Arliss (1996)
Plot.
Where to Watch.
Currently Arliss is available for streaming online, rent, buy or watch for free on: Spectrum On Demand, Max Amazon Channel, Max
Streaming in:🇺🇸 United States
Cast & Crew.
Robert Wuhl
Arliss Michaels / Director / Writer
Sandra Oh
Rita Wu
Jim Turner
Kirby Carlisle
Michael Boatman
Stanley Babson
Brian Robbins
Producer
Gerry Del Sol
Card Show Owner
Richard Minchenberg
Bernie Orenstein
Chrisanne Eastwood
Rosie Capelli
Phil Lodwick
Engineer
Matt Winston
Jeremy Brenner
Michael Grossman
Director
Melanie Mayron
Director
Rodman Flender
Director
John Murray
Director
Peter Baldwin
Director
Nick Marck
Director
John Fortenberry
Director
Andy Wolk
Director
Perry Lang
Director
Tucker Gates
Director
Michael Tollin
Director
Ellen S. Pressman
Director
Lev L. Spiro
Director
Mary Kay Place
Director
Robert Berlinger
Director
Jace Alexander
Director
Eugene Corr
Director
Kevin Falls
Writer
Scott Kaufer
Writer
Sam Kass
Writer
Bruce Kirschbaum
Writer
Amanda Bynes
Crystal Dupree
Carl Lewis
Carl Lewis
Chris Myers
Himself
Gary Carter
Self
Barbara Keegan
Product Rep
Patricia Manterola
Carman Caballo
Kathleen McClellan
Susie
Dyan Cannon
Dyan Cannon
Tracy McGrady
Tracy McGrady
Rosalind Chao
Karen
Derek Fisher
Bob Arum
Carolyn Hennesy
Gregory Itzin
Andrew Jackson
Joyce Guy
David Justice
Lisa Leslie
Ken Norton Jr.
Warren Moon
Marliece Andrada
Kurt Rambis
Pete Sampras
Picabo Street
Kathryn Joosten
Quentin Richardson
Jason Giambi
Lorissa McComas
Rollie Fingers
Hugh Douglas
Mike Holmgren
Rick Fox
Ed Asner
Bruce Locke
Gregg Jefferies
Tony La Russa
Jason George
Frank Deford
Yogi Berra
Ricky Bottalico
Mailon Rivera
Gary Kasper
Shannon Elizabeth
Fred Williamson
Richard Garrison
Rob Mars
Stunts
Krista Allen
Freda Foh Shen
Tony Hawk
Lesley Visser
Juwan Howard
Tanjareen Martin
Jason Gedrick
Keith David
John Salley
Rick Scarry
James Carville
Kathleen Freeman
Charley Steiner
Ann Walker
George Steinbrenner
Norm Crosby
Glen Rice
Elizabeth Manley
Dale Earnhardt
Heidi Bohay
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
John Franco
Dave Winfield
Daunte Culpepper
Steven Williams
Bill Walsh
Ted Turner
Yorgo Constantine
Jim Palmer
Bob Costas
Lee Arenberg
Jerry Jones
Tom Todoroff
Jamal Anderson
Charles Woodson
Oscar de la Hoya
Alex Karras
Magic Johnson
Tommy Lasorda
Brent Barry
Desmond Howard
Chick Hearn
Travis Tritt
Joe Morgan
Marion Jones
Al Leiter
Cynthia Sikes
Tara Lipinski
Jillian Warry Barberie
Jsu Garcia
John Rhys-Davies
Lindsay Crouse
Jonathan Silverman
Jim Lampley
Katarina Witt
Roger Clemens
Jon Miller
Ken Howard
Stuart Scott
Eric Bischoff
Joe Pantoliano
Bobby Bonilla
Suzanne Krull
Jim Nantz
Curt Schilling
Roy Firestone
Michael Clarke Duncan
Brett Favre
Michael Irvin
James Coburn
Armen Keteyian
Beverly Johnson
Grant Show
Diego Serrano
Marshall Faulk
Michael Milhoan
Bonnie Burroughs
Tracy Austin
Dennis Miller
Lacie Harmon
Conan O'Brien
Brandon Tartikoff
Roy Jones Jr.
Andre Rison
Chris Berman
Shaquille O'Neal
Scott Patterson
Joe Piscopo
David Garrison
Bud Collins
Keith Carradine
Michael Trucco
Shemar Moore
Brad William Henke
Johnnie Cochran
Leslie Jordan
Danny Tartabull
Terrell Davis
David Chandler
Media.
Details.
Release DateAugust 10, 1996
StatusEnded
Seasons7
Episodes80
Running Time30m
Content RatingTV-MA
Genres
Wiki.
Arliss (rendered in its logo as Arli$$) is an American dark comedy series, created by and starring Robert Wuhl (who was also the series' showrunner), about the glitzy, big-money world of professional sports, with Wuhl playing the eternally optimistic and endlessly resourceful L.A. sports agent Arliss Michaels, whose Achilles' heel is his inability to say "no" to clients and employees. Arliss ran for seven seasons and 80 episodes on HBO, from August 10, 1996, to September 8, 2002. After almost two decades of being off-air, the entire catalog of Arliss episodes returned to HBO Max in a streaming format as of September 2022.
The New York Times called the show "One of the freshest shows to come along in a while." It was well-known for taking on very controversial (at the time) topics, including point shaving, political corruption, personal seat license fees, relocation of professional sports teams, sports in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, right to work states, domestic abuse, steroid use, Alzheimer's disease, gay and transgender athletes, alcoholism, and unwanted athlete pregnancies.
The idea behind Arliss was to show the hype, greed, and hypocrisy of powerful sports agents like Arliss Michaels, and what really happens "behind the scenes" in professional sports. In a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Wuhl said the idea for Arliss was based on the book The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump and journalist Tony Schwartz:
I had read The Art of the Deal and I thought, "This is total, 100 percent bullshit. He's saying stuff that I don't believe a fuckin' word of it. He's telling you what happened, but I want to see what really happened." We can use this, as Arliss the sports agent, telling you what happens and then prove he's full of shit and show what really happened.
Over 400 celebrities had cameo appearances on Arliss, including Les Moonves, George Wallace, Bobcat Goldthwait, Shannon Elizabeth, Fred Williamson, Al Michaels, John Elway, Derek Jeter, Dan Marino, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Warren Moon, Alonzo Mourning, Bob Costas, Jimmy Johnson, Jerry Jones, Picabo Street, Katarina Witt, and Barry Bonds.