Paternity (1981)

16% of users liked it
(73 ratings)

The directorial debut of actor and stand-up comedian David Steinberg concerns a single man who decides that he wants to be a dad -- without the complication of a wife. Burt Reynolds stars as Buddy Evans, the manager of Madison Square Garden. A longtime lothario, Buddy has always been very content as… More The directorial debut of actor and stand-up comedian David Steinberg concerns a single man who decides that he wants to be a dad -- without the complication of a wife. Burt Reynolds stars as Buddy Evans, the manager of Madison Square Garden. A longtime lothario, Buddy has always been very content as a bachelor, but he has begun to feel lately that he'd like to experience fatherhood. His yearnings receive plenty of fuel from his best friends Larry (Norman Fell) and Kurt (Paul Dooley), and from his parental-mentor relationship with a young boy, Tad (Peter Billingsley). So Buddy decides to seek out a woman who will bear his baby for a price, with no strings attached. He finds Maggie Harden (Beverly D'Angelo), a beautiful young music student working as a waitress and yearning for the financial resources to study in Paris. She agrees to serve as Buddy's temporary companion, but as the months pass and her pregnancy progresses, Maggie begins to fall in love with Buddy, who doesn't return her affections -- at first. Steinberg would go on to have greater success as a television sitcom director, calling the shots for several episodes of hit series in the '80s amd '90s. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: David Steinberg
Genres: Comedy, Romance

In Theaters: Oct 2, 1981 Wide

Critic Reviews

Chuck O'Leary, FulvueDrive-in.com
Burt is at his most appealing and self-deprecating playing a character much like himself at the time: A single, middle-age lothario longing to have a child. Charming and funny.

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Cast

            Burt Reynolds as Buddy Evans

            Beverly D'Angelo as Maggie

            Norman Fell as Larry

            Paul Dooley as Kurt

            Elizabeth Ashley as Sophia Thatcher

            Lauren Hutton as Jenny Lofton

            Juanita Moore as Celia

            Peter Billingsley as Tad

            Jacqueline Brookes as Aunt Ethel

            Kay Armen as Claudia Feinstein

            Jane Cecil as Woman at Music School

            Susanna Dalton as Gloria

            Tony di Benedetto as Butcher

            Macintyre Dixon as Nature-Walk Teacher

            Murphy Dunne as Singing Telegram Man

            Roger Etienne as Waiter

            Irena Ferris as Connie Laughing Girl at Bar

            Elaine Giftos as Woman in Bar

            Linda Gillin as Cathy

            Frank Hamilton as Old Man on Boat

            Toni Kalem as Diane Cassabello

            Mike Kellin as Tour Guide

            Carol Locatell as Ms. Werner

            Ken Magee as Man in Bar

            Bob Maroff as Ticketman at Garden

            Elsa Raven as Prenatal Nurse

            Derek Thompson as Workman at Garden

            Eugene Troobnick as Falalfel Vendor

            Brad Trumbull as Salesman in Oak Room

            Alfie Wise as Cabbie

            Victoria Young as Patti

            John Gilgreen as Salesman in Oak Room

            Dick Wieand as Mario

            Frank Bongiorno as News Vendor

            Hector Troy as Carlos
See full cast

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