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Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
	; Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Sam Weisman
Produced by	Adam Sandler; Jack Giarraputo; Fred Wolf
Written by	David Spade; Fred Wolf
Starring	David Spade; Mary McCormack; Craig Bierko; Rob Reiner
Music by	Christophe Beck; Waddy Wachtel
Cinematography	Thomas E. Ackerman
Editing by	Roger Bondelli
Studio	Paramount Pictures; Happy Madison Productions
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	September 5, 2003
Running time	98 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$17 million
Gross revenue	$23,794,648

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Sam Weisman and starring David Spade and Mary McCormack.

[edit] Plot

Dickie Roberts is a former child star who shot to fame on an eponymous TV sitcom with his catchphrase "This is Nuckin' Futs!". Since his heyday, he has been reduced to parking cars at Morton's and going on Celebrity Boxing, where he is beaten up by a heavily-tattooed Emmanuel Lewis. From the public's point of view, Dickie is a walking joke or "the washed up actor freak".

Dickie is absolutely convinced that a new Rob Reiner movie in the works, Mr. Blake's Backyard, will be his comeback vehicle. Even after his agent does not land him an audition, Dickie persists. He pesters Tom Arnold at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting to hook him up with Reiner. After he is kicked out because he's not an alcoholic, Dickie fakes being wasted and crashes what turns out to be a Lamaze class. However, Brendan Fraser (in an uncredited cameo appearance) is in the class and he agrees to call Reiner for Dickie.

Reiner bluntly tells Dickie that the part is not within his abilities because it requires knowing how a regular person lives. Unfortunately, Dickie never had a real childhood: he grew up in the limelight, and then his mother abandoned him when his show was canceled. Desperate to prove to Reiner that he's right for the part, Dickie sells his raunchy autobiography to raise $30,000. With the money, he pays a family to "adopt" him for a month. As expected, once Dickie hires his "family," things do not go well as he tries to fit into the household.

Dickie learns much about himself and life in general, and finally lands the part. Along the way, he helps the family's son score a date with his dream girl and helps the daughter join the pep squad. The main lesson he learns is from Blake's Backyard itself: sometimes the things you want are in your own backyard. When his gold-digger girlfriend runs off with the self-centered father of his fake family, Dickie gives up the part to be with the family he has come to love.

The movie ends with a faux E! True Hollywood Story report on Dickie, who now turns his real story into a new sitcom that uses all of his old friends, as well as his new family (including the mother, whom he has married). The Closing Credits are a take-off on Relief albums listed as "To help former child stars". The lyrics include such treats as The Brady Bunch's Maureen McCormick singing "please don't call me "Marcia" or I'll bust your fucking head" and many in-jokes for fans of old TV sitcoms.

The movie shows Dickie interacting with numerous former child stars (played by over two dozen actual former stars lampooning their careers, such as Leif Garrett, Barry Williams, Dustin Diamond and Danny Bonaduce).

[edit] Cast

David Spade as Dickie Roberts
Mary McCormack as Grace Finney
Craig Bierko as George Finney
Scott Terra as Sam Finney
Jenna Boyd as Sally Finney
Alyssa Milano as Cyndi
Jon Lovitz as Sidney Wernick
Spencer Garrett as Publisher
Alan Blumenfeld as Mr. Rollins
Ashley Edner as Heather Bolan
Kevin Farley as Valet

[edit] Cameos

[edit] Lawsuit

Paramount Pictures was sued for trademark infringement and dilution after this film was released. Paramount had not requested permission from Wham-O for using the Slip 'n Slide in this movie.^[1] The lawsuit claimed that the movie, which portrayed unsafe use of a Slip 'n Slide, might encourage others to use it in an unsafe manner.^[2] However the lawsuit was dismissed by a California court.^[3]

[edit] References

^ Finn, Ed (10 September 2003). "Can Wham-O Sue Over Dickie Roberts?". Slate Magazine. http://www.slate.com/id/2088160/. Retrieved 5 October 2007.
^ Gentile, Gary (September 9, 2003). "Slip 'N Slide Use In Film All Wet?". Associated Press. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/09/entertainment/main572319.shtml. Retrieved 5 October 2007.
^ Umbright, Emily (6 October 2006). "St. Louis-based appliance maker Emerson sues NBC". St. Louis Daily Record & St. Louis Countian. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4185/is_20061006/ai_n16773876. Retrieved 5 October 2007.

[edit] External links

[0] Finn, Ed (10 September 2003). "Can Wham-O Sue Over Dickie Roberts?". Slate Magazine. http://www.slate.com/id/2088160/. Retrieved 5 October 2007.

[1] Gentile, Gary (September 9, 2003). "Slip 'N Slide Use In Film All Wet?". Associated Press. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/09/entertainment/main572319.shtml. Retrieved 5 October 2007.

[2] Umbright, Emily (6 October 2006). "St. Louis-based appliance maker Emerson sues NBC". St. Louis Daily Record & St. Louis Countian. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4185/is_20061006/ai_n16773876. Retrieved 5 October 2007.

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