Down and Out in Beverly Hills (film) When Jerry, a down-and-out bum, tries to drown himself in a Beverly Hills swimming pool, the wealthy homeowner, Dave Whiteman, rescues him and invites him into the house to live. Jerry turns the lives of the Whiteman family completely upside down, and in doing so changes their perception of the world around them. They find they need Jerry and his unconventional attitudes as much as he needs them. Released on January 31, 1986. Directed by Paul Mazursky. A Touchstone film. 103 min. The first R rated film from the Disney Studios. Stars Nick Nolte (Jerry Baskin), Bette Midler (Barbara Whiteman), Richard Dreyfuss (Dave Whiteman), Little Richard (Orvis Goodnight), Tracy Nelson (Jenny Whiteman), Elizabeth Peña (Carmen), Evan Richards (Max Whiteman), Donald F. Muhich (Dr. Von Zimmer). For the role of the lovable Matisse, the Whiteman family’s emotionally disturbed dog, a pair of look-alike Scottish Border Collies were used: Davey, did all the action, while Mike did the interrelational scenes. In the brief role as Sadie Whiteman, mother to Richard Dreyfuss’ character, Dreyfuss’ own mother, Geraldine Dreyfuss, was used. The majority of the film was shot on studio soundstages. The back of the Whiteman house as well as the swimming pool and a fully landscaped yard were constructed on the Disney backlot. Daytime shots involving the front of the house were shot at an actual location in Beverly Hills, and because of various permit restrictions, night work in front of the house had to be shot at the Columbia Ranch where a duplicate facade of the Beverly Hills house was built. There was location work at the Rodeo Collection on Rodeo Drive, the Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles International Airport, Venice Beach, the old Cyrano’s restaurant on the Sunset Strip and numerous locations in and around Beverly Hills. Released on video in 1986.
