 1940s. more
Quotes:
Annie Hickman: Rudy, what are we gonna do? They think you're a famous movie star. We can't pay for this. Oh, my god! Rudy, Rudy, did you see the bathroom? Rudy, there's seven towels in the bathroom. Rudy, Rudy, we can't afford this.
Rudy Valentine: Don't talk about money.
Annie Hickman: But, Rudy, we only have...
Rudy Valentine: My soul is on fire! Don't talk to me about money!
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Something to Scream About (2003) (V) more
Soundtrack:
You Oughta Be in Pictures more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful.
Needed to be tighter, but parts of it were excellent, 10 June 2003
Author: grouping from Denver, CO

I personally thought the film was too long, and had too many belabored or slowly timed gags. They needed to be more crisply and unselfconsciously performed to work.

The Abalone character was great, and his give and take with people was one of the better points. Still, to have the A-Baloney bit pounded into the ground didn't improve the humor. Too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing.

Same is true for the 'sex by numbers' bit. Clever, but needed tightening up.

This said, I'm usually a big fan of Wilder's work. This one just fell a bit flat for me.

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more (19 total)

Message Boards

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Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Favorite scene mda-11
Finally on DVD! badtzxo
I loved this movie chaosrainz
Exactly what year is this supposed to take place? bheck1
Happy Birthday to The Worlds Greatest Lover..... mda-11
Uncle Harry dave387
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