Jack the Bear (1993): Cast, Box Office & Plot
Jack the Bear is a 1993 comedy drama directed by Marshall Herskovitz, starring Robert J. Steinmiller Jr. as Jack Leary, Miko Hughes and Danny DeVito. It runs 1 hour 39 minutes and earned $5.1 million worldwide.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 39m (99 min)
- Director
- Marshall Herskovitz
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Lucky Dog Productions
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Jack the Bear About?
The premise of Jack the Bear without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A family drama that makes you laugh, cry, and cling to each moment. After his wife's death, a father moves his two sons to California and becomes a television horror‑show host. The film follows the shifting bonds between father and children as they confront grief, new beginnings, and the odd world of late‑night TV.
Jack the Bear Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- usa horror host
- usa male horror host
- male horror host
- movie reality crossover
- halloween costume
- bunny costume
- charlie chaplin costume
- foxvideo
- kidnapping a child
- lifting someone into the air
- car
- death
+38 more Show fewer
- young
- neo nazi
- kidnapping
- horror host
- tv show
- suburb
- single father
- racial slur
- piano
- oakland california
- oakland athletics
- nazi uniform
- loss of mother
- california
- aggression
- widower
- tension
- show
- loss of wife
- alcoholism
- trick or treating
- tree climbing
- supermarket
- rain
- police
- photo album
- neighbor
- voice over narration
- hospital
- golden gate bridge
- flashlight
- father son relationship
- dog
- dinner
- dead dog
- chess
- brother brother relationship
- ambulance
Jack the Bear Cast & Characters
Robert J. Steinmiller Jr. leads the cast as Jack Leary, with Miko Hughes as Dylan Leary and Danny DeVito as John Leary. Directed by Marshall Herskovitz; 21 actors are credited in all.
- Director Marshall Herskovitz
- Robert J. Steinmiller Jr. as Jack Leary
-
Miko Hughes as Dylan Leary -
Danny DeVito as John Leary - Andrea Marcovicci as Elizabeth Leary
Also Starring in Jack the Bear
· 17 more- Gary Sinise Norman Strick
- Reese Witherspoon Karen Morris
- Dorothy Lyman Mrs. Morris
- Lee Garlington Mrs. Festinger
- Sam Freed Mr. Morris
- Bert Remsen Mitchell
- Stefan Gierasch Father-in-Law
- Art LaFleur Mr. Festinger
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus Peggy Etinger
- Erica Yohn Mother-in-Law
- Christopher Lawford Vince Buccini
- Monica Calhoun Sondra
- Cliff Bemis Det. John Marker
- Carl Gabriel Yorke Gordon Layton
- Kelly Connell Fireman
- Douglas Tolbert Ray
Show all 21 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Jahary Bennett Michael
More from Marshall Herskovitz
One more film directed by Marshall Herskovitz: Dangerous Beauty.
Jack the Bear Plot Summary
What happens in Jack the Bear from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Jack Leary and his younger brother Dylan Leary begin anew in Oakland, California, in 1972 after their mother, Elizabeth Leary, is killed in a car crash. Their father, John Leary, hosts Midnight Shriek, a late-night horror program, as the boisterous but troubled host-commentator “Al Gory,” a persona that energizes the household even as his drinking problem adds strain to daily life. In the midst of this upheaval, Jack takes on more parental responsibilities, guiding Dylan through his first day of preschool and trying to keep a sense of normalcy for both boys.
Full summary
The whole story of Jack the Bear, scene by scene
Jack the Bear Box Office
Jack the Bear grossed $5.1 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$5.1M
- US & Canada
- $5.1M
Jack the Bear Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 teaser.
- Teaser Jack The Bear 1993 - Trailer
How Well Do You Know Jack the Bear?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
In which city do Jack and Dylan move to at the start of the film?
Seen Jack the Bear?
Movies Like Jack the Bear
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Jack, Jack-O and Jack Be Nimble.
Jack the Bear FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office and post-credit scenes of Jack the Bear, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Jack the Bear?
Jack the Bear runs 1 hour 39 minutes (99 minutes).
When was Jack the Bear released?
Jack the Bear was released on April 2, 1993.
Who directed Jack the Bear?
Jack the Bear was directed by Marshall Herskovitz.
More films by Marshall Herskovitz Who is in the cast of Jack the Bear?
Jack the Bear stars Robert J. Steinmiller Jr. as Jack Leary, Miko Hughes as Dylan Leary and Danny DeVito as John Leary, among 21 credited actors.
How much did Jack the Bear make at the box office?
Jack the Bear grossed $5.1 million worldwide.
Does Jack the Bear have a post-credit scene?
No. Jack the Bear has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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