Did you know that Johnny Depp produced “Hugo”? It’s true. At least he is listed as one of the producers on Martin Scorsese’s wonderful new film and I betcha didn’t know it. Sometimes if you sift through the credits of a movie you will find little bizarre nuggets of head-scratching trivia. I used to use this sort of asinine knowledge to get “lucky” at bars. Here’s a great pick up line, “Did you know Leonard Nimoy directed “3 Men and a Baby?” Works every time.
Now granted, in Hollywood, credits are handed out like kids at a candy store (or is it “candy at a kids store”? That doesn’t make much sense either.) and can mean very little. I doubt that Mr. Depp attended casting sessions and sat in on production design meetings but it still a fun factoid.
Here are some more. Check it out.
Brad Pitt has producer credits on Scorsese’s “The Departed,” “Kick-Ass,” and “Running with Scissors”.
Demi Moore produced all 3 Austin Powers movies.
Tom Hanks produced the huge indie hit, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” the animated kid’s flick “The Ant Bully”, and was executive producer on the Steve Carell flop “Evan Almighty”. “Almighty” also has the distinction of being the most expensive comedy of all time with a reported budget of $175 million dollars!! Considering the film delivers about 14 chuckles and 3 guffaws, that’s $10.29 million dollars a laugh. Now that is money spent. Not well spent, just spent.
Jack Nicholson not only produced but also co-wrote a movie called “Head” in 1968 that featured the pop group The Monkees!! He also wrote the script for the psychedelic exploitation film called “The Trip” which was directed by Roger Corman.
Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant, both from Comedy Central’s “Reno 911,” and MTV’s ‘90s sketch comedy show “The State” have written many surprising scripts including “The Pacifier” with Vin Diesel, “Herbie Fully Loaded,” and “Night at the Museum” along with the sequel.
Alexander Payne, known as the indie auteur behind “Sideways” and “The Descendents” isn’t always involved in highbrow entertainment. Mr. Payne has co-writing credits on both “Jurassic Park III” and “I Now Pronounce you Chuck and Larry”.
SNL stars Kristen Wiig and Fred Armisen both lend their voices to the Cartoon Network “The Looney Tunes Show”. Armisen spits the andeles and arribas as Speedy Gonzalez while Wiig is Bugs batty love interest, Lola Bunny.
Michael Douglas produced “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” John Carpenter’s “Starman,” “Flatliners,” and the bizarre Actioner “Face/Off”.
Leonardo DiCaprio has producer credits on the weird little horror film “Orphan,” last year’s “Red Riding Hood” and George Cloony’s political pet project, “The Ides of March”.
Monty Python’s Terry Jones wrote the screenplay for Jim Henson’s “Labyrinth”. We have him to thank for putting David Bowie in those too-tight tights. Bowie’s penis should have received a co-starring credit. I’m pretty sure there was a puppeteer in those pants.
And Leonard Nimoy really did direct “3 Men and a Baby”.