'You wanna work at All-American Burger...'
Naysayers say the '80s were the "Me" decade. And what movie character personifies that attitude more than Judge Reinhold's "Brad Hamilton" in 1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High. In the infamous pool scene with Phoebe Cates, Brad takes matter into his own ... well, let's just leave it at that.
Reinhold turns 50 years old today. Incredible, huh? And you can say what you like about his "heavy-handed" performance in Fast Times, the guy was an '80s icon. Ruthless People, Lords of Discipline, even Stripes.
Jeesh, what would Beverly Hills Cop have been without Reinhold as Det. Rosewood? ("You know, it says here that by the time the average American is 50, he has five pounds of undigested red meat in his bowels." Wow, words to live by for you now, Judge.)
But today, for his big Five-Oh, he's all Brad...
Top 5 Brad Hamilton lines from Fast Times at Ridgemont High:
5. "Hope You had a hell of a p--s, Arnold!"
4. "Learn it. Know it. Live it."
3. "Mister, if you don't shut up I'm gonna kick one hundred percent of your a--!"
2. "I shall serve no fries before their time."
1. "Jeez. Doesn't anyone f----ng knock any more?"
Relive the music, movies and culture of the greatest decade ever with Times online editor Steve Spears. A teen during the decade, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to Reaganomics.
E-mail Steve Spears:
Brad from Fast Times has hit half a hundred. It's frightening.
Posted by: Johnny B. Goode | May 21, 2007 at 02:38 PM
FIFTY?!? Holy frijoles! And Harry Dean Stanton is EIGHTY?? It is truly mind boggling. I'm still trying to deal with the fact that my 20th high school reunion is this year!
Posted by: Bgirl | May 21, 2007 at 02:42 PM
Bgirl, I'm in the same boat as you- 20th reunion is in July. Madness! I checked out IMDB for Judge Reinhold, and he's holding up pretty well, in the charming but goofy way he always had. What's next Spears, you're gonna tell me Rick Springfield is 60 or something? (OK, I just checked and he'll be 58 in August...shocking enough!)
Sherrie
Posted by: Sherrie | May 21, 2007 at 03:13 PM
I love this movie. Judge plays the best big brother a teenager could have. What a great role - and he has the best quotes! Glad I have the DVD.
Posted by: Richard Phelps | May 21, 2007 at 07:18 PM
I'm still trying to deal with the fact that I'm turning 40 this week.
Posted by: bassnote | May 21, 2007 at 10:49 PM
tell me how it goes bassnote. I don't get there until the end of August.
Posted by: Douglas Arthur | May 22, 2007 at 01:22 AM
I hit 40 in mid-July. At least it'll happen while I'm in Vegas.
Posted by: Spears | May 22, 2007 at 07:51 AM
I hit 40 in Oct. Looks like we are all joining the club this year. Haven't decided what I am going to do...
Posted by: Hamptune | May 22, 2007 at 09:24 AM
My husband will be 40 in January--I have a few years yet, but rapidli approaching! :-0
Posted by: Bgirl | May 22, 2007 at 10:58 AM
How about a Class of '85 Turns 40 podcast?
Posted by: bassnote | May 22, 2007 at 05:04 PM
I just rented Beverly Hills Cop last night in honor of Judge Reinhold.
I cannot believe what a bad movie it is!
Posted by: Petey in MTL | May 23, 2007 at 08:37 AM
I hit 40 back in February, and it still hasn't quite sunk in! HA!
Thanks for the Fast Times quotes. I really need to go watch that again!!
Posted by: Brent D | May 23, 2007 at 11:36 AM