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The 1988 movie Whoopi Goldberg wants to delete from history: “Cockadoo on the screen”
Whoopi Goldberg has said she would rather erase the 1988 film *The Telephone* from her career, describing it as a project that sounded strong on paper but failed in its final form. The remark highlights the gap that can arise between a promising script and a finished film, even for an established performer.
In a 1990 interview, Goldberg said the film “read brilliantly” but was “cockadoo on the screen”. She also named *Fatal Beauty* as another film she felt could have been better, while viewing *Jumpin’ Jack Flash*, *Burglar* and *Clara’s Heart* more favourably; *The Telephone* remains the work she most clearly regretted making.
In short
- Goldberg regretted 1988’s *The Telephone*.
- She felt its promising script failed on screen.
- She also criticised *Fatal Beauty*.
Explained simply
The Telephone is a 1988 film in which American actress and comedian Whoopi Goldberg appeared. She has since stated publicly that she regrets taking the role, describing it as a project that seemed promising initially but failed to work in its final form.
Goldberg made these comments in a 1990 interview, saying the script "read brilliantly" but the finished film was "cockadoo on the screen". Whilst she has mentioned disappointment with another of her films, Fatal Beauty, The Telephone is the work from her career that she most clearly disowned.
This illustrates a common challenge in filmmaking: the gap between what a script promises and what ends up on screen. Even accomplished performers can find themselves attached to projects that simply do not come together as intended, despite everyone's best efforts.