Carny (1980)

Director:

Robert Kaylor

Writers:

Phoebe Kaylor (story) and
Robert Kaylor (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 May 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Where love is just another sucker's game.

Plot:

A carnival comes to a small town. Eighteen year old Donna meets Frankie and Patch, two carnival hustlers...

Plot Keywords:

Carnival | Bearded Woman | 1980s | Sword Swallower | Fairground

Cast

Gary Busey	...	Frankie
Jodie Foster	...	Donna
Robbie Robertson	...	Patch
Meg Foster	...	Gerta
Kenneth McMillan	...	Heavy St. John
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	On-Your-Mark
Tim Thomerson	...	Doubles
Teddy Wilson	...	Nails (as Theodore Wilson)
John Lehne	...	Skeet
Bill McKinney	...	Marvin Dill
Bert Remsen	...	Delno Baptiste
Woodrow Parfrey	...	W. C. Hannon
Alan Braunstein	...	Willie Mae
Tina Andrews	...	Sugaree
Craig Wasson	...	Mickey
Jordan Cael	...	Flame
John Cassidy	...	Harry the Hat (as John 'Doc' Cassidy)
Margaret Jo Lee	...	Pagan Knight
William S. Bartman	...	Hi-Striker
Terry Beaver	...	Trucker
Dani Dembrosky	...	Skinny
Robert Douqui	...	Jerry
George Emerson	...	Fat Man
Bob Hannah	...	Tough #1
Cathi Harrer	...	Cheryl
Anita Haynes	...	Waitress
Nancy Hazeltine	...	Lesbian Girl
Robert Kent	...	Cook
Jack Howard Kitchens Jr.	...	Tough #3
Charles Christian Levy Sr.	...	Tough #2
Virginia Logan	...	Ticket Seller
Jerry Lyles	...	Mark
Noelle Massina	...	Noelle
Nomi Mitty	...	Eight Color Girl
Sirl Myhand	...	Carny
Greg Oliver	...	Cop
Randal Patrick	...	Mark (as Randy Patrick)
Tony C. Petrea	...	Tough #5
Jeannie Rapp	...	Twin #2
Jerry Rushing	...	Trucker
Mary Siceloff	...	Georgene
Albert Smith	...	Old Farmer
Trisha Tiedemann	...	Trish
Janet Thomas	...	Twin #1
Fred Ward	...	Jack
Janet Wieringa	...	Lesbian #2
E. Devan Young	...	Tough #4
Emmett Bejano	...	Alligator Skin Man
Percilla Bejano	...	Monkey Girl
Elaina Doucet	...	Anatomical Contortionist
Jimmy Rapp	...	Anatomical Contortionist and Sword Swallower
Johann Petursson	...	Giant (as Johann Peterson)
Pete Terhune	...	Fire Eater Dwarf and Iron Tongue Act

Directed by
Robert Kaylor

Writing credits
Phoebe Kaylor		(story) and
Robert Kaylor		(story) (as Robbie Kaylor) and
Robbie Robertson		(story)
Thomas Baum		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robbie Robertson	....	producer
Jonathan T. Taplin	....	executive producer (as Jonathan Taplin)

Original Music by
Alex North

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Jr.

Film Editing by
Stuart H. Pappé		(as Stuart Pappé)

Casting by
Irene Mariano
Barbara Miller

Production Design by
William J. Cassidy

Art Direction by
Josan F. Russo

Set Decoration by
Ray Molyneaux
Charles B. Pierce		(as Charles R. Pierce)

Makeup Department
Colleen Callaghan	....	hair stylist
Guy Del Russo	....	makeup artist
Charlotte Harvey	....	hair stylist
Charlene Roberson	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Richard Hashimoto	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Garth Craven	....	second unit director
Nick Marck	....	second assistant director
Bill Scott	....	assistant director (as William Scott)

Art Department
Edward Aiona	....	property master (as Eddie Aiona)
C.P. 'Cass' Quitan	....	assistant property master (as Cassius Quitan)

Sound Department
Joel Fein	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert L. Harman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dale Johnston	....	sound effects editor
William B. Kaplan	....	sound mixer (as Bill Kaplan)
William L. McCaughey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Earl Sampson	....	boom operator
Duncan McEwan	....	sound loader (uncredited)
David A. Whittaker	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Arthur Brewer	....	special effects
Adams Calvert	....	special effects
William Knapp	....	special effects

Stunts
Pamela Bebermeyer	....	stunts (as Pam Bebermeyer)
Steve Boyum	....	stunts
Steve M. Davison	....	stunts (as Steve Davison)
David R. Ellis	....	stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)
Freddie Hice	....	stunts
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunts
Ed Lang	....	stunts
Cisco Valderrama	....	stunts (as J. 'Cisco' Valderama)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joreen Bouillet	....	still photographer (as Jo Reen Bouillet)
Armando Contreras	....	dolly grip
Ralph Gerling	....	camera operator
Henry Harrison	....	assistant camera
Maureen Lambray	....	special photography
Robert Libby	....	assistant camera
Tom May	....	key grip
Richard Craig Meinardus	....	assistant camera (as Dick Meinardus)
Clifford H. Poland Jr.	....	assistant camera (as Cliff Poland)
Doyle Smith	....	assistant camera
Stephen Wever	....	still photographer (as Steve Wever)
Jack Wilson	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Carol Scott	....	local casting
Randee Lynne Jensen	....	casting associate (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael W. Hoffman	....	costumer: men (as Michael Hoffman)
Christine Zamiara	....	costumer: women

Editorial Department
Dennis Dolan	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Henry Brant	....	orchestrator
Allison Caine	....	vocal effects advisor
Alfred J. Carranza	....	assistant music editor
Ken Runyon	....	music editor
Henry Brant	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Angela Morley	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Terry Collis	....	transportation captain
Ken Peterson	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Vicki Arthur	....	unit publicist (as Victoria Arthur)
Joanie Blum	....	script supervisor
Carol Croft	....	strip choreographer
Dani Dembrosky	....	technical advisor
Richard Dixon	....	auditor (as Dick Dixon)
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Deborah D. Johnson	....	assistant production accountant
Sly Lovegren	....	assistant to producer
Jamie Rosenfield	....	location manager
Debbie Smith	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Lorimar Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1986) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Sound FX  sound editing
• Transcord Enterprises  locations
• Westheimer Company  opticals
• World Attractions Inc.  specialty acts courtesy of

Also Known As:

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Australia:R | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Savannah, Georgia, USA

Company:

Lorimar Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: While Mickey is at the roulette joint, Doubles is seen ringing a bell while wearing a tan plaid shirt. The audio of the bell ringing and Doubles' line "I tell ya, the boy has me in a corner" carries over to a shot of Mickey. When the shot switches back to Doubles a few seconds later, his tan plaid shirt has suddenly changed to a solid dark shirt with a denim jacket over it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Being John Malkovich (1999)

Prime Busey

Frankie (Gary Busey) and Patch (Robbie Robertson of The Band) are two carnival hustlers traveling from town to town in the South. In one spot Frankie picks up Donna (Jodie Foster), an 18-year old who literally runs away with the circus. Naturally, things tense up between Frankie and Patch as Donna tries to learn the carny lifestyle. Man, back in the day one could make a movie about the life of carnival workers and it didn't have to be profound or condescending. CARNY just tells it like it is, showcasing the carnival folk and their life. What is so interesting about the film (outside of Busey's maniac performance) is how Robert Kaylor deviates from expectations. One would expect Busey and Robertson to fight over who gets the girl but they don't. Instead, they act normal as Foster is the one who gets emotional over it. The supporting cast is incredible and features Tim Thomerson, Kenneth McMillan, Elisha Cook, Jr., Meg Foster and Teddy Wilson.