Whatever Happened to the Cast of ‘UHF’?

UHF, Michael Richards (lower left), Weird Al Yankovic (center), Fran Drescher (lower right), 1989. — ©Orion Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection

Tim Burton’s Batman was bigger. When Harry Met Sally was sweeter. Do the Right Thing was cooler. However, if you wanted to see something downright weird in the movie theater in the summer of 1989, there was no better choice than a tiny comedy known as UHF.

From the mind of “Weird” Al Yankovic and his manager Jay Levey, UHF was a story about a lovable loser named George Newman, who gets the keys to the castle — an opportunity to program a local UHF station with a zany array of TV shows that end up skyrocketing ratings and infuriating the establishment. Filled with subtle (and not-so-subtle) parodies of TV favorites, music videos and all things pop culture, UHF’s “Weird” Al-influenced jabs play second fiddle only to the movie’s hilarious-yet-unknown cast, many who later emerged as much bigger stars.

We know the rest of the story. UHF flopped at the box office, but found a huge audience on home video — but how did the cast fare after the movie’s release? Plus, to celebrate this cult classic’s 35th anniversary, Shout Factory just released a special 4k Ultra-HD and Blu-ray.

Where is the cast of UHF?

“Weird” Al Yankovic (64)

Orion Pictures Corp/Courtesy Everett Collection; Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

A recording artist, comedian and actor, “Weird” Al is best known for writing and performing parodies of popular songs by other artists. By 2015, Yankovic had sold more than 12 million albums, recorded over 150 songs and performed more than 1,000 live shows. With five Grammy Awards, six platinum records and an extremely — you guessed it — weird biopic released in 2022 (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, starring Daniel Radcliffe, of all people), “Weird” Al’s comedic star continues to shine. He just released the single “Polkamania!” — his first in two years — to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the last album he said he would ever make, Mandatory Fun. He is married and has one child.

Michael Richards (75)

Orion Pictures Corp/Courtesy Everett Collection; Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Before he became universally known as Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld, Michael Richards’ comedic genius shined brightly on a variety of lesser-known stages. UHF was a perfect platform to let his physical style of comedy run free. As goofy janitor-turned-TV-host Stanley Spadowski, Richards gave us all a glimpse of the lovable tomfoolery that would define him as one of TV’s biggest stars throughout the ’90s and beyond. After getting blacklisted for some inappropriate comments, he has recently been in the news again with the new memoir Entrances and Exits. He is currently married and has two children.

Fran Drescher (66)

Orion Pictures Corp/Courtesy Everett Collection; Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images

A genuine sitcom icon, Drescher is still best known for her career-defining work starring in and producing CBS’ hit sitcom The Nanny, but longtime fans will remember her among the kooky cast of characters in UHF. Drescher currently serves as the national president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA), helping to shepherd the entertainment industry through the recent Hollywood strikes. According to IMDb, she will be reprising her role as Bobbi Flekman in the recently announced Spinal Tap II.

Victoria Jackson (64)

Orion Pictures Corp/Courtesy Everett Collection; Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Building a strong career as a standout on Saturday Night Live (along with a plethora of other hilarious roles in movies and TV), Jackson’s turn as George’s long-suffering girlfriend Teri allowed her to spread her wings and play a softer, less-ditzy contrast to her boyfriend’s insanity. Though Jackson is now largely retired and known for her vocal conservative stances on various social matters, she did release a comedy album called When I Get to Nashville in 2023, along with the movie Jingle Smells.

David Bowe (60)

One of those faces you know but just can’t place, David Bowe starred as George’s best friend Bob and kickstarted an amazing career appearing in tons of popular movies. From the iconic A Few Good Men and Michael Bay’s The Rock to Will Ferrell’s family hit Kicking and Screaming, Bowe’s body of work is eclectic and oh-so-entertaining — just like UHF. He was last seen as a reporter in Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.