FEATURING
A SERIES OF COMEDIC SHORT FILMS
CONTENTS:
1. Summary Listing
2. Synopses
a. The Last Tape of Osama bin Laden
b. My Uncle Emmett
c. The Lost Tapes of Emmett Deemus
d. The Independent
e. Emmett vs. The World
f. Solly’s Diner
g. Frogs Never Lie
h. Sometimes Jones and the Magic Credit Card
i. I Hate To Say I Told You So
j. Quicksand Hero
k. Revenge of the Ring Thing
3 – 4. Larry Hankin Bio
5 – 8. Cast and Crew Lists
9. Awards and Accolades, Quotable Quotes
Website: LarryHankin.com
For press information contact: Marcia N. Groff
Entertainment Enterprises
656 West Knoll Drive, Ste. 104
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310/855-0498 (phone)
310/855-0598 (fax)
e-mail: ent-entprs@worldnet.att.net
September 23, 2004
Film Title: Larry Hankin’s 10 Funny Fables + 1
Featuring Revenge of the Ring Thing
Genre: A series of short comedic films
Key Cast: Larry Hankin as Randalf, Sometimes Jones
and Uncle Emmett Sagittarius Deemus and
Osama bin Laden
Special appearances (in alphabetical order) by
Jeaneane Garafalo, Jeff Garlin, Carl Gottlieb, Howard Hesseman, Richard Libertini, Genevieve Mishlen, Max Perlich, Ruth Silvera, Jerry Stiller, Fred Willard and Paul Willson
Distribution: Foreign and domestic rights available for theatrical, cable and free television, home video and DVD release
Director: Larry Hankin (*unless otherwise noted in credits)
Producer: Larry Hankin (*unless otherwise noted in credits)
Storyline: The series of short film fables follow the exploits of Larry Hankin, as he is sued by his favorite Uncle Emmett Sagittarius Deemus, who claims that Larry stole all of his stories. Their cross-country odyssey tries to establish which one of them actually created the fables. Additional material includes Sometimes Jones; an interview with Osama bin Laden; an interview with a crazed serial killer; and the story of Randalf, the long lost brother of Gandalf the Grey as he practices for his wizardry test.
Currently Available at: Larry Hankin.com
Suggested List Price: $14.95
Running Time: 115 minutes (One hundred and fifteen minutes)
- 1 -
The Last Tape of Osama bin Laden: A reporter, (Howard
Hesseman) recently kidnapped in Afghanistan, and returns safely and shows his
exclusive footage, shot by him and his cameraman (Carl Gottlieb). The
interviewee (Larry Hankin) looks a lot like Osama bin Laden, giving a tour of
his cave and one last, insane interview.
My Uncle Emmett (Part One): A mockumentary
filmmaker (Larry Hankin) explains how his favorite Uncle went from being a
frustrated elder Parking Enforcement Officer, under the watchful eye of the
town Sheriff (Fred Willard) and Judge Volpay (Richard Liberitini), in a small
Central California town, to a self-made, outlaw biker, in this first of three
part episodes.
The Lost Tapes of Emmett Deemus: Twenty-four hours in the
life of a homeless poet and local malcontent (Larry Hankin) as told in ten
minutes, as he gives the audience a glimpse into his feelings on panhandling,
money, love and what he does with his day.
The Independent: In the psych ward of a
hospital, an insane, constrained serial killer (Larry Hankin) negotiates the rights
to his story with two producers (Janeane Garafalo and Jerry Stiller), and their
assistant (Max Perlich) but just he is about to sign and deliver, a deranged
backer (Paul Richard) kills the deal.
Emmett vs. The World: Larry Hankin is sued by
his Uncle Emmett (Larry Hankin) for stealing his fables.
Solly’s Diner: A homeless guy (Larry Hankin) tries to hold
up a diner at 4am, but gets blind-sided from a competitor (Roger Bowen).
Frogs Never Lie: A hapless hitchhiker
(Larry Hankin) gets advice on his road technique from a fairytale frog.
Sometimes Jones and the Magic Credit Card (animated): A young thief
discovers a stolen credit card holds the key eternal life, but gets caught up
in the consequences. Narrated and drawn by Larry Hankin.
I Hate To Say I Told You So: One of Uncle Emmett’s
(Larry Hankin) stolen rants.
Quicksand Hero: Larry Hankin live at The Cheeca Club:
Sometimes Jones gets saved from a quicksand death and seeks revenges.
Revenge of the Ring Thing: One day in the life of
Randalf (Larry Hankin), youngest brother of Gandalf the Grey (Lord of the
Rings). While practicing for his entrance exam into the Sorcerers Guild,
his roommate Spanky, an ex-wizard marionette, warns him of the danger in an
ancient curse, just as the Evil Warrior Princess (Genevieve Mishlen) appears to
do the dirty deed.
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Writer, performer, director, producer and Oscar-nominee, Larry Hankin, is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces in the world of character actors. Through the years he has made us laugh with his memorable portrayals of zany characters, in standup comic clubs, on the legit stage, in A-list features, and on some of televisions’ top rated situation comedies.
Upon graduating from Syracuse University, with a degree in Industrial Design, he made a beeline for New York City with designs on the entertainment industry and started plying his unique brand of humorous storytelling in coffee houses in Greenwich Village. These stints led him to open for acts that included Woody Allen, jazz legend Miles Davis and pop icons The Lovin’ Spoonful.
However, still looking for a steady paycheck, he decided to check out Chicago, where he soon landed a steady paying gig with The Second City comedy troupe. But, when a splinter group of malcontents decided to head west, Larry was invited to join ‘The Committee’ and soon found himself in middle of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district doing political-satirical-improvisational theatre. Destined to be famous, two years later, they returned to New York City, headlining the Great White Way at Broadway’s St. James Theatre, for a limited three-month run. Upon hearing the news, his showbiz hating father simply replied, “And then what?”
And, so began his odyssey to Hollywood where his long, lean, lanky, buffoonish frame began getting him plum roles in film and television; parts in soon-to-be-classic television shows such as “Laverne & Shirley,” “Eight Is Enough,” “Family Ties,” and “Alf,” with early film appearances in “American Hot Wax” with Jay Leno and “Yours, Mine and Ours” with Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda, leading to his featured role as Charlie Butz, the man in the cell next to Clint Eastwood in “Escape from Alcatraz.”
But comedic storytelling still called to him, so with his Alcatraz paycheck, his biggest to date, he decided to write, direct and star in “Solly’s Diner,” debuting his wry comedic alter-ego, Sometime Jones, on film. The production was a huge success leading to an Oscar nomination in the ‘Live Action Short’ category, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The film was also picked up for television and video distribution, in addition to being screened at national and international festivals, that included Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as Goteborg, Sweden and Venice, Italy.
On a roll, he went on to appear in John Huston’s “Annie,” “Running Scared” with Billy Crystal, three John Hughes’ pictures “She’s Having My Baby” with Kevin Bacon, “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” with Steve Martin and John Candy, and “Home Alone” with Mcaulay Culkin, as well as “Billy Madison” and “Pretty Woman.”
- 3 -
BIO (continued)
Television guest shots led to his recurring role of Mr. Heckles, the grumpy downstairs neighbor on “Friends” and to his impersonation as ‘the Other Kramer,’ who stole the raisins, on “Seinfeld,” in the ‘TV Show within The Show,’ episode.
On stage, Larry played Jacques, in the American premiere of the French farce “Jacques and His Master,” opposite David Rasche (“Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood”) at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. The play won the coveted Triple Crown, nabbing Critic’s Choice Awards from the Los Angeles Times, Herald Examiner and the Daily News. Rave reviews singled out Hankin as “delicious,” “fiercely comic” and “a road-wise hobo.”
But story writing, story telling and film production still called to him. He was haunted his by his gaunt counterpart Sometimes Jones, and after his real hair turned white, Jones’ alter-ego, a delusional aging biker named Emmett ‘Sagittarius’ Deemus emerged.
These vagabond satirical stories became the basis for Hankin’s book Fables of Sometimes Jones, as well as a CD “Larry Hankin:Pomes & Stories” released on New Alliance Records.
Returning to the stage, Larry produced his poetic one-man show, “Emmett Sez,” which recalled the eccentrics’ manifesto of a homeless beggar, former businessman and philosopher, who dares to steal a Hell’s Angel motorcycle for an adventure of a lifetime. It opened at the Met Theatre, to rave reviews. “A Don Quixote for the 90’s,” was the banner headline in the Los Angeles Times; LA Weekly proclaimed Hankin, “…a wiry, homeless sage…an underclass Will Rogers, spouting yarns, witticisms…both brittle and sharp…an amalgam of Lewis Carroll…and Grimm fairytales, all starring Buster Keaton.”
With these accolades Hankin decided to take a sabbatical to develop both Jones and his feuding uncle Emmett into a series of short fables into a full-length feature script entitled “The Outlaw Emmett Deemus.”
But, once again, on his storytelling journey, he strayed into the land of Randalf, the long lost younger brother of Gandalf, the Grey, the great wizard from The Lord of the Rings, creating a magical, mystifying and amusing tale of wizardry going amok…by happenstance, for the right reasons.
So, next up for Larry Hankin and his cast of alter-egos, Sometimes Jones and Uncle Emmett, (among other luminaries, such as Osama bin Laden, magic frogs and serial killers), is the Larry Hankin Funny Short Film Festival, a compilation of shorts that explores the relationships between Jones, Emmett and Hankin, reeled into delightful spoofs that are sure to delight audiences around the globe.
- 4 -
CAST (In Order of Appearance)
REPORTER Howard
Hesseman
MULLAH Larry
Hankin
MULLAH’S BROTHER-IN-LAW Peter Elbing
VOICE OF INTERPETER Carl
Gottlieb
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Directed and Edited by Larry
Hankin
Written by Larry
Hankin and Carl Gottlieb
With
Peter Elbling and Howard Letovsky
Cinematography by Howard
Letovsky
Produced by Larry
Hankin.com and Howard Letovsky
Post Production Stanford
Post
Sound Steve
Yeaman and SAY Sound
CAST (In Order of Appearance)
UNCLE EMMETT Larry
Hankin
PARKING ENFORCMENT OFFICER John Baumgartner
DORREN PERCALE Kathleen
Sweeney
JANET HALLA Shulle
Cowan
CHARLIE HALLA David
Razowski
DOCTOR HILAIR Paul
Willson
MOOSE’S MOM Blanch
Awerman
MOOSE Jeff
Garlin
SID KELLER Howard
Hesseman
JUDGE VOLPAY Richard
Libertini
EMMETT’S NURSE Claire
Cellucci
BAD BOY Clyve
Saunders
NURSE NULL Pat
Wilson
POLICE CHIEF Fred
Willard
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written, produced and directed by Larry Hankin
Cameras: Larry
Hankin, John Baumgartner, Dean Hollander, Patarick Kelly and Howard Letovsky
Editing Larry
Hankin, Wayne Reese, Aaron Stanford and Andre Champagne
Sound Mix Steve
Yeaman and SAY Sound
Original Music: “Back
in the Day” (Opening Theme)
Composer, Music and Instruments Ben Vaughn
Song “I’m
The Man”
Composer, Words and Music Bruce Langhorne
- 5 -
My Uncle Emmett (Production Credits
Continued)
Vocals and Piano Bruce
Langhorne
Lead Guitar Vinny
Caggiano
Harmonica Denise
Kaufman
Song “Roadrash
Blues”
Composer and Music Bruce
Langhorne
Lead Guitar Vinny
Caggiano
Harmonica Denise
Kaufman
CAST (In Order of Appearance)
EMMETT Larry
Hankin
WOMAN AT BEACH Deborah
Pearle
CROSSWORD PUZZLER Mel
Bloch
MAN AT BUS STOP Peter
Elbling
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written, produced and directed by Larry Hankin
Cameras John
Baumgartner, Larry Hankin
and Laurie Tower
Edited by Larry
Hankin and Penny Hay
Music by Bruce
Langhorne
Post Production Stanford
Post
CAST (In Order of Appearance)
CO-PRODUCER Janeane
Garafalo
PRODUCER Jerry
Stiller
INMATE Larry
Hankin
ASSISTANT TO THE PRODUCER Max Perlich
BACKER Richard
Paul
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Directed by Steve
Kessler*
Written by Michael
Wilkins and Stephen Kessler*
Produced by Michael
Wilkins*
Director of Photography Amir Hamed
Production Design by Russell
Christian
Edited by Chris
Franklin
Unit Production Manager Gary Depew
First Assistant Director Jack Ziga
Second Assistant Director Dan Suhart
Second Second Assistant Director Andrew J. Coffing
CAST
EMMETT S. DEEMUS Larry Hankin
INTERVIEWER Steve
Kessler
- 6 -
Emmett vs. The World (continued)
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written, Produced and Directed by Larry Hankin
Camera Steve
Kessler
Edited by Larry
Hankin and Aaron Stanford
Sound Design Steve
Yeaman
Graphics Wayne
Reese
Original Music “Emmett’s
Bossonova”
Composer Chi
Block
CAST (In Order of Appearance)
WAITRESS Ruth
Silvera
DRUNK Paul
Wilson
SOMETIMES JONES Larry
Hankin
BUSINESS MAN Roger
Bowen
SOLLY Tom
Brunelle
SOLLY’S VOICE Howard
Storm
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written and Produced by Larry Hankin
Produced by Harry
Mathias/Zuckerman and Larry Hankin
Director of Photography Harry Mathias
Gaffer John
Bonfield
Production Sound Design Michael Evye and D.G. Fisher
Original Music Murphy
Dunne
Camera Operator Michael
Musashi
Camera Assistants Jose
A. Keyes and Ivo Crisante
Film Edited by Harry
Mathias and Larry Hankin
Assistant Directors Richard
Marian and Ken Moss
Production Assistants Kaye Davis
Assistant to the Director Tom Brunelle
CAST (In Order of Appearance)
NARRATOR Larry
Hankin
HITCHHIKER Larry
Hankin
FROG Fern
Finer
CAR DRIVER Sue
Yester
REALLY NICE GUY Jim
Crenna
NICE GUY’S WIFE Nancy
Fish
POLICEMAN John
Ferris
PRODUCTIONS CREDITS
Written, Produced, Directed by Larry Hankin
Camera Wayne
Reese
Sound Steve
Yeaman
- 7 -
Original Music Peter
Elbling, Steve Beasley
and Steve Vaughn
Special Thanks to: Robin
Menken, Julie Payne
and
Carol Bachyrita
SOMETIMES JONES AND THE
MAGIC CREDIT CARD (Animated)
NARRATOR Larry
Hankin
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Directed by Dean
Hollander*
Written, Produced, Narrated and Illustrated Larry Hankin
Camera Patrick
Kelly
Edited by Tony
Solomons
Audio Engineers Evan
Hollander and Geoff Walcha
Sound Design Ruth
Judkowitz
CAST
RAPPER Larry
Hankin
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Directed by Dean
Hollander*
Written, Produced and Performed by Larry Hankin
Camera Patrick
Kelly
Edited by Tony
Solomons
CAST
LARRY HANKIN Live at The Cheeca Club
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written, Produced and Directed by Larry Hankin
CAST (In Order of Appearance)
RANDALF Larry
Hankin
SPANKY Himself
EVIL WARRIOR PRINCESS Genevieve Mishlen
MAN ON BEACH Peter
Elbling
MAN ON PATH Hector
Chardez
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written, Produced and Directed by Larry Hankin
Edited by Wayne
Reese and Larry Hankin
Cinematography Spencer
Mishlen
Second Unit Photography and Puppet Casting by Mel Bloch
Sound Design by Steve
Yeaman
Original Music by Steve
Yeaman and Vinnie Caggaino
- 8 -
Film Festivals:
The Last Tape of Osama bin Laden:
Official Selection Santa
Cruz Film Festival 2002
Pick
of the Week IFILM.com
Just
For Laughs Film Festival/Montreal
The Lost Tapes of Emmett Deemus:
Official Selection San
Francisco Independent Film Festival 2002
Audience
Award Best Narrative
Short Film
Pasadena
Methodfest
IFILM.com
Solly’s Diner:
Live Action Short Nomination Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 1980
Official Selection French
Film Festival (Lumiere/Paris) 1980
Award of Merit Chicago
International Film Festival 1980
Official Selection Los
Angeles International Film Exposition 1980
Official
Selection Goteborg
Film Festival (Sweden) 1981 Venice Film Festival 1992
Revenge of the Ring Thing:
Official Selection Chicago
Film Festival 2004
Official
Selection Bahama
Film Festival 2004
“Sometimes Jones is funny, sometimes I’m Sometimes
Jones.” George Carlin
“I laughed, and then I cried and then I choked and
then I laughed again. It was the darnest thing.” Paul Reiser
“Sometimes Jones is a hoot…” San Francisco
Examiner
(Sometimes Jones) an amalgam of Lewis Carroll
stories, Grimm fairytales, all starring Buster Keaton.” LA Weekly
“…sad-faced Chaplin…with charm and pathos.” LA Weekly
“Hankin’s (Emmett Demus)…eccentric, homeless street
philosopher is a delight.”
Los Angeles Times
“Emmett is a Don Quixote.” Los Angeles
Times
“…an
underclass Will Rogers, spouting yarns, witticisms and …erudition.”
LA
Weekly
“…classic slapstick…pleasant deadpan
philosophizing.”
Los Angeles Reader
- 9 -