Drop Dead Fred (1991)

Director:

Ate de Jong

Writers:

Elizabeth Livingston (story)
Carlos Davis (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

19 April 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

Imagine having this guy for a friend

Plot:

A young woman finds her already unstable life rocked by the presence of a rambunctious imaginary friend from childhood.

Plot Keywords:

Mother | Imaginary Friend | Slapstick | Rhyme In Title | Slapstick Comedy

Cast

Phoebe Cates	...	Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Cronin
Rik Mayall	...	Drop Dead Fred
Marsha Mason	...	Polly Cronin
Tim Matheson	...	Charles
Carrie Fisher	...	Janie
Keith Charles	...	Murray
Ashley Peldon	...	Young Elizabeth
Daniel Gerroll	...	Nigel Cronin
Ron Eldard	...	Mickey Bunce
Eleanor Mondale	...	Attractive Customer
Bob Reid	...	Judge Dubben
Peter Thoemke	...	Arsonist
Sjoukje De Jong Douma	...	Grandma Bunce
Paul Holmes	...	Man in Speedboat
Steve Cochran	...	Waiter #1
Robert Meyzen	...	Waiter #2
Daniel Buchen	...	Doctor Ryland
Marie Mathay	...	Concerned Mom
Peter Breitmayer	...	Go to Hell Herman
Clark Niederjohn	...	Velcro Head
Tom Bethke	...	Graggy
Elizabeth Gray	...	Namby Pamby
Cheryl Hawker	...	Nurse
Michael Welker	...	Waiter at Wine Gala
Kelly Benson	...	Natalie Bunce
Cathy Lind Hayes	...	Ms. Fuzzock
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David John Adamson	...	Clerk (uncredited)
Kevin Deon	...	Juror (uncredited)
Bridget Fonda	...	Annabella (uncredited)
Paul Nobrega	...	Lawyer (uncredited)
Rod Pitman	...	Plain Clothes Bank Guard (uncredited)
Andrei Sterling	...	Waiter (uncredited)

Directed by
Ate de Jong		(as Ate De Jong)

Writing credits
Elizabeth Livingston		(story)
Carlos Davis		(written by) &
Anthony Fingleton		(written by)

Produced by
Tim Bevan	....	executive producer
Carlos Davis	....	executive producer
Anthony Fingleton	....	executive producer
Paul Webster	....	producer

Original Music by
Randy Edelman

Cinematography by
Peter Deming

Film Editing by
Marshall Harvey

Casting by
Lynn Kressel

Production Design by
Joseph T. Garrity

Art Direction by
Rando Schmook		(as Randall Schmook)

Set Decoration by
Colin Tugwood

Costume Design by
Carol Wood

Makeup Department
Richard Blair	....	makeup artist: Ms. Mason
Daniel Curet	....	assistant hair stylist (as Daniel Cure)
Tamara Guthrie	....	hair stylist supervisor
Sherry Hartung	....	assistant hair stylist
Christopher Johnson	....	special makeup effects artist
Steven Mack	....	wig stylist (as Steve McGlocklin)
Heather Matisoff	....	key hair stylist
A.J. Nielsen	....	assistant hair stylist
Lizbeth Williamson	....	key makeup artist (as Lizbeth J. Williamson)

Production Management
Mary McLaglen	....	unit production manager
Clarissa Troop	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julie Herrin	....	second second assistant director
Daniel M. Stillman	....	second assistant director (as Dan Stillman)
Michael Waxman	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Elliot Berlovitz	....	assistant props (as Elliott Berlovitz)
Marty Cusack	....	additional property master
Margot Czulewicz	....	assistant to set decorator
Diane Delesha	....	scenic painter
Nancy Derby	....	scenic painter (as Nance Corkrum-Derby)
Kathie Foslien	....	greensman
Norine Joy Francis	....	swing gang (as Norine Francis)
Barbara Anne Gorrie	....	art department coordinator (as Barbara Gorrie)
Michael Handley	....	leadman
Bob Hedstrom	....	construction coordinator
Anne Hyvarinen	....	lead scenic
Michael Kestner	....	carpenter
Dale Kirchberg	....	carpenter
Cher La Frenierè	....	set dresser (as Cher Lafreniere)
Steven Linsner	....	swing gang
Jonathan Martin	....	swing gang
Keith Robinson	....	carpenter
Deborah Schildt	....	property master
Sydney Sharpe	....	assistant art director
Stuart Skrien	....	rigger: art department
Wendy Snauffer	....	scenic painter
Kathy Stewart	....	scenic painter
Steve Sutherland	....	carpenter
Pete von Sholly	....	storyboard artist (as Peter Von Sholly)
Michael Wallien	....	carpenter
Wayne Wendland	....	lead carpenter
Niel Williams	....	on-set dresser
Dane Pizzuti Krogman	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Michele Spadaro	....	set decorator: additional photography (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert J. Anderson Jr.	....	sound mixer (as Bob Anderson)
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	dialogue editor (as Sam Crutcher)
Pud Cusack	....	boom operator
Robert W. Glass Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer
Grover B. Helsley	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joseph Holsen	....	dialogue editor (as Joe Holsen)
Terry Honore	....	assistant sound editor
Victor Iorillo	....	sound effects editor
Edmund J. Lachmann	....	dialogue editor (as Ed Lachman)
Michael P. Redbourn	....	supervising sound editor (as Michael Redbourn)
Richard D. Rogers	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Soukup	....	sound transfer
Tova Szabó	....	foley editor (as Tova Szabo)
Bill Ward	....	assistant sound editor
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Frank Fleming	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Troy Porter	....	foley mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
James Belohovek	....	model builder: Doug Beswick Productions, Inc. (as Jim Belohovek)
Doug Beswick	....	stop motion animator: Doug Beswick Productions, Inc.
Phillip Billey	....	assistant special effects (as Phil Billey)
Theresa Burkett	....	puppet costumer: Doug Beswick Productions, Inc. (as Teresa Burkett)
Yancy Calzada	....	mechanical technician: Doug Beswick Productions, Inc.
Bob Cooper	....	special effects coordinator
Mitch Devane	....	stop motion sculptor: Doug Beswick Productions, Inc. (as Mitch DeVane)
Paul Murphy	....	assistant special effects
Margaret Prentice	....	puppet painter: Doug Beswick Productions, Inc. (as Margaret Prentick)
John Eggett	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
William S. Conner	....	optical effects: VCE (as Bill Conner)
David Emerson	....	optical effects: VCE (as Dave Emerson)
Paul Gentry	....	special photographic effects: VCE
Gary George	....	optical effects: VCE
Brian Griffin	....	optical effects: VCE
Todd Hall	....	optical effects: VCE
Peter Kuran	....	visual effects producer: VCE (as Pete Kuran)
Kevin Kutchaver	....	visual effects supervisor: VCE
Jo Martin	....	visual effects editorial: VCE
Pete Martin	....	optical effects: VCE
Pam Vick	....	animation camera: VCE
Jacqueline Zietlow	....	coordinator: VCE
Jim Aupperle	....	stop motion animator (uncredited)

Stunts
Ky Michaelson	....	stunt coordinator
Barbara Anne Klein	....	stunt double: Cathy Lind Hayes (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Adams	....	best boy grip
Clarence Brown	....	dolly grip
Scott Browner	....	first assistant camera
Nick Cline	....	best boy electric
David Doyle	....	electrician
Robert K. Feldmann	....	key grip (as Robaire Feldmann)
Craig Foster	....	grip
Scott Foster	....	grip
Tom Franchett	....	electrician (as Thomas Franchett)
Greg Gardiner	....	camera operator: second unit (as Gregory Gardiner)
Johnny Hale	....	grip
Kimman Harmon	....	second assistant camera
Francis Kenny	....	additional photographer
Michael LaViolette	....	grip (as Michael Laviolette)
Chris Malone	....	electrician (as Chris 'Floater' Malone)
Sandi Sissel	....	additional photographer
Demmie Todd	....	unit still photographer

Animation Department
Steve Segal	....	animator: title animation (as Steven Segal)
Kenneth Littleton	....	animator (uncredited)
Lawrence Littleton	....	animator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cheryl Broussard	....	wardrobe assistant
Lucy W. Corrigan	....	assistant costume designer (as Lucy Corrigan)
Daryl Kerrigan	....	wardrobe supervisor
Ann Miller	....	wardrobe assistant
Pamela Post	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
James Groetsch	....	second assistant editor
Brent Kaviar	....	second assistant editor
Dan Muscarella	....	color timer
Jim Schulte	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Elton Ahi	....	scoring mixer
François Blaignan	....	scoring crew (as Francois Blaigan)
Gustavo Borner	....	scoring crew
Kathy Durning	....	music editor
Boon Heng Tan	....	scoring crew

Transportation Department
Bobby Jo Cawley	....	transportation coordinator (as Bobby Cawley)
Todd S. Eichens	....	driver
Francis Gritz	....	driver
Jim Haugh	....	driver
Robert L. Heck	....	driver
Scott Hendricks	....	transportation captain
Charles Johnson	....	driver
Kevin Kennedy	....	driver
Michael Kennedy	....	driver
Roger Knutson	....	driver
Mark Masoner	....	driver: production van
Vince Pecora	....	driver: honeywagon

Other crew
John Curly Barrett	....	acrobat double (as John Barrett)
Benita Brazier	....	script supervisor
Priscilla Fingleton	....	production assistant
Samantha Fingleton	....	production assistant
Chrysa Freeman	....	production assistant
Nicole Furia	....	production accountant
Anita Giordano	....	catering coordinator
Robert Graf	....	assistant location manager (as Bob Graf)
Julie Hartley	....	production coordinator
Tim Hillman	....	location manager
Billy Hinshelwood	....	legal service: UK
Robin Keller	....	production assistant
Margaret Lancaster	....	assistant accountant
Jose Majica	....	assistant chef (as Jose Mojica)
Eric Mueller	....	assistant production coordinator
Kevin O'Shea	....	insurance services
Julie Polkes	....	unit publicist: Cottrell & Lindeman Associates
Joe Ranft	....	title designer
Reva Rose	....	adr artist
Pete Snell	....	projectionist
David A. Sodergren	....	consultant: fine arts (as David Sodergren)
Emily Stevens	....	production assistant
Clarissa Troop	....	assistant to producer
Vicki Van Fleet	....	craft service
Larry Walack	....	chef
Brad Stephens	....	publicist (uncredited)

Thanks
Randy Adamsick	....	thanks: The Minneapolis Film Board
Laura Ashley	....	thanks
Eve Benish	....	thanks
Richard N. Gladstein	....	thanks (as Richard Gladstein)
Evy Komarek	....	thanks
Michael Kuhn	....	thanks
Lou Nanni	....	thanks
Kelly Pratt	....	thanks: The Minneapolis Film Board
Sandy Puttnam	....	thanks: Nabisco Foods
Sarah Radclyffe	....	thanks
Sara Risher	....	thanks
Gail Swanson	....	thanks
Seth Willenson	....	thanks

Production Companies

• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
• Working Title Films

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox Network (1994) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Artisan Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• CNR Video (1992) (Belgium) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (UK) (video)
• Family Home Entertainment (FHE) (1996) (USA) (video)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Live Video (video)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (UK) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"My Special Friend" - Philippines (English title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG (video rating) | Australia:PG | Iceland:L | UK:12 (DVD rating) | South Korea:12 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Gaviidae Commons, Nicollet Mall - 555 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Company:

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Trivia:

The steamboat that Janie lived on is an actual residence.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Elizabeth and Fred are on the boat she asks Fred, "What is that water doing there?" He replies, "I don't know," but his mouth is saying something else.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Polly:And the prince took the beautiful young girl in his arms and said, will you marry me? Yes, she whispered, I will be your princess.
Young Elizabeth:Did they live happily ever after?
Polly:Of course, Elizabeth.
[tucking her in]
Young Elizabeth:How do you know?
Polly:Because she was a good little girl. If she had been naughty, the prince would have run away.
Young Elizabeth:What a pile of shit!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Clerks. (1994)

Too much fun!!!

All of this movie is a good excuse for a giggle...but watch for the restaurant segment. I couldn't stop laughing the first time I saw the "invisible" Fred controlling Lizzie's movements. This is one of those "feel good" movies. Never gets old.