Laughter on the 23rd Floor (2001) (TV)

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writers (WGA):

Neil Simon (play)
Neil Simon (teleplay)

Release Date:

26 May 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

TV's top comic has everything. Except his sanity.

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Restaurant | Mccarthy Hearings | Reference To John Wayne | 1950s

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Nathan Lane	...	Max Prince
Mark Linn-Baker	...	Val Skotsky
Saul Rubinek	...	Ira Stone
Dan Castellaneta	...	Milt Fields
Richard Portnow	...	Harry Prince
Kristi Angus	...	Darlene Drew
Ardon Bess	...	Cecil
Colin Fox	...	Cal Weebs
Sherry Miller	...	Faye
Frank Proctor	...	Walter Winchell
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mackenzie Astin	...	Lucus Brickman
Marcia Bennett	...	Cal's Secretary
Robert Bidaman	...	Brad
Ian D. Clark	...	Doctor
Philip Craig	...	Dennis
Roger Dunn	...	Bartender
Karyn Dwyer	...	Toga Girl
Craig Eldridge	...	Observer
Samantha Espie	...	Helen
Alex Fallis	...	Waiter
Neil Foster	...	Stage Manager
Victor Garber	...	Kenny Franks
Johnny Gardhouse	...	Dresser
Peri Gilpin	...	Carol Wyman
Jake Goldsbie	...	Pauly
David Gow	...	Dave
Zach Grenier	...	Brian Doyle
Michael Hanrahan	...	Policeman #1
Brian Heighton	...	Friend of Walter's
Tamara Hickey	...	Waitress
Jack Jessop	...	Cemetery Keeper
Keith Knight	...	Brutus
Irene Lopez Kuchilan	...	Carla
Jeffrey Lampert	...	Policeman #2
Roy Lewis	...	Alfred
Kelsey Matheson	...	Girl in Elevator
Steven Morel	...	Reporter / Cassius
Heather Paine	...	Elly
Gerry Quigley	...	Aaron
Shannon Rowe	...	Gail
Shaun Smyth	...	Warren
Victor A. Young	...	Harley

Directed by
Richard Benjamin

Writing credits (WGA)
Neil Simon		(play)
Neil Simon		(teleplay)

Produced by
Emanuel Azenberg	....	executive producer
Jeffrey Lampert	....	producer
Neil Simon	....	executive producer
Mike Spadone	....	associate producer (as Mike 'Spud' Spadone)

Original Music by
Joseph Vitarelli

Cinematography by
Danny Nowak

Film Editing by
Jacqueline Cambas

Casting by
Nancy Foy

Production Design by
Franco De Cotiis

Art Direction by
Cheryl Toy

Set Decoration by
Megan Less

Costume Design by
Tamara Winston

Makeup Department
Katarina Chovanec	....	key hair stylist
Ava Stone	....	key makeup artist
Frederick London	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Karen Hawes	....	assistant production manager
Armand Leo	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rob Chalmers	....	third assistant director (as Robert Chalmers)
Rocco Gismondi	....	second assistant director
Siegfried Kopp	....	third assistant director
Elizabeth Scherberger	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Tamara Andrews	....	scenic painter
Robin E. Eecloo	....	assistant property master (as Robin Eeclo)
Christopher Jenkins	....	property master
Arlene Lott	....	first assistant art director
Matthew G. Wright	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Brian Avery	....	sound
Gavin Coford	....	boom operator
Bob Costanza	....	sound effects editor
Roberta Doheny	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Friedgen	....	supervising sound editor
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
Peter Reale	....	sound re-recording mixer

Visual Effects by
Russell Frazier	....	digital compositor/animator

Camera and Electrical Department
Chris Alexander	....	focus puller
Jason Capstick	....	best boy grip
John Davidson	....	camera operator
Roger Finlay	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Ben Mark Holzberg	....	still photographer
Joe Strazzeri	....	key grip
Harry Stroud	....	chief lighting technician
Greg Whiteside	....	24 frame video operator

Casting Department
Ross Clydesdale	....	casting
Kim Everett	....	casting associate
Juli-Ann Kay	....	casting associate
Helen Mossler	....	casting executive
Krisztina M. Neglia	....	extras casting (as Krisztina Meuring)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Constance Buck	....	key set costumer
Ann Steel	....	assistant costume designer
Adam Urquhart	....	daily dresser

Editorial Department
Benjamin P. Schwartz	....	assistant editor (as Benjamin Schwartz)

Music Department
Jorge Del Barrio	....	orchestrator
Paul Frederick	....	composer: Jump Blues&cues
Georgiana Ramsland	....	music editor
Allan K. Rosen	....	music editor
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Don Chan	....	transportation captain
Darrell Gibson	....	driver
Al MacNeil	....	transportation coordinator
Rick Selmanovic	....	driver: cast

Other crew
Alex Brennan	....	production assistant
Janice Fowlie	....	production accountant
Tara Hungerford	....	assistant to director
Kimberly Jensen	....	craft service
Sandy Kaplansky	....	production coordinator
Michael Klastorin	....	publicist
Jen Leonard	....	assistant location manager
Julietta McGovern	....	assistant to producer
Anthony Pangalos	....	production assistant
Anne Richardson	....	location manager
Andrea Stewart	....	assistant production coordinator
Jane Walker	....	script supervisor
Ralph Berge	....	production executive (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Television
• Showtime Networks

Distributors

• Showtime Networks (2001) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Special Effects

• Brauhaus Productions (special effects)

Other Companies

• D.A.V.E. Video  telecine services
• Echo Sound Services  post-production sound
• Hot Sets  construction
• Matchframe Video  video services
• Starcraft  craft services
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

"Most Original Comedy" - Switzerland (English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language

Runtime:

102 min | Germany:98 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color (archive footage) | Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Germany:6 | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Tivoli Theatre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Paramount Television

Trivia:

There is a tombstone with the name Peschkowsky - Mike Nichols real last name.

Goofs:

Factual errors: There are a few brief inserts of "The Lawrence Welk Show", and Welk's voice is heard saying "thank you, Myron" after a voice-over introduction. The announcer's voice was not that of Myron Floren, a band member who often provided transitions between musical numbers, but that of the regular announcer who opened each show.

Quotes:

Max:The lines are too clogged with urbane-ament.

Movie Connections:

References Julius Caesar (1953)

Gets funnier and more poignant with repeated viewings

A ring-tailed wonder of a non-stop spritzer with a dynamite cast headed by the incredible Nathan Lane. One of Neil Simon's all-time best, worth seeing over and over. It ranks with the classic comedies of Billy Wilder and Preston Sturges.