Bruce Vilanch

The World According to Allee Willis (2024)

Take one look at award-winning songwriter / artist Allee Willis and you see someone unafraid to be themselves. Dressed in a cacophony of prints and colors, her signature asymmetrical haircut and famed parties at her real-life Pee-Wee's Playhouse, Allee did ...

I Brake for Caterpillars (2024)

Misdiagnosed with a terminal illness, a computer nerd dates his hospice worker, while suspecting someone is out to get him. ...

Studio One Forever (2024)

A documentary film about Studio One which, from 1974 to 1994, was the center of queer nightlife in West Hollywood as well as the staging ground for the rise of the LGBTQ rights movement and fight against the AIDS crisis. ...

Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution (2024)

This rapturous documentary steps into the dynamic world of queer stand-up and examines the powerful cultural influence it has had on social change in America. The film combines rare archival materials, stand-up performances, and interviews with a show-stop ...

Body Electric (2023)

With 25% of all body dysmorphic disorders stemming from the LGBTQ+ community, and 42% of all males with eating disorders identifying as gay men, filmmaker Nick Demos examines body image in the LGBTQ+ community, media obsession with youth culture, and his o ...

A Disturbance in the Force: How the Star Wars Holiday Special Happened (2023)

In 1978, CBS aired the "Star Wars Holiday Special" the week before Thanksgiving to an audience of 13 million people. Considered one of the worst shows in television history, it aired only once. George Lucas tried to bury it and an infamous camp legend was ...

Commitment to Life (2023)

Against a rich Hollywood backdrop, "Commitment to Life" documents the true story of the fight against HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles - and how an intrepid group of people living with HIV/AIDS, doctors, movie stars, studio moguls and activists changed the course o ...

TMZ Investigates | What Really Happened to Richard Simmons (2022)

Investigating why beloved fitness icon Richard Simmons hasn't been seen for over eight years. TMZ speaks to the people closest to him including Bruce Vilanch, Suzanne Somers, Dr. Phil, and Simmons' longtime costume designer, Leslie Wilshire. ...

Live at Mister Kelly's (2021)

The iconic Mister Kelly's bedazzled the country by launching superstars like Barbra Streisand, Richard Pryor, Bette Midler, and Steve Martin. It smashed color and gender barriers to put controversial voices on stage and transformed entertainment in America ...

Time Warp Vol. 3: Comedy and Camp (2020)

The final volume of Time Warp digs deep into what makes us laugh over and over again as we reveal the greatest cult comedies and campy classics of all-time. From "Fast Time at Ridgemont High" and "Office Space" to "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," and "Sh ...

Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight Madness (2020)

From "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" to "The Big Lebowski" and everything in between, this fascinating deep-dive documentary begins its celebration of the greatest cult movies of all-time discussing the birth of the midnight movie. ...

Waiting in the Wings: Still Waiting (2018)

The stripper Tony and the naive enthusiast Anthony, two entertainers, destined for the big time, who are mismatched in a casting office from two very different online contests. ...

The Advocate Celebrates 50 Years: A Long Road to Freedom (2018)

Documentary exploring The Advocate's role at the forefront of the LGBT movement in the U.S. ...

Amsel: Illustrator of the Lost Art (2017)

The first in-depth profile of legendary illustrator Richard Amsel (1947-1985), detailing the artist's remarkable body of work, while chronicling an enigmatic life marked with personal heartbreak, celebrity friendships, creative genius, and a tragic end at ...

Limelight (2017)

In a society obsessed with fame, validation, and social media, one small-town narcissist pulls out all the stops in his pursuit of absolute stardom. ...

The Fabulous Allan Carr (2017)

Armed with a limitless Rolodex and a Benedict Canyon enclave with its own disco, Allan Carr threw the Hollywood parties that defined the 1970s. A producer, manager, and marketing genius, Carr built his bombastic reputation amid a series of successes includ ...

I Am Divine (2014)

Harris Glenn Milstead, aka Divine (1945-1988) was the ultimate outsider turned underground hero. Spitting in the face of the status quos of body image, gender identity, sexuality, and preconceived notions of beauty, Divine succeeded in becoming an internat ...

And the Oscar Goes To... (2014)

The story of the gold-plated statuette that became the film industry's most coveted prize, AND THE OSCAR GOES TO... traces the history of the Academy itself, which began in 1927 when Louis B. Mayer, then head of MGM, led other prominent members of the indu ...

Scrooge & Marley (2012)

A modern day, queer variation on Charles Dickens' classic story of the holidays, "A Christmas Carol." On Christmas Eve, Ben Scrooge, the man who hates the holidays, is given the chance to begin again when he is visited by three spirits - the Ghosts of Chri ...

Silent but Deadly (2012)

Senior citizens are being offed by a masked killer in their small retirement community. ...

Vito (2011)

In the aftermath of Stonewall, a newly politicized Vito Russo found his voice as a gay activist and critic of LGBTQ+ representation in the media. He went on to write "The Celluloid Closet", the first book to critique Hollywood's portrayals of gays on scree ...

Sister Mary (2011)

Homophobic detective Mark Rima must "partner" up with the very gay and flamboyant Detective Chris Riant to stop a serial killing Nun from offing 5 band members otherwise known as "The Ex Choir Boys." But when it is determined that the detectives can't solv ...

Going Down in La-La Land (2011)

A fresh face comes to Hollywood to act in movies but only the gay porn studios are eager to provide him with work. ...

The Adonis Factor (2010)

Gay men and their pursuit of physical perfection. When it comes to looks and body image, gay men can be a pretty tough crowd. Men are visually programmed. And gay men have an appreciation for beauty in all aspects, whether it's other male bodies or just a ...

Oy Vey! My Son Is Gay! (2010)

Nelson and Angelo, a gay couple, decide to come out to their parents. However, when they do so, their parents find it difficult to cope with the news. ...

Pride: The Gay & Lesbian Comedy Slam (2010)

Gay & Lesbian Comedy Show Hosted by the Oscars resident writer for the past 17 years and comedy satirist Bruce Villanch, "Pride" the Gay & Lesbian Comedy show brings together four of today's funniest Gay and Lesbian comedians; starring outrageously funny c ...

Spring Breakdown (2009)

Three women in their thirties head to a popular Spring Break destination and try to relive the Spring Break they never had. ...

Annul Victory (2009)

Annul Victory is a documentary on the fight for marriage equality and the Proposition 8 election battle. The film documents the roller coaster ride of emotions in California after the historical state Supreme Court decision in May of 2008, finding it uncon ...

Wrangler: Anatomy of an Icon (2008)

The outrageous story of 1970s porn icon Jack Wrangler, and how he rose to the top of the gay, and then straight, adult film industry. ...

You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008)

An Israeli counterterrorism soldier with a secretly fabulous ambition to become a Manhattan hairstylist. Zohan's desire runs so deep that he'll do anything -- including faking his own death and going head-to-head with an Arab cab driver -- to make his drea ...

Tru Loved (2008)

Recently relocated from San Francisco to conservative suburbia by her lesbian mothers, Tru struggles like all teens to fit in and find love, but her quest is complicated by sexual politics, closed minds, and closeted friends as she seeks to establish her s ...

Queer Duck: The Movie (2006)

Queer Duck and his partner of 18 months (a lifetime in gay years), Stephen Arlo "Openly" Gator, hit a relationship crisis when the fey fowl is wooed by a brassy Broadway broad. Queer Duck wonders if he'd be happier being straight, while Gator the waiter sp ...

The Aristocrats (2005)

One hundred superstar comedians tell the same very, VERY dirty, filthy joke--one shared privately by comics since Vaudeville. ...

The Divine Bette Midler (2005)

Follow the career of the Divine Miss M -- singer and actress Bette Midler -- from the bathhouses to Broadway to starring film roles. This A&E biography tells the story of the Emmy, Grammy and Golden Globe winner through interviews with friends, family, col ...

Call Me Claus (2001)

When Lucy Cullins, a successful but cranky producer at a home shopping network hires an actor named Nick to play Santa Claus on the network, she gets more than she bargained for. ...

Circuit (2001)

The hunky John is a closeted small-town cop who moves to L.A., where he is quickly seduced into the gay life of workouts and dusk-to-dawn parties. With actual circuit party footage and mounds of glistening and chiseled flesh, the pulsating Circuit is bound ...

10 Attitudes (2001)

A Jewish man discovers his boyfriend of 10 years has been cheating on him, and decides to embark on a dating spree. ...

Eloise And Her Rawther Enormous Life (1999)

Jackie's Back! (1999)

A British documentarian profiles washed-up diva Jackie Washington as she prepares for her comeback concert. ...

Get Bruce! (1999)

Affectionate tribute to Bruce Vilanch, who writes material for celebrities who make public appearances, from Oscar hosts and award recipients to Presidents. We meet his mom and see photos of his childhood; in Chicago, he writes for the Tribune and then hea ...

Inside the Golden Statue (1998)

A behind-the-scenes look at the preparations for the live broadcast of the 69th Annual Academy Awards ceremony. ...

Love Can Be Murder (1992)

Elizabeth Bentley is a successful lawyer who suddenly has some "punkish" daydreams of being "Rambo" right around the time her clueless boyfriend Brad asks her to marry him. After a therapy session, she quits her job to the surprise of her family and Brad, ...

Fourth Story (1991)

Valerie's husband Darryl leaves for work as usual, but never returns. She hires private eye Shepard to find him. Soon he discovers that David had a second identity and obviously doesn't want to be found. But since Shepard is strongly attracted to the prett ...

It Nearly Wasn't Christmas (1989)

Feeling unneeded, a disillusioned Santa Claus (Charles Durning) quits Christmas. Through the selflessness of a little girl looking to reunite her parents for Christmas (and the help of his bumbling chief elf, Philpot (Bruce Vilanch), Santa and the child tr ...

The Drifter (1988)

A suspensefilled thriller about a successful single woman who, on a deserted road, picks up a mysterious hitchhiker. Once back in the city, "The Drifter" follows her every move. Every attempt to free herself of his harassment fails until the shocking concl ...

Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville (1987)

An all-star cast lead by Richard Dreyfus perform sketches celebrating the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution, including new animation done by Disney. ...

The Morning After (1986)

Failed actress Alex Sternbergen wakes up hungover one morning in an apartment she does not recognize, unable to remember the previous evening -- and with a dead body in bed next to her. As she tries to piece together the events of the night, Alex cannot to ...

The Ice Pirates (1984)

In the not too distant future, where by far the most precious commodity in the galaxy is water. The last surviving water planet was somehow removed to the unreachable centre of the galaxy at the end of the galactic trade wars. The galaxy is ruled by an evi ...

Breathless (1983)

Jesse, a small-time criminal, high-tails it to Los Angeles to rendezvous with a French exchange student. Stealing a car and accidentally killing a highway patrolman, he becomes the most wanted fugitive in L.A. ...

Mahogany (1975)

An aspiring designer from the slums of Chicago puts herself through fashion school in the hopes of becoming one of the world's top designers. Her ambition leads her to Rome spurring a choice between the man she loves or her newfound success. ...

Making the Yuletide Gay: A Very Special Paul Lynde Christmas (2022)

A fun take on the classic TV Christmas specials from the 60s, 70s and 80s - written by the show's head writer, Emmy-winner, comedian and gay icon, Bruce Vilanch. ...

Bill Murray: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize (2016)

Celebrate the work of actor and comedian Bill Murray at the Kennedy Center, as the recipient of the 19th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. ...

Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On (2010)

Filled with plenty of girls and gags and an enchanting repertoire of her greatest hits, The Showgirl Must Go On was a concert residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas that starred pop diva Bette Midler. Showgirl premiered on February 20, 2 ...

Naked Boys Singing! (2007)

This whimsical Off-Broadway hit musical is aptly reworked and transferred to the screen. The self-descriptively titled Naked Boys Singing is a musical revue of songs that poke fun at gay life, body image, love, loss and yearning. ...

Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life (1997)

A special celebrating Elizabeth Taylor's 65th birthday featuring never-before-seen footage of her life and career. ...

Bette Midler: Diva Las Vegas (1997)

Diva Las Vegas was a show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas starring Bette Midler performing as singer and comedian. The one-time performance was filmed for television; HBO released it as a TV special originally broadcast on January 18, 1997 and r ...

A Tribute to Sam Kinison (1993)

Broadcast approximately one year after the death of Sam Kinison, this special includes tributes from those he admired and those who admired him. Includes clips from "Married with Children," "Back to School," and 2 of his HBO appearances. ...

For Our Children (1993)

Benefit concert with an incredible group of stars and musicians. ...

The Ice Capades with Jason Bateman and Alyssa Milano (1989)

A special featuring celebrity guest stars and championship ice skaters from the United States and the Soviet Union. Notable for the Mario Ice Capades segment. ...

Walt Disney World Celebrity Circus (1987)

The Walt Disney World Celebrity Circus originally aired November 27, 1987. Join Mickey Mouse, Malcolm Jamal Warner, Lisa Bonet, Tony Randall, Kim Fields, Tim Conway, and Jim "Earnest" Varney along with 500 Clowns, lions and elephants for this once in a li ...

Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville (1987)

An all-star cast lead by Richard Dreyfus perform sketches celebrating the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution, including new animation done by Disney. ...

Bette Midler: Art or Bust (1984)

The Divine Miss M is featured in a concert filmed at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, at the culmination of her most recent cross-country tour which was known as "De Tour". This live recording was a combination of footage from both September 10 an ...

Divine Madness (1980)

Divine Madness is a 1980 concert film directed by Michael Ritchie, and featuring Bette Midler during her 1979 concert at Pasadena's Civic Auditorium. The 94-minute film features Midler's stand-up comedy routines as well as 16 songs, including "Big Noise Fr ...

John Ritter: Being of Sound Mind and Body (1980)

John Ritter shows off his comedic talent with a collection of comedy sketches. ...

The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)

Luke Skywalker and Han Solo battle evil Imperial forces to help Chewbacca reach his imperiled family on the Wookiee planet - in time for Life Day, their most important day of the year! ...

Bette Midler: Ol' Red Hair Is Back (1977)

In 1977, Bette Midler's first television special premiered, featuring guest stars Dustin Hoffman and Emmett Kelly. It went on to win Bette her first Emmy Award for Outstanding Special — Comedy-Variety or Music. To make the show palatable to home viewer ...

The Barry Manilow Special (1977)

Join Barry "live" on-stage at Ravinia Music Festival in Chicago...and "live" on the streets of New York City with special guest star Penny Marshall. The special was broadcast to record-breaking ratings on ABC in 1977 when more than 34 million people tuned ...

The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (1976)

A Halloween-themed television special starring Paul Lynde which aired only once on October 29, 1976 on ABC. It features guest stars including Margaret Hamilton (who reprises her role as the Wicked Witch of the West), Billie Hayes (as Witchiepoo from H.R. P ...

The Bette Midler Show (1976)

The Bette Midler Show is a HBO Video special of one of Bette Midler's tours entitled 'The Depression Tour', The video is of her show at the Cleveland Music Hall during February 1976. ...

Charo (1976)

A variety show headlined by Spanish "Cuchi Cuchi Girl" Charo, who tells jokes, acts, sings, dances, and performs on a guitar. ...