The Jerk poster

The Jerk( 1979)

TV-MAComedy
69%
User
Score

A rags to riches to rags story.

Overview

After discovering he's not really black like the rest of his family, likable dimwit Navin Johnson sets off on a hilarious misadventure that takes him from rags to riches and back again. The slaphappy jerk strikes it rich, but life in the fast lane isn't all it's cracked up to be and, in the end, all that really matters to Johnson is his true love.

    Top Billed Cast

    1. cast image

      Steve Martin

      Navin R. Johnson

    2. cast image

      Bernadette Peters

      Marie Kimble Johnson

    3. cast image

      Catlin Adams

      Patty Bernstein

    4. cast image

      Mabel King

      Mother

    5. cast image

      Richard Ward

      Father

    6. cast image

      Carl Gottlieb

      Iron Balls McGinty

    7. cast image

      Dick Anthony Williams

      Taj

    8. cast image

      Bill Macy

      Stan Fox

    9. cast image

      M. Emmet Walsh

      Madman

    10. cast image

      Dick O'Neill

      Frosty

    11. cast image

      Maurice Evans

      Hobart

    12. cast image

      Helena Carroll

      Hester

    13. cast image

      Ren Woods

      Elvira

    14. cast image

      Pepe Serna

      Punk #1

    15. cast image

      Sonny Terry

      Blues Singer

    16. cast image

      Brownie McGhee

      Blues Singer

    17. cast image

      Jackie Mason

      Harry Hartounian

    18. cast image

      Sharon Johansen

      Lenore Hartounian

    19. cast image

      Gene LeBell

      Con Man

    20. cast image

      Carl Reiner

      Carl Reiner the Celebrity

    21. cast image

      Larry Hankin

      Circus Hand (uncredited)

    22. cast image

      Howard Hesseman

      Carnival Worker (uncredited)

    23. cast image

      Rob Reiner

      Truck Driver Picking Up Navin (uncredited)

    24. cast image

      Gailard Sartain

      Guy with Cracked Airplane Seats (uncredited)

    25. cast image

      Lenny Montana

      Con Man

    26. cast image

      William Schallert

      Judge M.A. Loring

    27. cast image

      David Landsberg

      Bank Manager

    28. cast image

      Domingo Ambriz

      Father De Cordoba

    29. cast image

      Richard Foronjy

      Con Man

    30. cast image

      Clete Roberts

      Announcer

    31. cast image

      Frances E. Williams

      Grandma Johnson

    32. cast image

      Lydia McGhee

      Cleotis Johnson

    33. cast image

      Niko Denise Holmes

      Satch Johnson

    34. cast image

      Shawn Harris

      Pierre Johnson

    35. cast image

      Nyles Harris

      Leroy Johnson (as Niles Harris)

    36. cast image

      Susan Denise Harrison

      Lisa Johnson

    37. cast image

      Douglas S. Close

      Fireman

    38. cast image

      Trinidad Silva

      Punk

    39. cast image

      Alston Ahern

      Bride

    40. cast image

      Lawrence Green

      Father of the Bride

    41. cast image

      Ken Magee

      Carnival Rube

    42. cast image

      Tom J. Delaney

      Tourist

    43. cast image

      Alfred Dennis

      Irving

    44. cast image

      Marc Loge

      Farm Boy

    45. cast image

      Jon Leichter

      Billy

    46. cast image

      Lillian Adams

      Tillie

    47. cast image

      Joe Lynn

      Voodoo Dancer

    48. cast image

      Maurice Marsac

      French Waiter

    49. cast image

      Fred Lerner

      Con Man

    50. cast image

      Jerry G. Velasco

      Man in Garden

    51. cast image

      Kimberly Cameron

      Disco Party

    52. cast image

      Elizabeth Macey

      Disco Party

    53. cast image

      Richie Reiner

      Disco Party

    54. cast image

      Daniel Trevor

      Disco Party

    55. cast image

      Benjie Bancroft

      Bailiff (uncredited)

    Social

    Review 1Discussion

    A review by Wuchak

    7
    Written by Wuchak on Mon Feb 25 2019
    ***Steve Martin’s breakout comedy*** A homeless mentally-challenged man (Steve Martin) shares his amusing tale of rags-to-riches-to-hobo with flashbacks. Catlin Adams plays a stunt rider at a carnival who has the hots for Navin (Martin) while Bernadette Peters plays a more important woman in his life. “The Jerk” (1979) has several laugh-out-loud scenes like the eventual confrontation between Patty (Catlin) and Marie (Peters), but there are also some flat, overlong parts, like when Navin departs the mansion in the last act. “Forrest Gump” (1994) was obviously inspired by “The Jerk” and mad...

    Media

    Videos 3Backdrops 17Posters 28

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    Facts

    Status

    Released

    Original Language

    English

    Budget

    4000000.00

    Revenue

    100000000.00

    Keywords

    • blow
    • neominstrelsy
    • phone book
    • sharecropper
    • tennis court