IMDb > Serial (1980)

Overview

User Rating:
6.5/10   441 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 13% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Bill Persky
Writers:
Cyra McFadden (novel)
Rich Eustis (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Serial on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 March 1980 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy more
Tagline:
"Honor thy wife, and everyone else's." more
Plot:
It's the end of the 70s. Hippies are assimilating, women are raising their consciousness, and men are becoming confused and ineffectual... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
User Comments:
One (make that more than one) funny movie--and ahead of its time! more (29 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (complete, awaiting verification)
Martin Mull ... Harvey Holroyd

Tuesday Weld ... Kate Linville Holroyd
Jennifer McAllister ... Joanie Holroyd
Sam Chew Jr. ... Bill
Sally Kellerman ... Martha
Anthony Battaglia ... Stokely
Bill Macy ... Sam Stone
Nita Talbot ... Angela Stone
Pamela Bellwood ... Carol
Barbara Rhoades ... Vivian
Ann Weldon ... Rachel
Peter Bonerz ... Dr. Leonard Miller
Jon Fong ... Wong

Christopher Lee ... Luckman Skull
Patch Mackenzie ... Stella
Stacey Nelkin ... Marlene
Tom Smothers ... Reverend Spike
Clark Brandon ... Spenser
Paul Rossilli ... Paco
Clyde Ventura ... Donald
Rosanna DeSoto ... Maria (as Rosana Soto)
Kevin O'Brien ... Jim

Mark L. Taylor ... Cult Member 1 (as Mark Taylor)
Donna Ponterotto ... Daphne

Lee Wilkof ... Brian
John Thompson ... Store Manager
Kevin Howard ... Roger

Robin Sherwood ... Woman Saltzburger
Bob Balhatchet ... Harold
Victoria Huxtable ... Millie
George American Horse ... Indian Chief
Peter Horton ... Cult Member 4
Jay C. Currin ... Cult Member 6
Buddy Joe Hooker ... Biker
Billy Sands ... Bartender
Sam Denoff ... Painter
Melanie Workhoven ... Secretary
Mark Rasmussen ... Tony Wilson
Bill Jelliffe ... Man on Ferry

Scott Paulin ... Hip Caterer
Jerry Zafer ... Disco Instructor
Katie Waring ... Cult Member 2
Gordon Bush ... Cult Member 5
Jeanna Michaels ... Cult Member 3
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anthony Fusco ... Hip Caterer
Kenny Endoso ... (uncredited)
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Directed by
Bill Persky 
 
Writing credits
Cyra McFadden (novel)

Rich Eustis (screenplay) &
Michael Elias (screenplay)

Produced by
Sidney Beckerman .... producer
 
Original Music by
Lalo Schifrin 
 
Cinematography by
Rexford L. Metz 
 
Film Editing by
John W. Wheeler 
 
Art Direction by
William Sandell 
 
Set Decoration by
Paul Dal Porto 
Robert Gould 
 
Costume Design by
Jodie Lynn Tillen 
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Sobul .... assistant director
 
Art Department
Robby Vandermark .... stand-by painter
 
Sound Department
Jack Solomon .... sound
 
Stunts
Jophery C. Brown .... stunt biker
Steve M. Davison .... stunt biker
Steve Holladay .... stunt biker
Steve Walters .... stunt performer
Andree Williams .... stunt woman
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Joseph Cosko Jr. .... assistant camera
Louis Niemeyer .... first assistant camera
 
Music Department
Bruce Miller .... conductor
Bruce Miller .... music arranger
 

Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
86 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Sound Mix:
Stereo
Certification:
Australia:M | UK:18 | USA:R
Filming Locations:
Marin County, California, USA more
Company:
Paramount Pictures more

Fun Stuff

Quotes:
Stokely: In an insane society, the sane man must appear insane.
Harvey Holroyd: Where'd you get that?
Stokely: Star Trek.
[leaves the room]
Harvey Holroyd: [to himself] God, I miss that show.
more
Movie Connections:
References "Star Trek" (1966) more
Soundtrack:
A Changing World more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
8 out of 8 people found the following comment useful.
One (make that more than one) funny movie--and ahead of its time!, 1 January 2000
Author: Thomas Clement (Mr. OpEd) from Los Angeles

I must have seen Serial a half dozen times when it hit theatres. Ads were run wondering why not enough people were going to see it (hey, I was only one guy, I did my best). It should have been a monster money maker!

As others have said, this movie has fun with the Politically Correct. I thought it might have been a wake-up call (albeit a funny one) about the excesses of muddled thought and trend-of-the week morality, but it was sadly just a cataloging of PC in its infancy. Political Correctness has actually grown to be just as wacky (and all too prevalent) as Serial painted it. That said, don't think you've seen it all and heard it all from the PC crowd because so well made is Serial that it still keeps its edge

Serial also has some of the most shocking uses of profanity I've ever heard (and I loathe profanity), but is done in such a new way (still) that it's amazingly funny. Speaking of new, so far ahead of its time was Serial that it introduced gags that have since been done to death. Tired of "Born to Be Wild" used as a joke instead of a rebel anthem. The joke started here (for gay bikers, no less).

So when the PC crowd gets you down, grab Serial, sit down with your other of the moment (you-ness, me-ness, us-ness, we-ness) and enjoy.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Serial (1980)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
D/J on the radio as Harvey and Kate wake up tenglish61
Keep coming back to it- a Classic moore2772
Where's the dvd?! dekkard8
Released on this date... 44yearoldscotch
anyone read the book? cagle94
Name that tune... derek_one
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