Maltin on Movies

Legendary film critic Leonard Maltin and his daughter Jessie are the ultimate movie fans. They love talking about movies, especially with people who share their enthusiasm—from living legends like Mel Brooks, Al Pacino, Angela Lansbury and Quincy Jones to such contemporary artists as Amy Adams, Tim Burton, Laura Dern, and Jordan Peele. You’ll meet all kinds of interesting people and hear their recommendations of unsung movies you ought to know…

Latest Episodes:

Lily Rabe Dec 24, 2021

Show notes

Lily Rabe is a talented actress with superior bloodlines: her mother was the gifted Jill Clayburgh, and her father is playwright David Rabe. But she has carved her own path and proves it yet again as the loving mother in George Clooney's new film The Tender Bar, now in theaters and soon on Amazon Prime. One of her biggest fans is producer-director Ryan Murphy, who has crafted challenging roles for her in every season of American Horror Story… an offer she admits she can't refuse. Smart, sensitive and charming, Lily Rabe won over Leonard and Jessie within moments of starting this conversation.

Corbin Bernsen Dec 17, 2021

Show notes

Corbin Bernsen achieved stardom over eight seasons on the TV series L.A. Lawand hasn't stopped working since—on both sides of the camera. His latest film as an actor is The Hating Game, now available on VOD. He grew up in a show-business household; his father was producer-director Harry Bernsen and his mother was Jeanne Cooper, a busy actress and one of the queens of daytime drama. With no illusions he forged a career for himself in movies and television (logging eight seasons on Psych) that's still going strong. What's more, he's still having a good time. Leonard and Jessie enjoyed getting to know him.

Alice Waters Dec 10, 2021

Show notes

As the mother of the "farm to table" movement, Alice Waters has changed the way food is prepared and served in countless restaurants around the world. She opened Chez Panisse 50 years ago in Berkeley, California and is still going strong. She is also a diehard film buff who named her establishment after a character in the timeless Marcel Pagnol movies of the 1930s (Marius, Cesar, Fanny). Leonard and Jessie have gotten to know her as a regular attendee of the Telluride film festival and, through this conversation, enjoyed learning more about her background and philosophy.

Robert Weide Dec 03, 2021

Show notes

Robert B. Weide, Bob to his friends, is a rare bird who has studied comedy and also created it, on a very high level. His documentary W.C. Fields Straight Up won an Emmy and Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth was nominated for an Oscar. His latest documentary, Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time, is now playing in theaters and on VOD, and it was forty years in the making. Bob explains why and traces his own impressive career, highlighted by teaming with Larry David to create Curb Your Enthusiasm, which earned him a second Emmy for Best Director. He also wrote and directed a series called Mr. Sloane (starring Nick Frost and Olivia Colman) that deserves to be better known. Full disclosure: Bob is a family friend, and both Leonard and Jessie are fans of his work.

Joe Pantoliano Nov 19, 2021

Show notes

Joe Pantoliano is one of those actors who serves as a secret weapon in scores of TV shows and movies. His latest, Hide and Seek, opens today in theaters and on VOD. His credits include memorable roles in Memento, The Matrix, The Sopranos (which earned him an Emmy) and Midnight Run. He has also written two books about his life and philosophy—not bad for a guy who was challenged by dyslexia. He explains how he came to be called Joey Pants while growing up in Hoboken, New Jersey in an unusually thoughtful chat with Leonard and Jessie.

Revisiting Richard Donner Nov 12, 2021

Show notes

Ask Jessie or Leonard who their favorite guests have been and they will invariably name the late Richard Donner, who came to our studio in 2018. The man who directed Superman (with Christopher Reeve), The Omen, Lethal Weapon, and The Goonies should need no introduction…but his career began in theater and television and he had many great memories he was happy to share. Is there anyone else who can say he directed episodes of Perry Mason, Get Smart, and Gilligan's Island? Leonard and Jessie tapped into his prodigious memory for an hour of wonderful anecdotes and observations.

Talking Toons with Jerry Beck and Mark Evanier Nov 05, 2021

Show notes

When Leonard feels like discussing vintage animation he calls on old friends like Jerry Beck (www.cartoonresearch.com) and Mark Evanier (newsfromme.com) who never run out of things to say. Mark actually worked for Hanna-Barbera and even shared an office with Tex Avery. Jerry is involved in restorations of other classic cartoon shorts. These three pals wax nostalgic about the cartoon history they inhaled on early television and don't intend to apologize for it.

John Ross Bowie Oct 15, 2021

Show notes

John Ross Bowie is a comedic actor you know from such TV shows as The Big Bang Theory and Speechless (not to mention the newly-hatched Feel Good and Generations). His pet project is a new podcast dedicated to character actors called Household Faces. Leonard and Jessie share his interest in these unsung heroes of films and television… and apparently, they also find the same things funny, based on this rambunctious, talkative hour. P.S. the unstoppable Maltin dogs (Mabel and Logan) make periodic audio appearances in this week's show.

Ann Dowd Oct 08, 2021

Show notes

Ann Dowd is one of today's foremost character actresses, and finally has an Emmy award to prove it, in recognition of her chilling performance in A Handmaid's Tale. She fell in love with acting as a girl and set her sights on a stage career; television and movies have helped her reach an even wider audience. Her new movie Mass opens in theaters today… or you can watch her in replays of everything from Freaks and Geeks to Hereditary. Jessie and Leonard have looked forward to this conversation for a long, long time.

Eddie Muller Oct 04, 2021

Show notes

Having organized a series of film festivals, rescued little known movies from oblivion, and written eloquent odes to many a forgotten picture, Eddie Muller has earned the soubriquet "the czar of noir." He now reaches a wider audience than ever on Turner Classic Movies' Noir Alley and has recently published an expanded edition of his milestone book "Dark City" (Running Press.) Jessie and Leonard always enjoy talking to Eddie, who doesn't take himself too seriously—and loves what he does.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Maltin on Movies

Links

Stay Connected