Missing "Animal House" Alumni

[TGTheodore]

Just finished watching the 2008 special Animal House: The Inside Story which I have seen a few times before.

What struck me as curious was that while virtually the entire surviving principal cast participated, James Daughton, who played Greg Marmalard (head of the Omegas) and Mary Louise Weller who played Greg's sometime girlfriend Mandy were barely even mentioned or acknowledged.

I know that Tom Hulce (Pinto) was busy in New York producing Spring Awakening on Broadway while this special was being made, but I wonder why Daughton and Weller were noticeably absent.

Not wanting to participate is certainly their choice, but I believe they're both alive (Daughton played a dad in Sorority Boys in 2002).

Are they on record somewhere as not wanting to have anything to do with Animal House?

Not angry, just curious.

--Ted

 

[M'rk son of Mogh]

I can't answer the question, but, coincidences of coincidences, I decided to watch this movie for the first time this morning!

And it was pretty entertaining. It's funny how similar in tone and feeling it is to the "modern gross-out" comedies people will complain about. Definitely set a trend, and the bar was pretty high too. A bit dated (obviously), but still a fun movie.

And I had no idea there were so many familiar faces! I've only ever seen the Belushi clips before, really.

And now back to the original topic...

 

[Nick Ryder]

Yeah that was kinda odd that not everyone was there for the featurette. Although they did get enough of the cast back, that I dunno if they would have added anything really to it that the others didn't mention, considering that between the commentary and the features, there was really not much left to say. I've noticed that on some older movies, where they have the whole cast yak about the movie in a feature thing and then they do a commentary or they add in an OLD behind the scenes thing and there really isn't much that hasn't been said at least once.

Maybe they were asked and what they said was already repeated by someone else as part of their story and they just took the better of the two?

And I do agree there is a lot in animal house that is in modern gross out comedies. Although AH did it first and probably did it best. Between the sex, drugs and just plain wildness... it set the bar really really really high. Name any other movie in that era that had as much rampant sex and craziness?

 

[TheLonelySquire]

Yeah that was kinda odd that not everyone was there for the featurette. Although they did get enough of the cast back, that I dunno if they would have added anything really to it that the others didn't mention, considering that between the commentary and the features, there was really not much left to say. I've noticed that on some older movies, where they have the whole cast yak about the movie in a feature thing and then they do a commentary or they add in an OLD behind the scenes thing and there really isn't much that hasn't been said at least once.

Maybe they were asked and what they said was already repeated by someone else as part of their story and they just took the better of the two?

And I do agree there is a lot in animal house that is in modern gross out comedies. Although AH did it first and probably did it best. Between the sex, drugs and just plain wildness... it set the bar really really really high. Name any other movie in that era that had as much rampant sex and craziness?

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but Fast Times was pretty wild. Just a great high school movie. Animal House was incomparable though. "Yo mind if we dance wif yo dates?"

 

[TGTheodore]

Animal House was incomparable though. "Yo mind if we dance wif yo dates?"

And Landis yelling at the actor: "WIF!!! WIF!!! 'Dance WIF your dates!'"

Yeah, I can certainly see why they didn't need to interview a gazillion cast members on screen, I'm more wondering why those two actors weren't even mentioned by name, or where they are now.

--Ted

 

[NileQT87]

Some actors (as is likely with these two) just prefer to slip into oblivion and disappear after 31 years.

As far as Tom Hulce (big fan), yep, there was Spring Awakening. ...Though, I have heard that he really wasn't a big fan of the idea of playing any more of the young-kid-losing-their-virginity roles (Pinto probably being the one he was talking about). And even with the Best Actor nomination he got for Amadeus, Amadeus just got him a lot of offers for him to play aliens. LOL. He was retired for quite a few years, though has recently made a few cameos. He doesn't seem to like being in front of the camera much anymore (and spent a long time focusing on theater work). That might be another reason why.

Tom did participate in the Amadeus extras, obviously (which by the way, is one of the best behind-the-scenes documentaries I've seen on DVD--the extensive communist Czechoslovakia tidbits really stand out as unique--you get to hear Vincent Schiavelli tell stories about pineapples).

Right now, Tom looks like a dead-ringer for Brahms. Or Santa Claus. His voice is a dead-giveaway, though.

He was also the bright spot in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (really, I watch that film almost entirely for Tom and Helena) and the voice of Quasimodo in Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (he did his own singing, too!!!).

Buffy/Angel fans should also note that Mark Metcalf (Neidermeyer) was the Master under all that latex and makeup.

Between my obsessions with The Blues Brothers (which I found through Carrie Fisher in Star Wars--and it made me a fan of Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi) and Amadeus (which I found via a lot of music appreciation, travel to Austria and piano lessons), it really does all lead to Animal House. It really is 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon.

I know when they did the big 25th anniversary parade in Eugene, Oregon, it was definitely the same bunch of actors that tended to participate (again, Tom Hulce, James Daughton and Mary Louise Weller are always absent--besides John Belushi, obviously). As far as the looks department, the biggest shock is how much weight Stephen Furst (Flounder) lost.

A fun Animal House tribute that I like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65iu5uwtj00

 

[CorporalClegg]

the biggest shock is how much weight Stephen Furst (Flounder) lost.

I just did an image search. I am stunned.

Slim Vir rules!

BTW: Where can I catch that Animal House special? I'd like to see it. That's one of my top five favorite films.

 

[TGTheodore]

I saw it on AMC. I think one other intermediate cable channel is running it, too. Maybe Spike. It may also be on the latest DVD of Animal House. "Double Secret Probation" version? Not sure.

--Ted