Patrick Swayze (1952-2009)

Patrick Swayze used good looks and a background in ballet to become an iconic romantic lead as bad boy Johnny Castle in “Dirty Dancing” and a tortured soul in “Ghost,” while also starring in the cult action films “Red Dawn” and “Point Break.”

imdb.com | Time | Los Angeles Times | The Washington Post
Nobody puts Baby ... | the pottery scene | “Road House” rules

Larry Gelbart (1928-2009)

Comedy writer Larry Gelbart was funny in every medium, writing the Oscar-nominated films “Tootsie” and “Oh, God,” the Broadway musical “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” and most famously the landmark television series “M*A*S*H.”

imdb.com | The New York Times | Los Angeles Times | “Tootsie”
Archive of American Television | “M*A*S*H”

Bringing Up Baby (1938)

Bumbling scientist Cary Grant and adorable socialite Katharine Hepburn lose a tame leopard (Baby), a dog and a dinosaur bone in a classic screwball comedy. They prove an excellent slapstick duo, especially when the back of Hepburn’s dress is ripped off.

d: Howard Hawks | imdb.com | trailer | Get behind me.

His Girl Friday (1940)

Newspaperman Cary Grant schemes to win back ex-wife and ex-reporter Rosalind Russell in the most delightful sort of romantic comedy — a world where love is expressed through verbal sparring and faster, faster dialogue that overlaps at the seams.

d: Howard Hawks | imdb.com | trailer | the whole movie

Extract (2009)

Mike Judge (“Office Space”) captures more mundane workplace moments, but there isn’t enough smart satire to sustain the film. Jason Bateman owns an extract flavoring company and resides in a sexless marriage (to Kristen Wiig). Ben Affleck plays his druggie pal.

d: Mike Judge | imdb.com | trailer | Brad Chavez | Stupid Brad
“Film Forum with Beavis and Butthead”

Cool Hand Luke (1967)

The prison guards are sadists, and Cool Hand Luke is their masochist. Paul Newman’s anti-hero endures severe punishment — the film’s Christ-like imagery is well-documented — and in one classic scene, eats 50 eggs: one for every prisoner.

d: Stuart Rosenberg | imdb.com | trailer
50 eggs | A real cool hand | Failure to communicate | Car wash