Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Real Howard Spitz

  • 19981998
  • PGPG
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
320
YOUR RATING
The Real Howard Spitz (1998)
  • Comedy
Howard Spitz is a cranky, has-been detective novelist out of money and out of luck - until he meets eight-year-old Samantha, who convinces him he has what it takes to write children's books.Howard Spitz is a cranky, has-been detective novelist out of money and out of luck - until he meets eight-year-old Samantha, who convinces him he has what it takes to write children's books.Howard Spitz is a cranky, has-been detective novelist out of money and out of luck - until he meets eight-year-old Samantha, who convinces him he has what it takes to write children's books.
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
320
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Vadim Jean
  • Writer
    • Jurgen Wolff(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Kelsey Grammer
    • Genevieve Tessier
    • Joseph Rutten
Top credits
  • Director
    • Vadim Jean
  • Writer
    • Jurgen Wolff(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Kelsey Grammer
    • Genevieve Tessier
    • Joseph Rutten
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 14User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    The Real Howard Spitz (1998)
    The Real Howard Spitz (1998)
    The Real Howard Spitz (1998)
    The Real Howard Spitz (1998)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kelsey Grammer
    Kelsey Grammer
    • Howard Spitzas Howard Spitz
    Genevieve Tessier
    • Samantha Kershawas Samantha Kershaw
    Joseph Rutten
    Joseph Rutten
    • Louas Lou
    Amanda Donohoe
    Amanda Donohoe
    • Laura Kershawas Laura Kershaw
    Kay Tremblay
    • Theodora Winkleas Theodora Winkle
    Patrick McKenna
    Patrick McKenna
    • Rogeras Roger
    Lex Gigeroff
    Lex Gigeroff
    • Ronnie Relishas Ronnie Relish
    Gary Levert
    • Red Allenas Red Allen
    Jeffrey Hirschfield
    Jeffrey Hirschfield
    • Lawrence - Primrose Repas Lawrence - Primrose Rep
    • (as Jeff Hirschfield)
    Denny Doherty
    Denny Doherty
    • Balthazar Mishkinas Balthazar Mishkin
    Joanne Hagen
    • Waitressas Waitress
    Edward Gregson
    • Aaronas Aaron
    Ciel Crosby
    • Librarianas Librarian
    • (as Cathy Lee Crosby)
    John Loverin
    • Bartender - Cop Baras Bartender - Cop Bar
    John Fulton
    • Ted the Copas Ted the Cop
    Claude Jean
    • Waiter - French Restaurantas Waiter - French Restaurant
    David Christoffel
    • Bill Sellersas Bill Sellers
    Jennifer Overton
    • Mother of Aaronas Mother of Aaron
    • Director
      • Vadim Jean
    • Writer
      • Jurgen Wolff(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Back to You
    6.5
    Back to You
    Standing on Fishes
    5.1
    Standing on Fishes
    Galaxies Are Colliding
    5.3
    Galaxies Are Colliding
    The Big Empty
    6.0
    The Big Empty
    Even Money
    5.8
    Even Money
    Leon the Pig Farmer
    5.6
    Leon the Pig Farmer
    Beyond Suspicion
    5.1
    Beyond Suspicion
    High Expectations
    9.5
    High Expectations
    The Innocent
    5.5
    The Innocent
    The Good Humor Man
    5.8
    The Good Humor Man
    London Suite
    5.1
    London Suite
    Middle Men
    6.8
    Middle Men

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Howard Spitz, played by Kelsey Grammer, says, "Writing a sitcom's not hard. You just have a married couple, a bar in Boston or a psychiatrist on the radio." This is a reference to both Cheers (1982) and Frasier (1993), both of which starred Grammer as Dr Frasier Crane, a psychiatrist who hung out at a Boston bar on "Cheers" before moving to Seattle to start a radio call in show in "Frasier".
    • Connections
      References Cheers (1982)

    User reviews14

    Review
    Top review
    a minor gem
    A very original, iconoclastic comedy about a failed pulp fiction writer (Kelsey Grammer) who tries to make it big in the kiddie book business. He enlists the help of a precocious little girl (Genevieve Tessier) and falls in love with her mother (Amanda Donohoe). Grammer and Tessier have great chemistry together, and the little moppet steals every scene she's in. An amazing mixture of odd-ball satire and warm sentimentality, this is a minor gem that seems to have fallen between the cracks of the film distribution system.
    helpful•5
    1
    • piotr-3
    • Feb 16, 1999

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 28, 1998 (United Kingdom)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • Canada
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Writer's Block
    • Filming locations
      • Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Metrodome Films
      • Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation
      • The Mob Film Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 42 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    The Real Howard Spitz (1998)
    Top Gap
    By what name was The Real Howard Spitz (1998) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies Coming This Summer
    See the full list
    Image caption not available
    2:02
    LGBTQIA+ Movies and Shows to Watch This Summer
    Watch the video

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.