Pat Proft
Encyclopedia
Patrick "Pat" Proft is an American comedy
writer and actor.
Proft was born in Columbia Heights, Minnesota
, the son of Marguerite and Bob Proft. He began his career at Dudley Riggs
' Brave New Workshop
in Minneapolis. In the mid-1970s, he began writing for television and films. Proft's screenplays usually rely heavily on slapstick action, wisecracks and non-sequitur-laced absurdist dialogue.
He has written numerous films, but has only directed one, Wrongfully Accused
, which starred Leslie Nielsen
.
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
writer and actor.
Proft was born in Columbia Heights, Minnesota
Columbia Heights, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,520 people, 8,033 households, and 4,731 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,368.7 people per square mile . There were 8,151 housing units at an average density of 2,362.9 per square mile...
, the son of Marguerite and Bob Proft. He began his career at Dudley Riggs
Dudley Riggs
Dudley Riggs is a noted improvisational comedian who created the Instant Theater Company in New York, which later moved to Minneapolis to become the Brave New Workshop comedy troupe. Riggs was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and joined the circus when he was five years old. His family performed...
' Brave New Workshop
Brave New Workshop
The Brave New Workshop Comedy Theatre , located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been writing, performing and producing live sketch comedy and improvisation performances for 50 years – longer than any other theatre in the nation...
in Minneapolis. In the mid-1970s, he began writing for television and films. Proft's screenplays usually rely heavily on slapstick action, wisecracks and non-sequitur-laced absurdist dialogue.
He has written numerous films, but has only directed one, Wrongfully Accused
Wrongfully Accused
Wrongfully Accused is a 1998 comedy film starring Leslie Nielsen as a man who has been framed for murder and desperately attempts to expose the true culprits. The film was written, produced, and directed by Pat Proft and is a parody of the 1993 film The Fugitive.-Plot:World-famous violinist Ryan...
, which starred Leslie Nielsen
Leslie Nielsen
Leslie William Nielsen, OC was a Canadian and naturalized American actor and comedian. Nielsen appeared in more than one hundred films and 1,500 television programs over the span of his career, portraying more than 220 characters...
.
As Writer
- The Smothers Brothers ShowThe Smothers Brothers ShowThe Smothers Brothers Show is an American fantasy sitcom featuring the Smothers Brothers that aired on CBS on Friday nights at 9:30 p.m. ET from September 17, 1965 to September 9, 1966, co-sponsored by Alberto-Culver's VO5 hairdressing products and American Tobacco...
(1965) (TV) - The Jim Stafford Show (1975) (TV)
- When Things Were RottenWhen Things Were RottenWhen Things Were Rotten was an American situation comedy television series created in 1975 by Mel Brooks and aired for half a season by ABC....
(1975) (TV) - Welcome Back, KotterWelcome Back, KotterWelcome Back, Kotter was an American television sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan and featuring a young John Travolta.It originally aired on the ABC network from September 9, 1975 to June 8, 1979.-Premise:...
(1975) (TV) - Van Dyke and Company (1976) (TV)
- What's New, Mr. Magoo? (1977) (TV)
- The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour (1977) (TV)
- Mary (1978) (TV)
- The Star Wars Holiday SpecialThe Star Wars Holiday SpecialThe Star Wars Holiday Special is a 1978 American television special set in the Star Wars galaxy. It was one of the first official Star Wars spin-offs, and was directed by Steve Binder. The show was broadcast in its entirety only once, in the United States and Canada, November 17, 1978, on the U.S...
(1978) (TV) - Detective SchoolDetective SchoolDetective School is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC for four months in 1979, for a total of 13 episodes....
(1979) (TV) - Twilight TheaterTwilight Theater-Release history:-Singles:-Trivia:*The track War is featured in the video-game Alan Wake*The track 15 Minute Flame was partly inspired by the movie The Sixth Sense starring Bruce Willis...
(1982) (TV) - Police Squad!Police Squad!Police Squad! is a television comedy series first broadcast in 1982, created by Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker and starring Leslie Nielsen. A spoof of police procedurals, the series was packed with ZAZ's usual sight gags, wordplay and non sequiturs...
(1982) (TV) - Police Academy (with Neal IsraelNeal IsraelNeal Israel is an American actor, screenwriter, film and television producer and director best known for his comedic work in the 1980s.-Career:...
and Hugh Wilson) (1984) - Bachelor Party (with Neal IsraelNeal IsraelNeal Israel is an American actor, screenwriter, film and television producer and director best known for his comedic work in the 1980s.-Career:...
) (1984) - Moving ViolationsMoving ViolationsMoving Violations is a 1985 comedy film starring John Murray, Jennifer Tilly, Brian Backer, Sally Kellerman, Nedra Volz, Clara Peller, Wendie Jo Sperber and Fred Willard. It was directed by Neal Israel...
(with Neal IsraelNeal IsraelNeal Israel is an American actor, screenwriter, film and television producer and director best known for his comedic work in the 1980s.-Career:...
) (1985) (TV) - Real GeniusReal GeniusReal Genius is a 1985 satirical comedy film directed by Martha Coolidge. The film's screenplay was written by Neal Israel, Pat Proft and Peter Torokvei. It stars Val Kilmer and Gabriel Jarret....
(with Neal IsraelNeal IsraelNeal Israel is an American actor, screenwriter, film and television producer and director best known for his comedic work in the 1980s.-Career:...
and Peter Torokvei) (1985) - High School USA 2 (1985) (TV)
- The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (with Jerry ZuckerJerry Zucker (film director)Jerry Zucker is an American movie director known for his role in directing comedy spoof films, and the hit film Ghost....
, David Zucker and Jim AbrahamsJim AbrahamsJim Abrahams is an American movie director and writer.Abrahams was born in Shorewood, Wisconsin, to a Jewish family, and attended Shorewood High School...
) (1988) - Lucky StiffLucky StiffLucky Stiff is a musical farce. It was the first collaboration for the team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty . The show is based on the 1983 novel The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo by Michael Butterworth...
(1988) - The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of FearThe Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of FearThe Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear is a 1991 comedy film starring Leslie Nielsen as the comically bumbling Police Lt. Frank Drebin of Police Squad!. Priscilla Presley plays the role of Jane, with O.J. Simpson as Nordberg and George Kennedy as police captain Ed Hocken...
(with Jerry ZuckerJerry Zucker (film director)Jerry Zucker is an American movie director known for his role in directing comedy spoof films, and the hit film Ghost....
, David Zucker and Jim AbrahamsJim AbrahamsJim Abrahams is an American movie director and writer.Abrahams was born in Shorewood, Wisconsin, to a Jewish family, and attended Shorewood High School...
) (1991) - Hot Shots!Hot Shots!Hot Shots! is a 1991 comedy spoof film starring Charlie Sheen, Cary Elwes, Valeria Golino, Lloyd Bridges, Kevin Dunn, Jon Cryer and Ryan Stiles . It was directed by Jim Abrahams, co-director of Airplane! , and was written by Abrahams and Pat Proft...
(with Jim AbrahamsJim AbrahamsJim Abrahams is an American movie director and writer.Abrahams was born in Shorewood, Wisconsin, to a Jewish family, and attended Shorewood High School...
) (1991) - Brain DonorsBrain DonorsBrain Donors is an American comedy movie released by Paramount Pictures, loosely based on the Marx Brothers comedy, A Night at the Opera...
(1992) - Hot Shots! Part DeuxHot Shots! Part DeuxHot Shots! Part Deux is a 1993 comedy/parody film, and a sequel to the 1991 comedy Hot Shots!.Directed again by Jim Abrahams, the film stars Charlie Sheen, Lloyd Bridges, Valeria Golino, Richard Crenna, Brenda Bakke, Miguel Ferrer, Rowan Atkinson, and Jerry Haleva...
(with Jim AbrahamsJim AbrahamsJim Abrahams is an American movie director and writer.Abrahams was born in Shorewood, Wisconsin, to a Jewish family, and attended Shorewood High School...
) (1993) - Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (with Jerry ZuckerJerry Zucker (film director)Jerry Zucker is an American movie director known for his role in directing comedy spoof films, and the hit film Ghost....
, David Zucker and Jim AbrahamsJim AbrahamsJim Abrahams is an American movie director and writer.Abrahams was born in Shorewood, Wisconsin, to a Jewish family, and attended Shorewood High School...
) (1994) - High School HighHigh School HighHigh School High is a 1996 comedy film about an inner city high school in the Los Angeles, California area, starring Jon Lovitz, Tia Carrere, Mekhi Phifer, Louise Fletcher, Malinda Williams and Brian Hooks...
(with David Zucker and Robert LoCash) (1996) - Mr. Magoo (with Tom Sherohman) (1997)
- Wrongfully AccusedWrongfully AccusedWrongfully Accused is a 1998 comedy film starring Leslie Nielsen as a man who has been framed for murder and desperately attempts to expose the true culprits. The film was written, produced, and directed by Pat Proft and is a parody of the 1993 film The Fugitive.-Plot:World-famous violinist Ryan...
(1998) (also Director) - Scary Movie 3Scary Movie 3Scary Movie 3 is a 2003 American science fiction comedy film, which parodies the horror, sci-fi, and mystery genres, directed by David Zucker. It is the third film of the Scary Movie franchise, as well as the first to have no involvement from the Wayans family...
(with Craig MazinCraig MazinCraig Mazin is an American screenwriter and director.Mazin was born in Brooklyn, New York, and moved to Marlboro Township, New Jersey when he was a teen and attended Freehold High School which inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2010. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in psychology from...
) (2003) - Scary Movie 4Scary Movie 4Scary Movie 4 is the fourth film of the Scary Movie franchise, directed by David Zucker, written by Jim Abrahams, Craig Mazin and Pat Proft, and produced by Craig Mazin and Robert K. Weiss. It is distributed by The Weinstein Company via its Dimension Films unit in the U.S. and Television, and...
(with Craig MazinCraig MazinCraig Mazin is an American screenwriter and director.Mazin was born in Brooklyn, New York, and moved to Marlboro Township, New Jersey when he was a teen and attended Freehold High School which inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2010. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in psychology from...
and Jim AbrahamsJim AbrahamsJim Abrahams is an American movie director and writer.Abrahams was born in Shorewood, Wisconsin, to a Jewish family, and attended Shorewood High School...
) (2006) - Mostly GhostlyMostly GhostlyFor the 2008 movie, see Mostly Ghostly: Who Let the Ghosts Out?.Mostly Ghostly is a book of series written by children's horror author R. L. Stine...
(with Richard CorrellRichard CorrellRichard Thomas "Rich" Correll is an American television actor, director, producer and writer.-Biography:Born in Los Angeles County, California, Correll is the son of Charles Correll, who starred as Amos Jones on the radio program, Amos and Andy. He is the brother of Barbara Correll, Dottie Correll...
) (2008) - Super Dave's Spike-Tacular (2009) (TV)
As Actor
- The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour (1973)
- Tunnel VisionTunnel Vision (film)Tunnel Vision is 1976 comedy anthology film featuring Roger Bowen, Chevy Chase, John Candy, Howard Hesseman, Joe Flaherty, Laraine Newman, Betty Thomas, Phil Proctor, Al Franken, Ron Silver, Tom Davis, Michael Overly. It was directed by Neal Israel and Bradley R...
(1976) - The Star Wars Holiday SpecialThe Star Wars Holiday SpecialThe Star Wars Holiday Special is a 1978 American television special set in the Star Wars galaxy. It was one of the first official Star Wars spin-offs, and was directed by Steve Binder. The show was broadcast in its entirety only once, in the United States and Canada, November 17, 1978, on the U.S...
(1978) - Fast FriendsFast FriendsFast Friends is a short lived game show that aired for one series on BBC One in 1991. Hosted by Les Dawson, it was an adaptation of an unsold pilot produced for US television in 1984 by Jay Wolpert.-Gameplay:...
(1979) - To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie NewmarTo Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie NewmarTo Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar is a 1995 American comedy film, starring Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and John Leguizamo as three New York drag queens who embark on a road trip...
(1996) - Detective SchoolDetective SchoolDetective School is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC for four months in 1979, for a total of 13 episodes....
(1979) - Modern ProblemsModern ProblemsModern Problems is a 1981 comedy film written and directed by Ken Shapiro and starring Chevy Chase, Patti D'Arbanville and Dabney Coleman. The film grossed $26,154,211 in the United States. A DVD release of the film was issued in 2005.-Plot:...
(1981) - Bachelor PartyBachelor Party (film)The soundtrack album from Bachelor Party was released in 1984.Side one:# "American Beat '84" – The Fleshtones # "Something Isn't Right" – Oingo Boingo # "Crazy Over You" – Jools Holland # "Little Demon" – Adrian Zmed...
(1984) - Hot Shots!Hot Shots!Hot Shots! is a 1991 comedy spoof film starring Charlie Sheen, Cary Elwes, Valeria Golino, Lloyd Bridges, Kevin Dunn, Jon Cryer and Ryan Stiles . It was directed by Jim Abrahams, co-director of Airplane! , and was written by Abrahams and Pat Proft...
(1991) - Wrongfully AccusedWrongfully AccusedWrongfully Accused is a 1998 comedy film starring Leslie Nielsen as a man who has been framed for murder and desperately attempts to expose the true culprits. The film was written, produced, and directed by Pat Proft and is a parody of the 1993 film The Fugitive.-Plot:World-famous violinist Ryan...
(1998)
Unproduced screenplays
- Balls of Courage (with Jim AbrahamsJim AbrahamsJim Abrahams is an American movie director and writer.Abrahams was born in Shorewood, Wisconsin, to a Jewish family, and attended Shorewood High School...
) - The Kids On The Hill (with Neal IsraelNeal IsraelNeal Israel is an American actor, screenwriter, film and television producer and director best known for his comedic work in the 1980s.-Career:...
)