After Kirk Devane got written out after season two of Newhart, actor Steven Kampmann had small and supporting roles with several big names in some well known films. Kampmann was featured with Billy Crystal and Robert Di Nero in Analyze This, Bette Midler in For The Boys and Robin Williams in Club Paradise.
I was most interested in checking out the 1986 comedy Club Paradise. I was interested because it starred Robin Williams, but also because it seemed to be one of William's least discussed films. I was guessing it wasn't very good, but there were many things about it that I enjoyed.
With the comedic cast involved, I can't believe that I hadn't seen the film before. In addition to Kampmann and Williams, the comedy also featured; Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Peter O'Toole and Rick Moranis.
The movie did also include what I think is one of Kampmann's only shirtless scene. Most of the cast are visiting a nude beach when their clothes are stolen. Although there is no nudity, it's a funny scene, with Kampmann and Martin wresting with a snake and Eugene Levy looking both furry and fetching without his shirt.
Actor Peter Scolari worked steadily, mostly on television after leaving the show until his death from leukemia in 2021. Scolari's last role was a regular role on Evil, a show I loved and watched in season one, and hope to return to. I wasn't aware of the actor's struggles with substance abuse and bipolar disorder until reading an interview for this piece.
Girls
Another of Scolari's later appearances was his turn as Lena Dunham's father on the series Girls. Scolari got great reviews for his time on the show and is the only actor to have won an EMMY for his role on the series. Scolari also had a nude scene on the show, one I saw on-line when it appeared, but didn't pay much attention to at the time as I wasn't watching the HBO show. Kudos to Scolari for doing his first nude scene when he was in his late 50's.
One of things I didn't know about Kampmann was that he was also a writer and director. Kampmann was a writer and producer on the the sit-com WKRP in Cincinnati. WKRP is another sit-com on my list to watch when I can find the time, and somewhere that it's airing.
Kampmann also wrote films, including Clifford, The Couch Trip and the Rodney Dangerfield comedy Back to School, (HERE:) Kampmann also introduced to me to one of my movie crushes, William McNamara, (above) in the 1988 drama Stealing Home.
Kampmann co-wrote and co-directed Stealing Home along side William Porter. I first saw the film on VHS when I was a kid, but didn't really appreciate it until seeing years later when I was a bit older. Not only did I crush over William, I also think this film also contains one of my favorite Jodie Foster performances.
The movie is pure 80's starting with it's saxophone led soundtrack. It's also a relationship based film, and I loved the relationships explored, especially the one between Billy and Katie. (Foster) The adult Billy is played by Mark Harmon, with McNamara playing Billy as a teenager. The film also features Foster and Helen Hunt in the same film, although they don't play related characters, nor sadly share any scenes. Still a tear jerker, that gets me every time. Thanks Kirk!
No comments:
Post a Comment