Johnny Dangerously (1984)

Director:

Amy Heckerling

Writers:

Harry Colomby (writer)
Jeff Harris (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

21 December 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

WANTED * MICHAEL KEATON * for being wacky, outrageous & rude in the 'new' hit comedy

Plot:

Set in the 1930's, an honest, goodhearted man is forced to turn to a life of crime to finance his neurotic mother's skyrocketing medical bills.

Plot Keywords:

Medical Bill | 1930s | Beautiful Woman | Organized Crime | Mobster

Cast

Michael Keaton	...	Johnny Kelly (AKA Johnny Dangerously)
Joe Piscopo	...	Danny Vermin
Marilu Henner	...	Lil
Maureen Stapleton	...	Ma Kelly
Peter Boyle	...	Jocko Dundee
Griffin Dunne	...	Tommy Kelly
Glynnis O'Connor	...	Sally
Dom DeLuise	...	The Pope
Richard Dimitri	...	Roman Troy Moronie
Danny DeVito	...	Burr
Ron Carey	...	Pat
Ray Walston	...	Vendor
Dick Butkus	...	Arthur
Byron Thames	...	Young Johnny
Alan Hale Jr.	...	Desk Sergeant
Scott Thomson	...	Charley
Sudie Bond	...	Cleaning Lady
Mark Jantzen	...	Dutch
Gary Watkins	...	Manny
Mike Bacarella	...	Vito
Hank Garrett	...	Mayor
Leonard Termo	...	Tony Scarano
Troy W. Slaten	...	Young Tommy
Alexander Hertzberg	...	Boy in Suit
Georg Olden	...	Young Vermin
Cynthia Szigeti	...	Mrs. Capone
Elizabeth Arlen	...	Girl on Steps
Doris Grossman	...	Woman
Richard Warwick	...	Prisoner
Mike Finneran	...	Prisoner
Paul B. Brice	...	Prisoner
Will Seltzer	...	Prisoner
Dick Balduzzi	...	Prisoner
Gordon Zimmerman	...	Prisoner
Katie La Bourdette	...	Blond Girl
Norman Steinberg	...	Reporter Duffy
Frank Slaten	...	Henchman
Dean R. Miller	...	Photographer
Neal Israel	...	Dr. Zillman
Edward C. Short	...	Porter
Shelley Pogoda	...	Woman
Jerome Michaels	...	Reporter Diering
Russell Forte	...	Hood
Jack Nance	...	Priest
Joy Michael	...	Chorus Girl
Rick Rosenthal	...	Judge
Carl Gottlieb	...	Dr. Magnus
Paula Dell	...	Mrs. Zimmer
Harvey Parry	...	Policeman
Jeffrey Weissman	...	T-Shirt Vendor
Richard A. Roth	...	Prisoner Rabbi
Chuck Hicks	...	Governor
Bob Eubanks	...	M.C.
Claudia Kim	...	Girl
Trisha Long	...	Female Butler
Hal Riddle	...	Warden
Mert Rich	...	Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Flaherty	...	Deathrow Inmate (uncredited)
Helen Kelly	...	Wife visiting prisoner (uncredited)
Taylor Negron	...	Delivery man (uncredited)
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Roman Moronie's Building Planner (uncredited)
Catherine Wilkinson	...	Hometown Neighbor Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Amy Heckerling

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Harry Colomby		writer
Jeff Harris		writer
Bernie Kukoff		writer
Norman Steinberg		writer

Produced by
Bud Austin	....	executive producer
Harry Colomby	....	executive producer
Michael Hertzberg	....	producer
Neil A. Machlis	....	associate producer

Original Music by
John Morris

Cinematography by
David M. Walsh

Film Editing by
Pembroke J. Herring

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton
Marci Liroff

Production Design by
Joseph R. Jennings

Set Decoration by
Rick Simpson

Costume Design by
Patricia Norris

Makeup Department
Verne Langdon	....	makeup artist
Michael Lorenz	....	makeup artist (as Mike Lorenz)
Bob Mills	....	makeup designer

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William S. Beasley	....	first assistant director
Carol Green	....	second assistant director
John Moio	....	second unit director
Christopher Ryan	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Roy Barnes	....	set designer
Daniel Maltese	....	set designer
Sam Moore	....	property master
Everett Olson	....	construction coordinator
Charles Swenson	....	graphics: SCRUFFY (as Chuck Swenson)
Drew Struzan	....	poster artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jerry Jost	....	production sound mixer
Bill Voigtlander	....	adr supervisor

Special Effects by
Alan E. Lorimer	....	special effects coordinator: second unit coordinator
Joseph A. Unsinn	....	special effects

Stunts
Rick Avery	....	stunts
Leslie Hoffman	....	stunts
Gene LeBell	....	stunts
John Moio	....	stunt coordinator
Harvey Parry	....	stunts
Pat Romano	....	stunts
Rick Sawaya	....	stunt double
Michael M. Vendrell	....	stunt performer
Mike Washlake	....	stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunts
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Neil Summers	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Colin J. Campbell	....	gaffer
Robert Edesa	....	camera operator
Carl Manoogian	....	key grip
Peter McEvoy	....	film loader
Michael Nash	....	assistant camera
Rick Fee	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Paul Jacobsen	....	lighting technician (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Debra Chiate	....	assistant film editor
Craig Herring	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
John R. Harris	....	music editor

Other crew
Bruce A. Block	....	re-shoot consultant
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Julie Pitkanen	....	script supervisor
Tony Stevens	....	choreographer
Chriss Strauss	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Edgewood Productions
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1994) (USA) (theatrical)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:L | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | West Germany:12 | Canada:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | USA:PG-13

Company:

Edgewood Productions

Trivia:

The film producers learned that 'Danny De Vito' might not make his shooting dates because he was still shooting Romancing the Stone (1984) in Mexico and barely made it to the set in time.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the educational film that Johnny shows his brother Helvetica typeface is used. The Helvetica typeface was not created until the 1950s.

Quotes:

Lil: Get this to Johnny on the grapevine. Vermin is going to kill Johnny's brother at the savoy theater tomorrow night. Got it?
Polly the parrot: Got it.
[flies away]
Polly the parrot: [arrives at prison mess hall and lands on the shoulder of a prisoner] Vermin is going to kill Johnny's brother at the Savoy theater. Pass it on.
Prisoner: [to the next prisoner sitting next to him] Vermin is going to kill Johnny's brother at the Savoy theater tonight. Pass it on.
Prisoner: [to the next prisoner, "telephone" style] Vermin is going to kill Johnny's mother at the Savoy theater tonight. Pass it on.
Prisoner: [to the next prisoner] Vermin's mother is going to kill Johnny tonight at the Savoy theater. Pass it on.
Prisoner: [to the next prisoner]
[unintelligible]
Prisoner: ... at the Savoy. Pass it on.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References The Sound of Music (1965)

"Hmm... Johnny's getting laid!"

Hilarious, under rated gangster spoof about an essentially good hearted boy who grows up to be Johnny Dangerously (Michael Keaton), AKA: John Shannon, who uses his ill gotten gains to support his family - his ailing mom and send his little brother to law school, of all places. Things get sticky though when an old foe (Joe Piscapoe) comes after Johnny and his girlfriend (Marilu Henner) and Johnny's own brother tries to come after him as part of his mission to clean up the city.

Lots of great gags, like Johnny advising kids to chew gum instead of smoking, Johnny's jail house striped suit, the running gag of Joe Piscapoe's character saying that certain members of his family did something to him "once... ONCE.", the running gag of Johnny's brother being unable to resist the temptation of sex, and of course, the fireworks that go off whenever Johnny gets laid.