Trama

An aging, dissolute matinee idol is slated to appear on a live TV variety show in 1954, and a young comedy writer is tasked with the thankless job of keeping him ready and sober for the broadcast.

Benjy Stone is the junior writer on the top rated variety/comedy show, in the mid 50s (the early years). It's a new medium and the rules were not fully established. Alan Swann, an Errol Flynn type actor with a drinking problem is to be that week's guest star. When King Kaiser, the headliner wants to throw Swann off the show, Benjy makes a pitch to save his childhood hero, and is made Swann's babysitter. On top of this, a union boss doesn't care for Kaiser's parody of him and has plans to stop the show.—John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>

It's 1950's New York and the age of live television. Benjy Stone is a young writer on a major comedy-variety show. He is assigned to chaperon that week's guest Alan Swann, a faded movie-star and renowned womanizer and drinker. Benjy's job is to try and keep Swann sober and above all else, make sure he shows up for the live broadcast on Saturday evening. Benjy and Swann have a number of adventures throughout the week, including dinner with Benjy's somewhat eccentric family. In the end, both learn lessons in life from the other.—garykmcd

Benjy Stone reminisces about one week in his life back in 1954 - his favorite year - when television, especially live comedy shows, were just coming into their own as popular entertainment. He was then a junior writer on one such show, "Comedy Cavalcade", starring the demanding and egotistical Stan 'King' Kaiser. On this week, the guest star was Benjy's swashbuckling movie idol, Alan Swann, who was past his prime as a movie star. Swann had a reputation as a boozer and a carouser, which made King and the production staff nervous about him honoring his commitment to the show. As Swann's biggest booster among the staff, Benjy was assigned to be Swann's chaperon, making sure Swann not only met his commitments, but also behaved in a family friendly manner in public. Benjy's work monitoring Swann was not an easy one, but the two became a guide for the other in navigating through issues in their respective lives. For Benjy, these included how to deal with his overbearing Jewish mother, and how to win the heart of the show's production assistant, K.C. Downing, who only saw in Benjy a manic goof-ball. For Swann, these included how to act responsibly, especially with regard to a twelve year old daughter, Tess, who he had not seen in years. Swann's unpredictability, in part in combination with issues regarding the show's on-going 'Boss Hijack' sketch, which was based on real life mobster Karl Rojeck, led to an interesting end to the week for both Benjy and Swann.—Huggo

Benjy Stone (Mark Linn-Baker) is the junior writer on a top-rated variety/comedy live television show, in the mid 1950's. Young Benjy has a crush on a coworker, K.C. Downing (Jessica Harper), but rather than asking her for a date, he routinely tries to get her to sleep with him.

Alan Swann (Peter O'Toole), aging movie idol, former star of swashbucklers, a womanizer and an alcoholic, is to be this week's guest star. When he arrives drunk, the show's headliner, King Kaiser (Joseph Bologna), wants to cancel Swann's appearance. Benjy makes a pitch to save his childhood hero, and is assigned to babysit Swann to ensure he stays out of trouble and shows up for the broadcast.

In the meantime, a local union boss who is parodied on the show in a recurring sketch threatens Kaiser to make him stop. Kaiser refuses.

Installed in a fancy hotel suite, Swann explains to Benjy that he is working to pay off his tax bills. That evening, they head out to a fancy restaurant. While Benjy provides a distraction, Swann charms a beautiful woman away from her boring husband. Pictures of the two (wearing only a blanket) after their arrest in the park are splashed on the front pages the next day, and Benjy is under fire for the incident.

A cooperative Swann accompanies Benjy to his Jewish mother's (Lainie Kazan) Brooklyn home for a meal, where he charms the entire family.

At the network, Swann gives Benjy advice on wooing K.C., and their subsequent date works out nicely.

Swann exposes his insecure side when he has the chauffeur drive him a state away to the neighborhood where his only child, a daughter, lives, but does not get out of the car nor speak to her.

At the dress rehearsal for the Three Musketeers sketch, the sober Swann is horrified to learn that the show will be broadcast live rather than filmed. He shouts, "I am not an actor, I'm a movie star!", grabs a bottle, and starts drinking. A disgusted Benjy reads him the riot act.

As the live broadcast begins, the union boss's thugs emerge from the backstage and attack King Kaiser in his gangster suit. Observing from the balcony, a drunken Swann realizes what is happening, grabs a dangling rope, and swoops onto the stage as he had done in so many movies. He helps King Kaiser defeat the bad guys in real life. As the two take their bows, Swann grandly waves his sword to the madly applauding audience.

Benjy says that's the way he likes to remember Swann, and states that Swann went to see his daughter the next day and actually talked to her.

(with John Vogel and garykmcd)