Jon Cryer's autobiography

What does he say about Carol Channing, exactly?

Did he explain why anyone would want to read an autobiography about a man who has acting skills so low that he couldn't carry a show by himself?

[QUOTE]he had an affair with Demi when she was on drugs

Well, you'd hardly expect her to screw him sober.

How could anyone ever have an affair with Demi when she wasn't on dope?

R1 he says his friend had overheard Carol make the legendary corn remark!

Then Cryer was on Conan O'Brian, on the same show as Channing. When he saw she was wearing an elegant white pantsuit, he assumed that the rumors that she was incontinent were untrue. But then riding in the elevator with Channing, he noticed the strong smell of shit! Channing was looking at him oddly.

When Cryer got off the elevator, he whispered to a Page that Miss Channing had soiled herself & would need help. The Page explained that a monkey had rode up in the elevator before them: that was the cause of the smell. Channing was staring at Cryer because she thought the smell was emanating from him!

R5 the elevator story is great (and if you watch the show they do mention a monkey). But EVERYONE's friend overheard the Channing corn remark! It's like the Gere gerbil story. Everyone knows someone who was the nurse on duty at Cedars that night.

Did he admit he is gay and sucks many cocks? How anyone could think this man likes vag is nutso. He looks gay, acts gay, and IS gay.

Go suck a cock.

R1 the urban legend is that one day Carol Channing was in a public ladies room taking a dump when she loudly exclaimed 'I don't remember eating corn.'

R8, I thought the urban legend was the Carol was wearing a body mike that was inadvertently left on when she went off stage. Supposedly she was taking a dump in her dressing room and the legendary quote was broadcast into the auditorium while the show was in progress with other actors on stage.

Has anyone ever asked Carol if the story is true?

Funny story r5 but I don't get the incontinance connection. Why would he think she was incontinant from the corn story? Am I missing something?

A few years ago, Entertainment Weekly hosted a reunion for the casts of big 80s movies including Pretty In Pink. When asked, Molly asserted that she always assumed that the character of Ducky is gay. She said she thought that when they filmed and she thinks it now. The look of horror on Jon Cryer's face when she said this was priceless. He vehemently disagreed with her and it was obvious that Molly didn't care.

I thought he was gay, too, but just hadn't realized it. He was in love with his best friend who he knew was safe because she didn't love him. The new end, where he winds up with some hot babe, felt so inauthentic. The real Duckie would have been relieved to be with a girl who wasn't interested in him so he wouldn't have to follow through.

Everybody I know thought he was gay. It's funny how SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL is the same movie with the genders reversed and the ending changed. In that movie, Watts was obviously a huge les.

I assumed Jon was gay after meeting him backstage in Los Angeles in December, 1983. I was on vacation and went to see the play "Torch Song Trilogy" in which a friend of mine was appearing. After the play I met the cast including Jon who was playing the role Matthew Broderick had played in New York (the adopted son). I was in my 20's at the time and when we met Jon was clearly interested noting, "Do you want to hook up later?"

Cryer is got to be hugely wealthy right? (oh, what a world!). Don't understand why anyone like that would stay in the closet. What the fuk?

I don't thinK Cryer is gay. Duckie, yes.

Yeah, Ducky was gay. I mean, crying over unrequited love to The Smiths? It doesn't get any gayer than that.

And God, I hope Carol is laughing with us about the corn thing.

Anybody who has a Carol Channing story is gay!

Imagine Carol's voice saying it. Rotfl

RE: The Corn Story

I always heard that on a tour of, most likely, HELLO DOLLY!, Carol Channing had her own private bathroom that under no uncertain terms was anyone to use. This particular bathroom was a ladies room with more than one stall. Anyway, a chorus girl desperately had to use the restroom and since no one was in it, she thought, "What the hell. No one will ever know"

While said chorus girl is in the stall, Channing comes in and uses another stall. The chorus girl is quiet as a mouse the entire time, but just as Channing finishes and is about to flush, she utters the famous phrase. That's the way I head it.

I knew a guy who was on one of the Hello Dolly tours. They pulled into a city where Dreamgirls had just played the theater before them. The toilet in Carol's dressing room was clogged and she said, "Those black girls don't know not to flush their tampons."

But Carol Channing IS a black girl....

And bravo Jon Cryer. You can all neinsag him but he's made a fortune and worked a lot.

Cryer talks about people thinking he's gay and freely acknowledges he sits like a lady: legs crossed and fingers spread. He says all the men in his family sit like ladies.

After his first marriage broke up, he used the services of a prostitute (service recommended by Charlie Sheen) but spent most of the time giving the prostitute investment advice.

Like any straight pussyhound would, r24

I saw that too, R12. I've always thought that Cryer was gay.

I think he's kinda cute. I'd totally sleep with him after a shot or two.

It's amazing how much Jon Cryer resembles Roland Orzabal from Tears for Fears.

My hag and I always love to watch Pretty In Pink for the REAL love story between Ducky and Steff. When they get in a fight, you can tell their sexual passion is channeled into the violence. They REALLY wanted to consummate it in the hallway. The only thing that perplexes us is who is the top and who is the bottom? We usually go with Steff as a vers/top and Ducky as a vers/bttm. ;-)

I co-sign R29's assessment. Steff can definitely top me!!!!

His new balding , bearded gay look is admittedly pretty hot.

R29 In the book, Cryer says Spader was the cast member he got along best with and singles out their fight scene as most enjoyable. Spader told him: "I've cornered the market on teenaged assholes!"

How interesting that Spader and Cryer have found the most success today out of the cast. They're both multiple Emmy winners. And Charlie Sheen has dropped a load or two in both they asses.

[quote]Spader told him: "I've cornered the market on teenaged assholes!"

And he was in his 30s!

Janine Turner is a Republican nutcase. What was Cryer's dirt on her?

There is nothing straight about him. Nice of Demi to beard for him.

R35 Cryer was in a stage version of "Carnal Knowledge" with Janine, Justine Bateman and Judd Nelson, who were all annoying in various ways. Nelson deliberately showed up late as part of his rebel pose and posted of photos of naked women with their heads cropped all over the dressing room ; Justine was in a "poetry slam" phase and never stopped improvising free verse; and Janine, because she was playing a crazy character, would sit with legs spread, and bang her head on the floor. Cryer writes:

Upon my arrival at the theatre, I'd usually be greeted by the following tableau:

Justine (shouting at full volume): "All the tinsel's melting down the tree...the bulbs explode in prickly sparks!"

Janine: (pounding forehead on the stage): Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

Judd (pacing) "Mutter mutter mutter....unbelievable....mutter mutter."

Cryer tried to get Judd Nelson fired but instead Nelson and Justine Batemen teamed up to get Janine Turner fired!

Thank you OP R37. I kind of remember hearing other stories about Nelson difficult to work with. He dated Shannen Doherty. Too bad, they didn't last. They were perfect for each other.

Sounds dreadful, r37. Must have been dinner theater in Schenectady.

I meant r38

The line I've always heard was "Corn? When did I eat corn?" For the longest time, I thought the Carol Channing corn story was a DL in-joke, but it's obviously not.

And like the above poster said, if you picture that line being said by Carol Channing, it's too funny.

ENN-eee-way, back on topic.

I can wait until the book makes its way to my local Dollar Tree. A year, maybe less, I'm thinking.

True story: Carol Channing was in the bathroom at Chicago O'Hare and let out a huge fart that scared other women in the neighboring stalls. Someone started laughing and Carol farted again, even louder. She's my kind of gal: gassy.

Molly Ringwald was a stuck-up brat who thought she was better than anybody else. When she was at the top of her game, THE Lillian Gish invited Molly to her home because she wanted to meet her. Of course, at that time Ms. Gish was ancient, and this was a huge deal for her. The date and time that Ringwald would go to her house was set, and Gish was ready and waiting. Molly stood her up. Stood up Lillian Gish! Well, apparently that was 'just not done' in Hollywood, and Molly's career went into a landslide.

R44: that's what Molly gets for seeking advice from Bette...

Molly said she cut her hand and was very apologetic.

Lillian said she didn't want to meet her because she was old.

anybody believe Molly?

R47's story bummed me out. I would love to have listened to Lillian Gish talk for an afternoon. Ew, Molly. Ew. You deserved BETSY'S WEDDING for that!

Before Molly got The Facts of Life, she played one of the orphans in a touring production of Annie. I had a friend in that cast. All the girls got along great except Molly. They thought she was stuck up. This was before she had much success so she's always been off putting it sounds like.

She'll always be remembered primarily for being cut from The Facts of Life.

Don't forget Fresh Horses...

Molly was Grend Marshall of he Gay Pride parade here in Weho a few yards. She was on her float on a long white Grecian style fresh, screaming at the crowd, "I'm proud of you!!!!" at the top of her lungs. It was kinda funny actually

Anyway, Carol, James, Molly, Lilian are all more interesting topics than cryer

Having your career destroyed just because you stood up some old washed-up broad seems like a disproportionate sentence and unfair. I'm on Team Molly on this one.

What about McCarthy? He always pinged to me. Watching him try to butch it up opposite DL fave Sharon Stone was utterly bizarre.

if Molly were truly innocent she would have herself of her agent call and reschedule the meeting right away instead of making them wait for three hours.

whoever called Miss Gish "washed up" must be reminded that she was still working into her nineties. if that is "washed up" then sign me up! She lived to be 99! Show some respect.

Molly Ringwald has a new career as an agony aunt for the Grauniad.

Molly's excuse sounded like utter bullshit. She was probably still fucking Warren Beatty at the time and he wanted one more.

Molly can act, though. She did teen angst like none other. I love this scene from (the VERY underrated) "Fresh Horses" where she tells off a McCarthy and a creepy Viggo Mortensen...

I thought the I-stood-up-Lillian-Gish actress was Annabeth Gish. Even though they weren't related, a meet was scheduled. I think this was just after Mystic Pizza. Annabeth was being driven around by a studio driver who didn't know where he was going, so she never made it to the meet. Lillian Gish thought she had been stood up deliberately, which gave Annabeth a bad rep.

Who the hell is Lillian Gish? Not that I care about Molly either, she was incredibly annoying in everything she did. I'm happy she's faded into obscurity.

Molly was primed to be a major child star. She was on the Disney Christmas album I listened to in the very early 80's as a kid, with her name featured along with John Denver. I had always thought of her as "that kid that sang The First Noel on that album' as she went through her Hughes years. I'd love to know stories about her mother, who probably inflated her ego. Plus, she's a major Francophile, which would definitely contribute to her cuntiness.

When we lived in Hollywood, Carol Channing took a shit in our front yard. Mom wanted to call the cops, but dad said no.

[quote]Did he explain why anyone would want to read an autobiography about a man who has acting skills so low that he couldn't carry a show by himself?

That's why they gave him 2 Lead Emmys and five additional nominations for the role/show. Just playing Devil's Advocate. If the industry did feel that way about him, they wouldn't honor him so.

[quote]Who the hell is Lillian Gish?

The first great actress in motion picture history.

R34 Spader (b. February 7, 1960) was only 25 when he made PRETTY IN PINK, which was released two weeks after his 26th birthday (February 28, 1986).

R59, read the story at R47's link. It spells it out.

And who the fuck refers to Lillian Gish as a has-been?!?!?!?!?!?! You need to educate yourself, my friend.

R61, my ears!

Lillian Gish has the distinction of being D.W. Griffith's (great silent film director) muse and starring in several of his films, including the controversial but seminal THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915).

Molly could teach us all here at the DL about how to be a first class cunt. We're all pretenders to her throne.

In R47's link, Gish states:

[quote] On top of that, movies nowadays are all alike, as if they were made on an assembly line. Hollywood has turned into an emotional Detroit.

Did she forget that Hollywood was like an assembly line when she first started in silents? The backlots/sound stages were set up like a factory, filming down the line, and they'd churned out hundreds a week. Of course, then they were like 10-15 minute shorts. But the majority, even those in the business, didn't see it as art. It would take people like D.W. Griffith to turn so-called flickers into an art form.

Incidentally, Griffith hated that term. In D.W. GRIFFITH: AN AMERICAN LIFE, Gish tells a story about how Griffith rebuked one of the girls for referring to movies as such. The book also quotes Lionel Barrymore as saying that Griffith 'had a vision' and that he believed they were 'pioneering in a new art,' a medium that 'could cross barriers of language and culture.'

Gish deserved an Oscar nomination for her last film, THE WHALES OF AUGUST, which was released several months after that article at R47's link. She was so great. I don't understand how Ann Sothern got the nod instead. She only had two scenes and did nothing, while Gish was the heart and soul of the film. She and Vincent Price were the best of the lot and should've gotten noms. But this was the crazy '80s, when people like Don Ameche won Oscars for breakdancing (which a stunt double obviously performed), while his better co-stars (Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Jack Gilford) were overlooked.

This is what John Hughes did for Molly. Yet she fucked him over.

R72, that cover was the beginning of the end for Time magazine's reputation as a serious news journal.

You had to be there and of a certain age. The Hughes movies were a true cultural phenomonon for 80s kids.

How did she fuck him over?

I think the gist of it is she stopped returning his phone calls bc she wanted to break out of the teen queen mold. I know she wanted the Sloane Peterson role in FBDO, but Hughes thought the role was too small. He said he'd write something for her but she ended the relationship.

I thought the relative bombing of 1987's Thew Pickup Artist is what killed her career.

I think he probably hit on her and skeeved her out. John Hughes wasn't a nice man.

She ruined her career by herself. JH was hurt but didn't do anything to retaliate.

R78. She or anyone else has ever claimed John hit on them. I think her wanting to branch out was understandable but she, as she openly admitted when he died, didn't handle it well and she had regrets.

Why would she want to play Sloane? It was a nothing role.

Hughes was a total Chicagoland bro who had great scripts, soundtracks and casting. He got lucky that his middle American themes were so relatable – especially considering America is one big high school– and so many the actors made his scripts sing (and it was usually the supporting characters like Cryer, Watanabe, Anthony Michael-Hall, etc. who made them work, not the leads). The downside is he was a total north suburbs Republican asshole, and it showed as he aged.

Did JH make a movie that didn't have affluent white people ending up on the wrong side of the tracks, surrounded by...gasp...blacks!? He was hacky, he's lucky he died early because his movies don't hold up well.

[quote]Did JH make a movie that didn't have affluent white people ending up on the wrong side of the tracks, surrounded by...gasp...blacks!?

Please? A better one was which ones did? There is a valid criticism that his casts were not diverse (although I don't think this should apply to those set in affluent Chicago suburbs and high schools of the period). He made movies of his time and I think they hold up great, particularly the ones he directed. His last great film was Planes, Trains and Automobiles IMO. And he was lucky to die early? That's a shitty thing to say about anyone

Remember when Molly was too big to appear on the Facts of Life reunion episode with the other girls?

Well when Tootie and Natalie were on WWHL, they acted like they were too good to talk about TFOL. It was awkward! Andy was so excited too! He did one of those countdowns - nine days left! Eight days left! It was a total bus. Now Kim will have to come back and act excited to be there now that's she's Real Househo

Molly looks like a deer in headlights here

[quote]Molly was Grend Marshall of he Gay Pride parade here in Weho a few yards.

Jesus, that's harsh! Out of respect, why not give her at least a half-mile?

John Hughes was supposedly pissed when Molly chose to do The Pick Up Artist over Some Kind Of Wonderful (the Lea Thompson role). She wanted to break away from Hughes films. I think that he may have harbored some kind of odd crush on her. She was clearly his muse.

Molly was reportedly one of the actresses the studio had in mind for Pretty Woman as well. I read that she was the first choice for the female lead in Blue Velvet, but when her mother read the script, she made her turn it down, and it went to Laura Dern instead.

I think your story at r88 jibes with mine at r76. SKOW was basically a remake of PIP with the genders reversed and the ending changed. I also have heard that Ally Sheedy turned down the role in Pretty Woman.

R65 - "only" 25, but he certainly LOOKED 25 while he was playing a 17-year-old

Back in the 90s, Molly was in NYC with her French boyfriend. The boyfriend wanted to see Molly's well known movies so they went to the video store. The boyfriend didn't have a credit card so Molly had to pay for the movies.

R91 Shocking, no really.

[quote]he's lucky he died early because his movies don't hold up well.

That's a horrible thing to say about anyone.

I love watching his movies on a rainy day and most of them were a generation before me... and I think [italic]Home Alone[/italic] has held up pretty well.

R93 HOME ALONE and its sequel LOST IN NEW YORK were directed by Chris Columbus.

Hughes wrote and produced the first Home Alone, not sure about the sequels.

thanks to those who answered my queries about Molly and how she fucked Hughes over.

Planes, trains, & automobiles has already been cemented as a holiday classic

This thread has inspired me to watch SKOW in bed while I'm laid up sick. Eric Stoltz was pretty hot here, as were Craig Sheffer (didn't people used to call him the poor man's James Spader) and Elias Koteas

[quote] Elias Koteas

From your lips to the Koteas Troll's ears!

I think Ringwald's own writing on Hughes explains it all pretty well.

There's a Koteas troll? Lol must've missed that one

The whole corn thing keeps old Carol relevant, she'd be pleased.

R100 I guess that's one side of the story. I'm sure Hughes had his too.

I may have to buy this book.

The article at R100 confirms all of the rumors about Molly's reputation as an insufferable cunt...

Her middle school writing skills were full of pretentious projection and passive aggressive cheap shots about a dead man who could not respond. The same dead man who believed in her and who had success with and WITHOUT her:

Sour grapes from a derailed 'it girl' with a resume that shows her best accomplishmenOt without Hughes was to be an also ran who missed the cut when the Facts of Life was retooled

That piece was lovely R105. I get why Ringwald wanted to branch out. You can't have a career making movies with one director (Jennifer Lawrence needs to get that memo as well) She would have been great in Pretty woman. And she would have gotten the Oscar nomination to boot.

If I'm not mistaken, Molly was also originally cast in Howards End alongside Anthony Hopkins until the director decided he wanted someone who was actually British. Emma Thompson was given the roll. Molly would have won the Oscar.

R104 I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did but it was a hoot! Cryer also very funny about the Charlie Sheen craziness.

R106 you're going for parody, right? Look I like Molly and think r105 was being a bit harsh (though entirely wrong). But Molly in Howard's End is Melanie Griffith in Shining Through or Demi Moore in The Scarlett Letter levels of bad casting.

R106: if all the rumors are true, it sounds like she made an awful lot of missteps in her attempt to branch out.

Op hope you're not mad that your thread got a bit hijacked. But honestly Cryer is known for two things: 1. A sitcom that nobody on DL watched and 2. His iconic role as gayling Ducky in Pretty in Pink. But you're at 110 replies and counting!

Ringwald was an incredibly limited actress who could do one thing decently. She grew out of both her looks and her talent range the same way most child actors do; for her, instead it was a case of being a teen actress.

The fact that she is a rancid cunt put an end to her career much earlier than normally, as even her limited skills could have carried her a bit further considering the affection the public had for her. The fact is, no one wants to work with her. She so terrorized the cast and crew of an Off-Broadway play in 2005 that they fired her and recast after the opening, even though it was doing decent business because of her.

Details r111? Believe you, just curious. Is she a screamer? She seems like a screamer to me.

Sorry to say I don't remember the specifics. I used to work in theater but left the city a few years prior to this production. I go back a lot to see friends and catch shows. I remember going to see this play and then having a conversation with some friends about it who still worked in theater and them telling me Molly was pissed because she felt the other woman in the cast was getting preferential treatment (when really it was that she was getting better notices. Molly was terrible). I think it boiled down to Molly not being given the respect she felt she deserved as a big star and just behaving very badly. I'm sorry that I can't recall what the specific behavior was, but she was shortly "let out of her contract" thereafter.

Apparently she was brought up to be a cunt. I saw her early on when she was a little kid booked for stints at country club weddings and such, singing corny old songs. She acted like a smug, stuck-up prima donna even then, refusing to associate with the rest of us even though my parents had booked her.

He was also in a small movie called the The Pompatus of Love that got some good reviews.

All of these Carol Channing corn stories would makefor a wonderful Aristocrats-esque movie.

Thanks r113! Anyone remember her short-lived sitcom Townies with Jenna Elfman and Lauren Graham? That must have been a cunt fest

What people don't realize (and why Ringwald passed on it) is that PRETTY WOMAN was originally supposed to be a gritty cautionary tale about prostitution and drug abuse titled $3,000, and it was to end with Ed giving Vivian the boot. It was gonna feature graphic nudity and several actresses passed on it. Finally, newcomer Julia Roberts took it. Heretofore, she had only done three small movies and STEEL MAGNOLIAS wouldn't be released until several months after PW wrapped up production. So she was unknown and willing. But then Disney got involved via Touchstone, and the script was changed to a rom-com fairy tale with a happy ending. Roberts feared that she had lost the role, because it was being taken in a whole other direction, but they kept her on board, mainly because when she tested with Gere, they had chemistry. So Roberts lucked out. I'm sure if Ringwald had been given the revised rom-com script, she would have taken it in a heartbeat.

Here is an interview the cast did earlier this year on TODAY to commemorate the 25th anniversary, and they discuss the drastic changes in the script and Roberts fearing she'd lost the part when Disney went on board:

the films he did without her she didn't like as much.

It says much about Jon Cryer that a thread devoted to his very life story is made more interesting by devolving into a discussion of Molly Ringwald and Lillian Gish.

I was astonished to discover he even has a penis.

She's stupid r119 because FBDO and PT&A are two of best and most enduring works.

TOPIC, PLEASE!!

The original Pretty Woman script also had Vivian and Kit on a bus to Disneyland.

[quote]The first great actress in motion picture history.

Bitch, please.

All this talk of Molly Ringwald has made me realise that Molly is a ridiculous name for an adult woman.

I know a worse one

I resent that r126

Pickford was a Movie Star, not a great actress.

R129 she won an Oscar, the second for Best Actress I believe.

R130, Hollywood is where they give Charlton Heston awards for acting.

All these replies since, and no one has given R106 his well-earned OH, DEAR? Molly didn't take the "roll." The horror!

Jon Cryer should do the Don Knotts story.

We assumed it was a parody post of someone emulating an idiot, r133. Did you read the rest of it?

Well, at least we know resident RHONY floozy and alcoholic, Sonja Morgan, is bothering the fuck out of Miss Molly. I wonder if Molly partied with Sonja, John-John Kennedy, and Madonna.

At the peak of her popularity, around the time of that TIME magazine cover, I saw her in a Horton Foote play in NYC. Got tickets for a song at Times Square tickets booth and there were maybe ten people in the audience for a matinee. It was like having Molly all to yourself.

I have a funny Annabeth Gish story from her "Steel Magnolias" audition that I've written before if anyone is interested. One of the saddest auditions ever, ha.

Best quote from the r135 article:

[quote]And she wore jeans! To the Carlyle!”

Do tell r136. This thread is like an open thread anyway.

Annabeth Gish was still a student in Iowa, of all places, when she had a few major credits (I thought because of the Lilian relation but guess I was wrong). So she'd fly all the way into L.A. for auditions which she did for the Shelby role in "Steel Magnolias". She got in the room, all smiles, opened her mouth and got maybe two lines out -- and cranky Herbert Ross said, "That's enough.."

She looked dumbstruck and pale and walked out into the lobby to meet her mom and fly all the way back to Iowa, ha. Turns out -- and the time frame is tricky here but I know this was the reason -- that she had shot "Shag" already or it had just been released (I went to the premiere party and Ricki Lake was there whom I had met when she read for Annelle in "Magnolias" but I also remember Bridget Fonda telling me her head was another body in the "Shag" poster art and that was later when she read for a different movie, "True Colors"). Anyway, Herbert thought "Shag" was a complete rip off of "Footloose" and hated the movie and wouldn't hire anyone attached to it ever after. (Including Fonda).

Met virtually every star during those '80s casting years, at least those based in L.A.. -- but never even laid an eye on Jon Cryer, ha. Judd Nelson came in and read and Herbert Ross came out later and saw he was still in the office, using the office phone to call his friends, ha, and that was the end of him possibly in the role. My boss was interested in managing Janine Turner at the time -- which is how she ended up in "Steel Magnolias". Justine Bateman, whom I always thought was a great actor, read for Annelle several times, always in an obvious blonde wig. She was famous for making weird quirky choices (Laura San Giacomo, too).

P.S. The Annabeth Gish audition was like when Marge Simpson auditioned for the musical of "Streetcar Named Desire", opened her mouth to sing one note, and the director said, "Next!" That's how quick it was, ha.

Ha...ha

Poor Annabelle. The choice of Daryl for Annelle was pretty awful. She seemed to be in a separate movie.

R142 how do you mean?

r139. That is a bizarre story about Annabelle. She would have been great as Shelby (though Julia was terrific). Shag seems nothing like Footloose but I heard Ross could be a real crusty ass.

I can't see Molly as Vivian in Pretty Woman, whether it was the gritty or rom-com approach. Julia was perfect.

I thought Daryl was awful in the role is all. I guess I didn't see any connection between her and the other actors. She reminded me of the character Debra Winger played in A Dangerous Woman (though Debra was very good in that movie). I couldn't see the other characters being friends with her. Maybe it was just the way the role was written.

I imagine Jon would be so pissed that a Datalounge thread about him turned into a Molly Ringwald / Annabeth and Lilian Gish thread. Even in his own Datalounge thread he is second fiddle to someone else.

Re "Oh, dear" - someone upthread - R11? deserves one, too for "incontinance." Check your spelling; DEAR.

So I used an "a" instead of an "e"? Mea culpa. Never was the best speller

[quote]Even in his own Datalounge thread he is second fiddle to someone else.

He can't expect to be anyone's idea of a leading man with a name like Cryer.

Is this the thread where we talk about Diane Franklin from "Better Off Dead" and "The Last American Virgin"?

Has anyone read any reviews for the new Rob Lowe series?

I always thought that if I got an Irish setter, I would name her Molly.

r61 I LOVED that Christmas album. Thanks for the memories -- and you can tell Molly was "trained" to sing in the style of Andrea McArdle.

I'm sure Molly was a completely indulged child who was never told no and how fantastic she was. Lots of these child actors end up running the show.

Jon Cryer was superb as a replacement for Matthew Broderick in BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS on Broadway.

Please stop discussing Molly Ringwald on the Lilian Gish thread.

[quote]Has anyone read any reviews for the new Rob Lowe series?

Why would we need to? I hate that smug no-talent. He ruins everything he is in.

Too bad Molly Ringwald isn't a bigger draw these days. As an actress who sings, she's the ideal type and age to star in an NBC live telecast of Mame.

R110 Never expected the thread to go this long and am enjoying all the Molly & Lilian discussion!

One more bit of Cryer info: he turned down the role of Mr Pink in "Reservoir Dogs" even though Tarantino really wanted him.

[quote]The look of horror on Jon Cryer's face when she said this was priceless. He vehemently disagreed with her and it was obvious that Molly didn't care.

did cryer mention that molly was so stupid, they had to also name her fact of life character molly because she wouldn't answer to her cue otherwise?

[quote]Jon Cryer should do the Don Knotts story.

Pitch it to Lifetime.

Knotts has more talent and he's been dead for decades.

1) Awards are so meaningless....so many terrible people have awards for no apparent reason (Audra's 19 Tony Awards) while others have none (Hitchcock never won a competitive Oscar).

2) Molly was ok in 16 Candles but she really is/was a terrible actress. There's a good reason she was cut from Facts of Life. She's so awful that Mindy Cohn and Lisa Whelchel were considered better actors.

3) Herbert Ross was a hack and an asshole.

It seems like John Hughes didn't tell Molly the real reason he didn't pick her for the role that he gave to Mia Sara. She is obviously completely wrong for that part. In a way I feel some actors are better off accepting their typecast because it is what they are best at. And anyway, how bad was Molly Ringwald's typecast? It's not like she was typecast as a sidekick -- she was always the star.

After years of working with him, I can assure you that Herbert Ross may indeed have been an asshole (at times) but he was far from a hack. If you can't find a great movie anywhere in there from "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" to "Owl & Pussycat" to "7%" to "Last of Sheila" to "Turning Point" to "Pennies from Heaven" and then some, then you might need to examine your taste level.

[quote] If you can't find a great movie anywhere in there from "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" to "Owl & Pussycat" to "7%" to "Last of Sheila" to "Turning Point" to "Pennies from Heaven" and then some, then you might need to examine your taste level.

He was definitely talented, but except for Pennies From Heaven, you didn't do him any favors by naming most of his worst movies.

Funny Lady...don't blame Barbra.

She was contractually obligated!

Those are all TERRIBLE movies.

OK...terrible is a bit rough. Turning Point is a fun soap/women's picture like they used to make in the 40s. Steel Magnolias is lightweight fluff and so is Footloose. But, they're all junk.

Pennies from Heaven has moments that are amazing but as a whole...it doesn't work.

[quote]If I'm not mistaken, Molly was also originally cast in Howards End alongside Anthony Hopkins until the director decided he wanted someone who was actually British. Emma Thompson was given the roll. Molly would have won the Oscar.

I can't believe for a moment James Ivory would have considered Molly for the part of Margaret Schlegel. It's utterly preposterous. It's akin to casting Pamela Anderson is The Wings of a Dove. I wouldn't barely class Ringwald as competent in the roles she played under Hughes; less so in anything else she's done. The idea that James Ivory would have looked at her and said, yeah, that's Margaret Schlegel is a work of science fiction.

Emma IS Margaret Schlegel. Thank God Molly was nowhere near that part.

I once told "The Last of Sheila" was my favorite film he ever did and he looked baffled. Like it wasn't even in his own Top Ten. Or had been long forgotten by the world by then. I stand by that choice. :)

Molly Ringwald isn't even talented enough to work the Craft Service table on a Merchant Ivory film.

R164 and she wasn't even typecast in the same role by Hughes. Het role in The Breakfast Club was quite different than the outsiders she played in 16 and PIP.

Enough about Herbert Ross. This is Annabeth Gish's thread.

Jon Cryer peaked with "The Famous Teddy Z."

I forgot about that one R175: I think I wanted to like that, but I liked Parker Lewis better...

why am I not dominating this troll's thread.

I am a freaking rock star from Mars!

WINNING!!!

Parker Lewis was a good show. Had a huge crush on Billy Jayne

This is not Frau board, r177. You couldn't even score a mention when we were discussing Ferris Bueller's Day Off, above. No one cares about you, you bloated fool

We NEED a Herbert Ross thread!

Start it up and I'll be happy to contribute.

r181 Thank you so much! I just started one.

[quote]We NEED a Herbert Ross thread!

Why? We've plenty of room right here on the Jon Whats-his-name thread.

I love this thread. It's like DL stream of consciousness.

The Janine Turner/CARNAL KNOWLEDGE anecdotes in Cryer's book are fun and interesting!

Anymore stories about Molly, Annabelle, corn or Lillian?

[quote]Anymore stories about Molly, Annabelle, corn or Lillian?

Unfortunately, no. I do have a good story about Jon Cryer, but I don't think this is the right thread for it.

Relax, most of us have moved over to the new Herbert Ross thread. You're gonna miss us!

Didn't Alec Baldwin leave Janine Turner at the altar? It took him long enough to figure out that she was a bit whatever the case.

Alec Baldwin was at his hottest in John Hughes She's Having A Baby. Counter-evidence?

Yes, he was young and had a muscular chest and a pelt like a gorilla's.

I like Baldwin better in hunt for red October

R190 That was a funny movie.

I thought the only Janine Turner carnal knowledge anecdotes occurred in my wet dreams as a General Hospital fan in 1983.

Let's just say John Stamos was featured prominently.

R186 Jon Cryer says in his book that he & Annabeth Gish were not able to explore the full extent of their chemistry in "Hiding Out" because she was playing a 16 year student and he was playing a 22 year old.

[quote]I do have a good story about Jon Cryer, but I don't think this is the right thread for it.

Of course this is the right thread for it. There won't be another Jon Cryer thread on DL until he dies and even then the people posting on it will be more interested in discussing Lillian Gish.

OP what reason did Cryer give fir turning down Reservoir Dogs? I'm sure Tarantino was thankful in retrospect that he cast Buscemi

R195 they weren't playing those ages, they WERE those ages.

Is it true that Lillian Gish and her sister were lovers? I think I read that somewhere.

Who the hell is Annabelle?

Wasn't Annabelle the creepy clown who fucked that puppet?

Ha ha!

[R201] I think that was Princess Summerfall Winterspring!

Annabelle is Annabeth Gish, technically.

Jon Cryer is so boring his own autobiography thread devolves to random prattling about every thing BUT Jon Cryer.

Speaking of which, R205, I've only just discovered that if you make peanut butter cookies using homemade peanut butter, they come out much less sweet and the peanut flavor is far more subtle. They're almost biscotti-like.

[quote]That's why they gave him 2 Lead Emmys and five additional nominations for the role/show.

For the sake of accuracy, Jon Cryer won one lead (2012) and one supporting Emmy (2009) for his role in Two and a Half Men.

That 2012 lead feels like a sympathy vote after he was nearly drowned in Tiger Blood...

[quote]Ha ha!

I'll say!

R208 huh?

R12 and R26 I don't see where you're getting that he had a look of horror on his face or that he vehemently argued anything... maybe it was a different interview.

This thread is duller than Cryer's career.

r212 this thread IS Cryer's career.

r212, great contribution!

Annie looks great in the post at r211

R211 I seem to remember an interview (more talk show style) that conforms to the earlier poster's memory about Cryer being uncomfortable. They did a lot of press around the time John Hughes died and I bet he toned it down as there was some initial negative reaction to this seemingly feigned surprise that anybody would think Ducky was gay.

his wife is pretty.

Molly said that Robert Downey Jr. was in the running for the part of Ducky but she suggested that her character (ie, herself) would want to sleep with RDJ so that the one-sided sexual interest in the story wouldn't be believable. Basicaly, she's calling Jon Cryer unsexy.

I used to know Molly's now-husband, Panio, quite well. This was back in the late nineties when he was getting started in publishing. Super nice, down to earth guy. Very good looking and from a wealthy Greek family. He dated hot chicks but I was surprised to learn years later that he married Molly who is probably 10 years older than him. She can't be all that bad if Panio loves her.

Is it funny or sad that Molly sang "Don't You Forget About Me" on her recent record of jazz standards? I'll say sad.

Yes that's pretty bitchy r217 lol. But we all had to suspend belief at the end of "16" that Jake Ryan would actually fall for someone who looked like Molly.

I politely disagree, R218. It was entirely believable to me (and I am guessing many others) that Jake would be sick of the too-perfect blonde prom queen types who threw themselves at him. Molly had less obvious but distinct look that was sweetly pretty. I can see any straight guy finding her attractive.

And she was THIN!

Agree to disagree r219. It was a fantasy Hollywood moment IMO (but worked in a mostly fantastic movie). I can see him falling for Winona in Mermaids, however. She was pretty cute.

Molly Ringwald was VERY VERY lucky to have been in the right place at the right time and having John Hughes write perfect material for her.

She was charming in those films but not really much of an actress or even a great presence. In certain roles, she's terrible.

#SheBetterHaveAHughesShrineInHerFoyer

OT (lol) but does anyone think Sixteen Candles would have problems being released today? The Long Duck Wong character has received a lot of criticism. Not as often mentioned is the The Geek fucked the prom queen when she was unconscious, no? I guess it was a simpler time. Still a good movie.

There was a segment a while back on the This American Life podcast where Molly watches The Breakfast Club with her daughter, and talks to her about the movie. Her daughter, around 10-12 years old, said she identifies with Brian (Anthony Michael Hall) because of pressure to do well in school, which surprised Ringwald because she never felt she pressured her. That led to Ringwald talking a bit about how she was raised, and her parents told her she was "special" - her oldest brother died before she was born, so Molly felt pressure to be great, special, successful, whatever you want to call it. She's probably a little hippy-dippy, but I don't think she's a bad person. (Although it may have taken her some time to get to that place.)

I'm sure if it was being made today, Laverne Cox would have played Samantha's transgender sister.

R216 His wife is Lisa Joyner, who used to be an entertainment reporter for the local (LA) Fox affiliate.

Wait, I thought it was common knowledge that Jake was only going after Samantha because he wanted some untapped poon??

Didn't Sam have a black(ish) BFF? That counts for major diversity in a Hughes film!

My pleasance add much color to motion picture film!!!!

Me much better than Mr. Mickey Looney!!!

r175

They were totally different shows. Teddy Z was about a man who suddenly becomes a Hollywood agent.

R229 lol! Fun fact: Gedde Watanabe was born in Ogden UT

[quote] Fun fact:

If you say so

Before Cryer, I'm pretty certain Lisa had something going on with long-time L.A. anchorman John Beard (KNBC, then KTTV/Fox). I saw them shopping together twice, at Trader Joe's (this was about 12 years ago, after she left KTTV). I remember being sorta surprised seeing them together, looking pretty couple-y. There was about a 20 year age difference, and for some reason, I'd always thought that maybe John Beard was gay? I have no idea why I thought that -- I'd only ever seen the man reading the news. Maybe it was that mustache he had in the 80's . And yes, Lisa is very, very pretty.

R232 Not really, but it seemed like a non sequitur to just mention that. You're right.

Don't feel sorry or shed to many tears for boring ol' Jon (in other words, don't cry for Cryer?!).

Of all the people discussed in this thread, except for perhaps RDJ and Charlie Sheen, he is by far the wealthiest. He can choose whom he wants to feel sorry for him and buy them a fucking car if he wished.

What a world, r235

[quote]Of all the people discussed in this thread, except for perhaps RDJ and Charlie Sheen, he is by far the wealthiest.

That is not a point in his favor. We don't need him to buy us cars. We need him and his peers to pay much more in taxes than they have done for a long time. Their greed is going to tip the apple cart and when that happens, it's not going to be pretty.

This is such an interesting thread.

The only thing I can add is my mom and stepdad live in Alec Baldwin's building and, if Janine Turner is crazy then Hilaria is completely insane. My mother (who interestingly was a religious sister when my parents met) was blogging for awhile: "Sh*t The Baldwins Say." Hilaria was on the Today Show this morning doing a bad imitation of Jessica Seinfeld hiding vegetables in food. They kids (toddlers) they had on the stage started screaming and wouldn't eat her creations. It was really funny.

I remember John Beard, mustache and all. He always looked like he could be one of those Wally Cox types, slight little nebbish but packing a tight body under that suit. Is he still on the air there? He and Chuck Henry were always the cutest to me but that was very long ago.

When the People's Revolution inevitability happens, the capitalistic swine Jon Cryer's head must be the first to go!!!

R197 Cryer turned down Reservoir Dogs because he was puzzled by the "brazen talkiness of the lines" and also because he was babysitting his niece on the day of the audition and didn't want to use foul language in front of her. How Cryer-esque!

Lame, r241. Bet he was overstating QT's enthusiasm. Thanks for the response!

R230 What are you referring to? Completely different show from WHAT? I only commented on "Teddy Z," and I'm well aware of what it was about, having watched it at the time.

I think he was referring to Parker Lewis Can't Lose

The plot of the show's might have been different, but the vibe & look of the leads and production seemed very similar. They came out within a year of each other, but we're marketing to the same crowd.

Sort of like how the shows premiering tonight with stamos & rob Lowe have totally different themes, but yet feel very similar and seem to be going for the same audience

You know you want it.

R239, when I saw them 12 years ago, Beard appeared to be very fit & probably looked younger than his age. (one of the times that I saw them, they were in work-out clothes/warm-ups). According to Wikipedia, he was a Navy corpsman with the Marines (whatever that means, exactly), before studying journalism....and he is now an anchor in Buffalo. (oh my)

I wonder why Hughes didn't cast Anthony Michael Hall as Duckie in Pretty in Pink. Was he ever on the cards for that role? Would it have suited him anyway? I also wonder if anyone would have thought Duckie was gay if AMH or someone similar was in that role instead...

Molly was never pretty, she wasn't even cute. I guess her red hair distracted people from her face.

R248 MR and AMH dated for a while after 16 Candles, or the told the press they did anyway. That might of had something to do with him not being cast. If it was a bad breakup they couldn't work together. The audience might have wanted her with Ducky, since they were a real life couple. They wouldn't have seen her as out of AMH's league. I think he was starting to outgrow his awkwardness by the time PiP was made. He probably didn't want to get type cast.

Keep this thread alive!

I'd forgotten all about Hiding Out! I remember Cryer but not Annabeth, poor thing. I do recall seeing she would be in the new XFiles episodes.

I liked Annabeth Gish on THE BRIDGE.

Molly did okay for herself given her limited range.

Jon Cryer is average and he turned his back on Charlie Sheen so he's an asshole

Jon Cryer was excellent on Bway in Brighton Beach Memoirs. He replaced Broderick.

Tarantino always said that he wrote Mr. Pink for a specific actor who turned it down. I assumed it was someone like James Woods or Harry Dean Stanton.

But Jon Cryer?

[quote] Cryer is got to be hugely wealthy right?

Really? You think he is got to be? REALLY? Mein Gott how the literacy standards of this board have declined.

I agree, R258. It's quite sad.

[Quote]That might of had something to do with him not being cast.

As sad as this one?

Pickford won the Oscar for "Coquette," but only because she was the most famous woman alive at the time and the AMPAS felt they ought to honor her for that (also, they wanted to announce they believed she had successfully made the transition to taklies and wanted to announce to the world they still considered her a viable star).

It is frequently mentioned as the single WORST performance to ever win "Best Actress."

Pickford was charming, and had comic gifts, but she was absolutely not a good dramatic actress. Lillian Gish was a GREAT actress--one of the screen's all-time greatest two or three.

John Hughes was creepy to her. That's why she didn't want to work with him anymore.

I thought Jon Cryer was really cute when he was young. I did not know if he was gay or straight.

What does he say about asshole Charlie?

Why doesn't Jon want to act? You know play another character?

Wow. The thread that gave birth to 17 or so Herbert Ross Troll threads has been resuscitated.

Miss you HRT, wherever you are! Happy New Year!!

Reminds me of Don Knotts.

Alas. Lilian Gish has been since CANCELLED!

How did that rumor about Jon Cryer being a republican start?

R160, she’s not even in the running to beat Joey Lawrence. All his characters were named Joey. The guy must be dumb as rocks.

In both theater and film, Cryer first made his reputation by being the guy directors turned to when Mathew Broderick wasn't available.

R256 I thought Jonathan Silverman replaced Broderick?

In an interview I saw with him on I think CBS This Morning, he said the first two things people always assume I am are 1) gay and 2) Jewish.

I actually kind of wish this thread hadn’t derailed because I bet his book has a lot of good gossip in it!

[quote] [R256] I thought Jonathan Silverman replaced Broderick?

You turned to Silverman when both Broderick and Cryer were unavailable.

As someone mentioned way back in the thread, Cryer led the first national tour of Torch Song Trilogy while Broderick stayed in the show on Broadway.

Broderick didn't do Torch Song on Broadway. He left it before it moved from off-Broadway. On Broadway, it was played by Fisher Stevens.

So Stevens was the guy you turned to when Broderick, Cryer and Silverman were all unavailable?

He barely stayed in the acting area of the business after Short Circuit, right? I know he had a few unremarkabe TV credits later and then made a few successful documentaries. Didn't one win an Oscar?

Stevens won an Academy Award for producing [italic]the Cove[/italic]. It was about dolphin slaughter, so I wasn't in a rush to watch it. Good for him, though. That's an excellent second act.

[quote]So Stevens was the guy you turned to when Broderick, Cryer and Silverman were all unavailable?

Was Frank Whaley ever in that flow chart?