Grease (1978)

Director:

Randal Kleiser

Writers:

Jim Jacobs (musical) and
Warren Casey (musical) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 June 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Romance

Tagline:

The original high school musical is back! (2010 re-release)

Plot:

Good girl Sandy and greaser Danny fell in love over the summer. But when they unexpectedly discover they're now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?

Plot Keywords:

Love | School | Greaser | Beach | High School

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

John Travolta	...	Danny Zuko
Olivia Newton-John	...	Sandy Olsen
Stockard Channing	...	Betty Rizzo
Jeff Conaway	...	Kenickie
Barry Pearl	...	Doody
Michael Tucci	...	Sonny
Kelly Ward	...	Putzie
Didi Conn	...	Frenchy
Jamie Donnelly	...	Jan
Dinah Manoff	...	Marty Maraschino
Eve Arden	...	Principal McGee
Frankie Avalon	...	The Teen Angel
Joan Blondell	...	Vi
Edd Byrnes	...	Vince Fontaine
Sid Caesar	...	Coach Calhoun
Alice Ghostley	...	Mrs. Murdock
Dody Goodman	...	Blanche
Sha-Na-Na	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers
Susan Buckner	...	Patty Simcox
Lorenzo Lamas	...	Tom Chisum
Fannie Flagg	...	Nurse Wilkins
Dick Patterson	...	Mr. Rudie
Eddie Deezen	...	Eugene Felnic
Darrell Zwerling	...	Mr. Lynch
Ellen Travolta	...	Waitress
Annette Charles	...	Cha Cha DiGregorio
Dennis Stewart	...	Leo, Scorpions member (as Dennis C. Stewart)
Barbi Alison	...	Dancer
Helena Andreyko	...	Dancer
Jennifer Buchanan	...	Dancer
Carol Culver	...	Dancer
Cindy DeVore	...	Dancer
Deborah Fishman	...	Dancer
Antonia Franceschi	...	Dancer
Sandra Gray	...	Dancer
Mimi Lieber	...	Dancer
Judy Susman	...	Dancer
Dennis Daniels	...	Dancer
Larry Dusich	...	Dancer
John Robert Garrett	...	Dancer
Daniel Levans	...	Dancer
Sean Moran	...	Dancer
Greg Rosatti	...	Dancer
Andy Roth	...	Dancer
Lou Spadaccini	...	Dancer
Andy Tennant	...	Dancer
Richard Weisman	...	Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lennie Baker	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (as Sha-Na-Na)
Jon 'Bowzer' Bauman	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (as Sha-Na-Na)
Johnny Contardo	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (as Sha-Na-Na)
Frederick 'Dennis' Greene	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (as Sha-Na-Na)
Jocko Marcellino	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (as Sha-Na-Na)
'Screamin' Scott' Simon	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (as Sha-Na-Na)
Donald 'Donny' York	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (as Sha-Na-Na)
Paula Beyers	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Michael Biehn	...	Mike - School Athlete (uncredited)
Greg Bradford	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Tod Burton	...	Baseball Catcher (uncredited)
Carole Demas	...	Girl Fixing Hair in Mirror at Drive-in (uncredited)
Donna Felix	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Vinny Genna	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Kristine Greco	...	Dancer (uncredited)
J. Andrew Kenny	...	Wrestler (uncredited)
John Mooney	...	Cameraman (uncredited)
Bob Quinn	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Wendie Jo Sperber	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Lora Marie Oberhofer Taylor	...	Girl in Quad on the First Day of School (uncredited)

Directed by
Randal Kleiser

Writing credits
Jim Jacobs		(musical) and
Warren Casey		(musical)
Bronte Woodard		(screenplay) (as Bronté Woodard)
Allan Carr		(adaptation)

Produced by
Allan Carr	....	producer
Neil A. Machlis	....	associate producer (as Neil Machlis)
Robert Stigwood	....	producer

Cinematography by
Bill Butler		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John F. Burnett

Casting by
Joel Thurm

Production Design by
Philip M. Jefferies		(as Phil Jefferies)

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

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky

Makeup Department
Edwin Allen	....	makeup artist (as Eddie Allen)
Christine George	....	hair stylist
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	makeup artist (as Dan Striepeke)
Bron Roylance	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Neil A. Machlis	....	unit production manager
Lindsley Parsons Jr.	....	executive production manager: Paramount (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Grandey	....	assistant director
Paula Marcus	....	second assistant director
Lynn M. Morgan	....	second assistant director (as Lynn Morgan)

Art Department
Eugene S. Kelley	....	construction coordinator (as Gene Kelly)
Richard Valesko	....	property master
John Rozman	....	leadman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Sean Hanley	....	looping editor
Jerry Jost	....	sound mixer
Charles E. Moran	....	sound effects editor (as Charles Moran)
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jack Snyder	....	sound engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ken Speed	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Ron Hays	....	electronic visual effects
Dion Hatch	....	roto artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Wally Crowder	....	stunt coordinator (as Wallace Dwight Crowder)
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Dunn	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Eddie Paul	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Colin J. Campbell	....	gaffer (as Colin Campbell)
George Hill	....	key grip
Earl L. Clark	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Peter Lyons Collister	....	camera intern (uncredited)
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Animation Department
John Wilson	....	animator: main titles

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Betsy Cox	....	wardrobe: women
Bruce Walkup	....	wardrobe: men

Editorial Department
Robert Pergament	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
June Edgerton	....	music editor
Michael Gibson	....	music post-scoring
David J. Holman	....	musical engineering consultant
Bill Oakes	....	music supervisor
Louis St. Louis	....	creative music consultant
Louis St. Louis	....	music adaptor
John Farrar	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Peter Frampton	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Jay Graydon	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Cubby O'Brien	....	musician: drums (uncredited)
Lee Ritenour	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Ernie Watts	....	musician: saxophone (uncredited)

Other crew
Patricia Birch	....	choreographer
Carol Culver	....	assistant choreographer
Alan B. Curtiss	....	location manager
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer: end titles
Gary Kalkin	....	unit publicist
Joyce King	....	script supervisor
Tommy Smith	....	dance consultant
Marty Eli Schwartz	....	location manager (uncredited)

Thanks
Anthony D'Amato	....	acknowledgment: produced on the Broadway stage in association with
Maxine Fox	....	acknowledgment: produced on the Broadway stage by
Kenneth Waissman	....	acknowledgment: produced on the Broadway stage by

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents)
• Robert Stigwood Organization (RSO) (as A Robert Stigwood / Allan Carr Production)
• Allan Carr Production (as A Robert Stigwood / Allan Carr Production)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1978) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1978) (France) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1978) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Cinema Internazional Corporation (1978) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1981) (USA) (TV)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1998) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (re-release)
• TV3 (1988) (Finland) (TV)
• Esselte Video (1989) (Finland) (VHS)
• Paramount Pictures (1998) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• Paramount Pictures (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Pictures (1998) (USA) (VHS) (20th Anniversary Gift Edition)
• Paramount Pictures (1998) (USA) (VHS) (20th Anniversary Spanish Edition)
• Paramount Pictures (1998) (USA) (VHS) (Widescreen)
• Paramount Pictures (1998) (USA) (VHS) (full screen)
• Paramount Pictures (1998) (USA) (VHS) (included in 2Pack with "Grease 2")
• Paramount Pictures (1998) (USA) (VHS) (included with "Gease 2" in "We Go Together")
• Paramount Home Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS) (retail)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Argentina) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Paramount Home Entertainment Finland (2002) (Finland) (DVD) (1 disc edition)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2002) (Canada) (DVD)
• Paramount Pictures (2002) (USA) (DVD) (Full screen)
• Paramount Pictures (2002) (USA) (DVD) (included in the "John Travolta collection" with "Urban cowboy" and "Saturday Night Fever")
• Paramount Pictures (2002) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Nelonen (2004) (Finland) (TV) (2006)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Pictures (2005) (USA) (DVD) ("Rockin' Rydell Edition")
• Paramount Home Entertainment Finland (2006) (Finland) (DVD) (2 disc edition)
• Paramount Pictures (2006) (USA) (DVD) (included in "Dance Pack")
• Park Circus (2008) (UK) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (Rockin' Rydell edition)
• Paramount Pictures (2009) (USA) (DVD) (included in "3-Pack Musicals" with "Footloose" and "Dreamgirls")
• Insurge Pictures (2010) (USA) (theatrical) (Sing-A-Long re-release)
• Paramount Pictures (2010) (USA) (theatrical) (Sing-A-Long re-release)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (198?) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)

Other Companies

• RSO Records  original soundtrack album on (as RSO Records & Tapes)
• Modern Film Effects  opticals
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.®)
• Post Logic Studios  digital film mastering

Also Known As:

"Grease Sing-A-Long" - International (English title) (reissue title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content including references, teen smoking and drinking, and language (sing-a-long version)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS (re-release) (1998) | Dolby Digital (re-release) (1998) | Dolby (35 mm prints) (original release) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (original release)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Belgium:KT | Canada:G (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 (original rating) (1978) | Finland:K-12 (re-rating) (1978) | France:U | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:AL | Norway:12 (1978) | Norway:7 | Peru:14 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | USA:PG (No. 25098) | West Germany:12 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) (Canadian Home Video rating) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1998) | Iceland:L | East Germany:(Banned) | South Korea:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #46185) (sing-a-long version) | Ireland:PG (sing-a-long version) | Brazil:Livre (1998)

Filming Locations:

4524 Kingswell Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Deep Throat star Harry Reems was originally cast as the coach but Paramount eventually gave the role to Sid Caesar as protests over the porn past of Reems were threatening the movie's success.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the first dance in the gymnasium ("Rock and Roll is Here to Stay") when Danny and Sandy are dancing near the end of the song, there is a scoreboard visible very briefly which reads either "Presented by class of 1971" or "Presented by class of 1974", far later than the time when the story takes place.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sandy:I'm going back to Australia; I might never see you again.
Danny:Don't... don't talk that way, Sandy.
Sandy:But it's true! I've just had the best summer of my life, and now I have to go away. It isn't fair.
[Danny starts kissing her]
Sandy:Danny, don't spoil it!
Danny:It's not spoiling it, Sandy, it's only making it better.
Sandy:Danny... is this the end?
Danny:Of course not; it's only the beginning.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Veggietales: Saint Nicholas - A Story of Joyful Giving! (2009) (V)

Soundtrack:

Greased Lightning

Greatest musical ever!!

I am a huge fan of Grease. I've seen the play and I've watched the movie at least 500 times. It captures everything high school is about. Even though it is set in the 50's, it seems to resonate even for today's generation. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are great in the movie as well as the rest of the cast. I met the girl of my dreams when I took her on a date to see the play, so this film has a special place in my heart.