Grand Theft Auto (1977)

Director:

Ron Howard

Writers:

Rance Howard (written by) and
Ron Howard (written by)

Release Date:

16 June 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Romance

Tagline:

See the greatest cars in the world destroyed!

Plot:

A rich girl steals her dad's Rolls Royce and heads off to Las Vegas to get married. However, her angry parents, a jealous suitor, and a bunch of reward seekers are determined to stop her.

Plot Keywords:

Goofball | Grand Theft Auto | Cult Film | Dynamite | Watermelon

Cast

Ron Howard	...	Sam Freeman
Nancy Morgan	...	Paula Powers
Elizabeth Rogers	...	Priscilla Powers
Barry Cahill	...	Bigby Powers
Rance Howard	...	Ned Slinker
Paul Linke	...	Collins Hedgeworth
Marion Ross	...	Vivian Hedgeworth
Don Steele	...	Curly Q. Brown
Peter Isacksen	...	Sparky
Clint Howard	...	Ace
James Ritz	...	Officer Tad (as Jim Ritz)
Hoke Howell	...	Preacher
Lew Brown	...	Jack Klepper
Ken Lerner	...	Eagle I
Jack Perkins	...	Shadley
Paul Bartel	...	Groom
Bill Conklin	...	Engle Hingleman
Robby Weaver	...	Harold Hingleman
Garry Marshall	...	Underworld Boss (as Gary K. Marshall)
Leo Rossi	...	Vegas Muscle Chief
Bobs Watson	...	Minister (as Rev. Bobs Watson)
Jim Begg	...	Vegas Businessman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Allan Arkush	...	Clown (uncredited)
Gisella Blake	...	Accordionist (uncredited)
Reed Chenault	...	Rex (uncredited)
Jean Clark	...	Driver at Gas Station (uncredited)
Ancel Cook	...	Dink (uncredited)
James Costigan	...	Hiram (uncredited)
Laurence Cruickshank	...	Elder Spokesman (uncredited)
Bill Denochelle	...	Derby Driver (uncredited)
Jimi Fox	...	Engineer (uncredited)
Lars Frederiksen	...	Stony (uncredited)
Wayne Goodwin	...	Mysterious Man (uncredited)
Ben Haller	...	Tractor Driver (uncredited)
Gene Hartline	...	Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)
Cheryl Howard	...	Reporter in Brown Hat (uncredited)
Karen Kaysing	...	Bride (uncredited)
Todd McCarthy	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Leo Michelson	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Eddie Mulder	...	Derby Driver (uncredited)
Cal Naylor	...	Car Salesman (uncredited)
Conrad E. Palmisano	...	Roadside Cop (uncredited)
Vic Rivers	...	Muskovitz (uncredited)
Felicitas Sanchez	...	Lupe (uncredited)
Rick Seaman	...	Max Hingleman (uncredited)
Glenn Towery	...	Tony (uncredited)
George Wagner	...	Camera Operator (uncredited)
Tom Waters	...	Lester (uncredited)

Directed by
Ron Howard

Writing credits
Rance Howard		(written by) and
Ron Howard		(written by)

Produced by
Roger Corman	....	executive producer
Laurence Cruickshank	....	producer: second unit (as Lawrence Cruikshank)
Jon Davison	....	producer
Rance Howard	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Peter Ivers

Cinematography by
Gary Graver		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Joe Dante
Allan Arkush		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Keith Michl

Makeup Department
Leigh Mitchell	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Michael Finnell	....	production manager: second unit (as Mike Finnell)
Harry Wowchuk	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Allan Arkush	....	second unit director
Cal Naylor	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Charles Nixon III	....	props (as Charles Nixon)

Sound Department
Richard L. Anderson	....	sound coordinator (as Richard Anderson)
D.G. Fisher	....	boom person
David Schneiderman	....	recording mixer
Stephen Halbert	....	sound: second unit (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Roger George	....	special effects

Stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt driver (as Bruce Barbour)
Dana D. Bertolette	....	stunt driver (as Dana Bertolette)
Tim Chitwood	....	stunt driver
Tim Heck	....	stunt driver (as Jim Heck)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt driver (as Conrad Palmisano)
Diane Peterson	....	stunt driver
Vic Rivers	....	stunt coordinator (as Victor Rivers)
Rick Seaman	....	stunt driver
Gene Hartline	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Gene Hartline	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Mulder	....	stunts (uncredited)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator: second unit (uncredited)
Vic Rivers	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jamie Anderson	....	camera operator: second unit
Mark Brown	....	still photographer
Ben Haller	....	grip
M. Todd Henry	....	camera assistant (as Todd Henry)
Andrew G. La Marca	....	camera assistant (as Andy LaMarca)
Leslie Otis	....	camera assistant
Larry Snodgrass	....	camera assistant
Gary Strange	....	grip
R. Michael Stringer	....	gaffer (as Michael Stringer)
Ken Wheeland	....	grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Pearl	....	assistant wardrobe
Jane Ruhm	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Mark Goldblatt	....	associate editor
Sandy Nervig	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Peter Ivers	....	music producer
Roderick Taylor	....	music producer (as Roderick Falconer)

Transportation Department
Gene Hartline	....	transportation

Other crew
Sharon Benson	....	production assistant
Joanie Blum	....	script supervisor (as Joan Blum)
Linda Civitello	....	production assistant
Laurie Cohn	....	production assistant
David DeGeus	....	production assistant
Rick Hynes	....	production assistant
Tom Jacobson	....	production assistant
Hunt Lowry	....	production assistant
Connie McFeeley	....	auditor
Janis Sukrau	....	production assistant
Alan Toomayan	....	production assistant
Gil Valle	....	equipment
James M. Gavin	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Ross Reynolds	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Nancy Zearfoss	....	location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• New World Pictures

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1978) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Highlight Video (West Germany) (VHS)
• Interglobal Home Video (1980s) (Canada) (VHS)
• International Film Distributors (Canada)
• New Horizons Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• New Horizons Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Television (1997) (USA) (TV)
• Shout! Factory (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (video) (VOD)
• Warner Home Video (1981) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Jack Rabin & Associates  opticals (as Jack Rabin and Associates)
• MGM Laboratories  prints
• Metrocolor  color by
• Ryder Sound Services  sound by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Ryder Sound Services)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | France:U | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | USA:PG (Approved No. 24958) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Australia:M | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Victorville, California, USA

Company:

New World Pictures

Trivia:

The first film to be shown three times in one day on HBO (shortly after HBO began broadcasting 24 hours).

Goofs:

Continuity: The first time the helicopter attempts to block the road for the Rolls Royce, the helicopter makes the turn twice.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Paula has brought Sam to her home]
Priscilla Powers:Aagh! Paula, how could you do this?
Paula Powers:Come on, mom, PLEASE don't be so dramatic!
Priscilla Powers:I have been planning for months the weddings of you and Collins Hedgeworth.
Paula Powers:No, mother! He didn't ask me, he asked *you*!
Bigby Powers:Shut up, young lady! Just sit down and sit your lips. You are engaged to Collins Hedgeworth.
Bigby Powers:[to Sam] Did you know, that she was engaged to Collins Hedgeworth?
Sam Freeman:Sir, I realize, that there is a conflict, but...
Bigby Powers:[to Priscilla] You see, he understands...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "At the Movies: Summer Special 2008/09 (#5.42)" (2008)

See Ron go wild...go wild, Ron, go wild

Before Ron Howard made his most famous movies, he started with this ultra-wacky car chase story. Sam Freeman (Howard) and Paula Powers (Nancy Morgan) try to announce their marriage plans to her parents', but the latter refuse to accept it. So, Sam and Paula run away in a car. As the story progresses, the whole situation snowballs. That is, more and more people get drug in. And of course, a bunch of cars get wrecked. Much like in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", everyone drives in every direction at top speed, damn the peripheral consequences.

One thing that really caught my eye was that Marion Ross starred in "Grand Theft Auto". You may remember her as Marion Cunningham on "Happy Days". I guess that you could say that Richie decided to cast his mom. Maybe it would look like this:

Marion: "Now Richard, always remember to be careful behind the wheel."

(Richie zooms off.)

Marion: "He always took after Howard when it came to driving."

***

Either way, the movie's outlandish (in fact, it's done like a B-movie), but it's impossible not to like.