The Towering Inferno (1974)

Director:

John Guillermin

Writers:

Richard Martin Stern (novel)
Thomas N. Scortia (novel) ...
(more)

Release Date:

14 December 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

One Tiny Spark Becomes A Night Of Blazing Suspense.

Plot:

At the opening party of a collosal, but poorly constructed, office building, a massive fire breaks out that threatens to destroy the tower and everyone in it.

Plot Keywords:

Fire | Trapped | Party | Architect | Skyscraper

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Steve McQueen	...	Chief Mike O'Hallorhan
Paul Newman	...	Doug Roberts
William Holden	...	Jim Duncan
Faye Dunaway	...	Susan Franklin
Fred Astaire	...	Harlee Claiborne
Susan Blakely	...	Patty
Richard Chamberlain	...	Simmons
Jennifer Jones	...	Lisolette
O.J. Simpson	...	Jernigan
Robert Vaughn	...	Senator Parker
Robert Wagner	...	Bigelow
Susan Flannery	...	Lorrie
Sheila Allen	...	Paula Ramsay (as Sheila Mathews)
Norman Burton	...	Giddings (as Normann Burton)
Jack Collins	...	Mayor Ramsay
Don Gordon	...	Kappy
Felton Perry	...	Scott
Gregory Sierra	...	Carlos
Ernie F. Orsatti	...	Mark Powers (as Ernie Orsatti)
Dabney Coleman	...	Deputy Chief #1
Elizabeth Rogers	...	Lady in Buoy
Ann Leicester	...	Guest
Norman Grabowski	...	Flaker
Ross Elliott	...	Deputy Chief #2
Olan Soule	...	Johnson (as Olan Soulé)
Carlena Gower	...	Angela Allbright
Mike Lookinland	...	Phillip Allbright
Carol McEvoy	...	Mrs. Allbright
Scott Newman	...	Young Fireman
Paul Comi	...	Tim
George Wallace	...	Chief Officer
Patrick Culliton	...	Technician
William Bassett	...	Leasing Agent (as William H. Bassett)
John Crawford	...	Callahan
Erik L. Nelson	...	Wes (as Erik Nelson)
Art Balinger	...	Announcer
Norman Hicks	...	Pilot (as LCDR. Norman Hicks)
Thomas Karnahan	...	Co-Pilot (as LTJG. Thomas Karnahan)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mike Johnson	...	Fire Victim in Elevator (uncredited)
Tom Lawrence	...	Bigelow's Assistant (uncredited)
Maureen McGovern	...	Herself - Singer at Party (uncredited)
John Moio	...	Security Guard (uncredited)
Jennifer Rhodes	...	Janet - Secretary (uncredited)
Hank Robinson	...	Dinner Guest (uncredited)
William Traylor	...	Security Guard in Control Room (uncredited)

Directed by
John Guillermin

Writing credits
Richard Martin Stern		(novel "The Tower")
Thomas N. Scortia		(novel "The Glass Inferno") and
Frank M. Robinson		(novel "The Glass Inferno")
Stirling Silliphant		(screenplay)

Produced by
Irwin Allen	....	producer
Sidney Marshall	....	associate producer

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
Fred J. Koenekamp		(director of photography) (as Fred Koenekamp)

Film Editing by
Carl Kress
Harold F. Kress

Casting by
Jack Baur

Production Design by
William J. Creber		(as William Creber)

Art Direction by
Ward Preston

Set Decoration by
Raphael Bretton

Costume Design by
Paul Zastupnevich		(costumes designed by)

Makeup Department
Naomi Cavin	....	hair stylist
Susan Germaine	....	hair stylist
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist (as Emil La Vigne)
Jean Burt Reilly	....	hair stylist
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist (as Monte Westmore)

Production Management
Norman A. Cook	....	unit production manager
Jere Henshaw	....	production supervisor: Twentieth Century-Fox
Hal Herman	....	executive production manager
Richard Shepherd	....	production supervisor: Warner Bros.

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Irwin Allen	....	director: action sequences
Newt Arnold	....	assistant director (as Newton Arnold)
Phil Ball	....	second assistant director
Bob Bender	....	second assistant director
Michael Grillo	....	assistant director: trainee (as Michael F. Grillo)
Malcolm R. Harding	....	assistant director: action sequences (as Malcolm Harding)
Wesley J. McAfee	....	assistant director (as Wes McAfee)
Donald White	....	second assistant director (as Don White)

Art Department
Tom Cranham	....	production illustrator
Dan Goozee	....	production illustrator
Nikita Knatz	....	production illustrator
Jerry Kobold	....	property master: action sequences
Robert McLaughlin	....	property master
Joseph Musso	....	production illustrator
Steven P. Sardanis	....	assistant art director (as Steve Sardanis)
Frank Chapman	....	stand-by painter (uncredited)
William Cruse	....	set designer (uncredited)
Mike Garcia	....	leadman (uncredited)
Ron Greenwood	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Tom Jung	....	poster artist (uncredited)
Tom Jung	....	poster designer (uncredited)
Edward T. McAvoy	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Benjamin Resella	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
John A. Bonner	....	sound supervisor (as John Bonner)
Don Hall	....	supervising sound editor
Herman Lewis	....	production mixer
Theodore Soderberg	....	re-recording mixer
Orrick Barrett	....	boom operator (uncredited)
John Speak	....	sound mixer: second unit (uncredited)
Bruce Vanover	....	cable person (uncredited)

Special Effects by
A.D. Flowers	....	mechanical effects
Logan Frazee	....	mechanical effects
Johnny Borgese	....	special effects (uncredited)
Gerald Endler	....	mechanical effects (uncredited)
Jay King	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
L.B. Abbott	....	special photographic effects
Matthew Yuricich	....	matte painter (uncredited)

Stunts
Paul Stader	....	stunt coordinator
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lightning Bear	....	stunts (uncredited)
Cody Bearpaw	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buff Brady	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard E. Butler	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Caruso	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roydon Clark	....	stunts (uncredited)
Erik Cord	....	stunts (uncredited)
Everett Creach	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roger Creed	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paula Crist	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Crockett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Howard Curtis	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paula Dell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Dial	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nick Dimitri	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Duran	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bud Ekins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Stephanie Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lila Finn	....	stunts (uncredited)
James W. Gavin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunts (uncredited)
Orwin C. Harvey	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Hice	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Holt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Loren Janes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mike Johnson	....	stunt double: Robert Wagner (uncredited)
Mike Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kevin N. Johnston	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Julius LeFlore	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Lerner	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lars Lundgren	....	stunts (uncredited)
Denver Mattson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Troy Melton	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Moio	....	stunts (uncredited)
Minor Mustain	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
John Nowak	....	stunts (uncredited)
Doug O'Dell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts (uncredited)
Regina Parton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Regis Parton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Victor Paul	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Peter Peterson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bobby Porter	....	stunts (uncredited)
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dar Robinson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Walter Robles	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Robotham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Thomas Rosales Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Wally Rose	....	stunts (uncredited)
Glynn Rubin	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Russell Saunders	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Scheiwiller	....	stunts (uncredited)
Felix Silla	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dean Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Marilyn Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)
Peter Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Terhune	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Verbois	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard Washington	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Waters	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Waugh	....	stunts (uncredited)
George P. Wilbur	....	stunts (uncredited)
James Winburn	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Yerkes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Zendar	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joseph F. Biroc	....	director of photography: action sequences (as Joseph Biroc)
Kathy Fields	....	still photographer
Orville Hallberg	....	camera operator: action sequences
Bill Hannah	....	gaffer: action sequences
Thomas Laughridge	....	camera operator
John Murray	....	key grip
Lou Pazelli	....	key grip: action sequences
Gene Stout	....	gaffer
Orlando Suero	....	still photographer
Ron Anderson	....	electrician (uncredited)
Curtis Foster	....	rigging gaffer: second unit (uncredited)
Jim Freeman	....	cinematographer: San Francisco (uncredited)
Robert Jason	....	electrician (uncredited)
Owen Marsh	....	camera operator: "b" camera (uncredited)
Frank Redmond	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Wally Harton	....	costumer: men (uncredited)
Dick James	....	costumer: men (uncredited)
Kathleen McCandless	....	costumer: women (uncredited)
Hugh McFarland	....	costumer: men (uncredited)

Editorial Department
William DeNicholas	....	assistant film editor
Jack Hooper	....	negative cutter
George E. Swink	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Leonard A. Engel	....	supervising music editor (as Len Engel)
Ted Keep	....	scoring mixer
Herbert W. Spencer	....	orchestrator (as Herbert Spencer)
Ted Keep	....	scoring engineer (uncredited)
Albert Woodbury	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (uncredited)
Jim Martell	....	transportation coordinator (uncredited)

Other crew
Elizabeth Atkinson	....	production assistant
Jack Cavallero	....	technical adviser (as Jack Cavallero Battalion Chief S.F.F.D)
Ed Conlon	....	technical adviser (as Ed Conlon Chief Eng. T.C.F.)
Albert Gail	....	executive assistant to producer
Marie Kenney	....	script supervisor
George Leslie	....	production controller
Pete Lucarelli	....	technical adviser (as Pete Lucarelli Battalion Chief L.A.F.D.)
Steven Marlo	....	dialogue coach
Don Morgan	....	unit publicist
Esther Stephenson	....	script supervisor: action sequences
Art Volpert	....	production coordinator
William Welch	....	executive assistant to producer
Lewis Wolff	....	real estate consultant
Tony Habeeb	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Ann Leicester	....	secretary to director (uncredited)
Dick Manchaca	....	craft service (uncredited)
Margaret Reeves	....	secretary to producer (uncredited)
Edward Summer	....	marketing consultant (uncredited)
Sharon Thurgood	....	studio teacher (uncredited)

Thanks
Keith P. Calden	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of (as Keith P. Calden Chief of the San Francisco Fire Department)
Raymond M. Hill	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of (as Raymond M. Hill Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. (present) (as Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century-Fox)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (present) (as Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century-Fox)
• Irwin Allen Productions (uncredited)
• United Films (uncredited)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1974) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1975) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1975) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1975) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1975) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1980) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (double feature with "Volcano")
• Columbia-Warner Distributors (1975) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1975) (Finland) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2010) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film collection)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (4 film collection)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (1986) (Greece) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Magnetic Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1984) (1995) (2002) (2010) (Finland) (TV)
• Scanvideo (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• SubTV (2003) (Finland) (TV)
• TV3 (1990) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (2010) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• San Francisco Fire Department  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of (as The San Francisco Fire Department)
• San Francisco Board of Fire Commissioners  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of (as The San Francisco Board of Fire Commissioners)
• Los Angeles City Fire Department, The  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of (as The Los Angeles City Fire Department)
• Los Angeles City Board of Fire Commissioners  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of (as The Los Angeles City Board of Fire Commissioners)
• MacGillivray Freeman Films  aerial photography by (as MacGillivray/Freeman Films)
• Van der Veer Photo Effects  opticals (as Vanderveer Photo Effects)
• Department of the Navy  the cooperation of, is gratefully acknowledged (as The Department of the Navy)
• Pacific Title  titles
• Department of Defense, The  the cooperation of, is gratefully acknowledged (as The Department of Defense)
• Twentieth Century Fox Scoring Stage  Music recorded at (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

165 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | Mono (35 mm optical prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1975) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) (1999) | USA:PG | West Germany:16 (w) | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG | UK:A (original rating) | France:U | Hungary:16 | Argentina:13 | Brazil:14 | UK:15 (tv rating) | UK:12 (video re-rating: additional material audio commentary) (2010) | UK:12 (online) (2009) | South Korea:12 (2012) | Japan:G (2013)

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Ranch, Malibu Creek State Park - 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros.

Trivia:

The building used in the film was a series of miniatures and matte paintings. Only sections of the building were actually constructed for the actors and stunt people to perform their scenes. Exterior shots of the building were of San Francisco's Hyatt Regency with an additional 50 stories of matte paintings added.

Goofs:

Continuity: When they were fighting the fire on 81, before the explosion, we see the exterior of the building and parts of it were scorched but no fire was present

Quotes:

James Duncan:Is everything under control?
Chief O'Hallorhan:You have to move all these people out of here right now.
James Duncan:Oh, come on. Now just how bad is it?
Chief O'Hallorhan:It's a fire, mister, and all fires are bad.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Inside 'The Swarm' (1978) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Morning After

One of my all-time favorites

I've seen a lot of great films during my life. However, somehow, The Towering Inferno holds its place near the top of my list of great films, and is at the top of my list of favorite films.

While Irwin Allen's films often have many flaws, they're always entertaining. You won't feel cheated by an Irwin Allen film. This holds true especially for The Towering Inferno. There is something for almost everyone in this film, drama, romance, disaster, and good vs. evil are all present in this epic film.

The plot of the film is pretty well known to anyone who has at least heard of the film. During opening night ceremonies at the Glass Tower, the 138 story skyscraper located in the heart of San Francisco catches fire. What starts as a small electrical fire soon turns into "a night of blazing suspense", with fires breaking out all over the building.

The hard work put into this film is obvious. While the script is rather melodramatic at times, this does not take away from the feeling of peril in the film. The cast may be the best cast ever assembled in Hollywood history. The special effects, for the most part, stand the test of time.

Don't ask me why this film has gotten such a bad rep over the years. The film was nominated for best picture, and won Oscars for best cinematography, best special effects, and best song. The film grossed over 116 million dollars, and with adjusted totals, that is still more than films such as The Passion of the Christ, and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

I recommend that this film be seen. It is well worth renting, or if you can find it, buying.