Main Cast: Carrot Top, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Larry Miller, Raquel Welch, Mystro Clark
Release Year: 1998
Country: US
Run Time: 95 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
Stand-up comic Carrot Top is usually seen with his wacky inventions, such as a bald-head blowdryer and an anatomically correct fanny pack. Similar goofy gimmicks are combined with physical humor and stunt work in this comedy about the plight of Venice Beach inventor-surfer Edison (Carrot Top) and his roommates Ty (Mystro Clark) and Zak (Jack Plotnick) as they all near eviction. For rent money, Edison tries (unsuccessfully) to sell his dopey devices, including his Glo Gunk and his bug-killer helmet. A la Melvin and Howard, Edison offers a roadside assist to wealthy tycoon Armand McMillan (Jack Warden), who dies and wills controlling shares of his business to Edison, putting Edison at odds with McMillan's mean-spirited nephew (Larry Miller) and McMillan's closest corporate competitor Grace Kosik (Raquel Welch). In the Big tradition, Edison gets positive reactions to such inventions as TV dinners with real TVs and his Bull Shirt lie-detector -- while schemes and intrigue lurk around every corner of the corporate corridors. The comedian received a satirical jab from Mike Myers in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) when the words "Carrot Top movie" are seen on a document of villainous "evil schemes." ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
Jack Plotnick - Zak; Jack Warden - Armand; Estelle Harris - Ms. Krubavitch; Bill Erwin - Landfers; M. Emmet Walsh - Freemont; Jack McGee - Harlan; Glenn Shadix - Larry; Fred Stoller - McMillan Gate Guard; Ursula Burton - French Waitress
Credit
Robyn Ray - Casting, Ed Mitchell - Casting, Seok H. Yoon - Costume Designer, John E. Vohlers - First Assistant Director, Alex Zamm - Director, Jim Hill - Editor, Mark Amin - Executive Producer, Brad L.C. Greenberg - Executive Producer, Edward K. Phillips - Executive Producer, Cindy Nakadaira - Hair Styles, Chris Hajian - Composer (Music Score), Aaron Osborne - Production Designer, David Lewis - Cinematographer, Rupert Harvey - Producer, Peter M. Lenkov - Producer, Danielle Berman - Set Designer, Christopher M. Taylor - Sound/Sound Designer, Peter V. Meiselmann - Sound/Sound Designer, John Lindauer - Special Effects Supervisor, Al Septien - Screen Story, Turi Meyer - Screen Story, Al Septien - Screenwriter, Turi Meyer - Screenwriter, Alex Zamm - Screenwriter
Although it appeared at a time when Count Basie was enjoying respect from all quarters (as evidenced by the pop acclaim of several Grammy awards and the jazz faithful's enthusiasm for his concert at Newport), Chairman of the Board was, comparatively, a low-profile session. The record was surrounded in Basie's discography by several prize-winners and a parade of studio collaborations -- with vocalists Tony Bennett, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, and Billy Eckstine, plus arranger Neal Hefti. This 1958 date for Roulette was a rare chance for the orchestra to perform on its own, and listeners to hear how powerful the band could be when its concentration was undiverted. Of course, Basie's band already possessed three fine arrangers (Frank Foster, Thad Jones, and Frank Wess) and at least a dozen solo voices. Each of the ten songs on Chairman of the Board were originals by Foster, Jones, Wess, or Ernie Wilkins, all of them arranged by the composer. The record is admittedly heavy on the blues, but it's a brassy, powerful vision of the blues; Foster's "Blues in Hoss' Flat" and Wilkins' "Kansas City Shout" take the band back to its hometown, beginning with a subtle swing but ending with a raucous display of power from each section. The contributions by Jones and Wess provide a necessary complement to that forceful swing. Jones' "Speaking of Sounds" employs the woodwinds to provide color and texture, while Wess' "Segue in C" relies on bassist Eddie Jones and Basie's piano to lead the band while Wess himself takes several choruses on alto sax. A dynamic date, it shows the "new testament" edition of Basie's orchestra in top form. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
Chairman of the Board is a 1998 movie starring Courtney Thorne-Smith and Carrot Top in which a surfer/inventor (Carrot Top) inherits and runs a billionaire's company. It was poorly received by critics and moviegoers alike.
Edison (Carrot Top) is a poor, failed inventor and surf bum, but soon runs into and befriends wealthy business magnate Armand McMillan (Jack Warden). When Armand passes away shortly thereafter, he leaves Edison the majority of shares in his large invention corporation, and leaves his jealous nephew, his only living relative, Bradford (Larry Miller) only a surfboard. Bradford attempts to derail Edison's success by stealing his formula for glow in the dark, which does not exist in the world of the movie, and sharing it with a consumer who covers himself in it and alleges that Edison's prize invention—a portable TV/TV dinner combo—leaks radiation. When Edison reveals to all that radiation causes sickness and death—but not a literal glowing—and that he had invented the formula for glow in the dark, the company is saved and Edison appoints beau Natalie Stockwell (Courtney Thorne-Smith) to run the company.
Publicity
Before the movie was released, Thorne-Smith appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, where fellow guest and Saturday Night Live comedian Norm Macdonald repeatedly derided the concept of doing a film with Carrot Top. When O'Brien asked Smith the title of the film, Macdonald interjected that if it had Carrot Top in it, a good title would be Box Office Poison. After Smith revealed the actual title, O'Brien jokingly retorted to Macdonald, "Do something with that, you freak." Macdonald quickly replied "I bet the Board is spelled B-o-r-e-d", causing O'Brien to break out in laughter.[1]
