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Peter O'Toole, Mark Linn-Baker, Jessica Harper, Joseph Bologna, Bill Macy ... see more see more... , Lainie Kazan , Anne De Salvo , Basil Hoffman , Lou Jacobi , Adolph Green , Tony di Benedetto , George Wyner , Selma Diamond , Cameron Mitchell , Rex Benson , Corinne Bohrer , Richard Brestoff , Stanley Brock , Philip Bruns , Nick Dimitri , Teresa Ganzel , Martin Garner , Howard George , Ted Grossman , Karen Haber , Archie Hahn III , Fox Harris , Barbra Horan , Denver Mattson , John Medici , Jed Mills , Jenny Neumann , George Marshall Ruge , Vincent Sardi , Pearl Shear , Gloria Stuart , Richard Warwick , John Welsh , Norman Steinberg , Phil Adams , Richard Butler , Priscilla Kovary , Ramon Sison , George Fisher , Barbara Horan , Tony DiBenedetto

In Richard Benjamin's directorial debut, Mark Linn-Baker stars as Benjy Stone, junior writer on the popular 1950s TV comedy/variety series The King Kaiser Show. Kaiser (Joseph Bologna)'s guest star th... read more read more...is week is Hollywood matinee idol Alan Swann (Peter O'Toole), a swashbuckling Errol Flynn type, right down to his indiscriminate womanizing and fondness for mass quantities of booze. Stone is assigned to keep the actor out of trouble during rehearsals and deliver him sober to the performance. Becoming fast friends, Stone and Swann alternate baby-sitting responsibilities: Swann takes the young writer to the Stork Club and on an early-morning jaunt through Central Park with a "borrowed" police horse, while Stone takes Swann to his home, where the star is fawned over by Benji's mom (Lainie Kazan) and asked embarrassing questions about his love life by Uncle Morty (Lou Jacobi). Despite a few anxious moments, all goes well until Swann, panicking at the discovery that King Kaiser's show will be telecast live and not on film, walks out just before airtime. Shamed by Benjy into honoring his committment, Swann makes a spectacular, timber-smashing entrance, saving the show and rescuing Kaiser from being rubbed out by a gangster (Cameron Mitchell) whom the comedian has offended. The film co-stars Jessica Harper, Gloria Stuart and Selma Diamond, a real-life comedy writer for Sid Caesar. My Favorite Year was converted into an unsuccessful Broadway musical in the early 1990s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

83% liked it

4,380 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

22 critics

PG, 1 hr. 32 min.

Directed by: Richard Benjamin

Release Date: October 1, 1982

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DVD Release Date: July 9, 2002

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Stats: 285 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (285)

  • kenstachnik
    March 1, 2008
    kenstachnik
    Absolutely charming. Peter O'Toole gives a fantastic performance as an Errol Flynn facsimile named Alan Swan.
  • YosemiteSamFan
    November 22, 2007
    YosemiteSamFan
    A tribute to the golden age of live television. Peter O'Toole plays "Swann", a great drunken washed-up actor. It's got some fun comical scenes.
  • jjnxn
    April 4, 2007
    jjnxn
    Starts a little slowly but once Peter O'Toole appears sweeps you up and charms you all the way to the can't help but smile conclusion. Look for Gloria Stuart in the cafe scene.
  • hypathio7
    June 12, 2008
    hypathio7
    I love The Sid Caesar Show and Your Show of Shows, the original sketch comedy show, which Carol Burnett and then Saturday Night Live carried on. Those early sketch shows started the careers of many famous writers and comedians. Mel Brooks was one, and this movie is based on a s... read moretory he wrote about his experiences writing in those early days of TV. I had high expectations, but was disappointed. I haven't been a fan of Peter O'Toole just because his performances usually bother me in their delivery. This was no different. Overall, all the other performances and the story just weren't that funny!
  • oakman67
    January 21, 2011
    oakman67
    A nostalgic and touching comedy about a young apiring Tv writer who has his dreams come true when his favorite movie star is set to appear on the comedy sketch show he works on and he ends up having to baby sit him due to star's erractic drunken behavior. Mark Linn Baker is super... read moreb as the young writer and Peter O'Toole is magical as film idol Alan Swann. Great support from Joe Bologna and Lanie Kazan. Richard Benjamin captures the heart and soul of this story and nails it. This is one of my favorite films of all time.
  • Dannyrovira
    May 4, 2010
    Dannyrovira
    A delightfully, zany film and one of my personal favorite comedies of all time. A wonderful reminder of the glorious days of live television, the time is 1954 a young writer Benjy Stone, played terrifically by Mark Linn-Baker who works for TV's top show is given the job to chaper... read moreoning that week's guest star, a real skirt chaser with a big drinking problem who is notoriously unreliable, Alan Swann a legendary screen swashbuckler played by Peter O' Toole who is absolutely magnificent in comic tour-de-force performance. Stone must make sure that the tipsy Swann shows for rehearsals and the final production. Brilliant supporting performances Jessica Harper, Joseph Bologna, Bill Macy, Lainie Kazan, Anne De Salvo, Lou Jacobi, Apolph, Selma Diamond, Cameron Mitchell, and a smashing directorial debut by Richard Benjamin. Exquisite period detail and a intelligent screenplay, that is full of priceless moments and witty one liners. This is a heartfelt funny movie that works, thanks to the charisma and professionalism of it's star Peter O 'Toole. Highly Recommended.
  • wbgoose13
    December 16, 2006
    wbgoose13
    Certainly enjoyable, if unfocused plotwise. O'Toole shines.
  • moviefan1725
    December 26, 2009
    moviefan1725
    A really magical little movie that deals with movies, hero worship, and the difficulties of live television in 1954. Peter O'Toole gives an Academy Award nominated performance as Alan Swann, a swashbuckling movie star making an appearance on a telev
  • fb50316760
    January 26, 2012
    fb50316760
    Peter O'Toole carries the whole film, since everyone else completely fails. Yet the film is also aimless and lacks variation and surprise. Watch only if you are a fan of O'Toole. Otherwise, nothing to see here.
  • dinodiva717
    June 10, 2011
    dinodiva717
    A TV studio hopes to breathe fresh new life to their comedy show by bringing in a movie star, Alan Swann. But Can Swann sober up to play the part? Peter O' Toole was great, and the true comedy of this film is that which is offstage and unscripted.

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Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy
August 16, 2011
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Peter O'Toole received an Oscar nomination for playing an eccentric womanizer and boozy star (modeled on Errol Flynn) in this charming comedy set in the 1950s. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
June 14, 2006
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

An excellent vehicle for O'Toole to shine in a tour de force performance. Full Review

Ken Hanke
May 12, 2003
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Wildly enjoyable comedy with great O'Toole performance.

Scott Weinberg
July 26, 2002
Scott Weinberg, Apollo Guide

Portrays the golden age of television in a warmly affectionate light, while delivering the criminally entertaining Peter O'Toole at his most devilishly charming. Full Review

John J. Puccio
July 4, 2002
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

...an affectionate look back on those golden years of live TV...a delightful little romp.

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Janet Maslin
August 30, 2004
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Dave Kehr
January 1, 2000
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

Cole Smithey
August 26, 2007
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com

No review available.

Neil Cohen
July 29, 2007
Neil Cohen, Echo Magazine

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Facts

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    • Alan Swann: I'm not an actor; I'm a movie star!
    • King Kaiser: [to Boss Rojeck] We never cut funny!
    • Alan Swann: [unzipping his fly to urinate] So is this madam. But every now and then I need to run some water through it.
    • Alan Swann: There's OUT, and there's out.
  • The delightful classic My Favourite Year (1982), starring Peter O'Toole, was the directorial debut of actor Richard Benjamin.
Submit a Fact | View All

My Favorite Year : Watch Free on TV

My Favorite Year Trivia

  • Peter O'Toole played Alan Swann in this comedy directed by Richard Benjamin.  Answer »
  • What actress was denied the role of Eliza Doolittle for the 1964 version of "My Fair Lady", even though she was the favorite for many who saw her onstage, but nevertheless won an Oscar that same year for another movie?  Answer »
  • In My Favorite Year, on who's show was Alan Swann (Peter O'Toole) to guest star on?  Answer »
  • He played starring roles in these films (among others): "My Favorite Year", "Lawrence of Arabia", "The Ruling Class", "The Lion in Winter".  Answer »
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