50 Fun Facts About The Wedding Singer

In what year was The Wedding Singer released in cinemas?

It arrived on February 13, the day before Valentine's Day, and opened second at the US box office that weekend.

Who directed The Wedding Singer?

He and Sandler had been friends since film school. He directed the same two leads again in 2014, and cited John Hughes as a key influence.

In which year is The Wedding Singer set?

Writer Tim Herlihy chose the decade after hearing the radio show 'Lost in the '80s'. It is regularly described as one of the first 1980s nostalgia films.

Robbie Hart plies his trade in which New Jersey town?

The Broadway musical kept the setting, and its designer Scott Pask rebuilt the town with what the New York Times called 'affectionate cartoon tackiness'.

What job does Julia Sullivan have when she meets Robbie?

Herlihy said test audiences did not miss Sandler in the scenes she carried alone, so more of her scenes survived the edit than in his earlier films.

Who plays Julia Sullivan?

She had approached Sandler about working together, calling them 'cinematic soulmates' before they had shot a frame. It was the first of three films together.

Julia's fiancé Glenn Gulia makes his money doing what?

Played by Matthew Glave, he cheats constantly and plans to keep doing so after the wedding, as Robbie learns on a double date.

Who breaks the news to Robbie, moments before the ceremony, that Linda is not coming?

Kate is played by Jodi Thelen and her husband Andy by Frank Sivero. Linda later explains she wanted the would-be rock star, not a wedding singer.

Why does Linda say she jilted Robbie?

Angela Featherstone plays her. She turns up again near the end wanting him back, and answers his door claiming to be his fiancée just as Julia arrives.

Which frequent Sandler collaborator plays Robbie's best friend Sammy?

He was Sandler's college theatre classmate and later starred in Grandma's Boy. Sammy eventually admits his casual-dating lifestyle makes him miserable.

Christine Taylor, who plays Julia's cousin Holly, was known for playing which TV character on film?

She starred in The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) and A Very Brady Sequel. In the film Holly asks Julia's permission before making a play for Robbie.

Robbie's keyboardist, played by Alexis Arquette, is styled after which 1980s pop star?

The real singer said he found the impersonation, complete with 'Do You Really Want to Hurt Me', hilarious. Arquette was the sibling of Rosanna, Patricia and David.

Which 1979 hip-hop classic does Robbie's elderly neighbour Rosie perform at her anniversary party?

Ellen Albertini Dow's rendition was the only actor performance mixed onto the soundtrack album, combined with the Sugarhill Gang original.

Which wedding anniversary is Rosie celebrating when Robbie realises he wants a life with Julia?

Robbie has been giving Rosie singing lessons. She is the one who tells him to go and act on it.

Which real rock star plays himself on the flight and helps Robbie win Julia back?

He even offers to put Robbie in touch with record executives. His own 'White Wedding' is on the soundtrack album.

What is the name of the song Robbie writes for Julia and sings over the plane's intercom?

Sandler and Herlihy wrote it together. It closes the second soundtrack album, and in the stage musical Robbie sings it in a wedding chapel instead.

Where do the passengers confine Glenn after he tries to attack Robbie on the plane?

Several passengers wrestle him in there. Julia and Glenn had been heading off to elope.

Where do Julia and Glenn plan to elope after Julia finds Linda at Robbie's door?

Robbie boards the same flight without knowing it. The musical's climax moves the whole showdown into a Vegas chapel full of celebrity impersonators.

Who plays David Veltri, the uncredited best man whose drunken toast Ebert called the film's best scene?

He and Sandler had first worked together on Airheads in 1994. Ebert otherwise gave the film a poor review.

Jon Lovitz reprised his Wedding Singer role as Jimmie Moore in an episode of which sitcom?

The episode is set during the events of the film, and the movie's stars turn up via archive footage.

Which SNL veteran plays Mr. Simms, the bank manager Robbie asks for a job?

Robbie goes job-hunting after Holly suggests Julia is choosing Glenn for financial security. He does not get the job.

Which actress plays Julia's mother Angie, and was also Judy Geller on Friends?

Julia confides in her that she no longer loves Glenn. Pickles played Ross and Monica's mother across the entire run of Friends.

Roughly what was The Wedding Singer's production budget?

It went on to take $123 million worldwide, and is regularly ranked among Sandler's best comedies.

The Wedding Singer opened in second place at the US box office behind which holdover?

It took $18.8 million on its opening weekend and went on to $123 million worldwide.

Which studio released The Wedding Singer?

Principal photography ran from February 3 to March 25, 1997, entirely in California despite the New Jersey setting.

Which radio show inspired Tim Herlihy to set the film in the 1980s?

Sandler had pitched a comedy about a wedding singer left at the altar; Herlihy said his own recent marriage changed the tone of the script.

Which future Knocked Up director did uncredited rewrites on the script with Sandler?

Herlihy said the differences from earlier Sandler films came naturally, helped by the chemistry between the two leads.

Sandler and the film's director first became friends as students at which college?

The director said he could hardly believe he and his friends had the chance to make films together. The actor who plays Sammy was another classmate there.

Screenwriter Tim Herlihy makes a cameo as which character?

Fellow screenwriter Steven Brill plays Glenn's buddy, and model Shanna Moakler is a flight attendant.

The bar mitzvah boy is played by Michael Shuman, who grew up to join which rock band?

It is the reception where a depressed Robbie performs a bitter J. Geils Band number and alienates the guests.

Which Sandler-and-Herlihy song, sung by a heartbroken Robbie, appears on the first soundtrack album?

It sits on the album between a dialogue track and the closing medley. The film's other original song closes Volume 2.

How many soundtrack albums were released for The Wedding Singer?

Both were mostly new wave: the Smiths, New Order, the Psychedelic Furs, Spandau Ballet, Depeche Mode and Kajagoogoo among them.

On the soundtrack, 'Video Killed the Radio Star' is performed not by the Buggles but by which 1990s band?

It opens the first album. Most other tracks used the original 80s recordings rather than the actors' versions heard in the film.

Which 1984 J. Geils Band song does Robbie snarl through at a wedding after being jilted?

It made it onto the second soundtrack album in the original J. Geils version.

In which year did the stage musical of The Wedding Singer open on Broadway?

It opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on 27 April and closed on New Year's Eve after 284 performances, then toured 31 US cities.

Who wrote the music for the Broadway musical?

Chad Beguelin wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the book with Tim Herlihy. The pair later worked together on Elf and The Prom.

Which comedian-musician played Robbie in the original Broadway cast and earned a Tony nomination?

Laura Benanti played Julia. The show was directed by John Rando and choreographed by Rob Ashford.

How many Tony Award nominations did the Broadway production receive?

Best Musical, Book, Score, Leading Actor and Choreography. It also picked up eight Drama Desk nominations but won none of either.

Before Broadway, the musical had its world premiere at the 5th Avenue Theatre in which city?

That tryout ran from 8 to 19 February 2006. The later national tour wound up at Harrah's in Atlantic City in 2008.

Which 2004 film reunited The Wedding Singer's leads, with Sandler as a marine vet in Hawaii?

Peter Segal directed. Its end credits carry a dedication to Sandler's father Stanley, who died in 2003.

What was the 2014 safari comedy, the third film pairing The Wedding Singer's leads, called?

The Wedding Singer's director handled it too, closing the loop. It made $128 million on a $40 million budget despite poor reviews.

In The Wedding Singer musical, the Nevada chapel showdown features impersonators of which US president?

Nancy Reagan, Mr. T and Imelda Marcos lookalikes are there too. Robbie sings his new song before Julia says yes.

Sandler was a cast member of Saturday Night Live during which years?

Several SNL alumni appear in The Wedding Singer. Sandler's 2019 hosting return earned an Emmy nomination.

Roughly how much did The Wedding Singer gross worldwide on an $18M budget?

Its $18.8 million US opening weekend was only good enough for second place behind Titanic.

Which director did Frank Coraci cite as an important influence on The Wedding Singer?

Coraci said he could finally look back on his own heartbreak and let it be funny.

Why was Drew Barrymore kept from reading or hearing the film's songs until the first shoot?

Sandler also made her laugh out of context so that her on-camera laughs stayed real even after long days.

Between which dates did principal photography on The Wedding Singer take place in California?

The film opened in cinemas less than a year later, in February 1998.

Who performs 'Ladies' Night' on the film's soundtrack in place of Kool & the Gang?

Lovitz's rival singer Jimmie Moore is uncredited in the film itself.

Where on Broadway did the musical play its 284 performances in 2006?

John Rando directed and Rob Ashford choreographed; it closed on New Year's Eve.

Who wrote the lyrics for The Wedding Singer musical and co-wrote its book with Tim Herlihy?

Matthew Sklar supplied the music; the show later became a staple of community and high-school theatre.