The Million Dollar Rip-Off

Last updated
The Million Dollar Rip-Off
GenreCrime drama
Based onA screenplay by William Devane and John Pleshette
Written byAndrew Peter Marin
Directed by Alexander Singer
Starring Freddie Prinze
Music by Vic Mizzy
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producer Charles Fries
Producer Edward J. Montagne
Production locations Skokie, Illinois
Chicago
Los Angeles
CinematographyJules Brenner
EditorSam E. Waxman
Running time73 minutes
Production companyCharles Fries Productions
Original release
Network NBC
ReleaseSeptember 22, 1976 (1976-09-22)

The Million Dollar Rip-Off is a 1976 American made-for-television crime comedy film starring Freddie Prinze in his television film debut and his only film role of any kind. Directed by Alexander Singer and written by Andrew Peter Marin based on a screenplay by William Devane and John Pleshette, the film premiered on NBC on September 22, 1976.

Contents

Plot

An ex-con electronics genius (Prinze) and his four female accomplices devise a plot to steal millions of dollars from the Chicago Transit Authority. A detective, who has been keeping tabs on him since he got out of prison, suspects that he is up to something and tries to catch him at it. [1]

Cast

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freddie Prinze</span> American actor and comedian (1954–1977)

Frederick Karl Prinze was an American stand-up comedian and actor, and the star of the NBC-TV sitcom Chico and the Man from 1974 until his death in 1977. He was described in a Vulture magazine article as "having blown up like no other comedian in history." Prinze is the father of actor Freddie Prinze Jr.

<i>Chico and the Man</i> American sitcom (1974-1978)

Chico and the Man is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC for four seasons from September 13, 1974, to July 21, 1978. It stars Jack Albertson as Ed Brown, the cantankerous owner of a run-down garage in an East Los Angeles barrio, and Freddie Prinze as Chico Rodriguez, an upbeat, optimistic young Mexican American who comes in looking for a job. It was the first U.S. television series set in a Mexican-American neighborhood.

<i>I Know What You Did Last Summer</i> 1997 film by Jim Gillespie

I Know What You Did Last Summer is a 1997 American slasher film directed by Jim Gillespie and written by Kevin Williamson. It stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze Jr., with supporting roles played by Johnny Galecki, Bridgette Wilson, Anne Heche, and Muse Watson. The first installment in a franchise, it is loosely based on the 1973 novel of the same name by Lois Duncan. The film centers on four teenage friends, who are stalked by a hook-wielding killer one year after covering up a car accident in which they supposedly killed a man. It also draws inspiration from the urban legend known as "The Hook", as well as the slasher films Prom Night (1980) and The House on Sorority Row (1982).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freddie Prinze Jr.</span> American actor (born 1976)

Freddie James Prinze Jr. is an American actor. He has starred in films such as I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and its sequel (1998), She's All That (1999), Down to You, Boys and Girls, Summer Catch (2001), Scooby-Doo (2002), and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004). Alongside recurring roles on Boston Legal (2004) and 24 (2010), Prinze starred on the self-titled ABC sitcom Freddie (2005–2006)—which he co-created and executive produced—and voiced Kanan Jarrus in the Disney XD series Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018). He is the only child of actor and comedian Freddie Prinze.

<i>I Still Know What You Did Last Summer</i> 1998 film by Danny Cannon

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is a 1998 slasher film directed by Danny Cannon and written by Trey Callaway. It is the second installment in the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise, with Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Muse Watson reprising their roles from the original film. Brandy, Mekhi Phifer, Bill Cobbs, Matthew Settle, Jeffrey Combs, and Jennifer Esposito also star. The film takes place one year after the events of I Know What You Did Last Summer. It received negative reviews and grossed $40 million domestically on a budget of $24–65 million. It was followed by a straight-to-video standalone sequel, I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer, in 2006. A direct legacy sequel to IKWYDLS and I Still Know... is scheduled to be released by Sony Pictures on July 18, 2025.

<i>Wing Commander</i> (film) 1999 science fiction film directed by Chris Roberts

Wing Commander is a 1999 science fiction film loosely based on the video game series of the same name. It was directed by Chris Roberts, the creator of the game series, and stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Matthew Lillard, Saffron Burrows, Tchéky Karyo, Jürgen Prochnow, David Suchet, and David Warner.

<i>Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed</i> 2004 film directed by Raja Gosnell

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed is a 2004 American mystery adventure comedy film based on the animated franchise Scooby-Doo. The second installment in the Scooby-Doo live-action film series and the sequel to 2002's Scooby-Doo, it was directed by Raja Gosnell, from a screenplay written by James Gunn, and stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini, Matthew Lillard, Seth Green, Tim Blake Nelson, Peter Boyle and Alicia Silverstone, with Neil Fanning reprising his role as the voice of Scooby-Doo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoyt Axton</span> American singer-songwriter and actor (1938–1999)

Hoyt Wayne Axton was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. Among his best-known songs are "Joy to the World", "The Pusher", "No No Song", "Greenback Dollar", "Della and the Dealer" and "Never Been to Spain".

Joanna Kerns is an American actress and director best known for her role as Maggie Seaver on the ABC sitcom Growing Pains from 1985 to 1992. She later became a director of TV movies and television shows.

<i>Shes All That</i> 1999 film by Robert Iscove

She's All That is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Robert Iscove. It stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Rachael Leigh Cook, Matthew Lillard, and Paul Walker. After being dumped by his girlfriend, Zack Siler boasts he could make any girl at his high school popular. It is a modern adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion and George Cukor's 1964 film My Fair Lady.

<i>Scooby-Doo</i> (film) 2002 film directed by Raja Gosnell

Scooby-Doo is a 2002 American mystery adventure comedy film produced by Mosaic Media Group and based on the long-running animated franchise of the same name. The first installment in the Scooby-Doo live-action film series, the film was directed by Raja Gosnell from a screenplay by James Gunn, and stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini and Rowan Atkinson. Neil Fanning provides the voice of the titular character. The plot revolves around Mystery Incorporated, a group of four young adults and a talking dog who solve mysteries, who reunite after a two-year disbandment to investigate a mystery at a popular horror-themed tropical island resort.

<i>The House of Yes</i> 1997 American film

The House of Yes is a 1997 American dark comedy film adapted from the play of the same name by Wendy MacLeod. The film was written and directed by Mark Waters, produced by Robert Berger, and stars Parker Posey, Josh Hamilton, Tori Spelling, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Geneviève Bujold. It was released in the United States by Miramax Films on October 10, 1997. The House of Yes received a divided critical reaction, with Posey winning a Sundance Award and Spelling receiving a Razzie Award nomination.

<i>Happily NEver After</i> 2006 "`UNIQ--templatestyles-00000004-QINU`" film

Happily N'Ever After is a 2006 animated fantasy adventure comedy film directed by Paul J. Bolger, produced by John H. Williams, and written by Rob Moreland. It is inspired by fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen and loosely based on the 1999 animated German television series Simsala Grimm. The title is the opposite of a stock phrase, happily ever after; the name is contracted with an apostrophe between the N and the E. The film stars the voices of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Andy Dick, Wallace Shawn, Patrick Warburton, George Carlin, and Sigourney Weaver. This film was one of Carlin's final works before he died.

<i>Down to You</i> 2000 film directed by Kris Isacsson

Down to You is a 2000 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Kris Isacsson, starring Freddie Prinze Jr. and Julia Stiles as young lovers who meet in college and go through the ups and downs of a relationship. Selma Blair, Shawn Hatosy, Zak Orth, Ashton Kutcher, Rosario Dawson, Lucie Arnaz, and Henry Winkler play supporting roles. Isacsson's first and only theatrical feature film, Down to You paired Prinze and Stiles a year after their respective starring roles in the successful high school-set romantic comedies She's All That and 10 Things I Hate About You. Despite being the second-highest grossing film at the domestic box office its opening weekend, the film received poor response from critics and failed to recoup its $35 million budget.

The 53rd Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television for 1995, were held on January 21, 1996 at The Beverly Hilton and were televised on NBC in the United States. The nominations were announced on December 21, 1995.

<i>Boys and Girls</i> (2000 film) 2000 American film by Robert Iscove

Boys and Girls is a 2000 American romantic comedy film directed by Robert Iscove and starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Claire Forlani, Jason Biggs, and Amanda Detmer. The film follows Ryan (Prinze) and Jennifer (Forlani), who meet each other initially as adolescents, and later realize that their lives are intertwined through fate.

<i>Summer Catch</i> 2001 film by Michael Tollin

Summer Catch is a 2001 American romantic comedy film directed by Michael Tollin and starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Jessica Biel and Matthew Lillard. The film marked Tollin's feature film directorial debut. The setting is the Cape Cod Baseball League, but the majority of the film was shot in Southport, North Carolina.

<i>Head over Heels</i> (2001 film) 2001 American romantic comedy film by Mark Waters

Head over Heels is a 2001 American romantic comedy-thriller film directed by Mark Waters. Starring Monica Potter, Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah O'Hare, Shalom Harlow, Ivana Miličević, Tomiko Fraser, China Chow and Timothy Olyphant. The film was panned by critics and failed to recover its modest $14 million budget.

<i>My All American</i> 2015 American film

My All American is a 2015 American biographical drama sport film based on the life of college football player Freddie Steinmark. The film was written and directed by Angelo Pizzo. It is based on the book Courage Beyond the Game: The Freddie Steinmark Story by Jim Dent. The film stars Finn Wittrock, Sarah Bolger, Robin Tunney and Aaron Eckhart. The film was released on November 13, 2015, by Clarius Entertainment. The film coincides with the 2015 biography Freddie Steinmark: Faith, Family, Football., It received negative reviews and grossed $2.2 million on a $20 million budget.

Can You Hear the Laughter? The Story of Freddie Prinze is a 1979 American made-for-television biographical drama film of the life of stand-up comedian and actor Freddie Prinze. The teleplay by Dalene Young is based on a Playboy magazine article entitled "Good Night Sweet Prinze" by Peter S. Greenberg. The film was made without the cooperation of Prinze's mother or widow.

References