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Better Off Dead (film)
''Better Off Dead'' is a 1985 American teen black comedy film written and directed by Savage Steve Holland. It stars John Cusack, David Ogden Stiers, Diane Franklin and Kim Darby. The film was released in August 1985. Initially met with mixed reviews on release, it has since developed a cult following for its unconventionally surreal and absurdist humor. Plot In the town of Greendale, Northern California, high school student Lane Meyer's two main interests are skiing and his girlfriend of six months, Beth. Shortly before Christmas, Beth dumps him for the handsome and popular captain of the ski team, Roy Stalin. Roy is an arrogant bully who unfairly rejects Lane at ski team tryouts. Beth also criticizes Lane's car, an old station wagon. Although Lane also owns a 1967 Camaro, he has not been able to get it running and it sits dilapidated in the driveway. Lane lives in a suburban development with his mother Jenny, a ditzy housewife who routinely concocts creepy (and creeping ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Drew Struzan
Drew Struzan (; born March 18, 1947) is an American retired artist, illustrator and cover designer. He is known for his more than 150 movie posters, which include ''The Shawshank Redemption'', ''Blade Runner'', ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'', as well as films in the ''Indiana Jones'', ''Back to the Future (franchise), Back to the Future'', ''Harry Potter (film series), Harry Potter'', and ''Star Wars'' film series. He has also painted album covers, collectibles, and book covers. Early life Struzan was born on March 18, 1947, in Oregon City, Oregon. In 1965, at age 18, he enrolled at the ArtCenter College of Design, then in West Los Angeles. Career Early career A counselor asked Struzan about his interests and told him he had a choice between fine art or illustration. The counselor described the two careers, telling Struzan that as a fine artist he could paint whatever he wanted, but as an illustrator he could paint for money. Struzan chose to be an illustrator, saying, "I need t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Drag Racing
Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line. The race follows a short, straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, most commonly , with a shorter, distance becoming increasingly popular, as it has become the standard for Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars, where some major bracket races and other sanctioning bodies have adopted it as the standard. The is also popular in some circles. Electronic timing and speed sensing systems have been used to record race results since the 1960s. The history of automobiles and motorcycles being used for drag racing is nearly as long as the history of motorized vehicles themselves, and has taken the form of both illegal street racing and as a regulated motorsport. History Drag racing started in the 1940s. World War II veterans were prominently involved, and some early drag races were done at decommissioned airc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taylor Negron
Brad Stephen "Taylor" Negron (August 1, 1957 – January 10, 2015) was an American actor, comedian, writer and artist. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Albert in '' Punchline'' (1988) and as Milo in the 1991 action comedy '' The Last Boy Scout''. Early life Negron was born in Glendale, California, the son of Puerto Rican couple Lucy (''née'' Rosario) and Conrad Negron Sr. His cousin is singer and musician Chuck Negron, of Three Dog Night fame. He grew up in La Cañada Flintridge, California, and graduated from the University of California Los Angeles. Career Breaking into comedy, Hollywood Negron's career in comedy began while he was still in high school, with a stand-up performance at the Comedy Store in West Hollywood. After this appearance, Negron ventured into being a Hollywood extra, as well as a repeat contestant on Chuck Barris' ABC daytime show ''The Dating Game''. Before his film career began, Negron worked for dramatic and comedic legends Lee Stra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vincent Schiavelli
Vincent Andrew Schiavelli (; November 11, 1948 – December 26, 2005) was an American character actor noted for his work on stage, screen, and television. Described as an "instantly recognizable sad-faced actor", he was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome in childhood.Tom Jacobs (08 September 1991). CTOR SCHIAVELLI DECLARES VICTORY OVER MARFAN'S The Chicago Tribune, accessed 27 November 2019 Schiavelli gained fame as a character actor, mainly in supporting roles. He was a regular in the films of Miloš Forman including as Fredrickson in '' One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (1975), Antonio Salieri's valet in '' Amadeus'' (1984), Jean in '' Valmont'' (1989), Chester in '' The People vs. Larry Flynt'' (1996), and ABC executive Maynard Smith in '' Man on the Moon'' (1999). His other roles include Mr. Vargas in '' Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' (1982), John O'Connor in '' The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension'' (1982), the Subway Ghost in ''Ghost'' (1990), Organ Gr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chuck Mitchell
Charles Thomas Mitchell (November 28, 1927 – June 22, 1992) was an American actor, singer and entertainer. He is known for his role as "Porky" in the 1981 movie '' Porky's'' and its 1985 sequel '' Porky's Revenge!'' Career Mitchell is also remembered as Rocko, the mean owner of the restaurant called "Pig Burgers" in the 1985 comedy '' Better Off Dead''. He became well known for his role as "Porky" in the comedy movie '' Porky's''. He would reprise the role again in the 1985 sequel '' Porky's Revenge!'' He declined to appear in '' Porky's II: The Next Day''. He starred in the TV soap opera ''General Hospital'' as Big Ralph, and in the 1981 TV series '' Bret Maverick'', as well as the 1983 miniseries '' The Winds of War''. Mitchell made guest appearances on the TV shows '' The Fall Guy'', ''Hill Street Blues'' and ''Remington Steele''. In some of his films, he is credited as Chuck "Porky" Mitchell. Personal life Mitchell had two sisters, Dorothy Farrell and Frances ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dan Schneider (TV Producer)
Daniel James Schneider (born January 14, 1966) is an American television producer, screenwriter, and actor. He created and produced a string of children's shows on Nickelodeon from 1994 to 2019. In the years since 2018, he has faced significant media coverage and controversy regarding allegations of inappropriate behavior. Schneider started his career acting in minor roles in several teen comedy films of the 1980s such as '' Making the Grade'' (1984), '' Better Off Dead'' (1985), '' Hot Resort'' (1985), '' Happy Together'' (1989), and '' The Big Picture'' (1989). On television, he played Dennis Blunden on the ABC television sitcom ''Head of the Class'' (1986–1991). In 1993, he played Walter Peters in the ABC sitcom '' Home Free'' which ran for only one season. Schneider is the co-president of his production company Schneider's Bakery, which he founded in 1996. He changed his career to working in children's television specifically for Nickelodeon. There, Schneider started ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yuji Okumoto
is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Chozen Toguchi in the film '' The Karate Kid Part II'' (1986) and its sequel television series ''Cobra Kai'' (2021–2025). He has also appeared in the films '' Better Off Dead,'' ''Real Genius'' (both 1985), '' True Believer'' (1989), '' American Yakuza'' (1993), '' Contact'' (1997), ''The Truman Show'' (1998), ''Pearl Harbor'' (2001), '' Only the Brave'' (2006), ''Inception'' (2010) and '' Driven'' (2018). Early life Okumoto, a third generation Japanese American ('' Sansei''), was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He began karate at age 13, studying under various sensei. By the time of ''The Karate Kid Part II'', the 27-year-old Okumoto held a brown belt in Karate, and had learned basic skills in other martial arts, including Taekwondo and Judo. His Judo Instructor was Hayward Nishioka, his Chitō-ryū Karate Sensei was Yukinori Kugimiya, his Kajukenbo Instructor was Sensei Ron Takaragawa, and his Yau Kung Moo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amanda Wyss
Amanda Wyss is an American actress. She began her career in the early 1980s in teen-oriented roles such as Lisa in the coming-of-age comedy film ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' (1982), Tina Gray in the slasher film ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'' (1984), and Beth in the film '' Better Off Dead'' (1985). Additionally, she had a supporting role as investigative reporter Randi McFarland in the television series '' Highlander: The Series'' (1992–1993). She is also known for playing Woody's ex-girlfriend, Beth, in two episodes of ''Cheers'' in the mid-1980s. Career Wyss was born in Manhattan Beach, California. She was discovered by an agent who saw her portray Flora in ''The Innocents'', and Rhoda in ''The Bad Seed'' at local LA theatres. After appearing in commercials, Wyss landed her first television role, recurring on Universal's ''When the Whistle Blows'' (1980) as Dolph Sweet's daughter. The same year, she guest-starred on the television series ''The Righteous Apples''. In 1981, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Curtis Armstrong
Curtis Johnathan Armstrong (born November 27, 1953) is an American actor. He is best known for playing the role of Booger in the '' Revenge of the Nerds'' films, Herbert Viola on the TV series '' Moonlighting'', Miles Dalby in the film '' Risky Business'', and record producer Ahmet Ertegun in the film '' Ray'' as well as for playing the role of Metatron on the TV series ''Supernatural.'' He is also known for providing his voice for such characters as Schmuley "Snot" Lonstein on the animated TV series ''American Dad!'' and Maru in the animated film '' Planes: Fire & Rescue'' in addition to portraying the title character on the animated TV series '' Dan Vs.'', Mr. Moleguaco in '' The Emperor's New School'', Ezekiel the Cockroach on '' Doom Patrol'', and Robot Default on '' Robot and Monster''. From 2013 to 2015, he served as the co-host of the TBS reality television competition series '' King of the Nerds''. Early and personal life Armstrong was born on November 27, 1953, in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium is a ballpark in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of (US$ in ). It is the oldest ballpark in MLB west of the Mississippi River, and third-oldest overall, after Fenway Park in Boston (1912) and Wrigley Field in Chicago (1914), and is the largest baseball stadium in the world by seat capacity. Often referred to as a "pitcher's ballpark", the stadium has seen 13 no-hitters, 2 of which were perfect games. The stadium hosted the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 1980 and 2022, as well as the World Series eleven times (1963, 1965, 1966, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1988, 2017, 2018, and 2024). It also hosted the semifinals and finals of the 2009 and 2017 World Baseball Classics, as well as exhibition baseball during the 1984 Summer Olympics. The stadium hosted a soccer tourna ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. Founded in 1883 in Brooklyn, New York, the team joined the NL in 1890 as the Brooklyn Bridegrooms and used other monikers before settling as the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1932. From the 1940s through the mid-1950s, the Dodgers developed a fierce crosstown Dodgers-Yankees rivalry, rivalry with the New York Yankees as the two clubs faced each other in the World Series seven times, with the Dodgers losing the first five matchups before defeating them to win the franchise's first title in 1955 World Series, 1955. The Dodgers made history by breaking the baseball color line in 1947 with the debut of Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in the Major Leagues since 1884. Another major milestone was reached in 1956 when Don Newcombe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hallucination
A hallucination is a perception in the absence of an external stimulus that has the compelling sense of reality. They are distinguishable from several related phenomena, such as dreaming ( REM sleep), which does not involve wakefulness; pseudohallucination, which does not mimic real perception, and is accurately perceived as unreal; illusion, which involves distorted or misinterpreted real perception; and mental imagery, which does not mimic real perception, and is under voluntary control. Hallucinations also differ from " delusional perceptions", in which a correctly sensed and interpreted stimulus (i.e., a real perception) is given some additional significance. Hallucinations can occur in any sensory modality— visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, proprioceptive, equilibrioceptive, nociceptive, thermoceptive and chronoceptive. Hallucinations are referred to as multimodal if multiple sensory modalities occur. A mild form of hallucination is known as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
