American Splendor (2003)
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- R
- 1h 41min
- Biography, Comedy
- 12 Sep 2003 (USA)
- Movie
An original mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic book hero everyman Harvey Pekar.
Directors:
Writers:
Awards:
- Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 31 wins & 49 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
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Chris Ambrose | ... |
Superman
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Joey Krajcar | ... |
Batman
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| Josh Hutcherson | ... |
Robin
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Cameron Carter | ... |
Green Lantern
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Daniel Tay | ... |
Young Harvey
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| Mary Faktor | ... |
Housewife
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| Paul Giamatti | ... |
Harvey Pekar
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| Harvey Pekar | ... |
Real Harvey
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| Shari Springer Berman | ... |
Interviewer (voice)
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Larry John Meyers | ... |
Throat Doctor
(as Larry John Myers)
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Vivienne Benesch | ... |
Lana
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| Barbara Brown | ... |
Nurse
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| Earl Billings | ... |
Mr. Boats
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| Danny Hoch | ... |
Marty
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| James Urbaniak | ... |
Robert Crumb
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| Eli Ganias | ... |
Pahls
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| Sylvia Kauders | ... |
Old Jewish Lady
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Rebecca Borger | ... |
Cashier
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Nick Baxter | ... |
Mattress Guy #1
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Allen Branstein | ... |
Mattress Guy #2
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Dick Prochaska | ... |
WW II Patient
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Charles Eduardos | ... |
Doctor
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| Judah Friedlander | ... |
Toby Radloff
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| Robert Pulcini | ... |
Bob The Director
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| Toby Radloff | ... |
Real Toby
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| Bianca Santos | ... |
Counter Girl
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Maggie Moore | ... |
Alice Quinn
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| Hope Davis | ... |
Joyce Brabner
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| Mike Rad | ... |
Rand
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| Amy K. Harmon | ... |
Cheery Waitress
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Joyce Brabner | ... |
Real Joyce
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| Donal Logue | ... |
Stage Actor Harvey
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| Molly Shannon | ... |
Stage Actor Joyce
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Eytan Mirsky | ... |
Guitarist
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Rob Grader | ... |
Stage Manager
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Terrence Sullivan | ... |
Letterman Regular
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| Ebon Moss-Bachrach | ... |
MTV Director
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| Patrick Lafferty | ... |
Yuppie
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| Jesse Perez | ... |
Miguel
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| Jeff Peters | ... |
Talk Show Host
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Ola Creston | ... |
PA #1
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Robert J. Williams | ... |
Cancer Doctor
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| James McCaffrey | ... |
Fred
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| Madylin Sweeten | ... |
Danielle
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Danielle Batone | ... |
Real Danielle
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Jason Stevens | ... |
Letterman Regular Voice (voice)
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Todd Cummings | ... |
Talk Show Host Voice (voice)
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Rae Sunshine Lee | ... |
Cashier (uncredited)
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Marcus Wynnycky | ... |
Comic Book Fan (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Shari Springer Berman | ||
| Robert Pulcini | ||
Written by
| Harvey Pekar | ... | (comic book series American Splendor) |
| Joyce Brabner | ... | (comic book series Our Cancer Year) |
| Shari Springer Berman | ... | (written by) & |
| Robert Pulcini | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| Declan Baldwin | ... | line producer: New York |
| Ted Hope | ... | producer |
| Julia King | ... | associate producer |
| Christine K. Walker | ... | line producer (as Christine Kunewa Walker) |
Music by
| Mark Suozzo | ||
Cinematography by
| Terry Stacey | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Robert Pulcini | ||
Editorial Department
| Alfredo Frasson | ... | color timer |
| Mitchell Gutman | ... | post-production intern |
| Linus Hume | ... | post-production coordinator |
| Julia King | ... | post-production supervisor |
| Catherine Rankin | ... | negative cutter |
| Tim Streeto | ... | additional editor |
| Mila Patriki | ... | colorist: dailies (uncredited) |
| Andrew Seklir | ... | assistant editor (uncredited) |
Casting By
| Ann Goulder | ||
Production Design by
| Thérèse DePrez | ... | (as Thérèse Deprez) |
Art Direction by
| Michael Krantz | ... | (uncredited) (reshoots) |
Set Decoration by
| Robert DeSue | ... | (as Robert Desue) |
Costume Design by
| Michael Wilkinson | ||
Makeup Department
| Luisa Abel | ... | makeup department head |
| Deanna | ... | hair department head (as R. Deanna) |
| Deborah Lilly | ... | hair swing (as Deborah R. Lilly) / makeup swing (as Deborah R. Lilly) |
| Kathy Madison | ... | additional hair / additional makeup |
Production Management
| Janet Fries Eckholm | ... | post-production supervisor: Los Angeles (as Janet Eckholm) |
| Chip Signore | ... | unit production manager: New York |
| Andy Wheeler | ... | production supervisor |
| Pamela Winn-Barnett | ... | post-production executive (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Eric Richard Lasko | ... | second second assistant director (as Eric Lasko) |
| Matt G. Sheets | ... | additional second assistant director |
| Chip Signore | ... | first assistant director |
| Meryl Stavitz | ... | second assistant director |
Art Department
| Doug Allen | ... | original artwork |
| Greg Budgett | ... | original artwork |
| John Alan Champion | ... | swing gang (as John Champion) |
| Robert Crumb | ... | original artwork (as R. Crumb) |
| Gary Dumm | ... | original artwork |
| Jack Gardener | ... | swing gang (as Jack Gardner) |
| Jason Gerstein | ... | original artwork |
| Mindy Harris | ... | property master |
| Dean Haspiel | ... | original artwork |
| Matt Hausmann | ... | art department intern |
| Todd Heckeler | ... | art department intern |
| Kenneth J. Kellers | ... | leadman (as Kenneth Kellers) |
| Lynn Kramer | ... | props assistant |
| Donald Leigl | ... | swing gang (as Donald J. Liegl) |
| Dustin Lucien | ... | art department intern |
| Dean Macur | ... | props assistant |
| Shaina Malkin | ... | art department intern |
| Deborah Marsh | ... | art department coordinator |
| David W. Mooney | ... | swing gang |
| Beth O'Brien | ... | art department intern |
| Mike O'Neill | ... | art department intern |
| Erika Rice | ... | swing gang |
| Joe Sacco | ... | original artwork |
| Gerry Shamray | ... | original artwork |
| Frank Stack | ... | original artwork |
| Tema L. Staig | ... | assistant to production designer (as Tema Levine) |
| Diana Stoughton | ... | on-set dresser |
| Matthew T. | ... | art department production assistant |
| James E. Todd | ... | swing gang |
| Joe Zabel | ... | original artwork |
| Mark Zingarelli | ... | original artwork: "Our Movie Year" |
Sound Department
| Ron Bochar | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Mick Davies | ... | boom operator (as Michael B. Davies) |
| Chris Fielder | ... | transfer assistant |
| Albert Gasser | ... | dialogue editor |
| Ruth Hernandez | ... | first sound assistant |
| George A. Lara | ... | foley supervisor |
| Whit Norris | ... | sound mixer |
| Jay Peck | ... | foley artist |
| Anne Pope | ... | dialogue editor |
| Nicholas Renbeck | ... | supervising sound editor |
| Jeffrey Stern | ... | adr editor (as Jeff Stern) |
| Allan Zaleski | ... | sound effects editor |
| Alexa Zimmerman | ... | first sound assistant |
| Rick Ash | ... | re-recording mixer (uncredited) |
| Jamie Baker | ... | adr recordist (uncredited) |
| Glen Marullo | ... | sound mixer (uncredited) |
| Unsun Song | ... | sound recordist (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
| John Kuramoto | ... | animator: Twinkle / compositor: Twinkle |
| Gary Leib | ... | animator: Twinkle / designer: Twinkle |
| Patrick Clancey | ... | digital opticals (uncredited) |
| John R. Ellis | ... | digital cleanup artist (uncredited) |
| Steven J. Scott | ... | digital intermediate colorist: EFilm (uncredited) |
| Michael J. Williams | ... | digital opticals: Heavy Light Digital (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Ian Axilrod | ... | camera loader |
| Ian Carmody | ... | camera intern / stills photographer: credit sequence stills |
| Oliver Cary | ... | first assistant camera |
| Joe Cassano | ... | dolly grip: "a" camera |
| John Clifford | ... | stills photographer |
| Chuck Cocita | ... | additional electric |
| Kiely Cronin | ... | camera operator: "b" camera (as W. Kiely Cronin) / second assistant camera (as W. Kiely Cronin) |
| Steve Drellich | ... | camera operator |
| Alex Esber | ... | camera operator: "b" camera / second assistant camera |
| Dan Jarrell | ... | key grip |
| Matthew Jennings | ... | best boy grip (as Matthew E. Jennings) |
| Julie 'Doc' Lindstrom | ... | company electric (as Julie Ann 'Doc' Lindstrom) |
| Alex Mangen | ... | camera loader |
| Joseph L. McDermott | ... | additional grip |
| George McDougal | ... | additional electric (as George McDougall) |
| Frank McKeon | ... | additional electric |
| Pat Meehan | ... | 24 frame playback |
| Jonathan Meyer | ... | additional grip |
| Keith Nickoson | ... | company grip |
| Lester Parker | ... | company electric |
| Steve Ramsey | ... | gaffer (as Steven Ramsey) |
| Christy Taddeo | ... | additional electric |
| Michael F. Taylor | ... | additional grip |
| John Turk | ... | additional electric |
| Adam N. White | ... | additional grip (as Adam White) |
| Russell Wulff | ... | best boy electric (as Russell O. Wulff) |
| Jack Yager | ... | company grip |
| Ron Zabarsky | ... | additional electrician (as Ronald Zabarsky) |
| Rebecca Venezia | ... | assistant camera: New York (uncredited) |
Casting Department
| Elizabeth Baird | ... | principals casting assistant (as Liz Baird) |
| Sarah Katherine Christie | ... | casting assistant |
| Kendall Embrescia | ... | extras casting assistant |
| Marcy Ronen | ... | extras casting: Cleveland |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Kim Andrews | ... | costume assistant (as Kimberly Andrews) |
| Robin K Fields | ... | key costumer (as Robin K. Fields) |
| Murshel Lewis | ... | costume supervisor (as Murshel C. Lewis) |
| Sarah Silver | ... | wardrobe intern |
| Adrienne Brown | ... | wardrobe production assistant (uncredited) |
| Ashley Harrington | ... | wardrobe production assistant (uncredited) |
Location Management
| Jeremy Bailey | ... | assistant location manager |
| Joe Cortese | ... | location production assistant |
| Michael Rochford | ... | location manager (as Michael M. Rochford) |
| Becky Woodward | ... | additional location production assistant |
Music Department
| Sanford Allen | ... | featured musician: violin solo/concertmaster |
| John Beal | ... | featured musician: bass |
| Linda Cohen | ... | music supervisor |
| Dave Douglas | ... | featured musician: trumpet |
| Butch Jones | ... | additional music recordist: Back Pocket Recording Studios |
| Evyen Klean | ... | music consultant |
| Bob Malach | ... | featured musician: tenor sax |
| Josh Rosenblum | ... | additional conductor |
| Derek Smith | ... | featured musician: piano, organ, celeste |
| Ted Spencer | ... | music recordist-mixer |
| Dale Stuckenbruck | ... | featured musician: musical saw |
| Mark Suozzo | ... | conductor / music producer / orchestrator |
| Ronnie Zito | ... | featured musician: drums |
| Jamie Baker | ... | music recordist (uncredited) |
| Clair Marlo | ... | composer additional music (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Michael Taylor | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
| Wayne Conway | ... | transportation captain |
| Cheryl Dennis | ... | driver |
| Tom McCue | ... | transportation coordinator (as Thomas Titus McCue) |
| Russ A. Minerd | ... | driver |
| Larry Spencer | ... | additional driver |
| Roman Wlaszyn | ... | picture car wrangler (as Roman A. Wlaszyn) |
| Andy Bethke | ... | driver (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| William Ball | ... | additional craft assistant |
| Andy Bethke | ... | set production assistant |
| Chad Bronson | ... | set production assistant |
| Brian Cantaldi | ... | bookkeeper |
| Alison Cohen | ... | production counsel: Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein |
| Paula D Collins | ... | craft service assistant (as Paula Collins) |
| Rob Fegen | ... | production administrative supervisor (as Robert Fegen) |
| Janell Fletcher | ... | facility manager: Avid |
| Jennifer Zolten Freed | ... | post-production accountant (as Jennifer Freed) |
| Jason Gerstein | ... | office production assistant |
| Elisabeth Giglio | ... | office manager: C 5 |
| Lamia Guellati | ... | assistant: Ted Hope |
| Jason Cooper Hall | ... | assistant: Christine Walker |
| Virginia M. Herdman | ... | craft service |
| Derrick Kardos | ... | clearance assistant |
| Billy Lalor | ... | clearance assistant |
| Robert Langhorst | ... | assistant chef: Premiere Caterers |
| David Lemoyne | ... | additional set production assistant (as David Lemoyne Jones) |
| Sara Lieberth | ... | craft service |
| Eric Muss-Barnes | ... | production assistant: cast |
| Ginny Nugent | ... | production executive |
| Jen O'Neal | ... | additional production secretary |
| Chris Petro II | ... | production assistant: cast |
| Ryan Polack | ... | set production assistant |
| Amanda L. Preputnik | ... | additional set production assistant |
| Elizabeth Rohrbaugh | ... | set production assistant |
| Michael Santeramo | ... | chef: Premiere Caterers |
| Melinka Thompson-Godoy | ... | production executive: Good Machine |
| Lesley Ward | ... | production secretary (as Lesley Ward-Zickefoose) |
| Devon Zeigler | ... | set production assistant |
| Brian Dickson | ... | production assistant (uncredited) |
| Jason Cooper Hall | ... | assistant to cast (uncredited) |
| Kelly Lofstrom | ... | contract administrator (uncredited) |
| Charles Moore | ... | production assistant (uncredited) |
| Rebecca Thornell | ... | clearance (uncredited) |
| Daniel Villagomez | ... | credits administrator (uncredited) |
| Andy Wheeler | ... | production accountant (uncredited) |
Thanks
| Norman Barr | ... | special thanks: The Detroit Theatre |
| Jude Brennan | ... | special thanks |
| Paul Brennan | ... | special thanks (as Paul Brennan Esq.) |
| Bernt Amadeus Capra | ... | the producers would like to thank (as Bernt Capra) |
| Chris Carmody | ... | special thanks |
| Debra Greico | ... | special thanks |
| Wayne Alan Harold | ... | special thanks (as Wayne Harold) |
| Robert Katz | ... | special thanks |
| Walt Kelly | ... | acknowledgment: the filmmakers acknowledge the creative work of |
| Anne Kuenzel | ... | special thanks: Lakewood Hospital |
| Matthew D. Loeb | ... | special thanks (as Matt Loeb) |
| Lewis Payton | ... | special thanks |
| Carla Raij | ... | special thanks |
| Alicia Sams | ... | special thanks |
| Adam Shulman | ... | special thanks |
| Mary Jane Skalski | ... | special thanks |
| Pam Smith | ... | special thanks |
| Jim Stark | ... | the producers would like to thank |
| Vince Waldron | ... | the producers would like to thank |
Production Companies
- HBO Films (presents)
- Good Machine
Distributors
- HBO Films (2003) (United States) (theatrical) (presents)
- Fine Line Features (2003) (United States) (theatrical)
- Diaphana Distribution (2003) (France) (theatrical)
- Optimum Releasing (2003) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Xenix Filmdistribution (2003) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
- Madman Entertainment (2003) (Australia) (DVD)
- Arthaus (2004) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Filmmuseum Distributie (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Kamer-Ton-Film (2004) (Russia) (theatrical)
- NonStop Entertainment (2004) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Polyfilm Verleih (2004) (Austria) (theatrical)
- Toshiba Entertainment (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
- Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
- Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2004) (United States) (DVD) (VHS)
- Rialto Distribution (2004) (Australia)
- Rialto Distribution (2004) (New Zealand)
- Video Film Express (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2004) (United States) (DVD)
- Sunfilm Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
- DVD Liider (2006) (Estonia) (DVD)
- HBO Max (2020) (United States) (video) (VOD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services (insurance)
- Alco Vending Machines (special thanks)
- American Humane Association (animals monitored by: AHA 00261)
- Amy Joy Donuts (special thanks)
- Arena Stage (the producers would like to thank)
- Back Pocket Recording Studios (additional music recording)
- C5 (mix facility)
- C5 (post-production sound services)
- C5 (sound editing)
- Cannes Film Festival (festival)
- Caribou Coffee (special thanks)
- Carol & John's Comic Book Shop (special thanks)
- City of Cleveland (special thanks)
- City of Lakewood (special thanks)
- Clinton Recording Studios (music recorded at)
- Collector's Warehouse (special thanks)
- Comic World (special thanks)
- Continental Airlines (special thanks)
- Deluxe Toronto (production dailies)
- Denis Kitchen Ad Agency (special thanks)
- DuArt Film and Video (end crawl)
- Elmwood Bakery (special thanks)
- Entertainment Partners (payroll services)
- Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein (legal counsel)
- Falco Ink. (award campaign)
- Fantagraphics Books (acknowledgement: "Mr. Natural" and "Fritz the Cat" appear courtesy of)
- Four Walls Eight Windows (acknowledgement: "Our Cancer Year" and "The New American Splendor Anthology" provided courtesy of)
- Gene's Place (special thanks)
- Haddad's (production vehicles)
- Halloran Ice Rink (special thanks)
- Heavy Light Digital (digital to film transfer)
- Heavy Light Digital (opticals)
- Lakewood Hospital (special thanks)
- Major League Baseball Properties (trademarks: Major League Baseball items licensed by)
- Music Television (MTV) (acknowledgement: "Toby Radloff News Footage" used with permission by)
- NBC Studios (footage: "Late Night with David Letterman" courtesy of)
- New Line Records (soundtrack released by)
- Panavision (cameras and lenses)
- Panavision (grip and electric equipment)
- Pivotal Post (avid editing equipment)
- Premiere Caterers (caterer)
- RCA Victor (acknowledgement: Dave Douglas appears courtesy of)
- Shay's Restaurant (special thanks)
- Sound One (mix facility)
- Sundance Film Festival (festival)
- TRS Recording (music mixed at)
- Tenable Protective Security (security)
- The Cleveland Film Commission (special thanks)
- The Detroit Theatre (special thanks)
- The Independent Eye (acknowledgement: The First Live Theatrical Production based on the comic book "American Splendor" was produced by)
- Trevanna Post (post-production accounting)
- Twentieth Century Fox (poster: "Revenge of the Nerds" courtesy of)
- Twinkle (title sequence)
- White Castle System (trademarks: White Castle items licensed by)
- Zone Travel (special thanks)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Harvey Pekar is file clerk at the local VA hospital. His interactions with his co-workers offer some relief from the monotony, and their discussions encompass everything from music to the decline of American culture to new flavors of jellybeans and life itself. At home, Harvey fills his days with reading, writing and listening to jazz. His apartment is filled with thousands of books and LPs, and he regularly scours Cleveland's thrift stores and garage sales for more, savoring the rare joy of a 25-cent find. It is at one of these junk sales that Harvey meets Robert Crumb, a greeting card artist and music enthusiast. When, years later, Crumb finds international success for his underground comics, the idea that comic books can be a valid art form for adults inspires Harvey to write his own brand of comic book. An admirer of naturalist writers like Theodore Dreiser, Harvey makes his American Splendor a truthful, unsentimental record of his working-class life, a warts-and-all self portrait. First published in 1976, the comic earns Harvey cult fame throughout the 1980s and eventually leads him to the sardonic Joyce Barber, a partner in a Delaware comic book store who end ups being Harvey's true soul mate as they experience the bizarre byproducts of Harvey's cult celebrity stature. Written by Sujit R. Varma |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Opening Weekend United States | $159,705, 17 Aug 2003 |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | NBC would not lease out the actual Late Show with David Letterman (1993) footage where Harvey Pekar finally lashed out at David Letterman, so the scene had to be recreated with actors. See more » |
| Goofs | The scene where Harvey gets stuck behind the old Jewish woman leaves out a detail that would help it make sense. In the movie, she says that the glasses are 6 for $2, but she couldn't carry 12 last time,, so they should charge her only $1.50 for the additional 6. There is no explanation as to why she should be charged less. In the story from the original comic, she says that the glasses are 6 for $2 or 12 for $3.50, but she couldn't get all 12 last time, so they should charge her only $1.50 for the 6 she is buying now. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Le Divorce/The Housekeeper/American Splendor/Open Range (2003). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Paniots Nine See more » |
| Quotes |
Real Harvey:
I felt more alone that week than any. Sometimes I'd feel a body lying next to me like an amputee feels a phantom limb. All I did was think about Jennie Gerhardt and Alice Quinn and all the decades of people I had known. The more I thought, the more I felt like crying. Life seemed so sweet and so sad, and so hard to let go of in the end. But hey, man, every day is a brand new deal, right? Just keep on working and something's bound to turn up. See more » |