"Arli$$" (1996) TV series 1996-2002

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | unknown

Release Date:

10 August 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sport

Plot:

Arliss Michaels is not a sports agent, he is a sports super agent. To his athletes and to the world around them he is God...

Plot Keywords:

Sitcom | Character Name In Title

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Robert Wuhl	...	Arliss Michaels (34 episodes, 1996-2002)
Sandra Oh	...	Rita Wu (34 episodes, 1996-2002)
Jim Turner	...	Kirby Carlisle (32 episodes, 1996-2002)
Michael Boatman	...	Stanley Babson (32 episodes, 1996-2002)

Series Directed by
Michael Grossman		(12 episodes, 1998-2002)
Robert Wuhl		(8 episodes, 1996-2002)
Stephen C. Confer		(7 episodes, 1998-2002)
Melanie Mayron		(7 episodes, 1998-2002)
Timothy Marx		(6 episodes, 1997-2002)
Rodman Flender		(4 episodes, 1996-1997)
Linda Rockstroh		(4 episodes, 1998-2001)
John Murray		(4 episodes, 1999-2002)
Rina Sternfeld-Allon		(4 episodes, 1999-2002)
Peter Baldwin		(3 episodes, 1996-1997)
Andy Wolk		(2 episodes, 1996-1999)
Nick Marck		(2 episodes, 1996)
John Fortenberry		(2 episodes, 1997-1998)
John Payson		(2 episodes, 1997)
Ellen S. Pressman		(2 episodes, 1997)
Perry Lang		(2 episodes, 1998)

Series Writing credits
Joan Ackermann		(16 episodes, 1996-2002)
Kevin Falls		(12 episodes, 1996-2000)
Matt McGuinness		(12 episodes, 1998-2002)
Robert Wuhl		(8 episodes, 1996-2002)
Barry Gold		(8 episodes, 1997-2000)
Allan Stephan		(8 episodes, 1999-2002)
Nunzio DeFilippis		(5 episodes, 1999-2001)
Christina Weir		(5 episodes, 1999-2001)
Norman Chad		(3 episodes, 1997-2000)
Rebecca Reynolds		(3 episodes, 2001-2002)
Andy Munsey		(2 episodes, 1996-1997)
Jon Hayman		(2 episodes, 1996)
Scott Kaufer		(2 episodes, 1997)
Chrisanne Eastwood		(2 episodes, 2001-2002)
Seth Greenland		(2 episodes, 2002)

Series Produced by
Bruce Kirschbaum	....	supervising producer (13 episodes, 1997-1998)
Scott Kaufer	....	supervising producer (10 episodes, 1997)
John Murray	....	associate producer (unknown episodes, 1997-1999)
Dan Kaplow	....	producer (unknown episodes, 1998-2000)
Sam Henry Kass	....	producer (unknown episodes, 1999-2000)
Peter Barnett	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Judith Blume	....	co-producer / producer (unknown episodes)
Billy Crawford	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Kevin Falls	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Jonny Fink	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Barry Gold	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Bruce Golin	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Ann Holm	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
Timothy Marx	....	executive producer / supervising producer (unknown episodes)
Rebecca Reynolds	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Brian Robbins	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Robert Wuhl	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Ed Smart		(80 episodes, 1996-2002)

Series Cinematography by
Paul Maibaum		(1 episode, 1996)
Stephen C. Confer		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Wendy Smith		(16 episodes, 2000-2002)
Thomas R. Moore		(5 episodes, 1996)
John Murray		(unknown episodes, 1996-1999)
Morgan Beatty		(unknown episodes)
Lee Haxall		(unknown episodes)
Heather MacDougall		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Catherine Stroud		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Cherie Baker		(34 episodes, 1996-1998)
Naomi Slodki		(unknown episodes, 1999-2002)

Series Set Decoration by
Sara Andrews		(unknown episodes, 1998-2001)
Shirley Starks		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Jacqueline Saint Anne		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Lisa Nash-Jones	....	key makeup artist (21 episodes, 1996-1997)
Maria Valdivia	....	key hair stylist (12 episodes, 1999)
Diana Acrey	....	hair department head (unknown episodes)
Tony Gardner	....	special makeup effects artist (unknown episodes)
Isabel Harkins	....	makeup department head (unknown episodes)
Anthony Miner	....	key hair stylist (unknown episodes)
Angela Moos	....	makeup department head (unknown episodes)
Alex Proctor	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Mark Rappaport	....	special makeup effects artist (unknown episodes)
Sylvia Surdu	....	makeup designer (unknown episodes)
Julie Travis-Socash	....	key makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Scott Williams	....	hair department head (unknown episodes)
Faye Woods	....	key hair stylist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Christopher J. Ray	....	post-production supervisor (5 episodes, 2002)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Linda Rockstroh	....	first assistant director (33 episodes, 1996-2001)
Zia Iampietro	....	second second assistant director (11 episodes, 2002)
Jana Ludwigova	....	second second assistant director (10 episodes, 2001)
Todd A. Covert	....	second second assistant director (4 episodes, 1996)
Joth Riggs	....	second second assistant director (2 episodes, 1997)
Ime Etuk	....	dga trainee (unknown episodes, 2000)
Graham Kurzner	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Michael A. Clark	....	construction coordinator (63 episodes, 1996-2002)
Peter Emshwiller	....	set dresser (59 episodes, 1997-2002)
Adam Braid	....	set dresser (25 episodes, 1997-1999)
Eric Rood	....	greens (11 episodes, 2002)
Mike Ortiz	....	props (3 episodes, 1997-1998)
David Baker	....	property master (unknown episodes)
Colleen Broderick	....	set decoration buyer (unknown episodes)
Jill S. Coverdale	....	buyer (unknown episodes)
Sam Dean	....	propmaker (unknown episodes)
Stacey Keefe	....	art department coordinator (unknown episodes)
Roger L. King	....	set designer (unknown episodes)
Marc Meisels	....	lead man (unknown episodes)
Joshua Meltzer	....	property master (unknown episodes)
John S. Ogden	....	propmaker (unknown episodes)
Douglas W. Randall	....	property assistant (unknown episodes)
Steve Salazar	....	propmaker (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Ken McLaughlin	....	production sound mixer (59 episodes, 1997-2002)
Steve Nelson	....	sound mixer (unknown episodes, 2000)
David Beadle	....	supervising sound editor (unknown episodes)
Craig Clark	....	sound supervisor (unknown episodes)
Daniel Colman	....	sound effects editor (unknown episodes)
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer (unknown episodes)
Jesse K-D. Dodd	....	foley mixer (unknown episodes)
Jason England	....	dialogue editor (unknown episodes)
Stephen Fitzmaurice	....	adr mixer (unknown episodes)
Tom Hartig	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
Marti D. Humphrey	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)
Sean Keegan	....	dialogue editor (unknown episodes)
Adam Kroloff	....	sound effects editor (unknown episodes)
Terry O'Bright	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)
Chris Ostler	....	sound recordist (unknown episodes)
Timothy Pearson	....	foley artist (unknown episodes)
Keith Rogers	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)
Michael Swantek	....	assistant dialogue editor (unknown episodes)
Ronald L. Wright	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Michael Gaspar	....	special effects coordinator (unknown episodes)
Josh Hakian	....	special effects coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Noon Orsatti	....	stunt coordinator (1 episode, 1999)
Brian Danner	....	sword stunts (1 episode, 2002)
Ken Clark	....	stunt performer (unknown episodes)
Ray Lykins	....	stunt double: Robert Wuhl (unknown episodes)
Rob Mars	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Brandon Molale	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Mark Munoz	....	stunts: jockey (unknown episodes)
Carrick O'Quinn	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)
Chris Palermo	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Denney Pierce	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Steve Schriver	....	utility stunts (unknown episodes)
Tim Sitarz	....	stunt performer (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
John Magallon	....	gaffer (46 episodes, 1999-2002)
Brooks Robinson	....	Steadicam operator (20 episodes, 1997-2002)
Bruce Sharp	....	electrician (11 episodes, 1996)
Jose F. Cruz	....	grip (10 episodes, 2001)
Patriq Luo	....	electrician (3 episodes, 2000)
Joe Pacella	....	film loader (3 episodes, 2001-2002)
Paul Farley	....	grip (2 episodes, 1996)
Craig D. Forrest	....	camera operator: video segments (unknown episodes, 1997)
Darin Moran	....	Steadicam assistant (unknown episodes, 1998)
Alfred Castillo	....	grip (unknown episodes)
John Farmer	....	dolly grip (unknown episodes)
Eric Fletcher	....	camera operator / director of photography: second unit (unknown episodes)
Rick Lawrence	....	grip (unknown episodes)
Gerry O'Malley	....	Steadicam operator (unknown episodes)
Jason Wood	....	electrician (unknown episodes)

Series Animation Department
Brian Bero	....	animatronic baby effects (unknown episodes)
Mark Rappaport	....	animatronic baby effects (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Chris Bustard	....	extras casting (34 episodes, 2000-2002)
Stephanie Holbrook	....	casting assistant (unknown episodes, 1997)
Shawnae D. Muck	....	casting assistant (unknown episodes, 2000-2001)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Steffany Bernstein	....	costume supervisor (46 episodes, 1999-2002)
Tess Inman	....	key costumer (41 episodes, 1996-1999)
Ricardo Richard Alvarez	....	costumer (10 episodes, 2001)
Deborah Curtis	....	key costumer (unknown episodes, 2000)
Katie Harrold	....	wardrobe (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Steve Edwards	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Ed Rowin	....	colorist (unknown episodes)
Rebecca Simon	....	post-production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Lance Stubblefield	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Les Brockmann	....	music scoring mixer (80 episodes, 1996-2002)
David Beadle	....	music editor (unknown episodes)
Fernand Bos	....	music editor (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Gina August	....	driver (1 episode, 1996)
William R. Peck	....	driver (1 episode, 1996)
Adam Pinkstaff	....	transportation captain (1 episode, 1996)
Chris Haynes	....	driver (1 episode, 2000)
Maxwell R. Johnson II	....	transportation captain (unknown episodes)
Bradley Sackin	....	driver (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Diane Friedman	....	location manager (60 episodes, 1996-2002)
Kelly Patterson	....	assistant production coordinator (21 episodes, 2001-2002)
Michael Roccuzzo	....	first assistant accountant (13 episodes, 2000)
Timothy P. Tundel	....	first assistant accountant (13 episodes, 2000)
Kristin Klier	....	assistant to producer (12 episodes, 1997-1998)
Malia Mangum	....	first assistant accountant (12 episodes, 1999)
Jack E. Herman	....	extras set coordinator (12 episodes, 2000-2002)
Bianca D'Carpio	....	production assistant (11 episodes, 2002)
Brent C. Johnson	....	production intern (11 episodes, 2002)
Chris Roensch	....	executive producer assistant (11 episodes, 2002)
Victoria Leskin	....	key assistant location manager (3 episodes, 2002)
Craig Conover	....	craft service (unknown episodes, 1998-2001)
Kimberly Aguirre	....	payroll accountant (unknown episodes, 1999)
Jim Roberts	....	set medic (unknown episodes, 2001-2002)
Peter Barnett	....	accountant (unknown episodes)
Chuck Conway	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Cristin L. Cornett	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Jeanie Daniels	....	assistant accountant (unknown episodes)
Brian Danner	....	assistant sword choreographer / assistant sword master / ... (unknown episodes)
Fred Fein	....	stand-in (unknown episodes)
Wendi E. Friedman	....	assistant to producer (unknown episodes)
Ande Hecht-Endewardt	....	post-production accountant: The Audit Trail (unknown episodes)
Jason Hunt	....	key set production assistant (unknown episodes)
Mark Ivie	....	sword double (unknown episodes)
Stacey Keefe	....	assistant production office coordinator (unknown episodes)
Audra Levi	....	stage manager (unknown episodes)
Frederic Perrin	....	caterer (unknown episodes)
Dylan Quirt	....	key set production assistant (unknown episodes)
Carrie Shaw	....	assistant production office coordinator (unknown episodes)
Anna Sivak	....	assistant: Timothy Marx (unknown episodes)
Peter Tolle	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)
Sharon 'Mae' West	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Lynnanne Zager	....	voices (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Home Box Office (HBO)
• Rysher Entertainment

Distributors

• Home Box Office (HBO) (1996) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Movie Movers  hair and make-up trailers
• Paws for Effect  animals provided by
• Rockbottom Rentals  cell phone rentals

Also Known As:

Arliss (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

30 min (80 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Company:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Trivia:

Every episode began and ended with the lead character reading in voiceover chapters from a fictional book he had written about his life as a successful sports agent. The point of this was to show that the character did the exact opposite of what he wrote. Robert Wuhl said he got the idea to do this after seeing a book written by Donald Trump. Wuhl said he always wondered what the difference was between what was written and what was actually done.

Quotes:

[During a radio show]
Jim Rome: Well guess who just grabbed a vine? The maestro of manipulation himself, Arliss Michaels.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "30 Rock: Hard Ball (#1.15)" (2007)

25 Sports Agents Dead In The Road?...a good start!

I borrowed the lawyer's joke to make a point about Arliss, the agent. Devoid of real consistent ethics Arli$$ Michaels is the epitome of the complex character who treads equally on the honorable side and the ethically challenged. Mix in a bit of conscience with a dash of capitalistic greed and that describes Arli$$ and the AMM Management team.

As for the players they are (were) first rate. Robert Wuhl is phenomenal as the namesake character Arliss Michaels. Combining terrific story lines with a real sense of what and how an agent thinks this comedian turned actor hits a bullseye. The show was, after all, his idea and creation. Jim Turner is ideal as the former jock, first round draft pick and first Arli$$ client, playboy burnout Kirby Carlisle. Michael Boatman is superb as Stanley Babson, the erstwhile V.P. of Finance who often attempts to induce some morality and class into the organization. Occasionally Stanley is faced with the perplexing situation of doing what is right or what is best for the client?, AMM?, or Stanley? Finally there is Sandra Oh as Rita Wu, Arli$$' long suffering secretary. Forever loyal Rita is underpaid, under-appreciated, and under-minded by Arli$$ and almost always Kirby. Rita has her dilemma's of conscience as well but she is insightful yet gullible and always longing to meet Mr. Right so she can quit her job which she really loves. Sound confusing? It is because the show displayed all the nuances of good character development and story lines.

Mix this all in with great guest stars from sports and entertainment and you get a rapid, fast paced 1/2 hour show never wanting for a good laugh or a tear. Arliss has been gone since 2002 and is now a regular late night entry onto ESPN Classic's repertoire. The only problem is this show, like many made for cable, does not have points at which commercial breaks are accounted for and language is censored thereby lessening the fun for those of us fans. Yet, for the newcomer, a whole new generation can enjoy the comic timing and plot lines. Some of the athletes are now dated in time but it is easy to follow. A highly recommended show!!!