Ode to Billy Joe (1976)

Director:

Max Baer Jr.

Writer:

Herman Raucher

Release Date:

4 June 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

What the song didn't tell you, the movie will.

Plot:

Billy Joe confesses his love to the lovely Bobbi Lee only to cover his growing fear that he may, in fact...

Plot Keywords:

Mississippi | Bridge | Barn Dance | First Gay Sexual Experience | Gay Interest

Cast

Robby Benson	...	Billy Joe McAllister
Glynnis O'Connor	...	Bobbie Lee Hartley
Joan Hotchkis	...	Anna 'Mama' Hartley
Sandy McPeak	...	Glenn 'Papa' Hartley
James Best	...	Dewey Barksdale
Terence Goodman	...	James Hartley
Becky Bowen	...	Becky Thompson
Simpson Hemphill	...	Brother Taylor
Ed Shelnut	...	Coleman Stroud
Eddie Talr	...	Tom Hargitay
William Hallberg	...	Dan McAllister
Frannye Capelle	...	Belinda Wiggs
Rebecca Jernigan	...	Mrs. Thompson
Ann Martin	...	Mrs. Hunicutt
Will Long	...	Trooper Bosh
John Roper	...	Trooper Ned
Pat Purcell	...	Alabama Boy #1
Jim Westerfield	...	Alabama Boy #2
Jack Capelle	...	Alabama Driver
Al Scott	...	Master of Ceremonies
Peggy Kubena
Paul Hughes Sr.
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael D. Carlin	...	Hunicutt Kid (uncredited)
Andy Sims	...	Dance Hall Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Max Baer Jr.		(as Max Baer)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Herman Raucher

Produced by
Max Baer Jr.	....	producer (as Max Baer)
Roger Camras	....	producer
Mark Sussman	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Michel Legrand

Cinematography by
Michel Hugo		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Frank Morriss		(as Frank E. Morriss)

Casting by
Phil Benjamin

Production Design by
Philip M. Jefferies		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Philip M. Jefferies		(as Philip Jefferies)

Set Decoration by
Harry Gordon

Makeup Department
Delree F. Todd	....	hair stylist (as Delree Todd)
Marvin G. Westmore	....	makeup artist (as Marvin Westmore)

Production Management
Marty Hornstein	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anthony Brand	....	assistant director

Art Department
Chuck Clark	....	scenic artist
Richard L. Cowitt	....	assistant property master (as Richard Cowitt)
Allan Gordon	....	property master

Sound Department
Cliff Bell Jr.	....	dialogue editor
C. Darin Knight	....	production sound mixer (as Darin Knight)
Cal Marks	....	boom operator
Richard Portman	....	dubbing mixer

Special Effects by
Gene Grigg	....	special effects

Stunts
Beau Gibson	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Ken John Borland	....	key grip (as Ken Borland)
Larry Gilhooly	....	gaffer
Robert C. Jessup	....	director of photography: second unit (as Robert Jessup)
Lynn Lockwood	....	director of photography: second unit
Marshall Marker	....	still photographer
Herb Pearl	....	operative cameraman
Giles Thevenaz	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
James M. George	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Marshall Leib	....	music coordinator
John Mick	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Buster Kohloff	....	transportation (as Buster Kohlhoff)
Dan Riportella	....	transportation (as Danny Riportella)
Wayne Stone	....	transportation
Greg Van Dyke	....	transportation (as Greg VanDyke)

Other crew
Terry L. Behrens	....	assistant to associate producer
Greg Blackwell	....	assistant to associate producer (as Gregory S. Blackwell)
Richard Boguske	....	assistant to associate producer
Carolyn Judd	....	assistant to producer
H. Bud Otto	....	script supervisor
Homer Sharavsky	....	craft service
Ron Windred	....	location manager
Huey Redwine	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1978) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (video)

Other Companies

• City of Greenwood, Mississippi  special thanks to (as Greenwood, Mississippi)
• City of Itta Bena, Mississippi  special thanks to (as Itta Bena, Mississippi)
• Mississippi Boat & Water Commission - Water Safety Patrol  special thanks to
• Mississippi Highway Patrol  special thanks to
• Modern Film Effects  titles and opticals
• Neiman-Tillar Associates  sound editing
• Panavision  photography equipment (as Panavision®)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Greenwood, Mississippi, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Directed by Max Baer, Jr., who portrayed "Jethro Bodine" in the long running comedy "The Beverly Hillbillies".

Goofs:

Anachronisms: At the dance, one of the band is playing an Ovation guitar. The movie is set in 1960, but the company Ovation Guitars was not founded until 1966.

Quotes:

Billy Joe McAllister:HEY! I've been holding up this here bridge for over an hour so it wouldn't fall on you.
Bobbie Lee Hartley:Right Neiborhly of Mr.McAllister.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Carol Burnett Show: Episode #10.8" (1976)

Soundtrack:

Ode to Billie Joe

A sweet and tragic rural romance.

ODE TO BILLY JOE is a humerous and touching tale of events leading up to why "Billy Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge", as related in the Bobbie Gentry hit. Director Max Baer Jr. (who would have thought "Jethro" had this kind of talent?) skillfully re-creates an atmosphere of 1950's rural Mississippi. and breathes life into characters only hinted at in the song. Scripted by Herman Raucher, with the same feeling of nostalgia he gave SUMMER OF '42, and beautifully scored by Michel Legrand, ODE TO BILLY JOE is a sweet and touching story of the awkwardness of teenage love, and the consequences of an unfortunate event, which, in today's politically correct times, would probably be scorned or laughed at. Glynnis O'Connor and Robby Benson, are re-teamed after their excellent debut in JEREMY. Another treasured film on VHS, that I hope will someday come out on DVD.