The Last Married Couple in America (1980)

Director:

Gilbert Cates

Writer:

John Herman Shaner (written by)

Release Date:

3 April 1980 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Endangered Species

Plot:

Mari and Jeff Thompson start to doubt their own marriage when every couple they know separate.

Plot Keywords:

Marriage | Divorce | Love | Female Nudity | Panties

Cast

George Segal	...	Jeff Thompson
Natalie Wood	...	Mari Thompson
Richard Benjamin	...	Marv Cooper
Valerie Harper	...	Barbara
Bob Dishy	...	Howard
Dom DeLuise	...	Walter Holmes
Marilyn Sokol	...	Alice Squib
Priscilla Barnes	...	Helena Dryden
Oliver Clark	...	Max Dryden
Mark Lonow	...	Tom
Allan Arbus	...	Al Squib
Arlene Golonka	...	Sally Cooper
Sondra Currie	...	Lainy
Robert Wahler	...	Rick
Catherine Hickland	...	Rebecca
David Comfort	...	Dick Thompson
David Rode	...	Andy Thompson
Rick Segall	...	Charlie Thompson (as Ricky Segall)
Stewart Moss	...	Donald
Colby Chester	...	Reggie
William Bogert	...	Dancing Man at First Party
Bebe Drake	...	Policewoman (as Bebe Drake-Hooks)
Murphy Dunne	...	Dr. Schallert
Jan Jorden	...	Woman at Soccer Game
Edgy Lee	...	Liu
Jenny O'Hara	...	Dancing Lady at First Party
George Pentecost	...	Roy
Charlene Ryan	...	Oriana
Shari Summers	...	Maggie
Yvonne Wilder	...	Margrette
Delia Salvi	...	Bel Air Woman
Mieko Kobayashi	...	Carol
Billy Holms	...	Dave
David Bennett	...	Ralph
Robert Perault	...	Young Man at Restaurant
Brad Maule	...	Young Man at Restaurant
Vernon Weddle	...	Man at Soccer Game
G. Lewis Cates	...	Boy at Refreshment Stand
Jenny Neumann	...	Nurse
Lynne Marie Stewart	...	Receptionist
Oz Tortora	...	Patron at Tommy's
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mary Armstrong	...	Party Guest
Elaine Bolton	...	Party Guest
Teda Bracci	...	Party Guest
Angela Carnon	...	Party Guest (as Angela Field)
Alex Cole	...	Party Guest (as Alexander Cole)
Luis Contreras	...	Party Guest
Randy Doney	...	Party Guest
Susan Donovan	...	Party Guest
Melba Englander	...	Party Guest
Lynn Eriks	...	Party Guest
Marilyn Fox	...	Party Guest
John Frayer	...	Party Guest
Betty Gorham	...	Party Guest
Leeyan Granger	...	Party Guest
Stan Haze	...	Party Guest
Victor Heineman	...	Party Guest
Eleanor C. Heutschy	...	Party Guest (as Eleanor Heutschy)
Jamilah Hunter	...	Party Guest
Barbara Isaacs	...	Party Guest (as Barbara Elaine Isaacs)
Birl Jonns	...	Party Guest
Nadejda Klein	...	Party Guest
Linda Lee	...	Party Guest
Jock Livingston	...	Party Guest
Robin Menken	...	Party Guest
B.J. Merholz	...	Party Guest
Linda Montana	...	Party Guest
Gene Montoya	...	Party Guest
Richard D. Montoya	...	Party Guest
Masumi Moriyama	...	Party Guest
Wendy Oates	...	Party Guest
Mustapha Bourth Ouchama	...	Party Guest
Judy Pierce	...	Party Guest
Gregory Rozakis	...	Party Guest
Alton Ruff	...	Party Guest
Blane Savage	...	Party Guest
Jo Linda Sorci	...	Party Guest
Luis E. Torres	...	Party Guest
Randy Williams	...	Party Guest
Darcel Wynne	...	Party Guest
Allison Caine	...	Additional Voice (voice) (uncredited)
Janine King	...	Roller Skater (uncredited)

Directed by
Gilbert Cates

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John Herman Shaner		written by

Produced by
Gilbert Cates	....	executive producer
Joseph Cates	....	executive producer
Edward S. Feldman	....	producer
John Herman Shaner	....	producer

Original Music by
Charles Fox

Cinematography by
Ralph Woolsey

Film Editing by
Peter E. Berger

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton

Production Design by
Gene Callahan

Art Direction by
Peter Landsdown Smith		(as Peter Smith)

Set Decoration by
Lee Poll

Costume Design by
Edith Head		(costume designer: Natalie Wood and Valerie Harper)
Vicki Sánchez		(as Vicki Sanchez)

Makeup Department
Edwin Butterworth	....	makeup artist: Natalie Wood (as Ed Butterworth)
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist: George Segal
Kaye Pownall	....	hair stylist: Natalie Wood
Rick Provenzano	....	key hair stylist
Ron Snyder	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Tom Joyner	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stephen Lofaro	....	second assistant director (as Steve Lofaro)
Thomas Lofaro	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Robert Murdock	....	property master (as Bob Murdock)
Phill Norman	....	title design
John R. Jensen	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Peter Berkos	....	sound effects editor
Jack Gosden	....	loop dialogue editor
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Don Sharpless	....	sound

Special Effects by
Fred Z. Gebler	....	special effects (as Fred Gebler)

Camera and Electrical Department
Eric D. Andersen	....	camera operator (as Eric Andersen)
Alan R. Disler	....	assistant camera (as Alan Disler)
Robert Moore	....	key grip (as Bob Moore)
Bill Tenny	....	gaffer
Rod Weaver	....	lamp operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert Ellsworth	....	costume supervisor (as Bob Ellsworth)
Grace Kuhn	....	costume supervisor
Liliane Moreau	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Greig McRitchie	....	assistant editor (as Greig McRitchie II)
Marion Segal	....	associate editor
Virgil A. Tanner	....	color timer

Music Department
Stephen A. Hope	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Chuck Martinez	....	driver: cast

Other crew
Jane Cates	....	Mari's sculptures by
Tom Folino	....	production associate
Peggy Griffin	....	production assistant
Scott Salmon	....	choreographer
Julia Tucker	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1985) (USA) (TV)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Universal Vault Series)

Special Effects

• Universal Title (optical effects)

Other Companies

• Panavision  lenses and Panaflex camera
• Universal Title  titles

Also Known As:

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R | Australia:M

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The outdoor LA fast-food restaurant seen in the film was the Original Tommy's Burgers which first opened in 1946 on the corner of Rampart and Beverly.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Classics from the Vault: Changing Sex Roles (#2.10)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Do You Think I'm Sexy

See it for Natalie Wood

No, this isn't a very good movie. Fun to watch though if for no other reason than to laugh at the supposed 'hip' attitude of the whole thing when in truth it's about as conventional as a Love Boat episode. The party scene at the end with the hookers, swingers and disco version of 'Singin' in the Rain' is hilarious.

But the reason to see this movie is for Natalie Wood, who gives this film heart. She's absolutely wonderful in it. She was a terrific actress, even in something as frivolous as this ... funny, beautiful, a class act to the very end! None of today's actresses come close to her kind of star-power. I miss great actresses like Natalie Wood.