10 Things to Know About 'Meatballs 2'

In the world of low budget filmmaking there is an occasional phenomenon known as S.I.N.O. The acronym stands for Sequel in Name Only. This typically occurred when the original cast or crew refused to return for a sequel or the title to a popular movie was sold to new owners.

In the case of Meatballs 2, the film was fully completed when Tri-Star Pictures acquired the rights to the the name of Meatballs for the purpose of a sequel. Rather than make a Meatballs 2, they simply took an existing camp comedy set for release under a different title and called retitled it, Meatballs 2.

But that's a relatively well known bit of lore. Below are 10 far more obscure bits of trivia about Meatballs 2 and it's cast.

Here are 10 Things to Know About Meatballs 2!

10 A Motorized Mystery

The motorized wheelchair seen in Meatballs 2 is supposedly part of a mystery. According to internet lore, this was one of the first “Personal Mobility Vehicles” known as the Ramble Seat. However, further digging to try and verify this story indicates no truth whatsoever.

The first motorized wheelchair was built in Canada in 1952 by George Klein. His model is fully accounted for. The ‘mystery’ claimed in internet lore states that the family that owned this historic wheelchair has been searching for it for years. But there is simply nothing to support this claim.

9 Special Thanks to Nike?

The cast of Meatballs 2 were huge fans of the classic Chuck Taylor Converse shoes which are still a beloved classic in the shoe world today, Converse received free advertising among the cast of Meatballs 2. Several cast members rocked Chucks in the movie even though the film had no deal with Converse. Oddly, the credits contain a special thanks to Nike.

8 The Real Housewives of Camp Sasquatch

Yes, that really is Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, Kim Richards as Cheryl in Meatballs 2. Fans of the show have likely heard about her career working on Disney’s Escape from Witch Mountain but it’s a little surprising that the notably catty cast Real Housewives never used Meatballs 2 as a chance to roast their co-star. Just look at that Where’s Waldo look she wore in the movie, trying wearing that to a Real Housewives reunion.

7 Meatballs 2 C0-Star Misty Rowe Played Marilyn Monroe Once in Two Different Movies

Poor Misty Rowe has the notable distinction of playing Marilyn Monroe in not one but two of the worst biopics in history. In 1976, Rowe "won" the role of Norma Jean Baker, Marilyn’s real name, after a contest winner who’d first won the role, read the script and immediately quit the picture. Director Larry Buchanan’s Goodbye Norma Jean would be the worst of the numerous Marilyn Monroe biopics ever if Buchanan hadn’t made a second Marilyn biopic, Goodnight Sweet Marilyn, in 1989.

That film also starred Misty Rowe though she wasn’t aware of it right away. Goodnight Sweet Marilyn was cobbled together by recycling the 1976 film and adding a handful of new scenes with a new Marilyn. Somehow, Goodnight Sweet Marilyn is even worse than Meatballs 2.

6 It Took Two Actors to Portray Meathead the Alien Teenager

Actor Felix Silla had a wonderful Hollywood career with roles in Return of the Jedi, Ghostbusters 2, and Spaceballs among the highlights on a lengthy resume. I almost feel bad telling you that he was also in Meatballs 2. Why? It’s Meatballs 2, that’s why.

But also, if I didn’t mention it, you might overlook it. You never see or hear Felix in Meatballs 2 but he plays a big role. He’s the guy in the alien suit. Felix was the physical presence of Meathead the Alien but not his voice. Somehow it took two actors to create this uninspired alien character.

Actor Archie Hahn can’t hide his work in Meatballs 2. While he only provided the voice of Meathead, he also played the role of Jamie, the guy who repeatedly fails in his attempts to go to bed with Misty Rowe’s Fanny.

5 Paul Reubens Last Movie Before Pee Wee’s Big Adventure

If anyone actually emerged from the detritus that was Meatballs 2, Paul Reuben emerged the best. Reubens went from Meatballs 2 to Pee Wee’s Big Adventure the following year. This makes him arguably the biggest star to come out of Meatballs 2 unscathed, unless you somehow believe Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was bigger than Pee Wee’s Playhouse.

4 Director Ken Wiederhorn’s Dollar Store Brand Career

Ken Wiederhorn appears to be the director who gets the call after the original creators have abandoned the project, In fairness, he didn’t know his movie was going to be called Meatballs 2 when he made it, rendering it a knockoff in name only, but most of his career appears based on making lesser versions of original films.

Wiederhorn also directed the Animal House knockoff King Frat in 1980, and went on to direct Return of the Living Dead 2 and episodes of the long forgotten Freddy Krueger TV series.

3 Director Ivan Reitman Tried to Warn Fans Not to See Meatballs 2

In 1979, Ivan Reitman had a breakthrough directing Meatballs starring Bill Murray. Coincidentally, Reitman and Murray reunited in 1984 just before the release of Meatballs 2 when they made Ghostbusters. While promoting Ghostbusters Reitman warned fans that the then upcoming Meatballs 2 had nothing to do with his and Murray’s 1979 original.

2 Special Thanks Elayne Boozler

Blink and you’ll miss her. Legendary comedian Elayne Boozler makes a remarkably brief cameo in Meatballs 2 as a mom dropping her off at camp. She was given a Special Thanks credit in the film as she was a well known performer at the time who appeared in the film without a credited role. They probably should have asked her to fix the screenplay while she was there.

1 Meatballs 2 was Titled Summertime During Production

Meatballs 2 was famously never intended to be a sequel to Meatballs. It was filmed under the title Summertime and the original script title was Call Me Meathead, indicating the movie was intended to focus more on the weird alien character rather than the summer camp comedy.

Coincidentally, the movie once titled Summertime was filmed in December of 1983.