The Couch Trip
Encyclopedia
The Couch Trip is a 1988 comedy film
directed by Michael Ritchie
. It stars Dan Aykroyd
, Walter Matthau
, Charles Grodin
and Donna Dixon
.
call while being reprimanded in the doctor's office, asking if Dr. Baird could fill in for Dr. George Maitlin (Grodin) on his popular radio talk show.
Burns jumps at the chance to escape the hospital. With the help of Dr. Baird's secretary
, he breaks out and picks up a waiting ticket at the Chicago airport, assuming Dr. Baird's identity.
Burns arrives in Los Angeles
, where he is met by Dr. Maitlin's radio show assistant Laura Rollins (Dixon) and escorted to the waiting limousine
. He crosses paths with Donald Becker (Matthau), a crazy priest who is collecting money to save plants. Becker recognizes the trousers Burns is wearing to be asylum issue.
When the time comes to do the radio talk show, Burns is a huge hit, offering people free consultations and using profanity on the air. He even arranges for listeners to go to a baseball game at Dodger Stadium
for free (where he also leads the singing of the national anthem).
All goes well until Dr. Maitlin meets the real Dr. Baird in London
, when they both attend the same seminar. They fly back to L.A. to try to find what is going on behind their backs.
Burns has been paid for the show (in cash) and is ready to leave town when he sees on the in-flight TV that Becker is on top of the Hollywood sign
shouting Baird's name. Burns decides to go back and help to resolve the situation, where he is arrested only to be rescued on the way to the penitentiary
by Becker and Maitlin's assistant Rollins.
In the last few scenes of the movie, Burns gives his inmate number "7474505B" which is the same number that Jake Blues had in The Blues Brothers
and Louis Winthorpe III in Trading Places
.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Michael Ritchie
Michael Ritchie
Michael Ritchie may refer to:*Michael Ritchie , film director*Michael Ritchie , artistic director of Center Theatre Group...
. It stars Dan Aykroyd
Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
, Walter Matthau
Walter Matthau
Walter Matthau was an American actor best known for his role as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple and his frequent collaborations with Odd Couple star Jack Lemmon, as well as his role as Coach Buttermaker in the 1976 comedy The Bad News Bears...
, Charles Grodin
Charles Grodin
Charles Grodin is an American actor, comedian, author and former cable talk show host. Grodin began his acting career in the 1960s appearing in TV serials including The Virginian. He had a small part as an obstetrician in Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby in 1968...
and Donna Dixon
Donna Dixon
Donna Dixon is an American actress.Donna Dixon was born in Alexandria, Virginia; her father, Earl Dixon, owned a club on U.S. 1, called "Hillbilly Heaven." She is a 1975 graduate of Groveton High School and attended The George Washington University...
.
Plot
Mental patient John Burns (Aykroyd) gets the chance to fill in for his doctor when he intercepts a telephoneTelephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
call while being reprimanded in the doctor's office, asking if Dr. Baird could fill in for Dr. George Maitlin (Grodin) on his popular radio talk show.
Burns jumps at the chance to escape the hospital. With the help of Dr. Baird's secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
, he breaks out and picks up a waiting ticket at the Chicago airport, assuming Dr. Baird's identity.
Burns arrives in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where he is met by Dr. Maitlin's radio show assistant Laura Rollins (Dixon) and escorted to the waiting limousine
Limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
. He crosses paths with Donald Becker (Matthau), a crazy priest who is collecting money to save plants. Becker recognizes the trousers Burns is wearing to be asylum issue.
When the time comes to do the radio talk show, Burns is a huge hit, offering people free consultations and using profanity on the air. He even arranges for listeners to go to a baseball game at Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
for free (where he also leads the singing of the national anthem).
All goes well until Dr. Maitlin meets the real Dr. Baird in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, when they both attend the same seminar. They fly back to L.A. to try to find what is going on behind their backs.
Burns has been paid for the show (in cash) and is ready to leave town when he sees on the in-flight TV that Becker is on top of the Hollywood sign
Hollywood Sign
The Hollywood Sign is a landmark and American cultural icon in the Hollywood Hills area of Mount Lee, Santa Monica Mountains, in Los Angeles, California. The sign spells out the name of the area in and white letters. It was created as an advertisement in 1923, but garnered increasing recognition...
shouting Baird's name. Burns decides to go back and help to resolve the situation, where he is arrested only to be rescued on the way to the penitentiary
Penitentiary
Penitentiary may refer to:* Prison or penitentiary, a correctional facility* Apostolic Penitentiary, a tribunal of mercy, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins in the Roman Catholic Church* Penitentiary...
by Becker and Maitlin's assistant Rollins.
In the last few scenes of the movie, Burns gives his inmate number "7474505B" which is the same number that Jake Blues had in The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers (film)
The Blues Brothers is a 1980 musical comedy film directed by John Landis and starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from a musical sketch on the NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. It features musical numbers by R&B and soul singers James...
and Louis Winthorpe III in Trading Places
Trading Places
Trading Places is a 1983 American comedy film, of the satire genre, directed by John Landis, starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy. It tells the story of an upper class commodities broker and a homeless street hustler whose lives cross paths when they are unknowingly made part of an elaborate bet...
.
Cast
- Dan Aykroyd as John Burns
- Walter Matthau as Donald Becker
- Charles Grodin as George Maitlin
- Donna DixonDonna DixonDonna Dixon is an American actress.Donna Dixon was born in Alexandria, Virginia; her father, Earl Dixon, owned a club on U.S. 1, called "Hillbilly Heaven." She is a 1975 graduate of Groveton High School and attended The George Washington University...
as Laura Rollins - Richard RomanusRichard RomanusRichard Romanus is an American actor of Lebanese descent. Among other roles, he has appeared in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets, and provided voices for Ralph Bakshi's animated films Wizards and Hey Good Lookin'. He played Lorraine Bracco's ex-husband, later husband again, in three episodes of The...
as Harvey Michaels - Mary GrossMary GrossMary Gross is an American comedian and actress, perhaps best known for her four-year stint on Saturday Night Live from 1981 to 1985. Her credits also include minor roles on Animaniacs, Boston Legal and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch...
as Vera Maitlin - David ClennonDavid ClennonDavid Clennon is an American actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of Miles Drentel in the ABC series Thirtysomething, a role he reprised on Once and Again....
as Lawrence Baird - Scott Thomson as Klevin
- David WohlDavid Wohl (actor)David Wohl is an American theater, television and film actor. He is a long time character actor with over 71 credits on television and film alone.-Selected filmography:*Terms of Endearment as Phil...
as Dr. Smet - Arye GrossArye Gross-Biography:Gross was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Sheri and Joseph Gross, who was an aerospace engineer and later worked in business....
as Perry Kovin - Victoria JacksonVictoria JacksonVictoria Jackson is an American comedian, actress, satirist and singer best known as a cast member of the NBC television sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1992....
as Robin - Chevy ChaseChevy ChaseCornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, writer, and television and film actor, born into a prominent entertainment industry family. Chase worked a plethora of odd jobs before moving into comedy acting with National Lampoon...
as "Condom Father" (cameo appearance)