Saw a John Candy movie today, from 1976, Find the Lady, featuring none other than the two Nintendo boys, Mario and Luigi:
(courtesy of IMDb)
Lawrence Dane ... Broom
John Candy ... Kopek
Ed McNamara ... Kaminsky
Robert McHeady ... Reilly
Harry Spiegel ... Frankel
Laurie Seto ... Flanagan
Michael Kirby ... Docstetter
Dick Emery ... Leo
Mickey Rooney ... Trigger
Peter Cook ... Lewenhak
Rummy Bishop ... Charlie the Wheel
Alexandra Bastedo ... Victoria
Tim Henry ... Rick
Richard Monette ... Bruce La Rousse
Elizabeth Murphy ... Ruby
Hugh Webster ... Eddie
Candy Kane ... Sandy
Anne Marie Sten ... Legs
Delroy Lindo ... Sam
Bob Vinci ... Frescobaldi
Aino Pirskanen ... Accompanist
John Bethune ... Henry
Gino Marrocco ... Mario
Lou Pitoscia ... Luigi
Dedena Morello ... Mama
Kurt Schiegl ... Monster
Guy Big ... Miniature man
Gloria Sauve ... Matty
Maybe the landlord story is not quite true and the Mario Bros names were taken from this movie?