Bound for Glory (1976)

Director:

Hal Ashby

Writers:

Robert Getchell (screenplay)
Woody Guthrie (autobiography)

Release Date:

5 December 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Plot:

This film is an excellent biography of Woody Guthrie, one of America's greatest folk singers. He left his dust-devastated Oklahoma home in the 1930s to find work, and discovered the suffering and strength of America's working class.

Plot Keywords:

Singer | California | Texas | 1930s | Labor

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

David Carradine	...	Woody Guthrie
Ronny Cox	...	Ozark Bule
Melinda Dillon	...	Mary - Woody's Wife / Memphis Sue
Gail Strickland	...	Pauline
John Lehne	...	Locke - Radio Station Manager
Ji-Tu Cumbuka	...	Slim Snedeger - Hobo on Train
Randy Quaid	...	Luther Johnson - Migrant Worker
Elizabeth Macey	...	Liz - Johnson's Wife
Susan Vaill	...	Gwen Guthrie
Sarah Vaill	...	Gwen Guthrie
Alexandra Mock	...	Sue Guthrie
Kimberly Mock	...	Sue Guthrie
Miriam Byrd-Nethery	...	Sick Woman - Water-Swallowing Scene (as Miriam Byrd Nethery)
Jane Lambert	...	Other Woman - Water-Swallowing Scene
Jan Burrell	...	Other Woman - Water-Swallowing Scene
Lee McLaughlin	...	Heavy Chandler - 'Insane' Man
Ted Gehring	...	Conners - Pampa Store Owner
Robert Sorrells	...	Charlie Guthrie - Woody's Father
Guthrie Thomas	...	George Guthrie - Woody's Brother
Wendy Schaal	...	Mary Jo Guthrie - Woody's Sister
Delos V. Smith Jr.	...	Old Man Jenkins - Gas Station Owner
David Clennon	...	Carl - Man in Gas Station
Larry Luttrell	...	Hank - Man in Gas Station
Beeson Carroll	...	Collister - Gas Station Customer
Mary Kay Place	...	Sue Ann - Girl in Bar
Tani Guthrie	...	Donna Jo - Woody's California-Bound Neighbor (as Tani Phelps Guthrie)
James O'Connell	...	Jesse - Woody's California-Bound Neighbor
Bruce Johnson	...	Jimmy - Square Dance Caller and Barber
R.A. Rondell	...	Steve - Hobo on Train
James Jeter	...	Crippled Whitey - Hobo on Train
Clifford A. Pellow	...	Bill - Chief Railroad Harness Guard (as Cliff Pellow)
Tom Howard	...	Railroad Harness Guard
Chuck Katzakian	...	Railroad Harness Guard
Harry Holcombe	...	Minister
Evelyn Russell	...	Wife - Couple in Trailer Automobile
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Husband - Couple in Trailer Automobile
Sondra Blake	...	Judy - Waitress
Brion James	...	Pick-Up Truck Driver at Border
James Carroll	...	Man at Border (as James Lough)
Tom Peters	...	Man at Border
Raymond Guth	...	Hobo in Hobo Camp
Buddy Joe Hooker	...	Man - Shot Off Train
James Hong	...	Chili Joint Owner
Cara Corren	...	Girl Singer at Migrant Camp
Susan Barnes	...	Girl Singer at Migrant Camp
Bobby Bass	...	Head Goon at Migrant Camp
Harvey J. Newmark	...	Musician
Thomas J. Sauber	...	Musician
Lyle Ritz	...	Musician
Johana De Winter	...	Union Organizer (as Johana deWinter)
Gary Downey	...	Union Organizer
Jama Tegeler	...	Girl at Union Meeting
G. Marie Haller	...	Field School Teacher
Leanna Johnson Heath	...	Girl at Stream
Robert Ginty	...	Artichoke Picker
Tony Becker	...	Tough Boy on Train
Kip Addota	...	Cocoanut Grove Audition Singer (as Kip Addotta)
Burke Byrnes	...	Mr. Graham - Conducting Cocoanut Grove Auditions
Samantha Harper	...	Amy Martin - Conducting Cocoanut Grove Auditions
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Read Morgan	...	(scenes deleted)
Carey Exton	...	Migrant Camp Singer (uncredited)
E.M. Fredric	...	Migrant Camp Kid (uncredited)
Bernie Kopell	...	Baker - Woody's Agent (uncredited)
Carl D. Parker	...	Blindman (uncredited)

Directed by
Hal Ashby

Writing credits
Robert Getchell		(screenplay)
Woody Guthrie		(autobiography)

Produced by
Robert F. Blumofe	....	producer
Harold Leventhal	....	producer
Charles Mulvehill	....	associate producer
Jeffrey M. Sneller	....	producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Haskell Wexler		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Pembroke J. Herring
Robert C. Jones

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Michael D. Haller		(as Michael Haller)

Art Direction by
James H. Spencer
Bill Sully		(as William Sully)

Set Decoration by
James L. Berkey		(as James Berkey)

Costume Design by
William Ware Theiss		(as William Theiss)

Makeup Department
Virginia Jones	....	hair stylist
Bob Westmoreland	....	makeup artist (as Robert A. Westmoreland)

Production Management
Charles Mulvehill	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jim Bloom	....	second assistant director (as James Bloom)
Catherine McCabe	....	second assistant director (as Catherine C. McCabe)
Charles Myers	....	first assistant director (as Charles A. Myers)
Bill Venegas	....	second assistant director (as William B. Venegas)
Stanley E. Foster	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
William Maldonado	....	construction coordinator
James L. Schoppe	....	assistant art director
Sal Sommatino	....	property master
Rick Carter	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Tom Jung	....	poster artist (uncredited)
Tom Jung	....	poster designer (uncredited)
Frank Wesselhoff	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert Glass	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Knudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard Oswald	....	sound effects editor (as Richard L. Oswald)
Don Parker	....	production sound mixer (as Donald E. Parker)
Dan Wallin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Frank E. Warner	....	sound effects editor (as Frank Warner)
Jeff Wexler	....	sound consultant
Lee Alexander	....	sound mixer: documentary (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Sass Bedig	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Albert Whitlock	....	special visual effects

Stunts
Denny Arnold	....	stunts
Bobby Bass	....	stunts
Steve Boyum	....	stunts
Fred Brookfield	....	stunts
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (as Jophery Brown)
Cheré Bryson	....	stunts (as Chere Bryson)
Dottie Catching	....	stunts
Steven Chambers	....	stunts (as Steve Chambers)
Gary Combs	....	stunts
Kerrie Cullen	....	stunts
Barry Davis	....	stunts
Gary Downey	....	stunts
Pete Dunn	....	stunts
David R. Ellis	....	stunts (as David Ellis)
Andy Epper	....	stunts
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts
Stephanie Epper	....	stunts
Tony Epper	....	stunts
Al Geatano	....	stunts
Leonard P. Geer	....	stunts (as Lenny Geer)
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunts
Duffy Hambleton	....	stunts
Bill Hart	....	stunts
Lorie Hice	....	stunts
Marcia Holley	....	stunts
Billy Hank Hooker	....	stunts (as William Harrison Hooker)
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunt coordinator
Hugh Hooker	....	stunts (as Hugh M. Hooker)
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunts (as Thomas J. Huff)
Richard James	....	stunts
Taylor Lacher	....	stunts
Fred Lerner	....	stunts
Tom Lupo	....	stunts
Bob Orrison	....	stunts (as Robert Orrison)
Chuck Parkison Jr.	....	stunts
J.N. Roberts	....	stunts
Danny Rogers	....	stunts
R.A. Rondell	....	stunts
Alex Sharp	....	stunts
Tom Steele	....	stunts
Ron Stein	....	stunts
Steve Vandeman	....	stunts
Al Wyatt Jr.	....	stunts
Al Wyatt Sr.	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Héctor R. Figueroa	....	camera operator (as Hector R. Figueroa)
Wynn Hammer	....	unit still photographer
Gary Holt	....	gaffer (as Gary H. Holt)
Leonard Lookabaugh	....	key grip (as Leonard L. Lookabaugh)
Paul M. Pollard	....	camera technician
Donald E. Thorin	....	camera operator
Garrett Brown	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Bill Loranger	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
David Myers	....	cinematographer: documentary (uncredited)
Randall Robinson	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sally Dennison	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
James Linn	....	wardrobe department head (as James I. Linn)
Madeline Sylos	....	wardrobe: women (as Madeline J. Sylos)
Bill Blackburn	....	set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Elyane Bretherton	....	assistant editor
Scott Burrow	....	apprentice editor
Mike Hill	....	apprentice editor
Don Zimmerman	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Joan Biel	....	music editor
George Brand	....	music editor
Ralph Ferraro	....	orchestrator
Leonard Rosenman	....	conductor
Leonard Rosenman	....	music adaptor
Guthrie Thomas	....	music coordinator
Daniel J. Johnson	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Tom Marshall	....	transportation captain (as Thomas F. Marshall)
Gerald R. Molen	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Ted Ashton	....	unit publicist
Wendell Baggett	....	assistant auditor (as Wendell D. Baggett)
Sudy Dostal	....	researcher: de Forest Research Inc.
Ronald Y. Ortega	....	location caterer
Spencer Quinn	....	location manager
Elise Rohden	....	production secretary
June Samson	....	script supervisor
William Smith	....	production auditor (as William P. Smith)
Pablo Ferro	....	title designer (uncredited)
James W. Gavin	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Janet Healy	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Judy Collins	....	thanks
Will Geer	....	thanks
Arlo Guthrie	....	thanks
Country Joe McDonald	....	thanks
Odetta	....	thanks
The Weavers	....	thanks

Distributors

• United Artists (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1977) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1980) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• DeForest Research  research (as de Forest Research)
• De Pablo De Pablo  title design
• Pacific Title  main and end credits
• Todd-AO Studios  sound re-recording
• Exeter / Persky-Bright  production services
• Bureau of Land Management  cooperation (as United States Bureau of Land Management, Bakersfield District Office)
• Richmond Organization, The (TRO)  Woody Guthrie music published by
• Hollis Music Inc.  Woody Guthrie music published by
• Ludlow Music  Woody Guthrie music published by
• Folkways Music Publishers Inc.  Woody Guthrie music published by
• Woody Guthrie Publications  "This Train Is Bound for Glory" and "The Sinking of the Reuben James" published by
• Michael H. Goldsen  "Oklahoma Hills" published by
• MCA Music Pub.  "The Sinking of the Reuben James" published by
• TRO-Ludlow Music  "Roll On, Columbia" published by
• Unart Music  "California Water Tastes Like Cherry Wine" and "Woody and Memphis Sue" published by
• Fall River Music  "Hobo's Lullaby" published by
• Robbins Music Corporation  "I'm in the Mood for Love" published by
• Vanguard Recording Society  The Weavers and Country Joe McDonald courtesy of

Also Known As:

Runtime:

147 min | Sweden:120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Netherlands:AL | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L | New Zealand:PG | Netherlands:12 (2005) (DVD) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Altamont, California, USA

Trivia:

Kris Kristofferson turned down the lead role, as he did not feel he was right physically to play Woody Guthrie.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In one shot of a railroad yard, a 1960's-1970's era diesel locomotive can clearly be seen.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003)

Soundtrack:

Curly Headed Baby

This film was made for you and me

One can go into this film from several different angles, and be rewarded at every turn. You like history? Bound For Glory's depiction of Depression Era life is both accurate and eye-opening. You like music? The perspective gained on one of our nation's greatest songwriters is delightful in a way every man can appreciate. You like against-the-odds stories of rugged individualism? Hope you're hungry. The pace may be criticized as slow, but works in emphasizing the dreariness and despair needed to understand the motivations and emotions that lead to Woody Guthrie's greatness. The deliberate storytelling also reminds one of the manner in which Kurosawa might weave a fable. Which reminds me, David Carradine's performance is inspired. Great film any way you look at it.