''Winchell'' is a 1998 American

biographical A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or c ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

directed by

Paul Mazursky Irwin Lawrence "Paul" Mazursky (April 25, 1930 – June 30, 2014) was an American film director, screenwriter, and actor. Known for his dramatic comedies that often dealt with modern social issues, he was nominated for five Academy Awards: three t ...

and written by Scott Abbott, based on the 1976 book ''Winchell, His Life and Times'' by Herman Klurfeld. It stars

Stanley Tucci Stanley Tucci Jr. ( ; born November 11, 1960) is an American actor and filmmaker. Involved in acting from a young age, he made his film debut in John Huston's '' Prizzi's Honor'' (1985), and continued to play a variety of supporting roles in fil ...

Walter Winchell Walter Winchell (April 7, 1897 – February 20, 1972) was a syndicated American newspaper gossip columnist and radio news commentator. Originally a vaudeville performer, Winchell began his newspaper career as a Broadway reporter, critic and co ...

, with

Glenne Headly Glenne Aimee Headly (March 13, 1955 – June 8, 2017) was an American actress. She was widely known for her roles in '' Dirty Rotten Scoundrels'', ''Dick Tracy'', and '' Mr. Holland's Opus''. Headly received a Theatre World Award and four Joseph ...

, Paul Giamatti, Xander Berkeley,

Kevin Tighe Kevin () is the anglicized form of the Irish masculine given name (; mga, Caoimhghín ; sga, Cóemgein ; Latinized as ). It is composed of "dear; noble"; Old Irish and ("birth"; Old Irish ). The variant '' Kevan'' is anglicized from , a ...

, and

Christopher Plummer Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a Canadian actor. His career spanned seven decades, gaining him recognition for his performances in film, stage, and television. He received multiple accolades, inc ...

in supporting roles. The film won three Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for Tucci, who also received a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for his performance.

Premise

The film follows Walter Winchell from his early days as a tabloid gossip columnist to his rise as he takes on the United States' most powerful propagandist.

Cast

as Dallas Wayne * Paul Giamatti as Herman Klurfeld * Xander Berkeley as Gavreau *

William Randolph Hearst William Randolph Hearst Sr. (; April 29, 1863 – August 14, 1951) was an American businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician known for developing the nation's largest newspaper chain and media company, Hearst Communications. His flamboya ...

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

* Frank Medrano as Melvin Diamond *

Vic Polizos Nicholas Victor Polizos (born August 12, 1947) is an American film, television and theatre actor. He is known for playing the recurring role of "Detective Frank Richmond" on four episodes of the American legal drama television series ''Boston L ...

as Sam Hague * John F. O'Donohue as Harry * Michael Greene as Bellamy * Rod McCary as Emcee * Victoria Platt as

Josephine Baker Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald; naturalised French Joséphine Baker; 3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975) was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in her adopted Fran ...

* Paula Cale as Mrs. Klurfeld * Jason Huber as

Ed Sullivan Edward Vincent Sullivan (September 28, 1901 – October 13, 1974) was an American television personality, impresario, sports and entertainment reporter, and syndicated columnist for the ''New York Daily News'' and the Chicago Tribune New Yor ...

* Paul Jenkins as Lawrence Newman *

as Winchell's Father * Megan Mullally as June Winchell * Mary Portser as Janet Winchell

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

External links

* 1998 films 1998 drama films 1998 television films 1990s biographical drama films American biographical drama films Biographical television films American drama television films 1990s English-language films Biographical films about journalists Biographical films about radio people Cultural depictions of Franklin D. Roosevelt Cultural depictions of Josephine Baker Cultural depictions of William Randolph Hearst Films about mass media owners Films about media manipulation Films about newspaper publishing Films about tabloid journalism Films based on biographies Films directed by Paul Mazursky Films scored by Bill Conti Films set in New York City Films shot in Los Angeles Films shot in New York City HBO Films films Television films based on books 1990s American films {{US-tv-drama-film-stub