Director Michael Ritchie died April 16th at the age of 62. A Wisconsin native, Ritchie studied at Harvard before succumbing to the attractions of the theatre. He started working in television during the 1960s where he directed episodes of The Big Valley and The Man from UNCLE among others. He moved into feature films with Downhill Racer (1969) at star Robert Redford's invitation and later directed Redford again in The Candidate (1972). The latter is a classic look at American political life that hasn't lost any of its power or insights over the years. This was the start of Ritchie's most productive period when he made several films that were both popular and critically acclaimed. You can find his sly wit and sense of critical drama in Smile (1975), The Bad News Bears (1976) and Semi-Tough (1978). By the 1980s, though, Ritchie's films focused less on social criticism and more on stars. The Survivors (1983) with Robin Williams remains under-rated but Ritchie-directed vehicles for Eddie Murphy (1986's The Golden Child), Bette Midler (1980's Divine Madness) and Chevy Chase (two Fletch films) didn't quite achieve their potential. Some of the old Ritchie spark and intelligence appeared in the made-for-cable The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (1993) which earned him a Directors Guild Award. One of his final films was the long-awaited screen adaptation of The Fantasticks (1995) which partly brought Ritchie back to his theatrical roots.
ANN SOTHERN: 1909 - 2001
Actress Ann Sothern passed away on March 15th at the age of 89. Her film career spanned sixty years and included a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Whales of August (1987) and several Emmy nominations for her roles in the TV shows Private Secretary (1953) and The Ann Sothern Show (1958). Sothern was born as Harriette Lake in North Dakota. She made her first film appearance in 1927 in small roles (so small, in fact, that some sources omit any films before 1929) before deciding to work on Broadway instead. Shortly afterwards she signed with Columbia Pictures where studio head Harry Cohn insisted she change her name because there were already too many actors with the last name of Lake. So "Ann" came from her mother's name Annette and "Sothern" from Shakespearean actor E.H. Sothern. For most of the 1930s she appeared in light comedies working with Eddie Cantor, Maurice Chevalier, Mickey Rooney and Fredric March. However, it wasn't until she switched to MGM (after a brief period with RKO) and made the film Maisie (1939) that Sothern hit pay dirt. It proved enormously popular and led to a series of nine more films through 1947 when she moved into dramas and musicals. During the 50s, Sothern made a mark with her TV series but returned to mostly second tier movies in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally she earned an Oscar nomination for her work in 1987's The Whales of August (in which, incidentally, her daughter Tisha Sterling played her at an earlier age). Turner Classic Movies plans to host a retrospective film tribute to her in July. Check back for details in June.
The Fantasticks
Brief Synopsis
Two fathers spark a romance between their children by pretending to feud. Their deception weaves a tangled web when they enlist the aid of a mysterious traveling showman named El Gallo.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Michael Ritchie
Director
Joey Mcintyre
Matt
Joel Grey
Bellamy
Jonathan Morris
El Gallo
Jean Louisa Kelly
Luisa
Brad Sullivan
Hucklebee
Film Details
Also Known As
Fantasticks
MPAA Rating
Genre
Adaptation
Comedy
Musical
Romance
Release Date
2000
Production Company
United Artists Films
Distribution Company
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS INC. (MGM )/UNITED ARTISTS FILMS EUROPE; MGM Distribution Company; MGM Home Entertainment; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
Location
Nogales, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 26m
Synopsis
Two fathers spark a romance between their children by pretending to feud. Their deception weaves a tangled web when they enlist the aid of a mysterious traveling showman named El Gallo.
Director
Michael Ritchie
Director
Cast
Joey Mcintyre
Matt
Joel Grey
Bellamy
Jonathan Morris
El Gallo
Jean Louisa Kelly
Luisa
Brad Sullivan
Hucklebee
Barnard Hughes
Henry
Crew
Gordon Ecker
Supervising Sound Editor
Craig Edelblut
Set Designer
Chip Fowler
Production Coordinator
Kimberly Harris
Sound
Tim Healey
Associate Producer
Alan Hicks
Set Decorator
Tom Jones
Music
Tom Jones
Theme Lyrics
Tom Jones
Source Material
Tom Jones
Screenplay
Melissa Kent
Additional Editor
Debra L. Manwiller
Casting
Terry Miller
1st Assistant Director
Terry Miller
Associate Producer
Fred Murphy
Director Of Photography
Richard Pagano
Casting
Linne Radmin
Producer
Luke Reichle
Costume Designer
Michael Ritchie
Producer
Edward L. Rubin
Art Director
Arthur C Schaefer
Line Producer
Arthur C Schaefer
Executive Producer
William S. Scharf
Editor
Douglas W Schmidt
Production Designer
Harvey Schmidt
From Musical ("The Fantasticks"), Music
Harvey Schmidt
Source Material
Harvey Schmidt
Screenwriter
Michael Smuin
Choreography
Jonathan Tunick
Original Music
Jonathan Tunick
Music Adaptation; Music Arrangement
Richard E Yawn
Supervising Sound Editor
Film Details
Also Known As
Fantasticks
MPAA Rating
Genre
Adaptation
Comedy
Musical
Romance
Release Date
2000
Production Company
United Artists Films
Distribution Company
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS INC. (MGM )/UNITED ARTISTS FILMS EUROPE; MGM Distribution Company; MGM Home Entertainment; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
Location
Nogales, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 26m
Articles
TCM Remembers - Michael Ritchie
TCM Remembers - Michael Ritchie
Director Michael Ritchie died April 16th at the age of 62. A Wisconsin native, Ritchie studied at Harvard before succumbing to the attractions of the theatre. He started working in television during the 1960s where he directed episodes of The Big Valley and The Man from UNCLE among others. He moved into feature films with Downhill Racer (1969) at star Robert Redford's invitation and later directed Redford again in The Candidate (1972). The latter is a classic look at American political life that hasn't lost any of its power or insights over the years. This was the start of Ritchie's most productive period when he made several films that were both popular and critically acclaimed. You can find his sly wit and sense of critical drama in Smile (1975), The Bad News Bears (1976) and Semi-Tough (1978). By the 1980s, though, Ritchie's films focused less on social criticism and more on stars. The Survivors (1983) with Robin Williams remains under-rated but Ritchie-directed vehicles for Eddie Murphy (1986's The Golden Child), Bette Midler (1980's Divine Madness) and Chevy Chase (two Fletch films) didn't quite achieve their potential. Some of the old Ritchie spark and intelligence appeared in the made-for-cable The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (1993) which earned him a Directors Guild Award. One of his final films was the long-awaited screen adaptation of The Fantasticks (1995) which partly brought Ritchie back to his theatrical roots.
ANN SOTHERN: 1909 - 2001
Actress Ann Sothern passed away on March 15th at the age of 89. Her film career spanned sixty years and included a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Whales of August (1987) and several Emmy nominations for her roles in the TV shows Private Secretary (1953) and The Ann Sothern Show (1958). Sothern was born as Harriette Lake in North Dakota. She made her first film appearance in 1927 in small roles (so small, in fact, that some sources omit any films before 1929) before deciding to work on Broadway instead. Shortly afterwards she signed with Columbia Pictures where studio head Harry Cohn insisted she change her name because there were already too many actors with the last name of Lake. So "Ann" came from her mother's name Annette and "Sothern" from Shakespearean actor E.H. Sothern. For most of the 1930s she appeared in light comedies working with Eddie Cantor, Maurice Chevalier, Mickey Rooney and Fredric March. However, it wasn't until she switched to MGM (after a brief period with RKO) and made the film Maisie (1939) that Sothern hit pay dirt. It proved enormously popular and led to a series of nine more films through 1947 when she moved into dramas and musicals. During the 50s, Sothern made a mark with her TV series but returned to mostly second tier movies in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally she earned an Oscar nomination for her work in 1987's The Whales of August (in which, incidentally, her daughter Tisha Sterling played her at an earlier age). Turner Classic Movies plans to host a retrospective film tribute to her in July. Check back for details in June.
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Fall September 22, 2000
Limited Release in United States September 22, 2000
Released in United States on Video 27, 2001
Released in United States on Video February 27, 2001
Based upon the long-running off-Broadway musical "The Fantasticks," which opened at the Sullivan Street Theater May 3, 1960 and is still running there.
Began shooting January 20, 1995.
Completed shooting March 24, 1995.
Released in United States Fall September 22, 2000
Limited Release in United States September 22, 2000
Released in United States on Video 27, 2001
Released in United States on Video February 27, 2001
