Quiz Show

Quiz Show, motion picture about the scandal revolving around the popular 1950s television quiz show “Twenty-One,” based on the book Remembering America: A Voice From the Sixties (1989) by Richard N. Goodwin. Released in 1994, this award-winning film was directed by Robert Redford and stars Ralph Fiennes as Charles Van Doren, the quiz-show’s champion player. Herbie Stempel (played by John Turturro) enjoys his status as the reigning egghead on television, answering difficult trivia questions each week and winning great sums of money. However, when the show’s producers and sponsors sense that the public is tiring of Stempel, they decide that it’s time for a different champion to emerge. The producers ask Stempel to throw the game in favor of the handsome, upper-class newcomer Van Doren. Stempel objects, but ultimately the network has its way, since Stempel has actually been maintaining his championship through the game’s secret rigging in his favor. Van Doren takes over as the rigged champion, much to the disdain of his academic father. When the vengeful Stempel blows the whistle on the show, Richard Goodwin investigates, gets to know Van Doren, and the issues of honesty and integrity in entertainment become blurred with issues of class and creed.

Director

Robert Redford

Cast

John Turturro (Herbie Stempel)

Rob Morrow (Richard Goodwin)

Ralph Fiennes (Charles Van Doren)

Paul Scofield (Mark Van Doren)

David Paymer (Dan Enright)

Hank Azaria (Albert Freedman)

Christopher McDonald (Jack Barry)

Johann Carlo (Toby Stempel)

Elizabeth Wilson (Dorothy Van Doren)

Allan Rich (Robert Kintner)

Mira Sorvino (Sandra Goodwin)

George Martin (Chairman)

Paul Guilfoyle (Lishman)

Ethan Hawke (student)

Griffin Dunne (Account guy)

Michael Mantell (Pennebaker)

Byron Jennings (Moomaw)

Ben Shenkman (Childress)

Timothy Busfield (Fred)

Jack Gilpin (Jack)

Bruce Altman (Gene)

Martin Scorsese (Sponsor)

Joda Hershman (Lester Stempel)

Ernie Sabella (Car salesman)

Barry Levinson (Dave Garroway)

Debra Monk (Kintner's Secretary)

Mario Cantone (Passerby)

Timothy Britten Parker (Researcher)

Grace Phillips (Mrs. Nearing)

Jerry Grayson (Limo driver)

Scott Lucy (NBC page)

Matt Keeslar (NBC page)

Ron Scott Bertozzi (NBC page)

Harriet Sansom Harris (Enright's secretary)

Mary Shultz ( Freedman's secretary)

Dave Wilson (Director)

Robert Caminiti (Associate director)

Eddie Korbich (Lighting director)

Le Clanche DuRand (Cornwall neighbor)

Carole Shelley (Cornwall aunt)

Shawna Batten (Cornwall cousin)

Cornelia Ryan (Cornwall cousin)

Jeffrey Nordling (John Van Doren)

Gina Rice (Mrs. John Van Doren)

Vince O'Brien (Bunny Wilson)

Adam Kilgour (Thomas Merton, the monk)

Richard Seff (Congressman Devine)

Bill Moor (Congressman Rogers)

Nicholas Kepros (Congressman Flynt)

Barry Snider (Congressman Springer)

Chuck Adamson (Congressman Mack)

Joseph Attanasio (Congressman Derounian)

Dan Wakefield (Professor at book party)

Hamilton Fish (Professor at book party)

Merwin Goldsmith (Writer at book party)

Illeana Douglas (Woman at book party)

Gretchen Egolf (Student at book party)

Stephen Pearlman (Judge Schweitzer)

Anthony Fusco (Librarian)

Douglas McGrath (Snodgrass)

Calista Flockhart (Barnard girl)

Alysa Shwedel (Barnard girl)

Kelly Coffield (Queens neighbor)

Dede Pochos (Queens neighbor)

Maria Radman (Queens neighbor)

David Stepkin (Queens neighbor)

Steve Roland (“Today” announcer)

Bernie Sheredy (Reporter)

Joe Lisi (Reporter)

Greg Martin (Reporter)

Reno (Woman at door)

Neil Leifer (Psychoanalyst)

Caryn Krooth (Blonde)

Mario Contacessi (Waiter)

Pat Russel (NBC secretary)

Bill Cwikowski (Challenger)

William Fichtner (Stage manager)

Vincent J. Burns (Crew member)

Katherine Turturro (1st mom)

Awards

New York Film Critics Award for Best Film (1994)

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