Beloved comic actor Charles Grodin died Tuesday at his home in Connecticut. He was a reliable supporting actor who often played as a foil to some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Robert De Niro and Steve Martin. His unique delivery was intentionally low key, but his impact was unmistakable.
Charles Grodin was 86. The New York Times reported that his son said he died of bone marrow cancer.
If you’d like to celebrate the life of this iconic actor, you’re in luck. We’ve compiled some of his biggest hits available for streaming. We recommend starting with “Midnight Run.”
The Best of Charles Grodin
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Clifford
April 1, 1994When his brother asks him to look after his young son, Clifford, Martin Daniels agrees, taking the boy into his home and introducing him to his future wife, Sarah. Clifford is fixated on the idea of visiting a famed theme park, and Martin, an engineer who helped build the park, makes plans to take him. But, when Clifford reveals himself to be a first-rate brat, his uncle goes bonkers, and a loony inter-generational standoff ensues.
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Heart and Souls
August 13, 1993A fateful night in 1959, four people die when the bus they are riding crashes. They continue as ghosts; their souls become eternally entwined to the life of a child born at the moment of their deaths as his guardians. Baby Thomas grows up to be a businessman who has memories of his playmates, but assumes they are products of his youthful imagination. When the ghosts realize they need Thomas’ help to move on to the afterlife, they decide to make an appearance once more.
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Dave
May 7, 1993A sweet-natured Temp Agency operator and amateur Presidential look-alike is recruited by the Secret Service to become a temporary stand-in for the President of the United States.
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Beethoven
April 3, 1992The Newton family live in their comfortable home, but there seems to something missing. This “hole” is filled by a small puppy, who walks into their home and their lives. Beethoven, as he is named, grows into a giant of a dog… a St Bernard. Doctor Varnick, the local vet has a secret and horrible sideline, which requires lots of dogs for experiments. Beethoven is on the bad doctor’s list.
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Midnight Run
July 20, 1988A bounty hunter pursues a former Mafia accountant who embezzled $15 million of mob money. He is also being chased by a rival bounty hunter, the F.B.I., and his old mob boss after jumping bail.
Roger Ebert wrote: “Robert De Niro is often said to be the best movie actor of his generation. Grodin has been in the movies just about as long, has appeared in more different titles and is of more or less the same generation, but has never received the recognition he deserves — maybe because he often plays a quiet, self-effacing everyman. In ‘Midnight Run,’ where he is literally handcuffed to De Niro at times, he is every bit the master’s equal, and in the crucial final scene it is Grodin who finds the emotional truth that defines their relationship.”
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The Woman in Red
August 15, 1984When a happily married family man, who would never consider an affair, meets a beautiful woman in red, he is totally infatuated and desperate to make her acquaintance. However, as he tries out various schemes to sneak out to meet her, he realizes that adultery is not quite as easy as it looks.
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All of Me
September 21, 1984Just before stubborn millionaire Edwina Cutwater dies, she asks her uptight lawyer, Roger Cobb, to amend her will so that her soul will pass to the young, vibrant Terry Hoskins – but the spiritual transference goes awry. Edwina enters Roger’s body instead, forcing him to battle Edwina for control of his own being.
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The Lonely Guy
January 27, 1984A writer for a greeting card company learns the true meaning of loneliness when he comes home to find his girlfriend in bed with another man.
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The Great Muppet Caper
June 26, 1981Kermit and Fozzie are newspaper reporters sent to London to interview Lady Holiday, a wealthy fashion designer whose priceless diamond necklace is stolen. Kermit meets and falls in love with her secretary, Miss Piggy. The jewel thieves strike again, and this time frame Miss Piggy. It’s up to Kermit and Muppets to bring the real culprits to justice.
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The Incredible Shrinking Woman
January 30, 1981After being exposed to a bizarre mixture of household chemicals, Pat Kramer begins to shrink. This baffles scientists, makes parenting difficult, warms the hearts of Americans, and captures the attention of a group of people who want to take over the world. This evil group plots to kidnap Pat and perform experiments on her so that they can eventually shrink everyone.
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Real Life
March 2, 1979A pushy, narcissistic filmmaker persuades a Phoenix family to let him and his crew film their everyday lives, in the manner of the ground-breaking PBS series “An American Family”.
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Heaven Can Wait
June 28, 1978Joe Pendleton is a quarterback preparing to lead his team to the superbowl when he is almost killed in an accident. An overanxious angel plucks him to heaven only to discover that he wasn’t ready to die, and that his body has been cremated. A new body must be found, and that of a recently-murdered millionaire is chosen. His wife and accountant—the murderers—are confused by this development, as he buys the L.A. Rams in order to once again quarterback them into the Superbowl.
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Grodin did make one major blunder in his career besides appearing in the legendary bomb “Ishtar.” He passed on the lead role in“The Graduate,” and that opened the door for Dustin Hoffman’s rise to fame.
As you might imagine, Hollywood heavyweights lined up on Twitter to share remembrances of Grodin and his performances.
So said to hear. One of the funniest people I ever met: Charles Grodin, Star of ‘Beethoven’ and ‘Heartbreak Kid,’ Dies at 86 - https://t.co/OwDYFLIgae
— Steve Martin (@SteveMartinToGo) May 18, 2021
My beloved Charles Grodin was a fabulous friend to moi onscreen and off. Debonair, handsome, talented, charming – and great taste! I’ll miss him dearly. pic.twitter.com/V4o2CxKZnM
— Miss Piggy (@MissPiggy) May 18, 2021
R.I.P. Charles Grodin. A brilliant comedy actor. I had the wonderful experience of working with him in my first feature “Real Life” and he was amazing. Rest In Peace, Chuck.
— Albert Brooks (@AlbertBrooks) May 18, 2021
Charles Grodin in Heartbreak Kid, Real Life, Heaven Can Wait, alone. So incredibly funny. He knew how to do so little so brilliantly. #RIPCharlesGrodin
— Ben Stiller (@RedHourBen) May 18, 2021
RIP Charles Grodin
— Paul F. Tompkins (@PFTompkins) May 18, 2021
My mother’s favorite comedy was Midnight Run but she didn’t like all the cursing & for years searched in vain for a copy of the movie that had the curses removed & now I hope Charles Grodin is with her in heaven explaining to her that they didn’t sell those
Oh my God, the BEST. Rest In Peace Charles Grodin. Thank you. https://t.co/E4WhW5efAQ
— Bradley Whitford (@BradleyWhitford) May 18, 2021
No, not #CharlesGrodin . Rest In Peace Legend. Thank you for every gift you gave us, especially the masterpiece that is Midnight Run. 🙏
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) May 18, 2021