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Press Release for the movie "Summer School" (1987)
Put the gym teacher in charge of the English class and assemble a crew of rowdy
underachievers as the student body and the result is Paramount Pictures' "Summer
School," a George Shapiro-Howard West production of director Carl Reiner's
hysterical look at vacation education. Mark Harmon tackles his first starring
role in a feature film as Freddy Shoop, a gym coach whose dream of a Hawaiian
holiday is dashed when he's tagged to teach remedial English to a group of
teenagers who desperately need a passing grade.
Starring with Harmon is Kirstie Alley as Robin Bishop, a beautiful history
teacher who takes time out from her honor students' studies to lend Freddy a
helping hand. The cast of students is headed by Dean Cameron as Francis
"Chainsaw" Gremp and Gary Riley as Dave Frazier, his best friend; Richard
Horvitz is super-nerd Alan Eakian, Shawnee Smith is pregnant student Rhonda
Altobello, and Ken Olandt is moonlighting dancer Larry Kazamias.
Also in the roll call are: Kelly Minter as Denise Green, a sarcastic student who
dreams of passing driver's education; Fabiana Udenio as Anna-Maria Mazarelli, a
pretty foreign exchange student; Courtney Thorne-Smith as Pam House, a quixotic
surfer; and Patrick Labyorteaux as Kevin Winchester, a jock suspended from the
football team.
"Summer School" was directed by Carl Reiner and produced by George Shapiro and
Howard West from a screenplay written by Jeff Franklin, story by Stuart Birnbaum
& David Dashev and Jeff Franklin. Marc Trabulus was the executive producer,
David M. Walsh served as the director of photography and David L. Snyder was the
production designer. Danny Elfman provided the music score and Rick Baker
contributed the humorous special make-up effects. Jeff Franklin also served as
associate producer. The film was edited by Bud Molin.
One of America's pre-eminent directors whose credits include the hit comedies
"Oh, God!," "All Of Me" and "The Jerk," Reiner agreed to direct "Summer School"
almost immediately after reading the screenplay by Franklin. "The script really
held my interest and made me laugh," he recalls.
The idea of casting Mark Harmon in the role of Freddy Shoop was Reiner's idea.
"We originally discussed having a major comedian for the role. However Mark
impressed me very much in the mini-series 'The Deliberate Stranger,' in which he
portrayed convicted murderer Ted Bundy. When I saw him being interviewed on a
news program, he was so personable and had such a winning smile that it was
clear he would be well suited for the role of our gym coach-turned-instructor.
And he brings surprising depth to the character."
For the role of Robin Bishop, the history teacher who becomes romantically
involved with Shoop, the filmmakers decided on Kirstie Alley, who recently
landed the starring role opposite Ted Danson in the hit comedy series "Cheers."
"We originally envisioned Robin as being very prim and proper," says Reiner.
"Kirstie brought something to the character we hadn't expected: a kind of
hipness and a caustic comic edge. We immediately realized she would be a worthy
sparring partner for Mark Harmon."
Finding the young actors for the major student roles in "Summer School" became
an arduous and time-consuming process. The filmmakers and casting director Penny
Ferry interviewed hundreds of applicants before making the decisions. "The
actors we picked clearly stood out from the others because they were the best,"
says Reiner. "I never imagined finding a supporting group as good as this.
During filming, they consistently created over and above what we had given them
on the written page."
The whole cast responded enthusiastically to Reiner's approach to comedy
directing. "When you shoot a scene nine or ten times, the material can become
stale. The trick is to keep the material fresh by playing it different ways,
trying new approaches. I directed each scene a little differently with each
take."
Harmon agreed to participate in "Summer School" -- his first motion picture
starring role -- because this project would allow him to work with Reiner and
producers Shapiro and West. "This was a team of people that I was thrilled to be
involved with. Carl has been every bit the teacher I thought he would be. It was
an enjoyable film to make and at the same time I feel I've taken some chances
and stretched my abilities."
Harmon was equally impressed by his young co-stars. "Each of the kids is a
tremendously talented actor," he says. "During the first week of rehearsals and
all during production, we became a real ensemble. All nine of the young
performers brought something very individual to the picture."
"Summer School" was filmed entirely on location in and around Los Angeles.
Hughes Evans Junior High School in Woodland Hills doubled for the fictional
Ocean Front High School. Venice Beach is the backdrop of Freddy Shoop's home.
The sites for the students' unorthodox field trips included Zuma Beach, Knott's
Berry Farm and a Northridge location of Malibu.
"Summer School" will be released in the United States and Canada by the Motion
Picture Group of Paramount Pictures Corporation, a member of the Entertainment
Group of Gulf+Western Inc.
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