January 31 - Down and Out in Beverly Hills

Image copyright Touchstone Pictures

On this day, in 1986, Touchstone Pictures released their fifth film, Down and Out in Beverly Hills. Starring Bette Midler, Richard Dreyfuss and Nick Nolte, DOBH takes its place in Disney history as the first movie of the company to ever get an R rating. Based on a 1932 French film, Boudu suave des eaux (which was itself based on a French play), the comedy follows a rich couple who save the life of a homeless man, who tried to drown himself in their pool, and the high-jinks that ensue when they try to rehabilitate him.

The film was fairly well received and turned into a modest box office success. It did well enough with audiences that a television series with the same name and premise (albeit a different cast) was created. The show, produced and distributed by Disney, ran on the Fox network, which was only six months old at the time. Unfortunately, the television version of Down and Out also earned a dubious place in history for itself. After just eight episodes, it became the first show to ever be cancelled by Fox.