The Players
The Players
Adam Carolla
Executive Producer
Talent: ?Jerry Ferro?
Adam Carolla?s career as an entertainer began with his weekly portrayal of Mr. Bircham, the crotchety Vietnam vet-turned shop teacher, on KROQ?s Kevin and Bean Morning Show in Los Angeles. On KROQ he went on to host Loveline, the nightly relationship call-in show, with co-host Drew Pinsky. He became beloved to millions of listeners across the country with his tart, irreverent relationship advice and wildly funny observational comedy. Hosted by Carolla and Drew, Loveline ran for 10 years on radio, and also aired for five seasons on MTV. Simultaneous to his Loveline gig, he and buddy Jimmy Kimmel created The Man Show for Comedy Central, which in the course of its wildly popular four-season run became the network?s second highest rated show ever (after South Park). The show was a lovably unapologetic ode to beer-drinking and skirt chasing, and in addition to executive producing, writing and hosting the show with Kimmel, Carolla performed in many of its hilarious skits. Carolla, Kimmel and their business partner Daniel Kellison went on to develop Crank Yankers for Comedy Central (now airing on MTV2), a show where comedians perpetrate real crank calls, performed on-screen by puppets. Other TV ventures include his late-night talk show Too Late with Adam Carolla, and the home-improvement show The Adam Carolla Project, which aired on the TLC network. He executive produced and appeared in Windy City Heat, a feature film for Comedy Central. He executive produced, developed the story for and stars in The Hammer, which is based loosely on his own rags-to-riches story of a carpenter who finds success by doggedly pursuing his dreams. He most recently took over for Howard Stern on Free FM?s morning radio show, now called The Adam Carolla Show, which runs in 12 major markets in the Southwest and on the West Coast. Carolla is a former Golden Gloves boxer and an auto enthusiast. A native of Southern California, Carolla resides in Los Angeles with his wife Lynette, their two children and Molly the dog.
Heather Juergensen
Producer
Talent: Lindsay Pratt
Heather created the role of Helen Cooper in Kissing Jessica Stein, which she also co-wrote and co-produced. The film won numerous audience awards as well as a Special Jury Award for Writing and Acting at the 2001 Los Angeles Film Festival, and was distributed by Fox Searchlight to strong critical acclaim and enthusiastic audiences. An accomplished writer as well as an actress, she has written screenplays or teleplays for Miramax, Warner Bros., ABC, VH-1 and CBS among others. Heather?s film work has been honored at the Chicago International Film Festival, the Miami International Film Festival and the Indie Spirit Awards. Her acting credits range from the dark Irish character drama Red Roses and Petrol starring Malcolm McDowell to the family comedy Haunted Mansion starring Eddie Murphy. Heather wrote, directed and starred (with Tony award-winner Stephen Spinella) in the short film The Suzy Prophecy, soon to be playing at film festivals. She stars alongside Adam Carolla in The Hammer, which she also produced. As a writer, Heather is hard at work on a new feature script, a sports comedy set in the world of girl?s track. She lives in Los Angeles with husband Kevin Hench and their two dogs.
Oswaldo Castillo
Talent: Oswaldo Sanchez
Oswaldo Castillo left Nicaragua in 1986, during the country?s tumultuous civil war. He settled in Los Angeles and began working in construction. He met Adam Carolla on a job site in 1989 and the two became fast friends. They worked many jobs together, including building the Bodies in Motion gym in Pasadena, where Adam would later work as a boxing instructor, and where they would both later work as actors while shooting The Hammer. When Adam began working full-time in entertainment in the mid-90s, Ozzie came along for the ride, performing in skits on The Man Show and playing worker, funnyman and cook on Carolla?s home improvement show The Adam Carolla Project on the TLC network. In The Hammer, he plays Oswaldo Sanchez, Jerry?s best friend, sidekick and cornerman. It is his feature film debut. In addition to doing the Monday morning movie reviews on Adam?s Free FM radio show, Oswaldo also recently painted Adam?s house.
Charles Herman-Wurmfeld
Director
Charles Herman-Wurmfeld made his directorial debut in 2002 with the hit indie film Kissing Jessica Stein. Made for just under a million dollars, the critically lauded romantic comedy went on to gross over seven million domestically. It won a Special Critic?s Award and The Audience Prize at the 2001 Los Angeles Film Festival, as well as numerous audience awards at other festivals, including the Chicago International.
Herman-Wurmfeld began his career in San Francisco, where he and sister Eden
Wurmfeld launched their prolific, long-term creative collaboration with the micro-budget film ?Fanci?s Persuasion.? In San Francisco Herman-Wurmfeld also made a splash by developing and directing a series of rock operas, winning him a prestigious ?Best of the Bay? nod by the San Francisco Bay Guardian.
Staying true to his independent spirit and barn theatre roots, Herman-Wurmfeld has nimbly moved from edgy low-budget projects to high-profile studio offerings. Following the success of Kissing Jessica Stein, Herman-Wurmfeld went on to helm Legally Blonde 2 starring Reese Witherspoon while also directing Rock the Vote Stage Show, a political poetry jam created by industry veteran Norman Lear. His television work includes Comedy Central?s Stella, currently in DVD release; and the ?Facts of Life Reunion Movie? with Charlotte Ray.
He has made documentaries on subjects ranging from the foibles of the rock and roll lifestyle for MTV to the rigors of campaign life for Howard Dean.
The HAMMER represents Herman-Wurmfeld?s second film with Jessica Stein writer/actress Heather Juergensen. He and Eden are currently in production with Hilary Swank and Plum Pictures on the project titled Laws on Motion.
Kevin Hench
Writer
Co-Producer
An accomplished film and television writer, Kevin Hench has written for The Man Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live and was the head writer on Comedy Central?s Too Late with Adam Carolla. After selling screenplays to Henson Pictures, Laurence Mark Productions and Bill Mechanic?s Pandemonium Entertainment and writing the TV movie Kiss My Ass for ABC, his first produced feature film The Hammer, a boxing comedy, will premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. A regular columnist for FoxSports.com, Hench makes frequent appearances as a sports commentator on The Best Damn Sports Show Period and can be seen on The Sports List (which he also produced), both on FoxSports. His single-season record for free throw percentage (54-60, 90 percent) still stands at New Hampshire?s Hanover High School.
Eden Wurmfeld
Producer
Eden Wurmfeld began her producing career in 1994 on her brother?s experimental feature Fanci?s Persuasion. Since then she has collaborated with Doug Liman on SWINGERS, SEE JANE RUN, and recently was the New York Production Supervisor for his 2005 film MR. AND MRS. SMITH starring Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. She produced the award-winning indie feature KISSING JESSICA STEIN, which was acquired by Fox Searchlight to hit success at the box office. Her first documentary effort, the award-winning ITVS SUNSET STORY, won a jury prize at the Tribeca Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Los Angeles Film Festival, and aired on PBS during Women?s History Month in 2005. She produced Puccini for Beginners which premiered in competition at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. In summer of 2006 she produced Adam Carolla?s debut feature, THE HAMMER, slated to premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. Eden is currently in pre-production on LAWS OF MOTION, starring Hilary Swank. She is also at work on a new documentary project titled NO IMPACT MAN. Wurmfeld co-authored The IFP/Los Angeles Independent Filmmaker?s Manual (Focal Press), a ?cookbook? on indie filmmaking, which is used in film studies courses across the country. The second edition is currently in bookstores. Wurmfeld earned her MFA from UCLA?s Film School from which she received an alumni award in 2003. She was named one of Variety?s ?10 Producers to Watch for 2002? and was a finalist for the 2003 Indie Spirit Producers Award. She is also a member of the DGA.
Eric Ganz
Producer
Eric Ganz brings a background of fundraising and organizational management to the table. A Seattle native, Eric has experience in capital finance in entertainment issues at both the individual and institutional levels. He enjoys being part of the process of enabling creative people to share stories and tell tales around the world. Entertainment is a natural offshoot of his successful past work in technology and interactive ventures. Eric keeps busy in the outdoors and makes the point to explore a new part of the world each year. He is a graduate of Seattle?s Lakeside School (1997) and the University of Washington (2001).
Tom Quinn
Talent: Coach Bell
The roll of Eddie Bell allowed Tom Quinn to combine his two passions ? boxing and acting. A retired investment executive, he began boxing at age five and acting at fifty -five. An intercollegiate heavyweight champion while at Georgetown, he was a professional manager and trainer and has taught boxing to over 2000 men and women. Tom has had featured roles in a number of movies including The Pelican Brief, Enemy of the State, Major League II and Shadow Conspiracy. TV roles include The West Wing, Homicide; Life on the Street, The Wire, The District, America?s Most Wanted, Shot in the Heart and The Day Lincoln Was Shot. He lives in Washington, DC and has appeared in over thirty plays there.
