An underemployed reporter finds himself literally purchased as a toy for a rich spoiled brat.
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Writers:
Stars:
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Cast verified as complete
| Richard Pryor | ... |
Jack Brown
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| Jackie Gleason | ... |
U.S. Bates
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| Ned Beatty | ... |
Mr. Morehouse
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| Scott Schwartz | ... |
Eric Bates
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| Teresa Ganzel | ... |
Fancy Bates
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| Wilfrid Hyde-White | ... |
Barkley
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| Annazette Chase | ... |
Angela
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| Tony King | ... |
Clifford
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| Don Hood | ... |
O'Brien
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| Karen Leslie-Lyttle | ... |
Fraulein
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| Virginia Capers | ... |
Ruby Simpson
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B.J. Hopper | ... |
Geffran
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Linda McCann | ... |
Honey Russell
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Ray Spruell | ... |
Senator Newcomb
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Stocker Fontelieu | ... |
District Attorney Russell
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Stuart Baker-Bergen | ... |
Aerobics Class Leader
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Robert Adams | ... |
Store Executive
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Mark Bennett | ... |
Store Executive
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Jon Ralph Wilson | ... |
Store Executive
(as John R. Wilson)
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Robert Costley | ... |
Poker Player
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Robert Earle | ... |
Poker Player
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Pauline Barcelona | ... |
Poker Player
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Juan Coleman | ... |
Poker Player
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Valerian Smith | ... |
Poker Player
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Elbert Andre Patrick | ... |
Jack's Neighbor
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Orwin C. Harvey | ... |
Grand Wizard
(as Orwin Harvey)
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Jim Clancy | ... |
Clancy
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Davis Hotard | ... |
Eugene Russell
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Debra Cole | ... |
Terry Gay
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Marilyn Gleason | ... |
Mrs. Newcomb
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Charles Detraz | ... |
Pilot
(as Charlie Detraz)
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| Steve Kahan | ... |
State Trooper
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Paul Tuerpe | ... |
State Trooper
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Jim Beyer | ... |
KlanWatch Demonstrator
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Tot Beyer | ... |
KlanWatch Demonstrator
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Robert M. Stevens | ... |
Drunk in Jail
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Sally Birdsong | ... |
Morehouse's Secretary
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Louis Weinberg | ... |
Chauffeur
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Annie McGuire | ... |
Party Guest
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Beverly Tagge | ... |
Party Guest
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George Howard | ... |
Party Guest
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Helen Howard | ... |
Party Guest
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| Alex Hyde-White | ... |
Photographer
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Bill Holliday | ... |
Policeman
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J.D. Martin | ... |
Policeman
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Jimmy Roddy | ... |
Policeman
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Lucy Campbell Rowland | ... |
Bates' Secretary
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Bob Cherry | ... |
Man in Carwash
(as Robert Cherry)
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Delana Renay Cole | ... |
Ruby's Child
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Lewis Baker | ... |
Ruby's Child
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La Monica Matthews | ... |
Ruby's Child
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Bruce Langley | ... |
Ruby's Child
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Dawnis Kaye Smith | ... |
Ruby's Child
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Santos Swing | ... |
Ruby's Child
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Willie Swing | ... |
Ruby's Child
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Tody Bernard | ... |
Party Guest (uncredited)
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Jay Broyles | ... |
Detective Carl Oller (uncredited)
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| Tony Burton | ... |
Stanley (uncredited)
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Harold G. Herthum | ... |
Extra (uncredited)
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| Louis Herthum | ... |
Man in Box (uncredited)
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Robert Neilson | ... |
Chauffeur in Last Scene (uncredited)
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Brandon Reeves | ... |
Child Partygoer - Charbonnet House Baton Rouge (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Richard Donner | ... | (directed by) |
Written by
| Francis Veber | ... | (based on a film by) |
| Carol Sobieski | ... | (screenplay by) |
Produced by
| Margaret Booth | ... | associate producer |
| Phil Feldman | ... | producer (produced by) |
| Ray Stark | ... | producer |
Music by
| Patrick Williams | ... | (music score by) |
Cinematography by
| László Kovács | ... | director of photography (as Laszlo Kovacs) |
Editing by
| Richard A. Harris | ... | (edited by) (as Richard Harris) |
| Michael A. Stevenson | ... | (edited by) |
Editorial Department
| Daniel Sackheim | ... | assistant film editor |
| George C. Villaseñor | ... | assistant film editor |
| Michael Thau | ... | assistant editor (uncredited) |
Casting By
| Pennie DuPont | ... | (casting) (as Pennie du Pont) |
Production Design by
| Charles Rosen | ... | (production design by) |
Set Decoration by
| Marvin March | ||
Costume Design by
| Moss Mabry | ||
Makeup Department
| Ken Chase | ... | makeup artist |
| Tony Lloyd | ... | makeup artist: Mr. Pryor |
| Robert L. Stevenson | ... | hair stylist (as Bob Stevenson) |
| Yolanda Toussieng | ... | hair stylist (as Yolanda Toussing) |
Production Management
| Jerry A. Baerwitz | ... | unit production manager (as Jerry Baerwitz) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Frank Bueno | ... | second assistant director |
| Paul Moen | ... | second assistant director |
| Bill Scott | ... | first assistant director |
Art Department
| Joe Acord | ... | construction coordinator |
| Tom Bartholomew | ... | stand-by painter |
| Sam Gordon | ... | property master |
| David F. Klassen | ... | set designer (as David Klassen) |
| Ted Mossman | ... | assistant property master |
| Paul Myerberg | ... | leadman (as Paul Meyerberg) |
| Gregory Pickrell | ... | set designer (as Greg Pickrell) |
Sound Department
| Rick Alexander | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Wayne Artman | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Tom Beckert | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Raul A. Bruce | ... | boom operator (as Raul Bruce) |
| Gene S. Cantamessa | ... | production sound mixer |
| Pat Somerset | ... | sound effects |
| Frank Spencer | ... | sound effects |
| Jeffrey Riekenberg | ... | sound recordist (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Phil Cory | ... | special effects supervisor |
| Hans Metz | ... | special effects |
| Thomas R. Ward | ... | special effects (as Tom Ward) |
Stunts
| Bobby Porter | ... | stunt coordinator |
| Brad Baker | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Bob Herron | ... | stunt double: Jackie Gleason (uncredited) |
| Jesse Wayne | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Raymond Aguilar | ... | gaffer |
| Richmond L. Aguilar | ... | gaffer |
| William Birch | ... | camera operator: Chicago (as William Burch) |
| Paul Caven | ... | set lighting best boy |
| James Devis | ... | camera operator: second unit (as James Bryan Devis) |
| John T. Dustin | ... | camera operator: Chicago (as John Dustin) |
| Daniel C. Gold | ... | second assistant camera (as Dan Gold) |
| Bill Hardin | ... | second assistant camera: Chicago |
| O.T. Henderson | ... | dolly grip |
| George Kohut | ... | camera operator: Chicago |
| Leonard Lookabaugh | ... | key grip (as Len Lookabaugh) |
| Ann Lukacs | ... | first assistant camera: Chicago (as Ann Lukas) |
| Jim Mazzula | ... | first assistant camera: Chicago |
| John McGowan | ... | first assistant camera: Chicago |
| Morgan Renard | ... | still photographer |
| George Ressler | ... | best boy grip (as George Resler) |
| Robert M. Stevens | ... | camera operator |
| Jim Taylor | ... | still photographer: Chicago |
| Joseph E. Thibo | ... | first assistant camera (as Joe Thibo) |
| Paul Vombrack | ... | camera operator: Chicago (as Paul Vom Brack) |
| Michael Walker | ... | second assistant camera: Chicago |
| Garrett Brown | ... | steadicam operator (uncredited) |
Casting Department
| Dee Cothern | ... | casting: Baton Rouge |
| Michael Pitalo | ... | casting: Baton Rouge |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Norman A. Burza | ... | wardrobe supervisor: men (as Norman Burza) |
| Alice Daniels | ... | wardrobe: Mr. Pryor |
| Elizabeth Pine | ... | wardrobe supervisor: women |
Music Department
| Michael Boddicker | ... | musician: synthesizer |
| Jeff Carson | ... | supervising music editor |
| Malcolm McNab | ... | musician: trumpet (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Betsy Norton | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
| Walker 'Butch' Chaney | ... | transportation captain: Baton Rouge (as Butch Chaney) |
| Alan Falco | ... | transportation coordinator (as Allan Falco) |
| Robert Neilson | ... | transportation captain |
Additional Crew
| Jeffrey Benjamin | ... | production associate |
| Pete Emmet | ... | unit publicist |
| Wayne Fitzgerald | ... | title designer |
| Ann Ford | ... | assistant: Mr. Donner |
| Michelle Kuhar | ... | production coordinator |
| David Oliver Pfeil | ... | title designer (as David Oliver) |
| David Price | ... | assistant: Mr. Donner |
| Rusty Warren | ... | production accountant |
| Beau Holden | ... | security (uncredited) |
| Melanie Tanz | ... | assistant: producers (uncredited) |
Thanks
| A.C. Lewis | ... | the producers wish to thank (as Mr. A.C. Lewis) |
Production Companies
- Columbia Pictures (presents)
- Delphi Films
- Rastar Pictures
Distributors
- Columbia Pictures (1982) (United States) (theatrical)
- Columbia-EMI-Warner (1982) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Columbia Films of India (1983) (India) (theatrical) (Bombay)
- Columbia Pictures of Argentina (1983) (Argentina) (theatrical) (through Warner-Columbia Films)
- Sony Pictures Releasing (1983) (India) (theatrical) (as Columbia Films of India)
- Warner-Columbia Films (1983) (Argentina) (theatrical) (through)
- Home Box Office (HBO) (1983) (United States) (tv)
- RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1983) (United States) (VHS)
- Columbia International Films (1984) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Fox Columbia Film Distributors (1984) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Warner-Columbia Film (1984) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- LK-TEL (1984) (Argentina) (VHS)
- RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video (1984) (West Germany) (VHS)
- RCA/Columbia-Hoyts Home Video (1984) (Australia) (VHS)
- American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1985) (United States) (tv)
- LK-TEL Vídeo (1985) (Brazil) (VHS)
- Belgische Radio en Televisie (BRT) (1989) (Belgium) (tv) (BRT2)
- GoodTimes Home Video (1989) (United States) (VHS)
- RTL Entertainment (1990) (Netherlands) (tv) (RTL-Véronique)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (1993) (United States) (VHS)
- Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2001) (United States) (DVD)
- Image Entertainment (2012) (United States) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Panavision (lenses and Panaflex® Camera by)
- Reeltime Creative (trailer music)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
On one of his bratty son Eric's annual visits, the plutocrat U.S. Bates takes him to his department store and offers him anything in it as a gift. Eric chooses a black janitor who has made him laugh with his antics. At first the man suffers many indignities as Eric's "toy", but gradually teaches the lonely boy what it is like to have and to be a friend.
Written by Paul Emmons |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | When Jackie Gleason Told His Son He Could Have Any Present He Wanted, He Picked The Most Outrageous Gift Of All... Richard Pryor. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $17,000,000 (estimated) |
| Opening Weekend United States | $6,322,804, 12 Dec 1982 |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | Richard Pryor wrote favorably of his working relationship with Jackie Gleason in his autobiography. He said that the stories Gleason told on set were funnier than anything in the film. See more » |
| Goofs | When Jack is rolling in the inflatable wheel, during a closeup a crew member's hand appears from the right side of the screen to help balance the wheel. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Pryor to Murphy (1983). See more » |
| Soundtracks | I Just Want To Be Your Friend See more » |
| Crazy Credits | The closing credits are shown aside four toy darts. See more » |
| Quotes |
Jack Brown:
Angela! Jesus H. Christ! Eric Bates: Is that her full name? See more » |