Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

Director:

Tom Shadyac

Writers (WGA):

Jack Bernstein (story)
Jack Bernstein (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

4 February 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

He's the best there is! (Actually, he's the only one there is.)

Plot:

A goofy detective specializing in animals goes in search of a missing dolphin mascot of a football team.

Plot Keywords:

Dolphin | Animal | Fire | Ass | Stupidity

Awards:

5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Jim Carrey	...	Ace Ventura
Courteney Cox	...	Melissa Robinson
Sean Young	...	Lt. Lois Einhorn
Tone Loc	...	Emilio (as Tone Lõc)
Dan Marino	...	Himself
Noble Willingham	...	Riddle
Troy Evans	...	Roger Podacter
Raynor Scheine	...	Woodstock
Udo Kier	...	Ron Camp
Frank Adonis	...	Vinnie
Tiny Ron	...	Roc
David Margulies	...	Doctor
John Capodice	...	Sgt. Aguado
Judy Clayton	...	Martha Mertz
Bill Zuckert	...	Mr. Finkle
Alice Drummond	...	Mrs. Finkle
Rebecca Ferratti	...	Sexy Woman
Mark Margolis	...	Mr. Shickadance
Antoni Corone	...	Reporter #1
Margo Peace	...	Reporter #2
Randall 'Tex' Cobb	...	Gruff Man
Henry Landivar	...	Burnout
Florence Mistrot	...	Neighbor
Robert Ferrell	...	Carlson
Will Knickerbocker	...	Manager
Gary Munch	...	Director
Terry Miller	...	Assistant Director
John Archie	...	Reporter #3
Cristina Karman	...	Reporter #4
Tom Wahl	...	Reporter #5
Herbert Goldstein	...	Crazy Guy
Chaz Mena	...	Another Cop
Manuel L. García	...	Dolphin Trainer
Don Shula	...	Miami Dolphin
Scott Mitchell	...	Miami Dolphin
Peter Stoyanovich	...	Miami Dolphin
Dwight Stephenson	...	Miami Dolphin
Jeff Uhlenhake	...	Miami Dolphin
Jeff Dellenbach	...	Miami Dolphin
Marco Coleman	...	Miami Dolphin
Kim Bokamper	...	Miami Dolphin
Jeff Cross	...	Miami Dolphin
Chris Barnes	...	Thrasher Band 'Cannibal Corpses'
Alex Webster	...	Thrasher Band 'Cannibal Corpses'
Paul Mazurkiewicz Jr.	...	Thrasher Band 'Cannibal Corpses'
Jack Owen	...	Thrasher Band 'Cannibal Corpses'
Robert Barrett	...	Thrasher Band 'Cannibal Corpses'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bubba Baker	...	Toothless Giant (uncredited)
Vince Cecere	...	Stadium Vendor (uncredited)
Robert Deacon	...	Redneck #1 (uncredited)
Dominic Jack Pizzo Sr.	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Michelle Russo	...	Fan Catching Football (uncredited)
Laird Stuart	...	Superbowl Referee (uncredited)

Directed by
Tom Shadyac

Writing credits (WGA)
Jack Bernstein		(story)
Jack Bernstein		(screenplay) and
Tom Shadyac		(screenplay) &
Jim Carrey		(screenplay)

Produced by
Gary Barber	....	executive producer
Peter Bogart	....	co-producer
Bob Israel	....	co-producer
James G. Robinson	....	producer

Original Music by
Ira Newborn

Cinematography by
Julio Macat

Film Editing by
Don Zimmerman

Casting by
Mary Jo Slater

Production Design by
William A. Elliott		(as William Elliott)

Art Direction by
Alan E. Muraoka

Set Decoration by
Scott Jacobson

Costume Design by
Bobbie Read

Makeup Department
Jay Cannistraci	....	2nd makeup artist (as Jay S. Cannistraci)
Donna Battersby Greene	....	2nd hair stylist (as Donna Greene)
Pauletta O. Lewis	....	key hair stylist (as Pauletta Lewis)
Pamela Priest	....	3rd hair stylist (as Pamela B. Priest)
Sheryl Ptak	....	key makeup artist
Lee Grimes	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Peter Bogart	....	unit production manager
Jody Levin	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Adam Druxman	....	second assistant director
Melanie Grefe	....	key second assistant director
Terry Miller	....	first assistant director
Michael Viglietta	....	second second assistant director
Julian Valdes	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Lewis Bowen	....	head scenic artist
Michael Calabrese	....	set dresser
William Les Collins	....	construction manager
James P. Crapser	....	lead man propmaker
Gabriel C. Ell	....	property maker
Wallace G. Emery	....	propmaker foreman (as Wally Emery)
Matthew Fleck	....	painter
Richard Fojo	....	set designer
Paul J. Hendricks	....	property maker
Tanya Hotton	....	art department coordinator
Dean F. Janik	....	painter
Cheryl C. Johnson	....	stand-by painter
Jane B. Johnson	....	lead person
Gordon Keath	....	property maker
Richard F. Malone Jr.	....	property maker
Michael J. McCarthy Sr.	....	property maker
Mark McCarthy	....	carpenter
Geri Petersen	....	assistant prop man
J. Randy Peterson	....	carpenter (as Randy Peterson)
Michael Reid	....	property maker
Vivian Russo	....	painter
John R. Salemi	....	property maker
Skip Schields	....	set props
Philip Schneider	....	property manager
Fred Schwendel	....	set dresser (as Frederick W. Schwendel)
George Simporis	....	painter
Dan Sweetman	....	storyboard artist
Paul Vistocco	....	painter
Norman E. Weber	....	paint foreman
Stuart Wein	....	set dresser
Cary Whittaker	....	greensman
Nelson Wirtz	....	carpenter
Susan Inge Wood	....	paint foreman
Curtis Carlin	....	swing gang (uncredited)
Michael J. Flynn	....	props (uncredited)
Jeremy Alan Read	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Dana Austin	....	foley artist (as Dana Porter)
Odin Benitez	....	first assistant sound editor
Gaston Biraben	....	sound editor
Kevin Cerchiai	....	cable utility
Jeff Courtie	....	adr recordist
Russell C. Fager	....	sound mixer
Robert Fitzgerald	....	adr supervisor
Randall Guth	....	second assistant sound editor
Michael Hilkene	....	sound designer
Eric Lindemann	....	sound editor (as Eric W. Lindermann)
Gail K. Markley	....	assistant to sound editing supervisor
Paul Massey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott Millan	....	sound re-recording mixer
David M. O'Dell	....	boom operator
Steve Pederson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Rathaus	....	sound editor
Catherine Rowe	....	foley artist
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Wolf Schmidt	....	sound editor
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Michael Arbogast	....	special effects supervisor
Thomas Kittle	....	special effects
Andrew Nicholls	....	special effects assistant
Patrick Tantalo	....	special effects foreman

Visual Effects by
Krystyna Demkowicz	....	executive in charge of production: Matte World (uncredited)
Paul Rivera	....	digital compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Courtney Brown	....	stunts
Joe Bucaro III	....	stunts (as Joe '7' Bucaro)
Alex Edlin	....	stunts
Terry Gusmano	....	stunts
Joe Hess	....	stunts
Birgitte Holmgaard	....	stunts
Gainer Johnson	....	stunts
Alan Jordan	....	stunts (as Alan R. Jordan)
Mike Kirton	....	stunts
Artie Malesci	....	stunt coordinator
Blake Pickett	....	stunts
Felipe Savahge	....	stunts
Jim Vickers	....	stunts
John Zimmerman	....	stunts
Kim Zimmerman	....	stunts
Tom Bahr	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Chick Bernhardt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Andrew Scott Dixon	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Cort Hessler	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Todd Seeley	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jerry Bertolami	....	dolly grip
Philip 'Biff' Delaney	....	generator operator
Alexis DuPont Jr.	....	camera operator
Peter Farber	....	second assistant camera
Jon Baronn Farmer	....	still photographer
Andrew Giammarco	....	grip
Phil Green	....	grip
Jamie Klein	....	grip
Edward Knott III	....	key grip (as Edward Knett III)
Rick Lacoste	....	lamp operator
William McConnell	....	first assistant camera
Gene Moffat	....	lamp operator
Barry Ryan	....	best boy
Gary Ryan	....	best boy electric
William B. Sechel	....	gaffer
Jim Seckel	....	lamp operator
John Sider	....	lamp operator
Jeff Simon	....	photographer: second unit
Owen Stephens	....	electrician: rigging
Greg Morse	....	24 frame video operator (uncredited)
Bob Wright	....	additional first assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Steve Brooksbank	....	casting assistant
Jeff Fisher	....	casting assistant
Dana McFadden	....	casting assistant
Mary Jo Slater	....	casting
Melissa Biggs	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rhona Meyers	....	costumer
Emae Villalobos	....	wardrobe supervisor
Kelly M. Webb	....	set costumer
Gina Williams	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Steven Gary Banks	....	post-production assistant (as Steven Banks)
Craig Connell	....	assistant editor
Gaston Santiso	....	second assistant editor (as Gaston M. Santiago)
Don Thompson	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Peter Afterman	....	music supervisor
Raymond Blair	....	music recording engineer
Tim Boyle	....	music recording engineer
Jeff Carson	....	music editor
Dan Stein	....	music programmer
George Doering	....	musician (uncredited)
Richard McIlvery	....	music recordist (uncredited)
Elizabeth Wendel	....	associate music supervisor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Larry Crenshaw	....	transportation manager
Pirty Lee Jackson	....	driver captain
Eric Wade	....	executive driver
Kevin Hudis	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Tommy Barone	....	set production assistant
Michael Battaglia	....	unit publicist (as Mike Battaglia)
Greg Beber	....	assistant location manager
Ingrid K. Behrens	....	set production assistant
Betty Bennett	....	script supervisor
Will Brantley	....	projectionist (as Will A. Brantley)
Kenneth J. Cooney	....	assistant location manager
Tom Deakman	....	stand-in: Jim Carrey
Bill Goff	....	projectionist
Zoila Gomez	....	office production assistant
Diane Gutterud	....	production coordinator
Kelly Helstrom	....	assistant: Mr. Barber
Margo Hunt	....	assistant production coordinator
Richard J. Kupfer	....	administrator: Morgan Creek
Eugene Lebowitz	....	project consultant
Tamara Lindberg	....	accounting clerk
April Mackin	....	lead animal trainer
David Mastron	....	post-production accountant
Sarah McAnally	....	assistant: Mr. Carrey
Michael J. McCarthy	....	craft service
Michelle Minyon	....	assistant: Mr. Shadyac
Cathy Morrison-Partridge	....	head wrangler (as Cathy Morrison)
Jamie Moshall	....	set production assistant
Pattison Newberry	....	first aid
Steve Oedekerk	....	project consultant
Edward V. Pannozzo	....	accounting assistant
Michael Scott Reid	....	office production assistant
Michael Roberts	....	unit accountant
James G. Robinson	....	presenter
Louise Rosner	....	production coordinator
Valerie Schields	....	location manager
Robert Short	....	puppeteer
Todd P. Smith	....	production coordinator
Elaine Taverrile	....	assistant accountant
Douglas Turner	....	puppeteer (as Douglas S. Turner)
Melanie Webster	....	stand-in
Janet M. West	....	assistant: Mr. Robinson
Dawn Barkan	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Paul Barth	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Tammy Blackburn	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Michèle Darmon	....	press attache: France (uncredited)
Carolyn Schnitzer	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Sally Jo Sousa	....	animal trainer: penquins, skunk, dogs and parrots (uncredited)
Jim Vickers	....	fight choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Morgan Creek Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• Roadshow Entertainment (1994) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1994) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1994) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1994) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1994) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1994) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• AMLF (1995) (France) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1996) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Roadshow Entertainment Video (Australia) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Matte World Digital

Other Companies

• American Humane Association, The  this production follows the guidelines of (as The American Humane Association)
• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animals provided by (as Birds & Animals)
• Eastman Kodak  color films (as Eastman)
• Inter Video  24 frame video services
• International Film Guarantors  completion guaranty provided by
• Morgan Creek Productions  author of this motion picture for the purposes of copyright and other laws
• Morgan Creek Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for off-color humor and some nudity

Runtime:

86 min | Turkey:78 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | Iceland:L | Italy:T | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Spain:18 | Sweden:11 | UK:12 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | South Korea:12 | USA:PG-13 (Certificate #32779) | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Compton Apartments - Washington Avenue, Miami, Florida, USA

Company:

Morgan Creek Productions

Trivia:

Rick Moranis turned down the role of Ace Ventura.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: In the movie, the Miami City Police officers are wearing Miami-Dade Police Patches. The real-life Miami City Police patches are circular and feature a palm tree in the center.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Ace Ventura:Heads up! Good defense! Good defense!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Holliston: Weekend of Horrors: Part 1 (#1.9)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

LINE UP

star-making performance for Carrey

Undeniably juvenile, but funny and entertaining comedy stars Carrey—in his breakthrough role—as a goofy, wildly eccentric pet detective hired to find the missing Miami Dolphins mascot. He's the right man for the job but his childish idiosyncrasies, uncanny bond with animals, and aberrant investigative techniques cause outsiders to question whether or not he can actually make good on his word. Aimed mostly at fans who really enjoy silly humor, others will quickly find it tiresome. There are some amusing cameos by real Dolphin football players (including an engaging Dan Marino) but this film belongs to Carrey and his constant outrageousness. Sure-fire entertainment for fans of this genre. **½