Adam Rifkin

{{Infobox person

| name = Adam Rifkin

| image = Adam Rifkin.jpg

| caption = Rifkin in 2010

| alias = Rif Coogan

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|12|31}}

| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, United States

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = Film director, screenwriter, producer, actor

}}

Adam Rifkin (born December 31, 1966), sometimes credited as Rif Coogan, is an American filmmaker and actor.{{cite podcast|url=https://doublefeature.fm/2010/detroit-rock-city-christmas-on-mars|title=Detroit Rock City + Christmas on Mars|date=April 15, 2010|access-date=August 1, 2015}} His career ranges from broad family comedies to dark and gritty urban dramas. He is best known for writing family-friendly comedies like Mouse Hunt and 2007's Underdog.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/entertainment/hollywood/news/2007/12/look|title=Sneaky Sex, Spooky Scenes: Look Flick Eyes Voyeuristic Surveillance|author=Hugh Hart | magazine=Wired|date=December 13, 2007}}

Early life and education

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Rifkin graduated from the Chicago Academy for the Arts in 1984, after which he moved to Los Angeles. He attended the University of Southern California for one year before dropping out. He then began writing scripts and collaborating with Brad Wyman.{{Cite web|url=http://coverageink.blogspot.com/2010/06/riffin-with-rifkin.html|title=STORMBLOG: RIFFIN' WITH RIFKIN|last=Admin|date=June 16, 2010|website=STORMBLOG|access-date=December 30, 2019}}

Career

As a screenwriter, Rifkin has written several family-friendly movies. He wrote Knucklehead for WWE Studios, starring WWE star Big Show, Underdog for Walt Disney Pictures, Zoom, starring Tim Allen and two films for DreamWorks, Mouse Hunt and Small Soldiers. Continuing in the family film genre, he wrote the big screen version of He-Man for John Woo and 20th Century Fox,https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/502530-woo_on_for_he_man that was let go by.https://www.superherohype.com/features/93091-he-man-still-happening He also wrote the unused draft of Planet of the Apes in 1988.

Rifkin's film The Dark Backward was named one of the top ten films of its year by The New York Post.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}} He was then the director responsible for New Line Cinema's Detroit Rock City.

= Directing =

Rifkin directed his first film Never on Tuesday in 1989. As of December 6, 2007, he has directed eleven others, including The Chase (1994), Detroit Rock City (1999) and the Night at the Golden Eagle (2002).

= Production =

Rifkin began his production career in 1999 on the production of Touch Me in the Morning by Giuseppe Andrews. Preceding his completion of that project, Rifkin produced his own film Night at the Golden Eagle as well as Getting Hal by Tony Markes.

= Acting =

Rifkin began his acting career in 1989 with his directorial debut Never on Tuesday. Rifkin has appeared in small roles and cameos in his other films, Night at the Golden Eagle, Without Charlie, Detroit Rock City, The Dark Backward, Denial and Psycho Cop 2. Rifkin also appeared as Croaker/Miss Spain in the 1989 film, Going Overboard, starring Adam Sandler and Burt Young.

He also wrote, directed and acted in the 2007 film Homo Erectus, in which he portrays a wimpy caveman called Ishbo, the main character in the film. The film's ensemble cast includes Ali Larter, David Carradine, Talia Shire, Gary Busey, and Ron Jeremy.{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Director ! Writer ! Producer ! Notes
rowspan="3"\|1989 \| Never on Tuesday \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
Going Overboard \| {{no}} \| {{yes\|Uncredited}} \| {{yes\|Co-producer}} \|
Tale of Two Sisters \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \| {{no}} \|
1990 \| The Invisible Maniac \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \| Credited as "Rif Coogan"
1991 \| The Dark Backward \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
1992 \| The Nutt House \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \| {{no}} \|
1993 \| Psycho Cop 2 \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \| {{no}} \| Credited as "Rif Coogan"
1994 \| The Chase \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
1997 \| Mouse Hunt \| {{no}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
rowspan="3"\|1998 \| Denial \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
Small Soldiers \| {{no}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
Welcome to Hollywood \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \| Co-directed with Tony Markes
1999 \| Detroit Rock City \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \| {{no}} \|
rowspan="2"\|2001 \| Without Charlie \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
Night at the Golden Eagle \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \|
2006 \| Zoom \| {{no}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
rowspan=3\|2007 \| Homo Erectus \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
Look \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
Underdog \| {{no}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
2010 \| Knucklehead \| {{no}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
2011 \| Chillerama \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{yes\|Executive}} \| Segment "Wadzilla"
2015 \| Shooting the Warwicks \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \|
2016 \| Director's Cut \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \| {{yes}} \|
2017 \| The Last Movie Star \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \|
2021 \| Willy's Wonderland \| {{no}} \| {{no}} \| {{yes\|Executive}} \|
2023 \| The Adam Rifkin Film Festival \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| Compilation of short films made from 1975 to 1987
TBA \| Last Train to Fortune \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \| {{yes}} \| Post-production

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Director

! Writer

! Producer

! Notes

rowspan="3"|1989

| Never on Tuesday

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

Going Overboard

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Uncredited}}

| {{yes|Co-producer}}

Tale of Two Sisters

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

1990

| The Invisible Maniac

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| Credited as "Rif Coogan"

1991

| The Dark Backward

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

1992

| The Nutt House

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

1993

| Psycho Cop 2

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| Credited as "Rif Coogan"

1994

| The Chase

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

1997

| Mouse Hunt

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

rowspan="3"|1998

| Denial

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

Small Soldiers

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

Welcome to Hollywood

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| Co-directed with Tony Markes

1999

| Detroit Rock City

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

rowspan="2"|2001

| Without Charlie

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

Night at the Golden Eagle

| {{yes}}

2006

| Zoom

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

rowspan=3|2007

| Homo Erectus

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

Look

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

Underdog

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

2010

| Knucklehead

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

2011

| Chillerama

| {{yes}}

| {{yes|Executive}}

| Segment "Wadzilla"

2015

| Shooting the Warwicks

| {{yes}}

2016

| Director's Cut

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

2017

| The Last Movie Star

| {{yes}}

2021

| Willy's Wonderland

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Executive}}

2023

| The Adam Rifkin Film Festival

| {{yes}}

| Compilation of short films made from 1975 to 1987

TBA

| Last Train to Fortune

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| Post-production

Acting credits

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes
1984 \| Sixteen Candles \| Head Nerd \|rowspan=2\| Uncredited
rowspan=2\| 1989 \| Never on Tuesday \| William
Going Overboard \| Croaker / Miss Spain \|
1990 \| Disturbed \| Gary \|
rowspan=2\| 1991 \| The Dark Backward \| Rufus Bing \|
Bikini Island \| Desk Boy \|rowspan=2\| Credited as Rif Coogan
1992 \| Last Dance \| Mark
rowspan="3"\|1993 \| Psycho Cop 2 \| Man with Video Camera \|
The Flesh Merchant \| Man In Bondage Room \|
Bikini Squad \| Singing Teacher \| Credited as Rif Coogan
rowspan=3\| 1998 \| Denial \| Reuben \|
Susan's Plan \| Gambler #1 \|
Welcome to Hollywood \| Himself \|
1999 \| Detroit Rock City \| It's Raining Men Billboard Model \| Uncredited
rowspan="2"\|2001 \| Without Charlie \| Norman \|
Night at the Golden Eagle \| Man in Private Booth \| Uncredited
2007 \| Homo Erectus \| Ishbo \|
2011 \| Chillerama \| Miles Munson \| Segment "Wadzilla"
2015 \| Shooting the Warwicks \| Mickey Wagner \|
2016 \| Director's Cut \| Himself \|

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1984

| Sixteen Candles

| Head Nerd

|rowspan=2| Uncredited

rowspan=2| 1989

| Never on Tuesday

| William

Going Overboard

| Croaker / Miss Spain

1990

| Disturbed

| Gary

rowspan=2| 1991

| The Dark Backward

| Rufus Bing

Bikini Island

| Desk Boy

|rowspan=2| Credited as Rif Coogan

1992

| Last Dance

| Mark

rowspan="3"|1993

| Psycho Cop 2

| Man with Video Camera

The Flesh Merchant

| Man In Bondage Room

Bikini Squad

| Singing Teacher

| Credited as Rif Coogan

rowspan=3| 1998

| Denial

| Reuben

Susan's Plan

| Gambler #1

Welcome to Hollywood

| Himself

1999

| Detroit Rock City

| It's Raining Men Billboard Model

| Uncredited

rowspan="2"|2001

| Without Charlie

| Norman

Night at the Golden Eagle

| Man in Private Booth

| Uncredited

2007

| Homo Erectus

| Ishbo

2011

| Chillerama

| Miles Munson

| Segment "Wadzilla"

2015

| Shooting the Warwicks

| Mickey Wagner

2016

| Director's Cut

| Himself

Documentary film

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Director ! Producer
1999 \| Touch Me in the Morning \| {{no}} \| {{yes}}
2004 \| Babysitter \| {{no}} \| {{Yes}}
2006 \| Jacuzzi Rooms \| {{no}} \| {{Yes}}
2007 \| Garbanzo Gas \| {{no}} \| {{Yes}}
2014 \| Giuseppe Makes a Movie \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}}

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Director

! Producer

1999

| Touch Me in the Morning

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

2004

| Babysitter

| {{no}}

| {{Yes}}

2006

| Jacuzzi Rooms

| {{no}}

| {{Yes}}

2007

| Garbanzo Gas

| {{no}}

| {{Yes}}

2014

| Giuseppe Makes a Movie

| {{yes}}

=Television=

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Director ! Writer ! Executive Producer ! Creator
1996 \| Bone Chillers \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{yes\|Co-Executive}} \| {{yes}}
2010 \| Look: The Series \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}}
2012 \| Reality Show \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}}

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Director

! Writer

! Executive
Producer

! Creator

1996

| Bone Chillers

| {{yes}}

| {{yes|Co-Executive}}

| {{yes}}