Drop Dead Fred (1991)

Director:

Ate de Jong

Writers:

Elizabeth Livingston (story)
Carlos Davis (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

19 April 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

Imagine having this guy for a friend

Plot:

A young woman finds her already unstable life rocked by the presence of a rambunctious imaginary friend from childhood.

Plot Keywords:

Imaginary Friend | Mother | Yuppie | Family Relationships | Pooka

Cast

Phoebe Cates	...	Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Cronin
Rik Mayall	...	Drop Dead Fred
Marsha Mason	...	Polly Cronin
Tim Matheson	...	Charles
Carrie Fisher	...	Janie
Keith Charles	...	Murray
Ashley Peldon	...	Young Elizabeth
Daniel Gerroll	...	Nigel Cronin
Ron Eldard	...	Mickey Bunce
Eleanor Mondale	...	Attractive Customer
Bob Reid	...	Judge Dubben
Peter Thoemke	...	Arsonist
Sjoukje De Jong Douma	...	Grandma Bunce
Paul Holmes	...	Man in Speedboat
Steve Cochran	...	Waiter #1
Robert Meyzen	...	Waiter #2
Daniel Buchen	...	Doctor Ryland
Marie Mathay	...	Concerned Mom
Peter Breitmayer	...	Go to Hell Herman
Clark Niederjohn	...	Velcro Head
Tom Bethke	...	Graggy
Elizabeth Gray	...	Namby Pamby
Cheryl Hawker	...	Nurse
Michael Welker	...	Waiter at Wine Gala
Kelly Benson	...	Natalie Bunce
Cathy Lind Hayes	...	Ms. Fuzzock
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David John Adamson	...	Clerk (uncredited)
Bridget Fonda	...	Annabella (uncredited)
Paul Nobrega	...	Lawyer (uncredited)
Rod Pitman	...	Plain Clothes Bank Guard (uncredited)
Andrei Sterling	...	Waiter (uncredited)

Directed by
Ate de Jong		(as Ate De Jong)

Writing credits
Elizabeth Livingston		(story)
Carlos Davis		(written by) &
Anthony Fingleton		(written by)

Produced by
Tim Bevan	....	executive producer
Carlos Davis	....	executive producer
Anthony Fingleton	....	executive producer
Paul Webster	....	producer

Original Music by
Randy Edelman

Cinematography by
Peter Deming

Film Editing by
Marshall Harvey

Casting by
Lynn Kressel

Production Design by
Joseph T. Garrity

Art Direction by
Rando Schmook		(as Randall Schmook)

Set Decoration by
Colin Tugwood

Costume Design by
Carol Wood

Makeup Department
Richard Blair	....	makeup artist: Ms. Mason
Daniel Curet	....	assistant hair stylist (as Daniel Cure)
Tamara Guthrie	....	hair stylist supervisor
Sherry Hartung	....	assistant hair stylist
Christopher Johnson	....	special makeup effects artist
Steven Mack	....	wig stylist (as Steve McGlocklin)
Heather Matisoff	....	key hair stylist
A.J. Nielsen	....	assistant hair stylist
Lizbeth Williamson	....	key makeup artist (as Lizbeth J. Williamson)

Production Management
Mary McLaglen	....	unit production manager
Clarissa Troop	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julie Herrin	....	second second assistant director
Daniel M. Stillman	....	second assistant director (as Dan Stillman)
Michael Waxman	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Elliot Berlovitz	....	assistant props (as Elliott Berlovitz)
Marty Cusack	....	additional property master
Margot Czulewicz	....	assistant to set decorator
Diane Delesha	....	scenic painter
Nancy Derby	....	scenic painter (as Nance Corkrum-Derby)
Kathie Foslien	....	greensman
Norine Joy Francis	....	swing gang (as Norine Francis)
Barbara Anne Gorrie	....	art department coordinator (as Barbara Gorrie)
Michael Handley	....	leadman
Bob Hedstrom	....	construction coordinator
Anne Hyvarinen	....	lead scenic
Michael Kestner	....	carpenter
Dale Kirchberg	....	carpenter
Cher La Frenierè	....	set dresser (as Cher Lafreniere)
Steven Linsner	....	swing gang
Jonathan Martin	....	swing gang
Keith Robinson	....	carpenter
Deborah Schildt	....	property master
Sydney Sharpe	....	assistant art director
Stuart Skrien	....	rigger: art department
Wendy Snauffer	....	scenic painter
Kathy Stewart	....	scenic painter
Steve Sutherland	....	carpenter
Pete von Sholly	....	storyboard artist (as Peter Von Sholly)
Michael Wallien	....	carpenter
Wayne Wendland	....	lead carpenter
Niel Williams	....	on-set dresser
Dane Pizzuti Krogman	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Michele Spadaro	....	set decorator: additional photography (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert J. Anderson Jr.	....	sound mixer (as Bob Anderson)
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	dialogue editor (as Sam Crutcher)
Pud Cusack	....	boom operator
Robert W. Glass Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer
Grover B. Helsley	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joseph Holsen	....	dialogue editor (as Joe Holsen)
Terry Honore	....	assistant sound editor
Victor Iorillo	....	sound effects editor
Edmund J. Lachmann	....	dialogue editor (as Ed Lachman)
Michael P. Redbourn	....	supervising sound editor (as Michael Redbourn)
Richard D. Rogers	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Soukup	....	sound transfer
Tova Szabó	....	foley editor (as Tova Szabo)
Bill Ward	....	assistant sound editor
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Frank Fleming	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Troy Porter	....	foley mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
James Belohovek	....	model builder: Doug Beswick Productions, Inc. (as Jim Belohovek)
Doug Beswick	....	stop motion animator: Doug Beswick Productions, Inc.
Phillip Billey	....	assistant special effects (as Phil Billey)
Theresa Burkett	....	puppet costumer: Doug Beswick Productions, Inc. (as Teresa Burkett)
Yancy Calzada	....	mechanical technician: Doug Beswick Productions, Inc.
Bob Cooper	....	special effects coordinator
Mitch Devane	....	stop motion sculptor: Doug Beswick Productions, Inc. (as Mitch DeVane)
Paul Murphy	....	assistant special effects
Margaret Prentice	....	puppet painter: Doug Beswick Productions, Inc. (as Margaret Prentick)

Visual Effects by
William S. Conner	....	optical effects: VCE (as Bill Conner)
David Emerson	....	optical effects: VCE (as Dave Emerson)
Paul Gentry	....	special photographic effects: VCE
Gary George	....	optical effects: VCE
Brian Griffin	....	optical effects: VCE
Todd Hall	....	optical effects: VCE
Peter Kuran	....	visual effects producer: VCE (as Pete Kuran)
Kevin Kutchaver	....	visual effects supervisor: VCE
Jo Martin	....	visual effects editorial: VCE
Pete Martin	....	optical effects: VCE
Pam Vick	....	animation camera: VCE
Jacqueline Zietlow	....	coordinator: VCE
Jim Aupperle	....	stop motion animator (uncredited)

Stunts
Ky Michaelson	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Adams	....	best boy grip
Clarence Brown	....	dolly grip
Scott Browner	....	first assistant camera
Nick Cline	....	best boy electric
David Doyle	....	electrician
Robert K. Feldmann	....	key grip (as Robaire Feldmann)
Craig Foster	....	grip
Scott Foster	....	grip
Tom Franchett	....	electrician (as Thomas Franchett)
Greg Gardiner	....	camera operator: second unit (as Gregory Gardiner)
Johnny Hale	....	grip
Kimman Harmon	....	second assistant camera
Francis Kenny	....	additional photographer
Michael LaViolette	....	grip (as Michael Laviolette)
Chris Malone	....	electrician (as Chris 'Floater' Malone)
Sandi Sissel	....	additional photographer
Demmie Todd	....	unit still photographer

Animation Department
Steve Segal	....	animator: title animation (as Steven Segal)
Kenneth Littleton	....	animator (uncredited)
Lawrence Littleton	....	animator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cheryl Broussard	....	wardrobe assistant
Lucy W. Corrigan	....	assistant costume designer (as Lucy Corrigan)
Daryl Kerrigan	....	wardrobe supervisor
Ann Miller	....	wardrobe assistant
Pamela Post	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
James Groetsch	....	second assistant editor
Brent Kaviar	....	second assistant editor
Dan Muscarella	....	color timer
James Dean Schulte	....	first assistant editor (as Jim Schulte)

Music Department
Elton Ahi	....	scoring mixer
François Blaignan	....	scoring crew (as Francois Blaigan)
Gustavo Borner	....	scoring crew
Kathy Durning	....	music editor
Boon Heng Tan	....	scoring crew

Transportation Department
Bobby Jo Cawley	....	transportation coordinator (as Bobby Cawley)
Todd S. Eichens	....	driver
Francis Gritz	....	driver
Jim Haugh	....	driver
Robert L. Heck	....	driver
Scott Hendricks	....	transportation captain
Charles Johnson	....	driver
Kevin Kennedy	....	driver
Michael Kennedy	....	driver
Roger Knutson	....	driver
Mark Masoner	....	driver: production van
Vince Pecora	....	driver: honeywagon

Other crew
John Curly Barrett	....	acrobat double (as John Barrett)
Benita Brazier	....	script supervisor
Priscilla Fingleton	....	production assistant
Samantha Fingleton	....	production assistant
Chrysa Freeman	....	production assistant
Nicole Furia	....	production accountant
Anita Giordano	....	catering coordinator
Robert Graf	....	assistant location manager (as Bob Graf)
Julie Hartley	....	production coordinator
Tim Hillman	....	location manager
Billy Hinshelwood	....	legal service: UK
Robin Keller	....	production assistant
Margaret Lancaster	....	assistant accountant
Jose Majica	....	assistant chef (as Jose Mojica)
Eric Mueller	....	assistant production coordinator
Kevin O'Shea	....	insurance services
Julie Polkes	....	unit publicist: Cottrell & Lindeman Associates
Joe Ranft	....	title designer
Reva Rose	....	adr artist
Pete Snell	....	projectionist
David A. Sodergren	....	consultant: fine arts (as David Sodergren)
Emily Stevens	....	production assistant
Clarissa Troop	....	assistant to producer
Vicki Van Fleet	....	craft service
Larry Walack	....	chef
Brad Stephens	....	publicist (uncredited)

Thanks
Randy Adamsick	....	thanks: The Minneapolis Film Board
Laura Ashley	....	thanks
Eve Benish	....	thanks
Richard N. Gladstein	....	thanks (as Richard Gladstein)
Evy Komarek	....	thanks
Michael Kuhn	....	thanks
Lou Nanni	....	thanks
Kelly Pratt	....	thanks: The Minneapolis Film Board
Sandy Puttnam	....	thanks: Nabisco Foods
Sarah Radclyffe	....	thanks
Sara Risher	....	thanks
Gail Swanson	....	thanks
Seth Willenson	....	thanks

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema
• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
• Working Title Films

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox Network (1994) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (UK) (video)
• Live Video (video)

Also Known As:

My Special Friend (Philippines: English title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:12 (DVD rating) | South Korea:12 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG (video rating) | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Gaviidae Commons, Nicollet Mall - 555 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

The steamboat that Janie lived on is an actual residence.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: In the scene where the nurse gives Elizabeth the pill to make Fred go away, the boom mic is visible for a second above her bed.

Quotes:

Fred: I can't believe we left the party so soon. And there was so much wine to spit around the place.
Elizabeth: I got upset.
Fred: "I got upset." God, you're so stupid. You never leave a party 'til the very very end.
Elizabeth: Oh really?
Fred: Yeah really.
Elizabeth: Well what about Cinderella? Remember what happened with her?
Fred: No I don't remember what happened *with her*. I deliberately forgot all about her. She made me puke. I remember the ugly stepsisters, they were great.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Monster Man (2003)

Fred is REAL!

I am amazed by the amount of people who have discussed this movie in the terms of being about "mental illness".... it should become clear by the end of the movie that this is a fantasy, Fred is not an imaginary friend he is "real" he exists and his sole purpose in life is to help children in a dark place and bring them out of themselves. Imaginary friends do not move on to another child, imaginary friends are the property of those who imagine them. I wouldn't be at all surprised if I saw a review of "Gremlins" on here by the same people who said "nasty little creatures who create distruction around them are not funny". This is a funny movie, plain and simple. Rick Mayall is outstanding as Fred and Phoebe Cates gives the perfect performance as the downtrodden daughter and wife. Anyone who says bad things about this movie has obviously never seen a fantasy movie before and taken it for what it is. I am surprised that they didn't call Demi Moore delusional in "Ghost" because she was refusing to let go of her boyfriend and "imagined" all the stuff that went on. This is a fantasy folks, a pure unadulterated fantasy and it is a bloody funny one at that. Watch it, it will make you laugh, it will make you smile, and it will make you chuckle.... what more can you ask and again Rick Mayall is brilliant.