My Favorite Year

1982
PG
1h 32m

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

11K

YOUR RATING

Peter O'Toole and Mark Linn-Baker in My Favorite Year (1982)

Play trailer2:38

1 Video

35 Photos

Comedy Drama

An aging, dissolute matinee idol is slated to appear on a live TV variety show in 1954, and a young comedy writer is tasked with the thankless job of keeping him ready and sober for the broa... Read allAn aging, dissolute matinee idol is slated to appear on a live TV variety show in 1954, and a young comedy writer is tasked with the thankless job of keeping him ready and sober for the broadcast.An aging, dissolute matinee idol is slated to appear on a live TV variety show in 1954, and a young comedy writer is tasked with the thankless job of keeping him ready and sober for the broadcast.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

11K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 2 wins & 8 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 2:38

My Favorite Year

Photos35

+ 29

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
According to Cameron Mitchell, his Boss character was based on Jimmy Hoffa, while the character of Herb was modeled after Neil Simon.

Goofs
In the street scene following the "hot dog" shot, the block Benjy and Swann are walking in is a real NY street dressed for 1954. The next block behind them and the skyline, including the long-gone Astor Hotel, is a matte shot. Several modern buses and an RV can be seen under the marque over the left sidewalk.

Quotes
[Alan Swann has blundered into the wrong restroom]
Lil: This is for ladies only!
Alan Swann: [unzipping fly] So is *this*, ma'am, but every now and then I have to run a little water through it.

Alternate versions
The version of "My Favorite Year" syndicated to (American) broadcast television contains at least three extra scenes:
At the beginning of the film, Benjy Stone is carrying a cardboard cutout of Alan Swann into the RCA Building; as he dashes to an elevator in the lobby, the theatrical version jumps to Benjy's arrival in the writers' office. But in the broadcast version, we see Benjy take the elevator up; also on the elevator is K.C., who ignores Benjy's attempts to engage her in conversation.
The broadcast version extends the rehearsal of the "Boss Hijack" sketch to include several more pieces of business, including the illusion of steam shooting out of King Kaiser's ears.
Following Benjy and Alan's wild horse ride through Central Park, the broadcast version adds a shot of the horse parked in front of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

Connections
Featured in The 55th Annual Academy Awards (1983)

Soundtracks
Stardust
Performed by Nat 'King' Cole (as Nat King Cole)
Music by Hoagy Carmichael (uncredited)
Lyrics by Mitchell Parish (uncredited)
Courtesy of Capitol Records Inc.
Heard during opening credit sequence

User reviews99

Review

Featured review

My Favorite Year

Hilarious film about a Sid Caesar-like comedy series where the special guest is a legendary swashbuckler movie idol who is more known for taking to drink, than for his acting credits. O'Toole shines as Alan Swann, the swashbuckler on his first live television series. Bologna is priceless as the Sid Caesar-like star of the comedy show. Baker is also wonderful as the young comedy writer assigned to watch Swann's every move. There is great support from Bill Macy, excellent as the show's head writer; Green as the show's producer; Hoffman as a comedy writer who only whispers how he feels...only to speak at the end of the film and Kazan, who is simply divine as Baker's mother. The film is a fine slice of old fashioned comedy with great slapstick and dialogue with lots of zap and zing. Director Benjamin shines in his first venture behind the camera. O'Toole was Oscar nominated.