Themes: Success is the Best Revenge, Down on Their Luck
Main Cast: Rodney Dangerfield, Debi Mazar, Cindy Williams, Burt Reynolds, David Ogden Stiers
Release Year: 1997
Country: US
Run Time: 104 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Comic Rodney Dangerfield co-wrote and stars in this outrageous comedy. Wally Sparks (Dangerfield) is the host of a sleazy tabloid-style talk show who makes Jerry Springer seem genteel by comparison. Wally's show has become so foul that he's alienated his not-especially-discriminating viewers, and his ratings are taking a nosedive. Lenny Spencer (Burt Reynolds), head of the network carrying Wally's show, gives the host an ultimatum -- he has a week to clean up the show and boost his ratings, or his show gets cancelled. Wally's producer Sandy Gallo (Debi Mazar) comes up with an idea -- Floyd Preston (David Ogden Stiers) is the governor of Georgia and a staunch conservative known for his attacks on the lowbrow content of Wally's show, so what better way to show people that Wally is trying to change his ways than having Preston on the show as a guest? In order to persuade the Governor to appear, Wally attends a reception at Preston's mansion, where he makes the mistake of getting in a drunken game of strip poker with Preston's wife Emily (Cindy Williams) and somehow involving himself in a plot to blackmail the Governor. Meet Wally Sparks is packed with cameos in which noted show business figures play themselves, ranging from Tim Allen, Jay Leno, and Bob Saget to Michael Bolton, Ron Jeremy, and Jerry Springer himself. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Steve Karman - Art Director, Fern Champion - Casting, Mark Paladini - Casting, Harry Basil - Co-producer, Elliott Posenblatt - Co-producer, Alexandra Welker - Costume Designer, John E. Vohlers - First Assistant Director, Peter Baldwin - Director, Raul Davalos - Editor, Michel Colombier - Songwriter, Bryan Jones - Production Designer, Richard H. Kline - Cinematographer, Leslie Greif - Producer, Stephen Halbert - Sound/Sound Designer, Charlie Picerni - Stunts Coordinator, Rodney Dangerfield - Screenwriter, Harry Basil - Screenwriter
