Ernie Kovacs: Between the Laughter
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Lamont Johnson
Ryan Michelle Lunsford
Sue Rihr
Bill Geisslinger
John Glover
Lois Debanzie
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
This TV movie about the pioneering TV comedian spotlights the little known story of his two-year search for the two young daughters abducted by his ex-wife following a bitter custody struggle that raged while he was making his meteoric rise from local Philadelphia television personality to network star in the early '50s. Jeff Goldblum's portrayal was generally admired but most took exception to his physical casting as the bear-like Kovacs, and similar eyebrow-raising was caused by Cloris Leachman's somewhat outre performance as Kovacs' Hungarian-accented meddler of a mother, which won her an Emmy Award nomination.Edie Adams, who had been a singer on Kovacs' show in Philadelphia and on the network while pursuing a stage career for herself ("Wonderful Town" and "Li'l Abner" remain her only two Broadway musicals) and, as his girlfriend at the time, remained at his side to share his agony, turned in a cameo appearance as Mae West to give timely show business advice to the screen Edie (Melody Anderson). She also is credited as technical advisor for the production and supplier of material incorporated into April Smith's Emmy Award-nominated script. Director Lamont Johnson also received a nomination.
Director
Lamont Johnson
Cast
Ryan Michelle Lunsford
Sue Rihr
Bill Geisslinger
John Glover
Lois Debanzie
Robina Suwol
Steven M. Porter
David Garrison
Bryan Englund
Jeff Goldblum
Mike Genovese
Heidi Zeigler
Michael Higgins
Gary Grubbs
Tom Ormeny
Edie Adams
Annie Murray
Walter Mathews
Francis X Mccarthy
Jordan Charney
Arthur Taxier
Cloris Leachman
Weldon Boyce Beiler
Murphy Dunne
Mary Alan Hokanson
Joseph Mascolo
Soleil Moon Frye
Elsa Raven
Fran Bennett
Tom Middleton
Madolyn Smith
Melody Anderson
Liam Sullivan
Ginger Orell
Crew
Edie Adams
Adell Aldrich
Janet Bartels-vandagriff
Joe Berman
Burt Bluestein
Peter Bogart
Gary Bourgeois
Ralph Burns
Janis Clark
Scott Conrad
Elliot Davis
Wes Dawn
Jack Deshields
Bill Flores
Penelope Gottlieb
Charles Graffeo
Richard Graves
Chris Horner
Jack Johnson
David T. Levinson
David Mccann
Andy Mckay
Rexford Metz
Lisa Morlas
Jacques Nosco
John S Perry
Allan K Rosen
David Rubin
April A. Smith
Ken Spencer
Lynn Stalmaster
John C Warren
Christopher T Welch
Llandys Williams
Rick A Young
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Aired in United States May 14, 1984
Released in USA on video.
