Enter Laughing (film)

Enter Laughing
VHS cover
Directed by	Carl Reiner
Screenplay by	Carl Reiner Joseph Stein
Based on	Adapted from (novel) by Carl Reiner Enter Laughing (play) by Joseph Stein
Produced by	Carl Reiner Joseph Stein
Starring	Jose Ferrer Shelley Winters Elaine May Jack Gilford Reni Santoni Janet Margolin David Opatoshu Michael J. Pollard Don Rickles Richard Deacon
Cinematography	Joseph F. Biroc
Edited by	Charles Nelson
Music by	Quincy Jones
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	February 25, 1967 (1967-02-25)
Running time	111 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Enter Laughing is a 1967 comedy film, directed by Carl Reiner, based on his autobiographical novel and the 1963 stage play of the same name.^[1] It was Reiner's directorial debut.

The film stars Jose Ferrer, Shelley Winters, Elaine May, Jack Gilford, Janet Margolin and newcomer Reni Santoni. It tells the story of a young Jewish man from the Bronx trying to break into the theater and launch a career in acting.

The film has never been released on DVD or Blu-Ray.

Plot summary[]

David Kolowitz (Reni Santoni) works as a delivery boy and assistant for a machine shop in New York City in 1938, and is fascinated with the movies.

Despite the misgivings of his girlfriend Wanda (Janet Margolin), his parents (Shelley Winters and David Opatoshu) and his employer (Jack Gilford), David follows the suggestion of a friend (Michael J. Pollard) and becomes involved with an off-Broadway theater company run by Harrison B. Marlowe (Jose Ferrer). He admires Ronald Colman so he uses the stage name "Donald Colman".

It is a margin operation that requires him to pay $5 a week for "tuition". Marlowe's daughter (Elaine May) takes a romantic interest in David, who perseveres despite a lack of acting talent and the hostility of Marlowe.

Overcoming all the difficulties, he makes his acting debut and his parents and girlfriend accept his new interest. At the end he gives an ironic. acting soliloquy where it opines how wonderful it is to finally, "act for free".

Cast[]

• Jose Ferrer as Harrison B. Marlowe
• Shelley Winters as Emma Kolowitz
• Elaine May as Angela Marlowe
• Jack Gilford as Mr. Foreman
• Janet Margolin as Wanda
• Reni Santoni as David Kolowitz
• David Opatoshu as Morris Kolowitz
• Don Rickles as Harry Hamburger
• Michael J. Pollard as Marvin
• Richard Deacon as Pike
• Nancy Kovack as Miss B
• Herbie Faye as Mr. Schoenbaum
• Rob Reiner as Clark Baxter
• Danny Stein as Spencer Reynolds
• Milton Frome as Policeman
• Lillian Adams as Theatergoer
• Mantan Moreland as Subway Rider
• Patrick Campbell as Butler
• Peter Brocco as Lawyer Peabody

Musical score and soundtrack[]

The film score was composed, arranged and conducted by Quincy Jones, and the soundtrack album was released on the Liberty label in 1967.^[2][3]

Track listing[]

All compositions by Quincy Jones except where noted

1. "Enter Laughing" (Lyrics by Mack David) − 2:30
2. "Exit Crying" 2:27
3. "Pennies from Heaven" (Arthur Johnston, Johnny Burke) − 2:27
4. "David Dooze It" − 2:19
5. "Main Title (Enter Laughing)" − 2:34
6. "Enter Laughing" − 4:05
7. "Ha-Cha-Cha" (Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach) − 2:17
8. "Vienna Wails" − 2:15
9. "I Hear You Calling" − 1:55
10. "Enter Laughing (End Title) (Lyrics by Mack David) − 1:42

Personnel[]

• Unidentified orchestra arranged and conducted by Quincy Jones including
  • Mel Carter (tracks 1 & 10), Carl Reiner (tracks 3 & 7) − vocals

See also[]

• List of American films of 1967

References[]

External links[]

• Enter Laughing at IMDb
• Enter Laughing at Rotten Tomatoes
• Enter Laughing at the TCM Movie Database