- published: 05 Oct 2012
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Lenny is a 1974 American biographical film about the comedian Lenny Bruce, starring Dustin Hoffman and directed by Bob Fosse. The screenplay by Julian Barry is based on his play of the same name.
The film jumps between various sections of Bruce's life, including scenes of when he was in his prime and the burned-out, strung-out performer who, in the twilight of his life, used his nightclub act to pour out his personal frustrations. We watch as up-and-coming Bruce courts his "Shiksa goddess", a stripper named Honey. With family responsibilities, Lenny is encouraged to do a "safe" act, but he cannot do it. Constantly in trouble for flouting obscenity laws, Lenny develops a near-messianic complex which fuels both his comedy genius and his talent for self-destruction. Worn out by a lifetime of tilting at Establishment windmills, Lenny Bruce dies of a morphine overdose in 1966.
One of the most interesting casting decisions was made "On Set". While filming in the Broward County Courthouse used as the set for the Miami Courthouse. Director Fosse decided to cast a 'Real Life Bailiff' in the role of the Bailiff that would drag Dustin Hoffman (Lenny) out of the Courtroom. Aldo DeMeo, the President of the Bailiff's Association at the time, was offered the role. Though Aldo was not listed in the Film's credits, the scene when Lenny (Dustin Hoffman) is dragged from the Courtroom, was chosen as the clip shown on the Academy Awards Worldwide Television Program; as the movie's Scene to represent the film as a candidate for Best Picture. Casting was completed by Floridian-based casting director, Beverly McDermott.
Actors: Alec Chen (producer), Christina Birdsall (director), Michael Valentino (producer), Christina Birdsall (producer), Shane Alexander (actor), Lindsey Graham (actress), Mary Diane (producer), Mary Diane (writer), Mary Diane (actress), J.P. Bedard (writer),
Genres: Comedy,Actors: Eric Wurst (composer), Andrew Stevens (director), Ice-T (actor), Kevin Sorbo (actor), David Wurst (composer), Matthew Tompkins (actor), Andrew Stevens (writer), Andrew Stevens (producer), Richard Dillard (actor), Siri Baruc (actress), Michael Kuge (editor), William Langlois (writer), Nicole Garcea (miscellaneous crew), Phoenix Williams (miscellaneous crew), Nathan Ross (miscellaneous crew),
Genres: Comedy, Family,Actors: Willy Roberts (editor), Dan Murrell (editor), Eric Acosta (actor), Mike Manasewitsch (actor), Dan Murrell (actor), Wade Randolph (actor), Willy Roberts (actor), Dan Murrell (producer), Dan Murrell (writer), Dan Murrell (writer), Willy Roberts (writer), Willy Roberts (writer), Dan Murrell (director), Willy Roberts (director), Kyle Kinane (actor),
Genres: Comedy, Horror, Short,Actors: Johnny Alonso (actor), Dave Cooperman (actor), Jonathon Ruckman (actor), Vincent Riviezzo (actor), Greg Coale (actor), Connie Lamothe (actress), John Calvin Doyle (writer), John Calvin Doyle (actor), John Calvin Doyle (producer), John Calvin Doyle (director), John Calvin Doyle (producer), John Calvin Doyle (editor), Robert G. Christie (editor), Paul Sulsky (editor), Paul Sulsky (actor),
Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller,Actors: Vinnie Bilancio (editor), Jillian Clare (actress), Paul Vito Abato (actor), Lizzie Peet (actress), Cornelius Booker III (miscellaneous crew), Cornelius Booker III (producer), Ben Bar (actor), Chris Dalton (actor), Shannon Rossiter (actress), Kimberly K. Wilson (producer), David Rosenhaus (actor), Kimberly K. Wilson (writer), Amy Thiel (actress), Adam Knox (actor), Shari Kimberlin (actress),
Plot: Annie, a happily married woman with a loving husband and daughter, joins her company's softball team and becomes good friends with her teammate, the openly gay Maggie. Much to Annie's surprise, her friendship with Maggie gradually develops into a strong attraction.
Keywords: gay-parent, independent-film, lesbian, lesbian-interest, lesbian-mother, mother-daughter-relationship, nudity, softballActors: David Jean Thomas (actor), Mike Starr (actor), Robert Patrick (actor), Melissa Joan Hart (actress), Stephen Bridgewater (miscellaneous crew), Michael J. Pollard (actor), Bill Davis (miscellaneous crew), Brian Q. Kelley (actor), Bill Davis (actor), Colm Meaney (actor), Vyto Ruginis (actor), Jennifer Esposito (actress), Mike Hagerty (actor), Val Lauren (actor), Kyle T. Heffner (actor),
Plot: Ray Bennett, a lonely video-store owner in the middle of nowhere decides to take some days off his work to think about his future. On the road, he comes across Harley, a very attractive, mysterious woman and ex-prisoner. Having been lonely for some time, he seems charmed and willing to spend some time with her, while she needs a man to help her finish a pretty well-paying job, left in the middle when she was busted for drug money distribution. Intentions differ, plans change and "trust" is a dangerous word as they make their way into the local cartel boss's business, with $2 million and maybe a new life as a compass.
Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller,Actors: Danny Sapani (actor), Andrew Dolan (actor), Paul Brennan (actor), Severine Hamilton (producer), Jim Solan (editor), Jim Solan (director), Jim Solan (producer), Clare Adamson (actress), Chris Adamson (actor),
Genres: Comedy, Short,Actors: Jacob Rangel (producer), Jacob Rangel (writer), Jacob Rangel (director), David Alexandrou (actor), Ryan Greeley (writer), Hideyasu Hattori (writer),
Genres: Short,Actors: Barry Levinson (director), Julie Pitkanen (miscellaneous crew), Stacy Keibler (actress), Barry Levinson (writer), Paula Weinstein (producer), Barry Levinson (producer), Joe Mantegna (actor), Anthony Anderson (actor), Bebe Neuwirth (actress), David Krumholtz (actor), Orlando Jones (actor), James Pickens Jr. (actor), Adrien Brody (actor), Gloria Gresham (costume designer), Christina DeRosa (actress),
Plot: Anti-Semitism, race relations, coming of age, and fathers and sons: in Baltimore from fall, 1954, to fall, 1955. Racial integration comes to the high school, TV is killing burlesque, and rock and roll is pushing the Four Lads off the Hit Parade. Ben, a high school senior, and his older brother Van are exploring "the other": in Ben's case, it's friendship with Sylvia, a Black student; with Van, it's a party in the WASP part of town and falling for a debutante, Dubbie. Sylvia gives Ben tickets to a James Brown concert; Dubbie invites Van to a motel: new worlds open. Meanwhile, their dad Nate, who runs a numbers game, loses big to a small-time pusher, Little Melvin; a partnership ensues.
Keywords: 1950s, 23rd-psalm, absent-father, adolescent, african-american, americana, anti-semitism, antique, arrest, atlantic-city-new-jerseyActors: Peter Gerety (actor), Daniel von Bargen (actor), Lou Albano (actor), Laura Colella (actress), Becca Lish (actress), Carl V. Dupré (miscellaneous crew), Keith Jochim (actor), Jim Wolpaw (writer), Jim Wolpaw (director), Steve Gentile (editor), Paul Buxton (actor), Dorothy Gallagher (actress), Christine Barker (actress), John Savoia (actor), Chance Langton (actor),
Plot: The Heartbreak Hotel nightclub in Providence is having a busy night: the owner's politician father is trying to shut the club down, one of the bands is making phone calls to the afterworld, and a pathetic folk-singer/terrorist is planning to make this his night of flaming glory. Includes such musical numbers as "I Married a Tree" and "Why Do We Feed the Broads?"
Keywords: baltimore-maryland, independent-film, maryland, musician, nightclub, politics, reference-to-pepsi, rock-club, singer, singing