The Jerk

1h 34min

Comedy

After discovering he's not really black like the rest of his family, likable dimwit Navin Johnson sets off on a hilarious misadventure that takes him from rags to riches and back again. The slaphappy jerk strikes it rich, but life in the fast lane isn't all it's cracked up to be and, in the end, all that really matters to Johnson is his true love.

Production Companies

Universal Pictures

Aspen Film Society

Cast

Steve Martin

Steve Martin

Navin R. Johnson
Bernadette Peters

Bernadette Peters

Marie Kimble Johnson
Catlin Adams

Catlin Adams

Patty Bernstein
Carl Gottlieb

Carl Gottlieb

Iron Balls McGinty
Bill Macy

Bill Macy

Stan Fox
Ren Woods

Ren Woods

Elvira
Pepe Serna

Pepe Serna

Punk #1
Sonny Terry

Sonny Terry

Blues Singer
Brownie McGhee

Brownie McGhee

Blues Singer
Jackie Mason

Jackie Mason

Harry Hartounian
Larry Hankin

Larry Hankin

Circus Hand (uncredited)
Howard Hesseman

Howard Hesseman

Carnival Worker (uncredited)
Rob Reiner

Rob Reiner

Truck Driver Picking Up Navin (uncredited)
Gailard Sartain

Gailard Sartain

Guy with Cracked Airplane Seats (uncredited)
William Schallert

William Schallert

Judge M.A. Loring

Release date

14th Dec 1979

Status

Released

Spoken languages

English