Scrooged (1988)

Robert Mitchum: Preston Rhinelander

Photos 

Quotes 

• Elliot : Hello, IBC program room.

  Preston : This is Rhinelander. Who's the idiot that put that nut on the air?

  Elliot : Oh, uh, Brice Cummings is the idiot, sir, but uh... he can't talk to you right now because he's sorta tied up. Uh-huh. Oh, in fact, he just said that you were a flatulating butthead?

  Preston : A butthead?

  Elliot : He said he never felt that way about a man before, but you really looked good in a suit.

• Preston Rhinelander : Frank, have you any idea how many cats there are in this country?

  Frank Cross : No, I don't have those... no.

  Preston Rhinelander : Twenty-seven million. Do you know how many dogs?

  Frank Cross : In America?

  Preston Rhinelander : Forty-eight million. We spend four billion dollars on petfood alone. Now I have here a study from Hampstead University which shows us that cats and dogs are beginning to watch television. Now if these scientists are right, we should start programming right now. Within twenty years they could become steady viewers.

  Frank Cross : Progamming? For cats?

  Preston Rhinelander : Walk with me, Frank.

  Frank Cross : [Frank whispers to his secretary, Grace, as they leave the office]  Call the police.

  Preston Rhinelander : Now I'm not saying build a whole show around animals. All I'm suggesting is that we occasionally throw in a little pet appeal. Some birds, a squirrel...

  Frank Cross : Mice.

  Preston Rhinelander : ...mice! Exactly. You remember Kojak and the lollipops? What about a cop that dangles string as his gimmick? Lots of quick random actions. Frank, wasn't there a doormouse in Scrooge?

  Frank Cross : No, but now that you say it... I always felt that it needed a doormouse.

  Preston Rhinelander : Doormice. Better.

  Frank Cross : Bingo.

• [Phone rings in the control room] 

  Censor Lady : [picks up the receiver, but is snatched by Eliot]  Ouch!

  Elliot : Hello, um, Control Room. How can I help you?

  Preston : This is Rhinelander. I wanna talk to the idiot who put that moron on the air

  Elliot : Oh, um, Brice Cummings is the idiot, sir. But he can't talk to you right now 'cause, uh, he's tied up.

  [Brice is tied and restrained to a chair] 

  Elliot : Uh-huh. Yes. In fact, he just said that you were an flatulating butthead.

  Preston : [shocked]  A butthead?

  Elliot : He said he never felt that way about a man before, but he really liked you in a certain way.

  [Brice growls and mumbles to explain the truth, but to no avail; Preston, furious, then kicks one of his cats out of the way]