FILM · 1984 · USA
Johnny Dangerously
28 archived facts 3 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (28)
- #001
When Johnny discusses going "legit" with Lil, they happily imagine the wonderful things such a lifestyle would offer. One of the advantages was the ability to "say 'hi' to a neighbor named Fred," a nod to Fred Rogers. Michael Keaton began his career while still living in Pittsburgh, working as a stagehand on Mister Rogers' Neighbourhood (1968). When Rogers died in 2003, Keaton hosted Fred Rogers: America's Favorite Neighbor (2004), a PBS memorial program dedicated to his friend and mentor.
- #002
The "cozy little love nest" the District Attorney offers Tommy is actually the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
- #003
The D.A.'s newspaper photo. Burr is actually Louie DePalma from Taxi (1978). It was also used for the character "Frank Stedman" in Head Office (1985).
- #004
Michael Keaton's characterization of Johnny Dangerously frequently imitates James Cagney, the star of gangster films from old Hollywood's golden age.
- #005
It was one of the first films to receive a PG-13 rating.
- #006
The film's disappointing reception led director Amy Heckerling to start writing her own film projects instead of filming other people's stories.
- #007
Brian De Palma is a big fan of the film. He was reportedly heard laughing hysterically during a preview screening. Two months after its release, De Palma cast Danny DeVito and Joe Piscopo in his next project, Wise Guys (1986), another Mafia-themed comedy.
- #008
In his memoir, Griffin Dunne recounts that while shooting this film he was also going through the trial over the murder of his sister, Dominique Dunne. He said that on one of the scenes there was a group of extras, at least one of whom had legitimate mob connections. The extra even offered to have Dominique Dunne's killer murdered in his prison cell before the trial ended.
- #009
The way Johnny destroys the prosecutor is a parody of a 1980 Schlitz malt liquor commercial. The Schlitz logo is partially visible on the bottles on the table.
- #010
While the film generally highlights classic gangster movies, the central plot of Johnny and Tommy Kelly ending up on opposite sides of the law was inspired by Manhattan Melodrama (1934). In that film, William Powell and Clark Gable play orphans who grow up like brothers. Gable's character, "Blackie Gallagher," grows up to become a gangster, while Powell's character, Jim Wade, becomes a crusading District Attorney. In both films, moreover, the gangster brother supports the District Attorney brother's success.
- #011
The producers learned that Danny DeVito could not have his shooting dates set because he was still filming Romancing the Stone (1984) in Mexico. He barely made it to the set in time.
- #012
This was the final acting credit of Sudie Bond (Mary Margaret Catherine Dineen), who died five weeks before the film's release.
- #013
When Johnny asks the guard to change the execution date, he says, "Fry me tonight, Warden, all right, we're gonna shoot Steinberg." Norman Steinberg is one of the film's writers.
- #014
The end credits sequence jokingly introduces two writers who did not write the film together, Neal Israel and Pat Proft, as "Special Medical Advisers." Israel and director Amy Heckerling were married around the time this film was made and released. It is possible that the two worked on the film as "script doctors" and therefore received the medically based joke credit.
- #015
In the scene where Tommy (Griffin Dunne) is in a hospital room in a full body cast, the hospital loudspeaker calls for "Dr. Michael Hertzberg." Michael Hertzberg is one of the film's producers.
- #016
Alan Hale Jr., best known as the Captain on Gilligan's Island (1964), has a small role as a desk sergeant.
- #017
Rival gangster Maroni's mangling of English is a parody of the stereotypes of Italian immigrants with exaggerated accents and poor English in old films. Whenever Maroni swears, the parody is pushed even further.
- #018
This gangster comedy was released during a cycle of Hollywood films in the 1980s in which gangster movies came out. These films include Wise Guys (1986), Harlem Nights (1989), City Heat (1984), Johnny Dangerously (1984), Little Miss Marker (1980) and Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982).
- #019
The scene in which Michael Keaton and Marilu Henner kiss through the chicken wire in the prison visitors' room was recreated in The Dream Team (1989), where Keaton's character kisses Lorraine Bracco through the prison's glass wall. Instead of commenting on bringing a can opener, they wipe the glass before kissing. Keaton worked with Peter Boyle in both films.
- #020
The film's cast includes one Oscar winner, Maureen Stapleton, and three Oscar nominees: Michael Keaton, Griffin Dunne and Danny DeVito.
- #021
Cameo: the Schlitz Malt Liquor Bull, Clyde.
- #022
The gum Johnny keeps in his cigarette case is Clove Gum.
- #023
The banners seen in "Gangster Arms" read "Legs & Shirley Diamond"; "Pretty Boy & Pretty Girl Floyd"; "Al & Cindy Capone"; and "Johnny Dangerously."
- #024
Two of the film's four screenwriters, Jeff Harris and Bernie Kukoff, had previously created Diff'rent Strokes (1978).
- #025
Ray Walston has a small role as a salesman.
- #026
"Film Yearbook Volume 4" described Johnny Dangerously as a "parody burlesque of Warner Brothers gangster films." Ironically, the film was not made at Warner Brothers but at 20th Century Fox.
- #027
Danny DeVito and Marilu Henner both appeared in Taxi (1978).
- #028
Michael Keaton (Johnny Dangerously) and Danny DeVito (DA Burr) would appear together eight years later in Batman Returns (1992), as Batman and The Penguin respectively.
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