''These Old Broads'' is a 2001 American

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

television film directed by Matthew Diamond, written by Carrie Fisher and

Elaine Pope Elaine Pope is a Canadian writer and film producer. Born in Montreal, she began her career writing TV specials for Lily Tomlin, including the 1981 TV special ''Lily: Sold Out'', as well as the ABC-TV live sketch-comedy show '' Fridays'' (a rival ...

, and starring Fisher's mother

Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer, and businesswoman. Her career spanned almost 70 years. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her portra ...

, as well as

Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty, April 24, 1934) is an American actress, author, and former dancer. Known for her portrayals of quirky, strong-willed and eccentric women, MacLaine has received numerous accolades over her seven-dec ...

Joan Collins Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. Collins is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primetime ...

, and

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...

in her final film role. In a 2001 BBC ''

Omnibus Omnibus may refer to: Film and television * ''Omnibus'' (film) * Omnibus (broadcast), a compilation of Radio or TV episodes * ''Omnibus'' (UK TV series), an arts-based documentary programme * ''Omnibus'' (U.S. TV series), an educational progr ...

'' documentary about Taylor, MacLaine says that

Julie Andrews Dame Julie Andrews (born Julia Elizabeth Wells; 1 October 1935) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has garnered numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over seven decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Fi ...

and

Lauren Bacall Lauren Bacall (; born Betty Joan Perske; September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014) was an American actress. She was named the 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute and received an Academy Honorary Aw ...

were originally planned to be in the film. The role of Miriam Hodges was originally offered to

June Allyson June Allyson (born Eleanor Geisman; October 7, 1917 – July 8, 2006) was an American stage, film, and television actress, dancer, and singer. Allyson began her career in 1937 as a dancer in short subject films and on Broadway in 1938. She sign ...

, who ended up in a cameo instead.

Plot summary

Network television executive Gavin hopes to reunite celebrated Hollywood stars Piper Grayson, Kate Westbourne, and Addie Holden in a TV special after their 1960s film musical ''Boy Crazy'' is re-released to wide public acclaim in the 1990s. Though the three women share the same agent, Beryl Mason, Gavin's seemingly insurmountable obstacle is that they all cannot stand one another.

Cast

as Kate Westbourne *

as Piper Grayson *

as Addie Holden *

as Beryl Mason * Jonathan Silverman as Wesley Westbourne *

Pat Crawford Brown Pat Crawford Brown (June 29, 1929July 2, 2019) was an American actress. Life and career Brown married Calvin B. Brown on January 3, 1961, and they remained married until his death in 1976. They had one daughter, Charlotte Brown Swanson. She beg ...

as Miriam Hodges (Addie's mother) *

Nestor Carbonell Nestor may refer to: * Nestor (mythology), King of Pylos in Greek mythology Arts and entertainment * "Nestor" (''Ulysses'' episode) an episode in James Joyce's novel ''Ulysses'' * Nestor Studios, first-ever motion picture studio in Hollywood, ...

as Gavin * Peter Graves as Bill *

Gene Barry Gene Barry (born Eugene Klass, June 14, 1919 – December 9, 2009) was an American stage, screen, and television actor and singer. Barry is best remembered for his leading roles in the films ''The Atomic City'' (1952) and ''The War of The World ...

as Mr. Stern *

Pat Harrington Jr. Daniel Patrick Harrington Jr. (August 13, 1929 – January 6, 2016) was an American Emmy Award-winning stage and television actor, best known for his role as building superintendent Dwayne Schneider on the sitcom '' One Day at a Time'' (1975� ...

as Tony Frank * Carlos Jacott as Tom * Hinton Battle as Pete * Suzanne Carney as Connie * Heath Hyche as Ben Collier * Betty Carvalho as Rosa * Joe Sabatino as Leo * Sheri Hellard as Laurie Miller *

Larry Sullivan Lawrence Edward Sullivan, Jr. (born September 10, 1970) is an American actor. Among his prominent roles is that of Robert, Will's ballet dancing boyfriend, on the NBC television series ''Will & Grace''. The episode was the show's first ever ho ...

as Jason (as Larry Sullivan Jr.) *

Todd Fisher Todd Emmanuel Fisher (born February 24, 1958) Abstract; full article requires subscription. is an American director, cinematographer, producer and actor of television films and documentaries. Fisher is the son of singer Eddie Fisher and actress De ...

as Timothy *

Tricia Leigh Fisher Tricia Leigh Fisher is an American actress and singer. Early life Fisher was born to singer Eddie Fisher (singer), Eddie Fisher and actress Connie Stevens. Her older sister is actress and singer Joely Fisher. She has two half-siblings, actor a ...

as Hooker * Carrie Fisher as Hooker * Zach Woodlee as Boy Crazy Dancer * Kevin Alexander Stea as Boy Crazy Dancer (as Kevin Stea) * Dante Henderson as Boy Crazy Dancer *

as Lady in Hotel (uncredited) * Kevin Nealon as Roger (uncredited)

Back story of leads

MacLaine, Reynolds, Collins and Taylor had all crossed paths personally and/or professionally in Hollywood over the years. Collins dated MacLaine's brother,

Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker, whose career spans over six decades. He was nominated for 15 Academy Awards, including four for Best Actor, four for Best Picture, two for Best Director, ...

, when he was just starting his film career. Collins was also put on standby to replace an ailing Taylor in the film ''

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...

'' but Taylor recovered from her illness and completed the film. Reynolds' husband,

Eddie Fisher Edwin Jack Fisher (August 10, 1928 – September 22, 2010) was an American singer and actor. He was one of the most popular artists during the 1950s, selling millions of records and hosting his own TV show, ''The Eddie Fisher Show''. Actress Eli ...

, left her for a grieving Taylor after his best friend and Taylor's husband, Mike Todd, was killed in a plane crash. Reynolds and Taylor had also been close friends before the affair, but they grew to hate each other due to what happened and stayed away for twelve years. However, the two eventually reconciled on a cruise ship in a plan set up by Carrie Fisher and once again remained friends until Taylor's death in 2011. MacLaine wanted the role of Molly Brown in '' The Unsinkable Molly Brown'' but a clause in her contract prevented her from getting it; this made the role available for Reynolds, who garnered an Oscar nomination for her performance in the film. MacLaine portrayed a character loosely based on Reynolds in ''

Postcards from the Edge ''Postcards from the Edge'' is a semi-autobiographical novel by Carrie Fisher, first published in 1987. It was later adapted by Fisher herself into a motion picture Postcards from the Edge (film), of the same name, which was directed by Mike Ni ...

'', written by Reynolds's daughter, Carrie Fisher. The story of Kate Westbourne's adopted son Wesley Westbourne, who is actually her biological son from her affair with the late Dick Preston, may have been inspired by the true story of Loretta Young, Judy Lewis and

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

References

External links

* {{Matthew Diamond 2001 television films 2001 films 2001 comedy films 2001 LGBT-related films 2000s American films 2000s buddy comedy films 2000s English-language films 2000s female buddy films ABC network original films American buddy comedy films American comedy television films American female buddy films American LGBT-related television films Films about actors Films directed by Matthew Diamond Films with screenplays by Carrie Fisher Gay-related films LGBT-related buddy comedy films