Meet Wally Sparks

Meet Wally Sparks
Meet Wally Sparks
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Peter Baldwin
Written by	Harry Basil; Rodney Dangerfield;
Produced by	Leslie Greif
Starring	Rodney Dangerfield; Debi Mazar; Cindy Williams; Alan Rachins; Burt Reynolds; David Ogden Stiers; Michael Weatherly;
Cinematography	Richard H. Kline
Edited by	Raúl Dávalos
Music by	Michel Colombier
Production; company	Largo Entertainment
Distributed by	Trimark Pictures
Release date	January 31, 1997;
Running time	105 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$12 million
Box office	$4.1 million

Meet Wally Sparks is a 1997 American comedy film directed by Peter Baldwin, written by Harry Basil and Rodney Dangerfield. It stars Dangerfield in the title role, with Debi Mazar, Michael Weatherly, Cindy Williams, Alan Rachins, Burt Reynolds and David Ogden Stiers costarring.

Plot

Wally Sparks is the host of a sleazy tabloid-style TV talk show who makes Jerry Springer seem gentle by comparison. His show has become so foul that he has alienated his not-especially-discriminating viewers, and his ratings are taking a nosedive.

Lenny Spencer, head of the network carrying his show, gives Wally an ultimatum—he has a week to clean up the content and boost his ratings, or his show gets cancelled.

Wally's producer, Sandy Gallo, comes up with an idea—Floyd Preston is the governor of Georgia and a staunch conservative known for his attacks on the lowbrow content of Wally's show, so what better way to demonstrate that Wally is trying to change his ways than to have Preston on the show as a guest?

In order to persuade Preston to appear, Wally accepts an invitation to a reception at the Governor's Mansion, later learning that the Governor's young son is the fan who sent him the invitation. Wally makes the mistake of participating in a drunken game of strip poker with Preston's wife, Emily, while somehow involving himself in a plot to blackmail the Governor. Further complications ensue when Wally's son, Dean, begins a romantic relationship with the Governor's daughter.

Cast

Main cast

Rodney Dangerfield as Wally Sparks
Debi Mazar as Sandy Gallo
Cindy Williams as Emily Preston
Alan Rachins as Judge Randal Williams
Michael Weatherly as Dean Sparks
Lisa Thornhill as Priscilla Preston
Mark L. Taylor as Harvey Bishop
Eamonn Roche as Alan Miller
Lenny Clarke as Joey
Cindy Ambuehl as Lola Larue
Glenn Walker Harris, Jr. as Robby Preston
Burt Reynolds as Mr. Lenny Spencer
David Ogden Stiers as Governor Floyd Preston

Acting cameos

Tony Danza as Taxi Driver
Lesley-Anne Down as Hooker nurse
Karen Duffy as a Reporter
Gilbert Gottfried as Mr. Harry Karp
Sandy Helberg as Commercial director
Carmen Filpi as Bum
Ron Jeremy as Porn Actor
”Stuttering” John Melendez as a Reporter
Sir Mix-a-Lot as Rapper announcer
Barry Nolan as a Reporter
Bob Saget as a Reporter
Julia Sweeney as Mrs. Martha Karp
George Wallace as Bartender

Cameos as themselves

Release

Box office

Meet Wally Sparks opened in 1,552 venues on January 31, 1997 and ranked number 13 in the domestic box office in its opening weekend, earning $2,131,001.^[2] At the end of its run, the film grossed $4,073,582.^[1]

Critical reception

The film received largely negative reviews from critics. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports that only 13% from 16 reviews gave the film a positive review.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b "Meet Wally Sparks (1997)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
^ "Weekend Box Office Results for January 31-February 2, 1997". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. February 3, 1997. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
^ "Meet Wally Sparks". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved October 29, 2022.

External links

[mojo-1] "Meet Wally Sparks (1997)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved August 24, 2015.

[2] "Weekend Box Office Results for January 31-February 2, 1997". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. February 3, 1997. Retrieved August 24, 2015.

[3] "Meet Wally Sparks". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved October 29, 2022.

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