Rodney Allen Rippy (born July 29, 1968, in Long Beach, CA) is an American former child actor. He appeared in TV commercials for the fast-food chain Jack in the Box in the early 1970s, as well as in numerous roles in television and movies.
In the advertisements, he was seen trying to wrap his mouth around the super-sized Jumbo Jack hamburger. The tag line "It's too big to eat!" (pronounced "It's too big-a-eat!") became a catch-phrase. Another spot showed Rodney giggling while singing the song "Take Life A Little Easier," which was released as a single by Bell Records in the fall of 1973 in the wake of the commercial's popularity.[citation needed] The 45 (b/w "World of Love") approached Billboard Magazine's Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart in October 1973, peaking at #112.[citation needed] At the age of five, Rippy became the youngest person ever to make any Billboard music chart.[citation needed]
Rippy subsequently had guest-roles in many popular television shows, including The Six Million Dollar Man, Marcus Welby, MD, Police Story, and The Odd Couple (where Rodney played the owner of the building where Oscar and Felix lived). He also appeared frequently on talk shows such as The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and Dinah's Place with Dinah Shore. Rippy also had a co-starring role on the CBS Saturday morning children's show The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine.
Plot
TV child star of the '70s, Dickie Roberts is now 35 and parking cars. Craving to regain the spotlight, he auditions for a role of a normal guy, but the director quickly sees he is anything but normal. Desperate to win the part, Dickie hires a family to help him replay his childhood and assume the identity of an average, everyday kid. Several folk who are also involved in Dickie's special world include: Sidney, Dickie's longtime friend and agent; Cyndi, his on-again, off-again girlfriend; Peggy, Dickie's real mother; George, Dickie's adopted father figure; and Grace, his adopted mother figure.
Keywords: actor, actor-shares-last-name-with-character, alcoholics-anonymous, character-name-in-title, children, family-relationships, former-child-star, has-been, little-boy, little-girl
50 million people used to watch him on TV. Now he washes their cars.
Sally Finney: Dickie, there has to be water on it!
Dickie Roberts: This is Nuckin' Futs!
[Acting as a 6-year-old, finding a new bike on Christmas morning]::Dickie Roberts: Holy shit, a bike!::Rob Reiner: You're six.::Dickie Roberts: Holy crap, a bike!::Rob Reiner: You're six.::Dickie Roberts: Goo-goo, ga-ga, bikey!::Rob Reiner: Too far back.
Mrs. Gertrude: Aren't you a bit big to be in a stroller?::Dickie Roberts: Aren't you bit big to be on the sidewalk?
Sally Finney: Brick wall, waterfall, Dickie thinks he got it all but he don't, and I do so Boom with that attitude. Peace punch, Capt'n Crunch, I've got something you can't touch. Bang-bang choo-choo train, wind me up I do my thing. No Reeses Pieces, 7-Up, you mess with me, I'll mess you up.
Bully: Hey!::Dickie Roberts: Hey? Don't you mean "Oink"?
Grace Finney: [Grace is pushing Dickie down the sidewalk in a stroller]::Grace Finney: This feels a little odd.::Dickie Roberts: Dude, I'm the one in the stroller.::Grace Finney: Did you just call me, dude?::Dickie Roberts: I mean mommy.
Dickie Roberts: [to a bully picking on Sam] Is that red hair, or did someone light a fart off your mouth?
Dickie Roberts: Whoa! You ever have such a bad wipeout you don't even feel it? [falls]::Sam Finney: That wasn't one of them!
Dickie Roberts: [having cereal] Hey, look, there's a prize inside! [Gives Grace the middle finger]