The World's Greatest Lover (1977)
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- PG
- 1h 29min
- Comedy
- 13 Feb 1978 (Denmark)
- Movie
A neurotic baker travels to Hollywood to attend a talent search for an actor to rival the great Valentino. Although not an actor, through blind luck he succeeds, to a certain degree.
Director:
Writer:
Stars:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Gene Wilder | ... |
Rudy Hickman
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| Carol Kane | ... |
Annie Hickman
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| Dom DeLuise | ... |
Adolph Zitz
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| Fritz Feld | ... |
Tomaso Abalone
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Mark Silberman | ... |
Cousin Buddy
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| Robert Ball | ... |
Bald Man
(as Robert E. Ball)
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Randolph Dobbs | ... |
Yes Man #1
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Sandy Rovetta | ... |
Woman Dancer
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| Hannah Dean | ... |
Maid
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| Rita Conde | ... |
Whore #1
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| Lupe Ontiveros | ... |
Whore #2
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Teda Bracci | ... |
Whore #3
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Elaine Everett | ... |
Whore #4
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Gustaf Unger | ... |
Producer
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| Harry Gold | ... |
Freddie the Runner
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Poncie Ponce | ... |
Pineapple
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Frank O'Brien | ... |
Yes Man #4
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| Mews Small | ... |
Slave Girl #2
(as Marya Small)
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Harriet Gibson | ... |
Pastry Customer
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Richard A. Roth | ... |
Chico
(as Richard Roth)
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| Norbert Schiller | ... |
Captain
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| Peter Elbling | ... |
Robert Drake
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Freddie Roberto | ... |
Priest
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Charles Knapp | ... |
Bakery Foreman
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| George Memmoli | ... |
Truck Driver
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| Pat Ast | ... |
Bakery / Wardrobe Lady
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Tracey Cohn | ... |
Little Girl on Train
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John Ponyman | ... |
Singer with Megaphone
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Patrick Regan | ... |
Assistant Director
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Skip E. Lowe | ... |
First Wardrobe Man
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Nora Boland | ... |
Woman
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| Elya Baskin | ... |
Actor with Bad Breath
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| David Levy | ... |
Elevator Operator
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| Bunny Summers | ... |
Mother on Train
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Carson King | ... |
Guard at Rainbow Studio
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| Pavla Ustinov | ... |
Leading Lady
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| Alvin Hammer | ... |
Second Wardrobe Man
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Vincent Edward Vaccaro | ... |
Legionnaire
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Zooey Hall | ... |
Gary, Finalist #1
(as David Z. Hall)
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Susanna Van Haaren | ... |
Greta Ga-Ga
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Lydia Goya | ... |
Singer in Jail
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Speedy Zapata | ... |
Mexican Sidekick
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Gino Gottarelli | ... |
Make-up Man
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| Al Wyatt Sr. | ... |
Arab Wrangler
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| Kay Dingle | ... |
Young Woman on Train
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| Nick Dimitri | ... |
Boyfriend on Train
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| Carol Arthur | ... |
Woman in Record Store
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| Candice Azzara | ... |
Anne Calassandro
(as Candy Azzara)
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| Carl Ballantine | ... |
Uncle Harry
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| Stanley Brock | ... |
Yes Man #2
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Warren Burton | ... |
Ludwig
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Matt Collins | ... |
Rudolph Valentino
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| Lou Cutell | ... |
Mr. Kipper
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| Danny DeVito | ... |
Assistant Director
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| Richard Dimitri | ... |
Tony Lassiter
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| Josip Elic | ... |
Headwaiter
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Melissa Fellen | ... |
Cousin Corrine
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Ricky Fellen | ... |
Cousin Max
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| James Gleason | ... |
Room Clerk
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| Ronny Graham | ... |
Director Dorsey
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| James Hong | ... |
Yes Man #3
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Michael Huddleston | ... |
Barber
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| David Huddleston | ... |
Bakery Owner
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Richard Karron | ... |
Bodyguard
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| Michael McManus | ... |
Yes Man #5
(as Mike McManus)
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| Sidney Miller | ... |
Man at the Table
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| Jorge Moreno | ... |
Mexican Gangster
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| Jack Riley | ... |
Projectionist
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| Billy Sands | ... |
Guard
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| Rolfe Sedan | ... |
Conductor
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Florence Sundstrom | ... |
Aunt Tillie
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| Sal Viscuso | ... |
Assistant Director
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Arthur M. Braham | ... |
Jail Guard (uncredited)
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| Debra De Liso | ... |
Dancer (uncredited)
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| Ric Drasin | ... |
Supporting (uncredited)
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| Bob Harks | ... |
Club Patron (uncredited)
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| Lora Marie Taylor | ... |
Girl in the Tent (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Gene Wilder | ||
Written by
| Gene Wilder | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| Frank Baur | ... | associate producer |
| Christopher Greenbury | ... | co-producer (as Chris Greenbury) |
| Terence Marsh | ... | co-producer |
| Gene Wilder | ... | producer |
Music by
| John Morris | ||
Cinematography by
| Gerald Hirschfeld | ||
Editing by
| Anthony A. Pellegrino | ||
Editorial Department
| Christopher Greenbury | ... | supervising editor (as Chris Greenbury) |
Production Design by
| Terence Marsh | ||
Art Direction by
| Steven P. Sardanis | ... | (as Steve Sardanis) |
Set Decoration by
| John Franco Jr. | ||
Costume Design by
| Ruth Myers | ||
Makeup Department
| William Tuttle | ... | makeup artist (as Bob Tuttle) |
Production Management
| Frank Baur | ... | production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Mel Dellar | ... | assistant director |
| Jack Frost Sanders | ... | second assistant director (as Jack Sanders) |
Art Department
| William S. Maxwell III | ... | leadman |
| John Rozman | ... | set dresser |
Sound Department
| William Hartman | ... | sound effects editor |
| Theodore Soderberg | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Jack Solomon | ... | sound production mixer |
| Richard Sperber | ... | sound effects editor |
Special Effects by
| Logan Frazee | ... | special effects |
| Terry D. Frazee | ... | special effects (as Terry Frazee) |
| Jay King | ... | special effects technician (uncredited) |
| Robert W. King | ... | special effects assistant (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Mickey Gilbert | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Curtis Foster | ... | lamp operator |
| Michael R. Marquette | ... | assistant camera |
| Owen Marsh | ... | camera operator |
| Jeffrey W. Petersen | ... | electrician |
| Tony Rivetti | ... | first assistant camera: "a" camera |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Mackenzie Caddell | ... | costumer |
| Ed Wynigear | ... | wardrobe |
Music Department
| Ralph Burns | ... | orchestrator |
| John Harris | ... | music editor |
| Dan Wallin | ... | music mixer |
| John Morris | ... | conductor (uncredited) / orchestrator (uncredited) |
| Tommy Tedesco | ... | musician: guitar (uncredited) |
| Dan Wallin | ... | music engineer (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Julia Tucker | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
| James Nordberg | ... | driver: makeup/hair |
Additional Crew
| Alan Johnson | ... | choreographer |
| Alan Ladd Jr. | ... | presenter |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Twentieth Century Fox (1977) (United States) (theatrical)
- Twentieth Century Fox Film Company (1977) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- 20th Century Fox Argentina (1978) (Argentina) (theatrical) (through Columbia Pictures of Argentina)
- City Film (1978) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Columbia Pictures of Argentina (1978) (Argentina) (theatrical) (through 20th Century Fox Argentina)
- Fox Norena Film A/S (1978) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Fox-Stockholm Film Distribution (1978) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Filmes Castello Lopes (1979) (Portugal) (theatrical)
- CBS (1983) (United States) (tv)
- CBS/Fox (West Germany) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox Home Video (1980) (Australia) (VHS)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2011) (Australia) (DVD)
- Twentieth Century Fox (1978) (Australia) (theatrical)
- CBS/Fox Home Video (1989) (Australia) (video)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- The Burbank Studios (music recorded at)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
In the early 1920s Hollywood, Adolph Zitz, who surrounds himself with yes men, wants his movie studio, Rainbow, to be the greatest in town by making a movie called the "World's Greatest Lover" and finding that next star to outshine Rudolph Valentino as the renowned screen lover of his time. Mild mannered and somewhat hapless Rudy Hickman dreams of being such a movie star, he daydreaming about it so much that he is unable to hold onto his bakery jobs. With his supportive but highly hysterical wife Annie Hickman by his side, Rudy, using the stage name Rudy Valentine, pulls up stakes from Milwaukee and heads to Hollywood to try out for that part. He ends up getting a screen test like the thousands of other hopefuls flooding Hollywood for the chance. Annie, who loves the movies herself but who is naive from not having had much exposure to the world, has ulterior motives for going to Hollywood. Both Annie's Hollywood mission and Valentino himself will affect what happens to Rudy in Hollywood. Written by Huggo |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Go ahead - laugh! See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | Carol Kane was made up to resemble silent film star Zasu Pitts. Kane also appeared in another movie about the silent era released in the same year. That movie was Ken Russell's Valentino (1977). Both films featured Rudolph Valentino in their stories. See more » |
| Goofs | This film is supposed to take place in the 1920s silent movie era, yet the movie extras riding in the bus to their location sing-along to "Shuffle Off to Buffalo", a Harry Warren-Al Dubin song written for the 1933 sound film "42nd Street." See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Gene Wilder (1978). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Ain't It Kinda Wonderful See more » |
| Crazy Credits | There is a credit to Frederico Fellini, who was not on the picture, 'for encouragement at the right time'. See more » |
| Quotes |
Rudy Valentine:
Are you trying to give me fart hailure? See more » |