This year’s “The Fall Guy” is not just an action picture that adapts the classic Lee Majors series, but it also triples as a fun satire of Hollywood and an ode to the noble profession of stunt performers. In “The Fall Guy” Colt Seavers is attached to major movie star Tom Ryder, a bloated, obnoxious super star who shows little respect to Colt. When he suddenly goes missing, it’s up to Colt to find him and hopefully bring him back to his job in one piece.
In honor of Tom Ryder, I thought I’d list five of my favorite fictional movie stars, these are five people that are absolute Hollywood nightmares.
Troy McClure (The Simpsons)
Troy McClure was a hilarious staple of “The Simpsons” for many years until Phil Hartman died. He was a local has been actor who was notorious was pretty much never saying no to any movie. Often times it was because he was a shameless fame hog. Troy is a blowhard who often begins every sentence with “Hi! I’m Troy McClure! You may remember me from…” often times its succeeded by films he’s been in. This includes “Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die,” “Alice Doesn’t Live Anymore,” and “Gladys the Groovy Mule.”
Rainier Wolfcastle (The Simpsons)
Rainier Wolfcastle is a hilarious analog of Arnold Schwarzenegger who often commutes in Springfield and spends much of his early days on the show as a hilarious running gag. Wolfcastle is famed for leading a series of violent action movies known as “McBain” and is later seen leading a disastrous late night talk show, an awful comedy known as “McBain: Let’s Get Silly,” “Help! My Son’s a Nerd!” and is even shown as a small child singing to a Bratwurst commercial.
Peter Vincent (Fright Night, Fright Night 2)
Peter Vincent is a great ode to the old time Hammer Horror Studios actors who spent a lot of his early life starring in schlocky over the top vampire movies. After failing to find any work, he spends the rest of his days hosting “Fright Night,” a horror TV show where he introduces classic monster films for a dwindling audience. Fate comes knocking at his door when Charley Brewster comes knocking at his door.
Norma Desmond (Sunset Boulevard)
Norma Desmond is the quintessential picture of the faded actress, the once important and influential star who was reduced to nothing but a memory over time thanks to the phasing out of silent films and introduction of talkies. Norma Desmond is an alluring and often fascinating creature who lead protagonist and screenwriter ultimately becomes trapped in. She’s a marvelous and fascinating picture of madness given some of the most iconic lines ever put to American film.
Lucas Lee (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World)
One of the seven evil exes of dream girl Ramona Flowers, Lucas Lee is a huge movie star and aspiring pro skateboarder who is shockingly likable. Despite his sense of self importance and lack of self awareness, he also uses a lot of Hollywood tricks to battle Scott Pilgrim for Ramona Flowers. He even implements his team of stunt doubles to take down Scott when he has to shoot a scene. It’s too bad his ego becomes his undoing as he tries to grind down a rickety guard rail during the frigid winter.