My Favourite Year (1982)
"My Favorite Year" (original title)

A dissolute matinee idol is slated to appear on a live TV variety show.

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writers:

Norman Steinberg (screenplay), Dennis Palumbo (screenplay),

Stars:

Peter O'Toole, Mark Linn-Baker, Jessica Harper

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter O'Toole	...	Alan Swann
Mark Linn-Baker	...	Benjy Stone
Jessica Harper	...	K.C. Downing
Joseph Bologna	...	King Kaiser
Bill Macy	...	Sy Benson
Lainie Kazan	...	Belle Carroca
Anne De Salvo	...	Alice Miller
Basil Hoffman	...	Herb Lee
Lou Jacobi	...	Uncle Morty
Adolph Green	...	Leo Silver
Tony DiBenedetto	...	Alfie Bumbacelli
George Wyner	...	Myron Fein
Selma Diamond	...	Lil
Cameron Mitchell	...	Karl Rojeck
Jenny Neumann	...	Connie

Storyline

Benjy Stone is the junior writer on the top rated variety/comedy show, in the mid 50s (the early years). Its a new medium and the rules were not fully established. Alan Swann, an Erol Flynn type actor with a drinking problem is to be that weeks guest star. When King Kaiser, the headliner wants to throw Swann off the show, Benjy makes a pitch to save his childhood hero, and is made Swann's babysitter. On top of this, a union boss doesn't care for Kaiser's parody of him and has plans to stop the show.

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Plot Keywords:

star | movie star | television | live television | jewish | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 October 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mi año favorito

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Brooksfilms

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Peter O'Toole talked the producers into paying for a fencing instructor to get him in shape for the fight sequence.

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Goofs

In the family dinner scene, Belle calls Alan Swann "Al," to which Benjy responds, "Ma, it's not Al. If I invite Capone or Jolson, then it's Al." At that point, Uncle Morty says, "Jolson's coming?" The movie takes place in 1954. Al Jolson died in 1950, and Capone died in 1947. Of course, Benjy could have been making a facetious remark, but Uncle Morty acts as if he thinks Jolson is still alive.

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Quotes

Stockbroker #1: [looking over the edge of the balcony] I think Alan Swann is beneath us!
Stockbroker #2: Of course he's beneath us. He's an actor!
Stockbroker #1: No! I think Alan Swann is beneath us right now!

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Connections

Spoofed in Rock Star (2001)

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Soundtracks

"Stardust"
(1927)
Music by Hoagy Carmichael (uncredited)
Lyrics by Mitchell Parish (uncredited) (1929)
Performed off-screen by Nat 'King' Cole during the opening credits
Courtesy of Capitol Records, Inc.

User Reviews

A humane, funny film with a great heart.

I was born in 1958, so I never saw Your Show of Shows, and needless to say, I never knew there was a famous or infamous incident involving one of my boyhood idols, a very drunk Errol Flynn.Dennis Palumbo, in what is ( sadly) apparently his only effort as a script writer, has taken this incident and woven a very human and very funny film from it. Benjamin's direction is excellent, and Peter O'Toole ( playing, it must be said, a variant of himself), is wonderful, as is most of the rest of the cast. Benjamin shows a sure comic touch in his debut. In short, like Quiz Show, one of the best movies about the fifties, and one of the best movies about the early days of television.