Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991)

Director:

Stephen Herek

Writers (WGA):

Neil Landau (written by) &
Tara Ison (written by)

Release Date:

7 June 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

No rules. No curfews. No nagging. No pulse.

Plot:

Five kids are left home when their mother leaves town on a three-month vacation, only to have their geriatric babysitter die of a heart attack, leading to the eldest teen, Sue Ellen, to scam her way into taking a job at a hip Los Angeles fashion company to feed and support her needy siblings.

Plot Keywords:

Babysitter | Job | Fashion | Fast Food Restaurant | Deception

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Christina Applegate	...	Sue Ellen Crandell
Joanna Cassidy	...	Rose Lindsey
John Getz	...	Gus
Josh Charles	...	Bryan
Keith Coogan	...	Kenny Crandell
Concetta Tomei	...	Mrs. Crandell
David Duchovny	...	Bruce
Kimmy Robertson	...	Cathy
Jayne Brook	...	Carolyn
Eda Reiss Merin	...	Mrs. Sturak
Robert Hy Gorman	...	Walter Crandell
Danielle Harris	...	Melissa Crandell
Christopher Pettiet	...	Zach Crandell
Chris Claridge	...	Lizard
Jeff Bollow	...	Mole
Michael Kopelow	...	Hellhound
Alejandro Quezada	...	Skull
Wendy Brainard	...	Jill
Sarah Buxton	...	Tess
Kawena Charlot	...	Becky
Laurie Morrison	...	Katrina
Deborah Tucker	...	Nicole
Sydney Lassick	...	Franklin
Michelle Mais	...	The Temp
Oscar Jordan	...	Mailroom Clerk
Marc Epstein	...	Lunch Waiter
Jim Holmes	...	Dinner Waiter
Cathy Ladman	...	Pam
Frank Dent	...	Mr. Egg
Bryan Clark	...	Dr. Permutter
Steve Ruggles	...	Officious Clerk
Randy Pelish	...	Delivery Man
E.E. Bell	...	Umpire
Kristen Corbett	...	Pretty Little Leaguer
Christopher Plummer	...	Howard
Carl Tramon	...	Musician #1
Ethan Wilson	...	Musician #2
Logan Duncan	...	Liza
David Shawn Michaels	...	Dolly
Christopher Morley	...	Marilyn
Robert F. Newmyer	...	Mortuary Worker
Brian Reilly	...	Mortuary Worker
Dan Castellaneta	...	Animated Babysitter (voice)

Directed by
Stephen Herek

Writing credits (WGA)
Neil Landau		(written by) &
Tara Ison		(written by)

Produced by
Caroline Baron	....	associate producer
Davis Guggenheim	....	associate producer
Robert F. Newmyer	....	producer (as Robert Newmyer)
Julia Phillips	....	producer
Michael Phillips	....	executive producer
Brian Reilly	....	producer
Jeffrey Silver	....	producer

Original Music by
David Newman

Cinematography by
Tim Suhrstedt		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Larry Bock

Casting by
Sharon Bialy
Richard Pagano

Production Design by
Stephen Marsh

Art Direction by
Patricia Klawonn

Set Decoration by
Kara Lindstrom

Costume Design by
Carol Ramsey

Makeup Department
Dee Dee Altamura	....	assistant hair stylist
Dee Dee Altamura	....	assistant makeup artist
Kathy Shorkey	....	makeup artist
Jeanne Van Phue	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Rebekah Rudd	....	post-production supervisor
Jeffrey Silver	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Verónica González Rubio	....	additional second assistant director
Bradley M. Gross	....	first assistant director
Zia Iampietro	....	dga trainee
Scott Printz	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Tom Altobello	....	assistant props
Mayne Berke	....	set designer
B. Miles Blakney	....	construction foreman
Patrick Cassidy	....	lead person
Sylvain Despretz	....	storyboard artist
Ken Deubel III	....	paint foreman (as Ken Duebel)
David Esparza	....	on-set painter
Tim Fox	....	greensman
Ellen Freund	....	property master
Ted Hardwick	....	swing gang
Bruce Harris	....	assistant construction coordinator
Barry Hatchett	....	on-set carpenter
Robyn Jacobs	....	set dresser (as Robyn L. Jacobs)
Thomas V. Johnson	....	lead painter
Thomas V. Johnson	....	scenic painter
Martin Kohn	....	art department coordinator
Carol Lieberman Bass	....	graphic artist
Brian Markey	....	construction coordinator
Ed McDonnell	....	swing gang
Kay Olson	....	buyer
Ellen Totleben	....	assistant set decorator
Ron Woods	....	assistant props
Jamie Arbuckle	....	painter (uncredited)
Francis J. Roix	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bob Baron	....	adr mixer
Francesca Dodd	....	assistant sound editor
Patrick Dodd	....	sound editor
Jennifer Myers	....	foley artist
Ed Novick	....	production sound
Margie O'Malley	....	foley artist
Jenny Oznowicz	....	assistant sound editor
Warren Paeff	....	apprentice sound editor
David Parker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Freddy Potatohead	....	production sound
E. Jeane Putnam	....	sound editor
Philip Rogers	....	machine room supervisor
Susan Sanford	....	apprentice sound editor
Michael Semanick	....	sound re-recording mixer
Leslie Shatz	....	sound designer
Leslie Shatz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alan Splet	....	sound editor
Eric Thompson	....	foley recordist
Jennifer L. Ware	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Philip Bartko	....	special effects coordinator

Stunts
Laura Dash	....	stunt double
James M. Halty	....	stunt coordinator
William R. Perry	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Vic Anderbert	....	video playback operator
Shunil Borpujari	....	dolly grip
Shunil Borpujari	....	key grip
Ellsworth Chou	....	electrician
Paul V. Ferrazzi	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Bob Field	....	gaffer
Elwin 'Bub' Greer	....	best boy grip (as Elwin B. Greer)
Adrian Licciardi	....	second assistant camera
Robert Nellis	....	grip
Rick Perez	....	grip (as Richard Perez)
John 'Steamer' Preston	....	electrician
Rick Rothen	....	electrician (as Richard Rothen)
Randolph Sellars	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Gabor Szitanyi	....	still photographer
Brian Tilgen	....	gaffer: second unit
Brian Tilgen	....	rigging
Don Tomich	....	best boy electric
Jorgen Wedseltoft	....	first assistant camera
Gary A. Williams	....	grip
Elizabeth Ziegler	....	Steadicam operator
Bill-Brady Majors	....	grip (uncredited)
Brian Tilden	....	gaffer: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Janet Cunningham	....	extras casting
Debi Manwiller	....	casting associate
Anne Mongan	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mercedes Carmona	....	seamstress
Melinda Leeson	....	assistant costume designer
Donna O'Neal	....	wardrobe supervisor
Rebecca Schaefer	....	assistant wardrobe
Mary Sheldon	....	costume shop supervisor
Emmy Taylor	....	assistant wardrobe (as Emmy S. Taylor)

Editorial Department
Kurt Hathaway	....	second assistant editor
Philip Ross Kessel	....	post-production assistant
Omneya 'Nini' Mazen	....	executive in charge of post-production
Mike Milliken	....	color timer
Rebekah Rudd	....	first assistant editor
Karl Weiner	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Tim Boyle	....	music engineer
Jeff Carson	....	supervising music editor
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor
Bill Green	....	music supervisor
Larry Marks	....	score producer
Bruce Nazarian	....	composer: additional music

Transportation Department
Don Basset	....	transportation captain
Joel Renfro	....	transportation coordinator
Lee Sanders	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Tianna Bentley	....	stand-in
Jack Binder	....	assistant: Mr. Phillips
Ursula Brauner	....	dog trainer
Ron Cafferty	....	caterer
Christopher Connling	....	assistant auditor
Thomas Craig	....	second assistant auditor
Lori A. Depp	....	assistant: Ms. Applegate
Buddy Enright	....	location manager
Rick Eyler	....	assistant production coordinator
Stephanie Fitzpatrick	....	stand-in
John Fountain	....	stand-in
Alan Grabelsky	....	production executive
Adrienne Hamalian-Mangine	....	script supervisor
Nick Jacobs	....	assistant location manager
Brad Jeffries	....	choreographer
Doug Kerzner	....	set production assistant
Andrea Lawent	....	assistant choreographer
Nancy Mcintosh	....	assistant: Mr. Newmyer
Boone Narr	....	dog trainer
Marilyn Nelson	....	unit publicist
Susan E. Novick	....	assistant: Mr. Silver
Warren Paeff	....	office production assistant
Jeff Penley	....	stand-in
Paul 'Sled' Reynolds	....	dog trainer
Eric L. Roberts	....	craft service
Michele Rosenthal	....	office assistant
Albert G. Ruben	....	insurance (as Albert G. Rubin)
Meryle Selinger	....	production auditor
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator
Arlene Singer-Gross	....	teacher
Andy Spilkoman	....	key set production assistant
Bud Thomas	....	fabric painter
Scott Tyler	....	caterer
Liz Wartenberg	....	production coordinator
C.J. Wells	....	extras assistant
Patricia Wolff	....	assistant: Mr. Herek
Robert Wright	....	location assistant
Glenn M. Student	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Cinema Plus
• Douglas
• Home Box Office (HBO)
• Mercury
• Outlaw Productions (I)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox Network (1993) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Divisa Home Video (2004-2009) (Spain) (DVD)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Top Tape (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Arrangment, The  catering
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• R/Greenberg Associates  animation
• R/Greenberg Associates  title design
• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound re-recording
• Segue Music  music editing
• Sunrise Films  negative cutting

Also Known As:

The Real World (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M (TV rating) | Netherlands:AL | South Korea:12 | Australia:PG | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:7 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Cinema Plus

Trivia:

When the movie was released on video, there was a contest where participants would answer a number of questions about the movie related to movie trivia as well as ratings of various actors' performances. The winner, whose answers matched up the best with an official set, would win the babysitter's car (the one stolen by the drag queens).

Goofs:

Factual errors: The gun Kenny was using to shoot the dishes was actually a bee bee gun. You can clearly see, but the sound and effect it was having on the dishes was a shotgun. Plus no shells were being ejected from the gun.

Quotes:

Zach Crandell: We told you to talk to her. We didn't want you to send her to the glue factory.
Sue Ellen "Swell" Crandell: I didn't kill her, Zach. She died in her sleep.
Melissa Crandell: Probably choked on her whistle.

Movie Connections:

References "The Twilight Zone" (1959)

Soundtrack:

KEEP THE FAITH

A perfect light comedy

Anyone who loved "Married with Children" and the acting by Christina Applegate in that series will surely like this film, which revolves around her persona.

The plot is simple: Single mother goes on a month's vacation leaving all the kids in care of an elderly babysitter, who promptly dies from natural causes. The kids don't want mum back at once, so they dispose of the old lady in a fitting manner - accidentally taking all the housekeeping money with her to the mortuary.

So the kids ends up with no money and no one to turn to, but they somehow manage till mom comes back.

The acting by all the kids is superb, Christina Applegate not least,and the rest of the cast is beyond reproach, too! Joanna Cassidy as Applegate's boss (long story :-)!) is just perfect, as is John Getz as Joanna's sometime lover (although he seem to run after anything in a skirt).

There are many moral lessons from this lighthearted story, not least that circumstance can force you to do things you never dreamed of doing, and that the sad fact is that money makes the world go around!

I liked it the first time I saw it and I even liked it more the second time round!