Eternally sardonic, Charles Grodin had an ultra-dry wit and a laconic deadpan delivery that gave him a style all his own. Though his great performances include Elaine May’s The Heartbreak Kid and Martin Brest’s Midnight Run, in which he co-starred with Robert DeNiro, Grodin was also beloved for his subversively funny late-night TV appearances with Johnny Carson and David Letterman. Somewhat surprisingly, Grodin turned towards social causes, most notably prison reform, with a CNBC talk show as his main platform. Filled with great footage spanning his career and celebrating his work as a comedian and as an activist, this is a fully rounded portrait of a unique performer and person.

Charles Grodin: Rebel with a Cause
Charles Grodin: Rebel with a Cause
Virtual Q&A with Director James L. Freedman
Tickets: $20 (members), $25 (nonmembers)
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Virtual Q&A with Director James L. Freeman
Tuesday, Apr. 29 2025, 7:00
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- James L. Freedman wrote, produced and directed the HBO documentary Glickman, which was executive produced by Martin Scorsese. His second film Carl Laemmle can currently be seen on TCM, Amazon Prime, and Tubi. While a senior in high school, Mr. Freedman produced Marty Glickman’s late night radio program on WNEW in New York. He went on to produce UNICEF commercials before becoming a working writer in Hollywood for over 25 years. Among the many TV shows he has written for are Coach, Zoe, and Golden Globe winner Cybill (on which he was also a producer). In addition, he’s penned over one dozen pilots for CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX and UPN—as well as feature scripts for Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox. Charles Grodin: Rebel with a Cause is his third film.
This film is part of the Jewish Film Festival 2025 series.
The 2025 Jewish Film Festival is sponsored by:
Anonymous (2)
Roberta & Joseph Rosenblum
Beverly Frank
Susan & Kenneth Sankin
As of 3.11.25