The Cable Guy (1996)

Director:

Ben Stiller

Writer (WGA):

Lou Holtz Jr. (written by)

Release Date:

14 June 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Once you let him into your house, you'll never get him out of your life!

Plot:

A lonely and disturbed cable guy raised on television just wants a new friend, but his target, a designer, rejects him, with bad consequences.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Cable Guy | Television | Physical Abuse | Heavy Rain

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Jim Carrey	...	The Cable Guy
Matthew Broderick	...	Steven M. Kovacs
Leslie Mann	...	Robin Harris
Jack Black	...	Rick
George Segal	...	Steven's Father
Diane Baker	...	Steven's Mother
Ben Stiller	...	Sam Sweet / Stan Sweet
Eric Roberts	...	Eric Roberts
Janeane Garofalo	...	Medieval Times Waitress
Andy Dick	...	Medieval Times Host
Harry O'Reilly	...	Steven's Boss
David Cross	...	Sales Manager
Amy Stiller	...	Steven's Secretary
Owen Wilson	...	Robin's Date
Keith Gibbs	...	Basketball Player
Tommy Hinkley	...	Basketball Player
Shawn Michael Howard	...	Basketball Player
Jeff Kahn	...	Basketball Player
Suli McCullough	...	Basketball Player
Jeff Michalski	...	Basketball Player
Joel Murray	...	Basketball Player
Andrew Shaifer	...	Basketball Player
Cameron Starman	...	Cable Boy
Kathy Griffin	...	Cable Boy's Mother
Greg Hopla	...	Medieval Times Fighter
John Ferdinand	...	Medieval Times Fighter
Misa Koprova	...	Heather
Paul Greco	...	Raul
Aki Aleong	...	Karaoke Party Guest
Donna Hardy	...	Karaoke Party Guest (as Dona Hardy)
Lloyd Kino	...	Karaoke Party Guest
Sara Lowell	...	Karaoke Party Guest
Cynthia Mason	...	Karaoke Party Guest
Michael Rivkin	...	Karaoke Party Guest
Harper Roisman	...	Karaoke Party Guest
Sandra Thigpen	...	Karaoke Party Guest
Sean Whalen	...	Karaoke Party Guest
Marty Zagon	...	Karaoke Party Guest
Cynthia Lamontagne	...	Restaurant Hostess
James O'Connell	...	Bathroom Attendant
Douglas Robert Jackson	...	Bathroom Patron
Charles Napier	...	Arresting Officer
Christopher Michael	...	Arresting Officer
Charles Robinson	...	Steven's Lawyer (as Charles Knox Robinson III)
John F. O'Donohue	...	Prison Guard (as John O'Donohue)
Lydell M. Cheshier	...	Jail Inmate
Jason Larimore	...	Jail Inmate
Ahmad Reese	...	Jail Inmate
Emilio Rivera	...	Jail Inmate
Bob Odenkirk	...	Steven's Brother
Julie Hayden	...	Steven's Sister
Annabelle Gurwitch	...	Steven's Sister-in-Law
Blake Boyd	...	Steven's Brother-in-Law
Liza D'Agostino	...	Newsroom Researcher (as Lisa D'Agostino)
Tabitha Soren	...	Herself
Rikki Klieman	...	Rikki Klieman
Robert Simels	...	Robert Simels
Leonard O. Turner	...	Sam Sweet Judge (as Leonard Turner)
Carlo Allen	...	Sam Sweet Court Judge
Conrad Janis	...	Father 'Double Trouble'
Thomas Scott	...	Sam Sweet - Age 8
Steven Scott	...	Stan Sweet - Age 8
Christine Devine	...	Anchor Woman
Mark Thompson	...	Newsroom Reporter
Wendy L. Walsh	...	Reporter Outside Courtroom (as Wendy Walsh)
Marion Dugan	...	Robin's Neighbor
Kyle Gass	...	Couch Potato
David Bowe	...	Helicopter Paramedic
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	...	Medevac Pilot (as Robert Zajonc)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeremy Applegate	...	Serf #4 (uncredited)
Barbara Babbin	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Bill Clinton	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Adam Consolo	...	Serf #2 (uncredited)
Hal Dion	...	Lead officer (uncredited)
Shann Johnson	...	(uncredited)
Alex D. Linz	...	(uncredited)
Robert Lyon Rasner	...	Serf #3 (uncredited)
Raydeen Revilla	...	Karaoke Video Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Ben Stiller

Writing credits (WGA)
Lou Holtz Jr.		(written by)

Produced by
Judd Apatow	....	producer
William S. Beasley	....	co-producer (as William Beasley)
Bernie Brillstein	....	executive producer
Brad Grey	....	executive producer
Marc Gurvitz	....	executive producer
Andrew Licht	....	producer
Jeffrey A. Mueller	....	producer

Original Music by
John Ottman

Cinematography by
Robert Brinkmann

Film Editing by
Steven Weisberg

Casting by
Juel Bestrop

Production Design by
Sharon Seymour

Art Direction by
Jeff Knipp

Set Decoration by
Maggie Martin

Costume Design by
Erica Edell Phillips

Makeup Department
Pauletta O. Lewis	....	hair stylist: Mr. Carrey
Christy Ann Newquist	....	makeup artist (as Christy Newquest)
Nina Paskowitz	....	key hair stylist
Sheryl Ptak	....	key makeup artist (as Sheryl Leigh Ptak)
Nancy Tong	....	hair stylist
Candy L. Walken	....	hair stylist (as Candy Walker)
James Ryder	....	makeup artist: Eric Roberts (uncredited)

Production Management
William S. Beasley	....	unit production manager (as William Beasley)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Davis	....	second assistant director
Stuart B. Hagen	....	second second assistant director
Nilo Otero	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Richard K. Buoen	....	storyboard artist (as Rick Buoen)
Steve A. Hagberg	....	construction coordinator (as Steve Hagberg)
Teri Anne Kopp	....	assistant property master
Randlett King Lawrence	....	general foreman
Patrick Lees	....	lead man
Steven M. Levine	....	property master
Lori Rowbotham	....	assistant art director
Jason Weil	....	set designer
Maike Both	....	buyer (uncredited)
Jeff Brown	....	greens coordinator (uncredited)
Tim Castagnola	....	laborer (uncredited)
Andy Chung	....	concept designer (uncredited)
Doug Crawford	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Elixandro Diaz Jr.	....	plaster foreman (uncredited)
Damon Hight	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Richard W. Jones	....	on-set greens foreperson (uncredited)
Allen Lafferty	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Scott Lafferty	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Jason Sweers	....	graphic designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
David W. Alstadter	....	foley mixer (as Dave Alstadter)
G.W. Brown	....	adr editor (as Gregory Brown)
Chris David	....	sound re-recording mixer
Yann Delpuech	....	sound effects editor
Ryan Eldred	....	assistant sound editor
Alison Fisher	....	dialogue editor
Galen Goodpaster	....	assistant sound editor
Robert Grieve	....	supervising sound editor (as Bob Grieve)
Michael Haight	....	dialogue editor
Gregory King	....	supervising sound editor
Scott Kinzey	....	boom operator (as Scott Kingzey)
Andy Malcolm	....	foley artist
Scott Millan	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Murray	....	foley editor
Rob Nokes	....	sound effects editor
Michele Perrone	....	adr editor
Tom Perry	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joel Shryack	....	assistant sound editor
John Sisti	....	adr editor
Alicia Stevenson	....	foley artist
Nelson Stoll	....	production sound mixer
Daniel Yale	....	foley editor
Tom Lalley	....	sound re-recording engineer (uncredited)
Thomas Needell	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Steve Luport	....	special effects
Bob Stoker	....	set effects
Lucinda Strub	....	special effects
Matt Sweeney	....	special effects coordinator
Gary Zink	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Ted Alexandre	....	systems administrator/resource manager: SPI
Kevin Bales	....	second assistant camera: SPI
Bill Houston Ball	....	technical assistant: SPI
Jennifer C. Bell	....	visual effects producer: SPI (as Jennifer Bell)
Audrey Chang	....	visual effects editor: SPI
Kyle Clark	....	film recording technician: SPI
Michael Condro	....	motion control programmer: SPI
Katya Culberg	....	systems administration coordinator: SPI
Mike Curtis	....	gaffer: SPI
Heather Davis Baker	....	2D digital artist: SPI (as Heather Davis)
David Drzewiecki	....	visual effects director of photography: SPI
Sheena Duggal	....	lead digital compositor: SPI
Allen Edwards	....	3D digital artist: SPI
Thomas F. Ford IV	....	technical assistant: SPI
Lisa Foster	....	3D digital artist: SPI
Dawn Guinta	....	compositing production manager: SPI
Ivo Horvat	....	digital matte painter: SPI
Joni Jacobson	....	digital compositor: SPI
Stephen Kennedy	....	2D lead digital artist: SPI
Scott Kilburn	....	3D digital artist: SPI
Martin A. Kline	....	art director: SPI (as Marty Kline)
Kenneth Kurras	....	film recording technician: SPI (as Ken Kurras)
Chuck Larson	....	stage technician: SPI
Alan Latteri	....	junior digital compositor: SPI
Christopher Leone	....	lead film recording technician: SPI
Charles Linehan	....	visual effects coordinator: SPI
Ned Martin	....	first assistant camera: SPI
John Mauvezin	....	model maker: SPI
Ann Monn	....	digital compositor: SPI
Craig Moore	....	key grip: SPI
Ray Moore	....	model maker: SPI (as Raymond D. Moore)
Raquel Morales	....	digital matte painter: SPI
John Nelson	....	visual effects supervisor: SPI
Megan Omi	....	2D digital artist: SPI
Mike Perry	....	computer graphics technical director: SPI
Derrick Quarles	....	film recording technician: SPI
Jamie Rama	....	assistant art director: SPI
Tim Teramoto	....	computer graphics technical director: SPI
Lynn Tigar	....	2D digital artist: SPI
Michael Tigar	....	computer graphics supervisor: SPI
Stephen Vincent	....	production assistant: SPI
Frank Vittori	....	model coordinator: SPI
Peter Warner	....	3D lead digital artist: SPI
Manny Wong	....	3D digital artist: SPI
Lou Zutavern	....	model supervisor: SPI (as Louis Zutavern)
David Cornelius	....	motion control technician (uncredited)
Audrea Topps Harjo	....	software production coordinator (uncredited)

Stunts
Bob Brown	....	stunt double: Cable Guy (as Bobby Brown)
Danny Costa	....	utility stunts
Tom Elliott	....	stunt double: Matthew Broderick
Eddie Hice	....	utility stunts (as Edward Hice)
Freddie Hice	....	stunt coordinator
Norman Howell	....	utility stunts
Bob MacDougall	....	utility stunts (as Bob McDougall)
Darwin Mitchell	....	utility stunts
Bennie Moore	....	utility stunts (as Bennie E. Moore)
Erin Ricotti	....	stunt double: Robin
Erik Rondell	....	stunt double: Ray
Jack Carpenter	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jon H. Epstein	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Kenny Davis	....	dolly grip (as Ken Davis)
Joseph Dianda	....	key grip
David Gamerman	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Kirk R. Gardner	....	Steadicam operator (as Kirk Gardner)
Melinda Sue Gordon	....	still photographer
Michael J. Hogan	....	video assist operator
Jerry D. Knight	....	first electrician
Alex Leyton	....	first assistant camera
Scott Patten	....	second grip
Rick Pearmain	....	film loader
Reinhart 'Rayteam' Peschke	....	chief lighting technician (as Reinhart G. Peschke)
Michael Scott	....	camera operator
Robert J. Studenny	....	dolly grip (as Robert Studenny)
Thomas Vandermillen	....	second assistant camera
Richard Brooks Burton	....	gyrosphere technician: aerial unit (uncredited)
Shawn Ensign	....	company grip (uncredited)
Scott Medcalf	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Roger Meilink	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Ron Newburn	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
David Schmalz	....	video assist operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Karen Meisels	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joseph T. Mastrolia	....	costumer
Katrina Mastrolia	....	costumer
Cheri Reed	....	costumer
Amy Stofsky	....	costume supervisor
Marilyn Madsen	....	costume manufacturing foreperson (uncredited)
Robin Richesson	....	costume illustrator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Edward R. Abroms	....	assistant editor (as Ed Abroms)
Camille Bourque	....	assistant editor
Sam Citron	....	assistant editor
Samuel Craven	....	additional film editor
Gail DuFosse	....	first assistant film editor (as Gail du Fossé)
Peter Devaney Flanagan	....	assistant editor (as Peter Devaney)
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Bob Kaiser	....	color timer
Paul Karasick	....	first assistant film editor
Richard B. Molina	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Robert Fernandez	....	music mixer
Robert Fernandez	....	music recordist
Amanda Goodpaster	....	assistant music editor
Taylor Graves	....	playback singer
Larry Groupé	....	conductor
Larry Groupé	....	orchestrator
Damon Intrabartolo	....	orchestrator
Juliana Roberts	....	music supervisor
Jeanette Surga	....	music editor
Lia Vollack	....	supervising music editor
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor (uncredited)
Bruce Donnelly	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Frank Macchia	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
John Ottman	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Rick Patterson	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Lee Scott	....	music editor (uncredited)
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn (uncredited)
Seth Wittner	....	music proof reader (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Randy Burke	....	transportation co-captain
Dan Marrow	....	transportation captain (as Daniel C. Marrow)
Morris Bension	....	driver (uncredited)
Gregory Dultz	....	driver (uncredited)
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car (uncredited)

Other crew
Pamela Alch	....	script supervisor
Mia Apatow	....	assistant: Mr. Stiller
Jamie Lynn Arsenault	....	production secretary
Maria Baker	....	production assistant
Craig Borden	....	production assistant
Terry Crotzer	....	video segment consultant
Ross C. Day	....	assistant location manager
Steve Dayan	....	location manager
Terry Dunn	....	production accountant
Philip Euling	....	assistant: Mr. Broderick (as Phillip Euling)
Linda Fields	....	assistant: Mr. Carrey
Hilary Galanoy	....	assistant: Mr. Licht
John Kreidman	....	production assistant
Linaia Light	....	physical therapist: Mr. Carrey
David Linck	....	unit publicist
Temil Marmon	....	assistant: Mr. Apatow
Lucy Michael	....	on-set medic
Sharyn Shimada-Huggins	....	production coordinator
Jason W. Stradtman	....	production assistant (as Jason Stradtman)
Sharon B. Taksel	....	assistant accountant
Michael Vorndran	....	production assistant
Mary Weeks	....	production assistant
Aaron Wilder	....	assistant: Mr. Mueller
Wendy Wilkins	....	production assistant
Jack E. Herman	....	extras set coordinator (uncredited)
Patrick Marsh	....	assistant to director (uncredited)
Edward Mazurek	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Michael Phillips	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Timothy Schwalk	....	assistant dialect coach (uncredited)
Tony Swatton	....	armorer (uncredited)
Lynnanne Zager	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	aerial coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (as Columbia Pictures) (presents)
• Brillstein-Grey Entertainment (as Bernie Brillstein/Brad Grey)
• Licht/Mueller Film Corporation (as Licht/Mueller Film Corp.)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1996) (USA) (theatrical) (a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company)
• Columbia TriStar Films AB (1996) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1996) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1996) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (1996) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (1996) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1997) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (1998) (Finland) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (1999) (Finland) (DVD)
• Egmont Film (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Fox Network (2000) (USA) (TV)
• LK-TEL (1997) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Nelonen (2000) (2006) (2008) (Finland) (TV)
• Nordisk Film (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Videosonic Arts (1997) (Greece) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2003) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Lebensfeld Productions (uncredited)
• Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI) (special visual effects)

Other Companies

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)  My Three Sons footage courtesy of
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• L.A. Mad Dogs  adr voice casting
• MCA/Universal  Play Misty For Me and Six Million Dollar Man courtesy of
• Multimedia Entertainment Inc.  Jerry Springer excerpts courtesy of
• Nancy & Todd  craft service
• Nickelodeon Studios  the Ren & Stimpy characters courtesy of
• Otto Nemenz International  Arriflex 535 cameras provided by
• Pacific Title  opticals by
• Pioneer Entertainment (USA) L.P.  karaoke provided courtesy of
• Playback Technologies  24 frame video by
• S.E.G. Sports Corporation  "Ultimate Fighting Championship" footage courtesy of
• Sony Pictures Studio Sound Department  sound services by
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound services
• Todd-AO Studios  sound re-recording
• Tribune Entertainment  the Charles Perez Show footage courtesy of
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation  Tora, Tora, Tora ©1970 by
• Whipping Post  video playback editing by
• Work Records  soundtrack
• Wunderfilm Design  main titles and playback graphics by

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for dark thematic elements and crude humor

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Denmark:12 | Finland:K-12/9 | Germany:12 | Italy:T | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #34332) | UK:12 (cut) | Iceland:12 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Buena Park, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Several scenes appear in the trailer that do not appear in the film. Among these scenes are: Steven and Robin leaving his parent's house after hitting Chip with Robin looking upset and Steven telling her that Chip leaves him messages night and day and never leaves him alone. Chip walking up to Steven during the evening at his parent's and telling him to not mess with him. Another shot of Chip through the eye hole in the door after knocking excessively and yelling "Cable Guy!". Additional footage of Chip calling through the telephone wires trying to call Steven. Chip holding two beans in his upper lip to make it look like a mustache. Chip and someone else popping up from behind a couch and surprising Steven. And a very brief slow motion shot of Steven staring at something off-camera with an uncomfortable face during dinner (presumably Chip).

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The satellite dish Chip falls into is pointing straight up. Satellite dishes track satellites in geosynchronous orbit, which must orbit at the equator. For the satellite dish to be pointing straight up, it must be on the equator.

Quotes:

Chip Douglas:Come back here, so that I may brain thee!

Movie Connections:

Features "The Ren & Stimpy Show: Insomaniac Ren/My Shiny Friend (#4.10)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

The Ancient Battle/2nd Kroykah

One of Carrey's Best Performances

When first released, Cable Guy was such an unusual departure for Jim Carrey and his usual slapstick, manic, goofy comedies that people just didn't understand it or like it. When word of Carrey's enormous $20 million paycheck for this film spread, hopes were high that Cable Guy would be smothered in Carrey's slice of hilarious dementia to the extreme.

Carrey certainly brought an air of craziness to Chip Douglas, a lonely, TV-addicted, and creepy cable installer who befriends the unwilling Matthew Broderick (here, looking just nervous and bewildered for the entire film). But something was missing from this Carrey vehicle from the others: he was not all fun and games. In fact, he was downright funny weird, not funny haha.

So here lies one of the major problems people have with this film: it veers from dark comedy into darkness, period. Carrey isn't making an ass of himself in every scene. No. Instead, Carrey's Chip Douglas is an obsessive, extreme, two-faced sociopath. The result? What would be Jim Carrey's best performance to date, surpassed only by his Truman Burbank in The Truman Show.

Sure, it's got a story that's been done to death: normal guy meets psycho and is stalked. But oh, what fun it is to see Jim drag Matthew Broderick into such uncomfortable situations as playing Porno Password with his parents (Carrey whispering "Nipple" into Broderick's ear is absolute brilliance).

Cable Guy is definitely not for fans who want to see Jim Carrey do what created his career; that is, silly, goofy, and flailing comedy. However, avid fans of black comedies will love seeing Carrey's first step in his evolution as a gifted, serious, and undeniably interesting actor.

8 out of 10.