Weekend at Bernie's (1989) (2024)

FAQs

Why was Bernie killed in Weekend at Bernie's? ›

While attempting to convince people that Bernie is still alive until they can leave to prevent them from being falsely suspected for causing his death, they discover that Bernie had in fact ordered their killing to cover up his embezzlement. Weekend at Bernie's grossed $30 million on a $15 million budget.

Parents need to know that Weekend at Bernie's is an '80s comedy that treats death with an irreverence that may disturb sensitive younger children. Two bickering, opportunistic junior executives party while a hit man stalks their dead boss.

Terry Kiser stars as the titular character, which means he plays a corpse for most of the film. And almost the entire film uses Kiser playing dead. However, his co-star Andrew McCarthy revealed that there is one scene in which a real body wasn't used.

Fun-loving salesmen Richard (Jonathan Silverman) and Larry (Andrew McCarthy) are invited by their boss, Bernie (Terry Kiser), to stay the weekend at his posh beach house. Little do they know that Bernie is the perpetrator of a fraud they've uncovered and is arranging to have them killed. When the plan backfires and Bernie is killed instead, the buddies decide not to let a little death spoil their vacation. They pretend Bernie is still alive, leading to hijinks and corpse desecration galore.

Weekend at Bernie's / Film synopsis

In the production of Weekend at Bernie's was Bernie's body a dummy or an actor or a little of both? - Quora. In the production of Weekend at Bernie's was Bernie's body a dummy or an actor or a little of both? Terry Kiser was credited for the role. It was a live flesh and blood actor playing dead.

Polly Segal: Woman in Elevator.

The Hamptons scenes were filmed at Bald Head Island in North Carolina; an idyllic island getaway with beautiful beaches and stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. Fort Fisher in North Carolina, a historic coastal fort renowned for its pristine beaches and rich history, provided the setting for Bernie's house.

Now it can be told – “Weekend at Bernie's” was based on a true story about the late John Barrymore. According to Drew Barrymore, her grandfather's friends Errol Flynn, WC Fields, and Sadakichi Hartmann took his body from the morgue and propped it up at a poker table after his death in May 1942.

It's a setup for him to hire mob boss Vito (Louis Giambalvo) to kill them. However, when it becomes obvious that Bernie creeps in between the sheets with Vito's girlfriend, the mobster directs hitman Paulie (Don Calfa) to take out Bernie instead.

He plays the role very well and also garners laughs. And of course, Terry Kiser does a great job portraying Bernie, and he creates his share of laughs throughout the film. "Weekend at Bernie's" is one of those films that can be watched over and over and still make someone laugh.

What happened to the house on weekend at Bernies? ›

Bernie's ultramodern beach house was built specially for the movie (and dismantled after shooting) on the Fort Fisher Recreation Area, between Bald Head Island and Carolina Beach State Park, which is where the corpse of Bernie ends up 'waterskiing'.

Imagine a reboot that draws attention not just from nostalgia for the original, but for its own quality. And lest we forget, like the original, Weekend at Bernie's III is still a buddy comedy about two guys trying to keep the party going by passing off a corpse as a living breathing human being.

It is the sequel to Klane's 1989 comedy Weekend at Bernie's and starring Andrew McCarthy, Jonathan Silverman, Terry Kiser, and Barry Bostwick. It tells the story of Larry and Richard once again ending up with their late boss' corpse, which is targeted by a voodoo queen hired by mobsters.

Rotten audience score. Fun-loving salesmen Richard (Jonathan Silverman) and Larry (Andrew McCarthy) are invited by their boss, Bernie (Terry Kiser), to stay the weekend at his posh beach house. Little do they know that Bernie is the perpetrator of a fraud they've uncovered and is arranging to have them killed.

Jason Woliner: Bratty Kid.