In 1987, Get Tux’d was Ice-T’s first film role. He played Fab 5 Fishy, created for Fab 5 Freddy, who could not make it to Los Angeles for the shoot. Featuring beats by Afrika Islam and lyrics by Patti Astor, Ice-T's opening rap as the leader of the loan sharks was hysterical and memorable: "I'm gonna tell you exactly who I am. Fab 5 Fishy, the lady's man! I'm cold running stuff, understand what I'm saying?"
“Don’t Just Get Dressed—Get Tux’d” was inspired by a friend’s tuxedo shop in the San Fernando Valley. The story spoofed the 1963 Jerry Lewis comedy, The Nutty Professor. Jerry Lewis played a nerdy chemistry professor who invented a serum that turned him into a handsome, suave, girl-chasing hipster to get the girl, played by Stella Stevens. In Get Tux’d, Arye Gross played a dorky tuxedo salesman whose magical tuxedo transformed him into the dashing and charismatic “Mr. Tuxedo” until he became “Mr. Tuxedo, out-of-control” and chaos ensued.
I pulled every favor, from securing the tuxedo shop's location to borrowing Panavision cameras, casting Hollywood actors like Kurt Fuller and Jim Le Gros, and rappers Whipper Whip, Henry G, and Ice-T, and my sister, Susan Wechsler, was our costume designer. The short film showcased my directing for producers leading to Charles Band of Empire Pictures offering me Assault of the Killer Bimbos as my Hollywood directorial debut.
Arye Gross-Eddie Dallop, Kurt Fuller, Jerry Cufflink, Karen Leigh Hopkins-Terri, James LeGros-John Magnum, Patti Astor-Joanne Wentworth, Ice-T-Fab Five Fishy, Prince Whipper Whip-Toothy, Henry G$-Charlie the Tuna, Barry Rosenberg-Tuxedo Bruiser
Anita Rosenberg-director/writer/producer, Patti Astor-associate producer & writer, David Rosenberg-executive producer, George McDowell-producer, Susan Rosenberg Wechsler-costume designer, JohnFoster-DP,