Being There

Introduction and comments following Being There, 1979, from Dennis Miller and friend Rita Wilson.

Ben Mankiewicz introduces Being There, 1979.

Robert Osborne Introduces Being There, 1979.

Aimless gardener Chance (Peter Sellers) fascinated by a Washington, D.C. shop window TV display, meets well-to-do Eve (Shirley MacLaine) who surmises a name for him, in Hal Ashby's Being There, 1979.

Ailing magnate Ben (Melvyn Douglas), his friend the president (Jack Warden) visiting, brings idiot gardener Chance (Peter Sellers), now called "Chauncey" and considered wise, into conversation, in Being There, 1979, from Jerzy Kosinski's novella.

From the credits, first scene for Chance (Peter Sellers), who scarcely notices Louise (Ruth Attaway), bearing news of their employer's sudden death, in director Hal Ashby's Being There, 1979.

Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine), upset by her zillionaire husband's illness, consoled by idiot Chance (Peter Sellers), now called "Chauncey" and newly famous as a counselor to the president, and taking a call from a financial editor (John Harkins) in Hal Ashby's Being There, 1979.

Idiot Chance (Peter Sellers), now answering to "Chauncey," with ailing billionaire host Ben (Melvyn Douglas), wife Eve (Shirley MacLaine) and physician Allenby (Richard Dysart), who find him profound, in Hal Ashby's Being There, 1979.

Peter Sellers gave perhaps his greatest performance in Hal Ashby's wicked satire Being There (1979).