Who played wealthy father Thornton Melon in the 1986 film Back to School?

Rodney Dangerfield played wealthy father Thornton Melon in the 1986 film Back to School.

The comedy follows Thornton Melon, a successful but largely uneducated businessman who enrolls at college to support his discouraged son, Jason. The story turns the familiar return-to-school idea into an adult comedy about family, confidence, and the limits of buying success.

Keith Gordon played Jason, while Sally Kellerman, Burt Young, Terry Farrell, William Zabka, Ned Beatty, and Robert Downey Jr. were also part of the cast. Alan Metter directed the film, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison provided much of the backdrop for the fictional Grand Lakes University.

Dangerfield was already known for his stand-up persona and catchphrase “No respect.” The film became one of his best-known starring vehicles and was the sixth highest-grossing film in the United States in 1986, according to its Wikipedia overview.