The House of Blue Leaves (film)
The House of Blue Leaves | |
---|---|
Written by | John Guare |
Directed by | Kirk Browning Jerry Zaks |
Starring | Swoosie Kurtz John Mahoney Christine Baranski Julie Hagerty Ben Stiller Richard Portnow |
Country of origin | ![]() |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Editor | Alfred Müller |
Running time | 113 minutes |
Original release | |
Network | PBS |
Release | May 25, 1987 |
The House of Blue Leaves is a 1987 television play adapted from the John Guare play of the same title.
Summary
The telefilm is set in Sunnyside, Queens in 1965, the day of Pope Paul VI's visit to New York City. The black comedy focuses on Artie Shaughnessy, a zookeeper who dreams of making it big in Hollywood as a songwriter, and his wife Bananas, a schizophrenic destined for the institution that provides the play's title. Artie wants to take his girlfriend Bunny with him to Hollywood. The story features nuns eager to see the Pope, a political bombing, and Ronnie, Artie's son, a GI headed for Vietnam who goes AWOL.
Cast and characters
- Swoosie Kurtz – Bananas Shaughnessy
- John Mahoney – Artie
- Christine Baranski – Bunny Flingus
- Julie Hagerty – Corrinna Stroller
- Ben Stiller – Ronnie Shaughnessy
- Richard Portnow – Billy Einhorn
- Debra Cole – Little Nun
- Patricia Falkenhain – Head Nun
- Jane Cecil – Second Nun
- Ian Blackman – MP / El Dorado bartender
- Brian Evers – The White Man / El Dorado bartender
Production
The telefilm was directed by Kirk Browning and Jerry Zaks, and was filmed on-stage before a live audience at the Plymouth Theatre. The telefilm was broadcast in May 1987 on the PBS series American Playhouse.[1][2][3][4][5]
References
- ^ a b The House of Blue Leaves imdb, accessed November 14, 2015
- ^ a b "The House of Blue Leaves Cast and Crew" tv.com, accessed November 14, 2015
- ^ Drake, Silvie. "Tv Review : The Force Is Still With 'House Of Blue Leaves'" Los Angeles Times, May 25, 1987
- ^ Roberts, Jerry. "Jerry Zaks", Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors, Scarecrow Press, 2009, ISBN 9780810861381, p. 640
- ^ '"The House of Blue Leaves' Film" tcm.com, accessed November 14, 2015