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May 18, 2021 2:28 PM Subscribe
Charles Grodin, Star of ‘Beethoven’ and ‘Heartbreak Kid,’ Dies at 86 [NYT Archive]
Charles Grodin, star of Midnight Run and Beethoven, dies at 86 [Grauniad]
Charles Grodin on IMDB
Grodin & Letterman
Source of the headline
Charles Grodin, star of Midnight Run and Beethoven, dies at 86 [Grauniad]
Charles Grodin on IMDB
Grodin & Letterman
Source of the headline
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posted by riruro at 2:47 PM on May 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by riruro at 2:47 PM on May 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
The Lonely Guy
Seems Like Old Times
The Heartbreak Kid
Heaven Can Wait
RIP
posted by Atom Eyes at 2:51 PM on May 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
Seems Like Old Times
The Heartbreak Kid
Heaven Can Wait
RIP
posted by Atom Eyes at 2:51 PM on May 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
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posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 2:51 PM on May 18, 2021
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 2:51 PM on May 18, 2021
Man, Midnight Run is one of the best buddy movies of the 80s.
Looking over someone's shoulder and asking if they are doing the Litmus Configuration is a frequent occurrence at my house.
posted by madajb at 2:52 PM on May 18, 2021 [10 favorites]
Looking over someone's shoulder and asking if they are doing the Litmus Configuration is a frequent occurrence at my house.
posted by madajb at 2:52 PM on May 18, 2021 [10 favorites]
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The Great Muppet Caper, romancing Miss Piggy.
posted by Lexica at 2:53 PM on May 18, 2021 [15 favorites]
The Great Muppet Caper, romancing Miss Piggy.
posted by Lexica at 2:53 PM on May 18, 2021 [15 favorites]
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posted by evilDoug at 2:54 PM on May 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by evilDoug at 2:54 PM on May 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
“She screamed right into my ear! I spilled ketchup all over my cummerbund.”
-Nicky Holliday, The Great Muppet Caper
posted by epj at 2:55 PM on May 18, 2021 [7 favorites]
-Nicky Holliday, The Great Muppet Caper
posted by epj at 2:55 PM on May 18, 2021 [7 favorites]
not de rigour to talk about, but...
his work in Louis was outstanding. especially the episode where he coaches louis on the aftermath of a relationship. while taking his dog for a shit. it makes me sad I can't link to a vid.
and, yeah, midnight run. comic genius, charles grodin.
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posted by j_curiouser at 2:57 PM on May 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
his work in Louis was outstanding. especially the episode where he coaches louis on the aftermath of a relationship. while taking his dog for a shit. it makes me sad I can't link to a vid.
and, yeah, midnight run. comic genius, charles grodin.
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posted by j_curiouser at 2:57 PM on May 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
It cannot be overstated how good he is in "Midnight Run". And, eponymously speaking, he stole my fucking badge.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 2:57 PM on May 18, 2021 [21 favorites]
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 2:57 PM on May 18, 2021 [21 favorites]
I just watched The Muppets at Walt Disney World late last night. He was a great straight man to Rizzo the Rat.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 3:10 PM on May 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 3:10 PM on May 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
I hope he gets to have chorizo and eggs now.
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posted by Hey, Zeus! at 3:14 PM on May 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
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posted by Hey, Zeus! at 3:14 PM on May 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
The perfect actor for Albert Brooks's "Real Life"
posted by jonathanhughes at 3:15 PM on May 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by jonathanhughes at 3:15 PM on May 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
My mom's favorite movie is "Seems Like Old Times." So I've seen Charles Grodin losing his sanity throughout that movie a bunch of times. One character in the movie, the housekeeper, says she needs to be out to "have my feet scraped." She rolls her r's so it sounds very fancy when she says this, like "I have to have my feet scrrrrrrrraped today." Later when asked to explain her absence, Charles Grodin says in the flattest of American, "She had to have her feet scraped." I don't know why that's funny, but it is.
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:16 PM on May 18, 2021 [9 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:16 PM on May 18, 2021 [9 favorites]
He was eighty six? I would have guessed ten years younger. RIP.
posted by SoberHighland at 3:18 PM on May 18, 2021 [10 favorites]
posted by SoberHighland at 3:18 PM on May 18, 2021 [10 favorites]
I think my favorite of his is Murray Blum, the accountant in "Dave". Just the reaction shots alone.
posted by ApathyGirl at 3:19 PM on May 18, 2021 [11 favorites]
posted by ApathyGirl at 3:19 PM on May 18, 2021 [11 favorites]
Back in the early 80s HBO had Seems like Old Times on heavy rotation. I watched that movie a dozen times. Charles Grodin was one of the three stars but really carried the movie. Such great lines.
"Would you stop about the corn? We could've gone to Europe for what it cost to grow six lousy ears of corn!"
posted by zardoz at 3:19 PM on May 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
"Would you stop about the corn? We could've gone to Europe for what it cost to grow six lousy ears of corn!"
posted by zardoz at 3:19 PM on May 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
Apparently, Grodin had permanent scars on his wrists from the cuffs in Midnight Run.
Also, from this 2018 appreciation of the film, he was given lots of leeway to improvise, including one scene where the director instructed him to do whatever is necessary to make De Niro laugh. I don't want to say more, but the article has the relevant clip.
posted by cheshyre at 3:23 PM on May 18, 2021 [6 favorites]
Also, from this 2018 appreciation of the film, he was given lots of leeway to improvise, including one scene where the director instructed him to do whatever is necessary to make De Niro laugh. I don't want to say more, but the article has the relevant clip.
posted by cheshyre at 3:23 PM on May 18, 2021 [6 favorites]
RIP for sure. One of the greats. For all his great roles, Charles Grodin playing Charles Grodin on Carson was peak Charles Grodin. This clip is almost 13 minutes long and worth every second. (h/t Mike Selinker)
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posted by The Bellman at 3:23 PM on May 18, 2021 [11 favorites]
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posted by The Bellman at 3:23 PM on May 18, 2021 [11 favorites]
He's groaning at the angels now.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 3:25 PM on May 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 3:25 PM on May 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
Midnight Run, for sure. Also Heaven Can Wait.
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posted by BlahLaLa at 3:45 PM on May 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by BlahLaLa at 3:45 PM on May 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
Well, there were some good looking chickens there.
posted by Hey, Zeus! at 3:46 PM on May 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by Hey, Zeus! at 3:46 PM on May 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
Grodin had a talk show on - maybe MSNBC? - in the later 90s that I remember watching pretty regularly and enjoying.
posted by wittgenstein at 4:08 PM on May 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by wittgenstein at 4:08 PM on May 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
Also, Catch-22 as Aarfy Aardvark where he seems to be playing the calm, sensible man until he isn't. And Rosemary's Baby as the gynecologist, Dr. Hill, where he seems to be playing the calm, sensible man , until-. He was really good at that, is what I'm saying.
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posted by dannyboybell at 4:08 PM on May 18, 2021 [7 favorites]
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posted by dannyboybell at 4:08 PM on May 18, 2021 [7 favorites]
There’s a lovely little moment in one of the Beethoven pictures where Grodin is ad-libbing with his kids and it’s clear to this fellow Pittsburgh kid that he’s talking about Kennywood.
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posted by kinnakeet at 4:16 PM on May 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
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posted by kinnakeet at 4:16 PM on May 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
King of the slow burn! Thought I'd mention the odd and hilarious Clifford (1994).
posted by jabah at 4:45 PM on May 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by jabah at 4:45 PM on May 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
"Calm, sensible man until he isn't" summed him up in a nutshell.
posted by jenfullmoon at 5:05 PM on May 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 5:05 PM on May 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
For all his great roles, Charles Grodin playing Charles Grodin on Carson yt was peak Charles Grodin.
I read in the comments in one of those clips that Charles was on contract with The Tonight Show because he was a favorite guest over the years, playing so well off Johnny. No idea if that's true, but his appearances on the show were great. We won't see that kind of repartee again.
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posted by Fukiyama at 5:09 PM on May 18, 2021 [3 favorites]
I read in the comments in one of those clips that Charles was on contract with The Tonight Show because he was a favorite guest over the years, playing so well off Johnny. No idea if that's true, but his appearances on the show were great. We won't see that kind of repartee again.
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posted by Fukiyama at 5:09 PM on May 18, 2021 [3 favorites]
He was witty without being showy, and very few people are so stone faced and funny.
A college friend insisted we watched "Midnight Run" and it was an instant hit -- straight to my top five movies and never budged.
R.I.P., sir.
posted by wenestvedt at 5:26 PM on May 18, 2021 [3 favorites]
A college friend insisted we watched "Midnight Run" and it was an instant hit -- straight to my top five movies and never budged.
R.I.P., sir.
posted by wenestvedt at 5:26 PM on May 18, 2021 [3 favorites]
Shocked to hear this; last I heard, he wasn't sick, he just needed space.
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posted by zaixfeep at 5:36 PM on May 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by zaixfeep at 5:36 PM on May 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
His account of his tryst with Miss Piggy is a truly hilarious piece of writing.
I had come to London for six weeks to play the first real human romantic interest for the internationally celebrated Muppet sex symbol Miss Piggy in The Great Muppet Caper. Shortly after I was first cast, I began to hear little rumblings, whispers, innuendos that this acclaimed puppet star was, in fact, not just a puppet. Yes, there was, of course, a puppet version of Miss Piggy the Muppet Queen. But — and it came in a whisper here, a rumor there, too impossible to really believe — there was also a real short piglike woman who was in fact the real Miss Piggy. She was kept under wraps, but it was she who was called in to play the more demanding Miss Piggy scenes. And now here was a message, seemingly from the real actress: “Please come by my flat this evening if you’re not too tired after filming for a drink — Miss Piggy, 82 Park Street, Flat 10 — 8:00 p.m.”posted by painquale at 5:43 PM on May 18, 2021 [11 favorites]
"Hmmmmm."
posted by praemunire at 5:45 PM on May 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 5:45 PM on May 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
I will enjoy going through the many clips. Brilliant straight man, perfect timing.
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posted by theora55 at 6:03 PM on May 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
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posted by theora55 at 6:03 PM on May 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
Why are you so unpopular with the Chicago police department?
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posted by condour75 at 7:11 PM on May 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
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posted by condour75 at 7:11 PM on May 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
Never forget renting Midnight Run for my family's holiday night entertainment - just loved the shit outta everything about that film but somehow totally forgot about the language - so there we were, my yet-to-be-fiancee and I kinda cringin' with every F-bomb of which there were dozens while my Catholic parents were horrifiedd.
And beyond the film work, he was among the funniest talk show guests ever, pure straight-faced gold - a ridiculously talented comedian. And then there was was his own own show which has great potential but fizzled.
posted by thecincinnatikid at 7:25 PM on May 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
And beyond the film work, he was among the funniest talk show guests ever, pure straight-faced gold - a ridiculously talented comedian. And then there was was his own own show which has great potential but fizzled.
posted by thecincinnatikid at 7:25 PM on May 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
For all his great roles, Charles Grodin playing Charles Grodin on Carson yt was peak Charles Grodin. This clip is almost 13 minutes long and worth every second.
from the comments on that clip
The banter is so well timed and organic, the best writers in the industry could never successfully orchestrate such a fantastic conversation
posted by philip-random at 7:29 PM on May 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by badbobbycase at 7:29 PM on May 18, 2021
posted by badbobbycase at 7:29 PM on May 18, 2021
So I'm watching Midnight Run right now.
It holds up pretty well.
So much smoking!
Smoking on the bus, in the train station, at the diner, walking down the street.
It's like giant second-hand smoke factory!
posted by madajb at 10:18 PM on May 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
It holds up pretty well.
So much smoking!
Smoking on the bus, in the train station, at the diner, walking down the street.
It's like giant second-hand smoke factory!
posted by madajb at 10:18 PM on May 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
He was so close to stealing the Baseball Diamond. Alas, he was caught red-handed.
posted by azpenguin at 11:13 PM on May 18, 2021 [6 favorites]
posted by azpenguin at 11:13 PM on May 18, 2021 [6 favorites]
Really liked his show and his talk show appearances. A very funny man. He seemed like a genuine decent soul.
posted by DJZouke at 5:15 AM on May 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by DJZouke at 5:15 AM on May 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
Seconding the love for his appearance as the accountant in Dave.
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posted by Gelatin at 5:36 AM on May 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
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posted by Gelatin at 5:36 AM on May 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
I think my favorite of his is Murray Blum, the accountant in "Dave". Just the reaction shots alone.
"Who does their books?"
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posted by Halloween Jack at 9:08 AM on May 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
"Who does their books?"
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posted by Halloween Jack at 9:08 AM on May 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
The way he answered Dennis Farina’s gangster’s menace in Midnight Run? Just... wow
That cast was STACKED. They even found room for Philip Baker Hall to do his thing.
posted by Caxton1476 at 10:06 PM on May 19, 2021
That cast was STACKED. They even found room for Philip Baker Hall to do his thing.
posted by Caxton1476 at 10:06 PM on May 19, 2021
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posted by SonInLawOfSam at 1:48 PM on May 20, 2021
posted by SonInLawOfSam at 1:48 PM on May 20, 2021
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posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 10:41 AM on May 22, 2021
posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 10:41 AM on May 22, 2021
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