The Cannonball Run (1981)

Director:

Hal Needham

Writer:

Brock Yates (written by)

Release Date:

19 June 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy

Tagline:

You'll root for them all...but you'll never guess who wins.

Plot:

A wide variety of eccentric competitors participate in a wild and illegal cross-country car race.

Plot Keywords:

Race | Cross Country | Car | Car Race | Racer

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	J.J. McClure
Roger Moore	...	Seymour Goldfarb, Jr.
Farrah Fawcett	...	Pamela Glover
Dom DeLuise	...	Victor Prinzim / Captain Chaos
Dean Martin	...	Jamie Blake
Sammy Davis Jr.	...	Morris Fenderbaum
Jack Elam	...	Doctor Nikolas Van Helsing
Adrienne Barbeau	...	Marcie Thatcher, Lamborghini Babe #1
Terry Bradshaw	...	Terry
Jackie Chan	...	Jackie Chan, Subaru Driver
Bert Convy	...	Bradford Compton
Jamie Farr	...	The Sheik
Peter Fonda	...	Chief Biker
George Furth	...	Arthur J. Foyt
Michael Hui	...	Subaru Engineer
Bianca Jagger	...	Sheik's Sister
Molly Picon	...	Mrs. Goldfarb
Jimmy 'The Greek' Snyder	...	The Greek
Mel Tillis	...	Mel
Rick Aviles	...	Mad Dog
Warren Berlinger	...	Shakey Finch
Tara Buckman	...	Jill Rivers, Lamborghini Babe #2
John Fiedler	...	Desk Clerk
Norman Grabowski	...	Petoski
Joe Klecko	...	Polish Racing Driver
Grayce Spence	...	Chair Person
Robert Tessier	...	Biker (as Bob Tessier)
Alfie Wise	...	Batman
Johnny Yune	...	TV Talk Show Host
Lois Hamilton	...	Seymour's Girl (as Lois Areno)
Simone Burton	...	Seymour's Girl
Finele Carpenter	...	Seymour's Girl
Susan McDonald	...	Seymour's Girl
Janet Woytak	...	Seymour's Girl
Ben Rogers	...	Pennsylvania Patrolman
James C. Lewis	...	Missouri Patrolman (as Jim Lewis)
Fred Smith	...	California Patrolman #1
Roy Tatum	...	Connecticut Patrolman
Dudley Remus	...	New Jersey Patrolman #1
Hal Carter	...	New Jersey Patrolman #2
Brock Yates	...	Organizer
Kathleen M. Shea	...	Starting Girl
Nancy Austin	...	Phone Booth Lady
Vickie Reigle	...	Car Hop
Bob Stenner	...	California Patrolman #2
Ken Squier	...	California Patrolman #3
Samir Kamoun	...	Sadouin
John Megna	...	Arthur Rose
Linda McClure	...	Dour Lady
Laura Lizer Sommers	...	Lady in Distress
Richard Losee	...	Trans Am Driver
Richie Burns Wright	...	Farmboy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Manis	...	Monkey
Steve Dressler	...	Race Car Assistant (uncredited)
Dave Mungenast Sr.	...	Kicked by Jackie Chan (uncredited)
Hal Needham	...	Ambulance EMT (uncredited)
Valerie Perrine	...	Female Cop Pulling Over Lamborghini Babes (uncredited)

Directed by
Hal Needham

Writing credits
Brock Yates		(written by)

Produced by
Raymond Chow	....	executive producer
David Hamburger	....	associate producer
Andre Morgan	....	executive producer
Albert S. Ruddy	....	producer

Original Music by
Al Capps

Cinematography by
Michael C. Butler		(director of photography) (as Michael Butler)

Film Editing by
Donn Cambern
William D. Gordean

Art Direction by
Carol Wenger

Set Decoration by
Rochelle Moser

Costume Design by
Norman Salling

Makeup Department
Gabriel Borgo	....	hair stylist (as Gabe Borgo)
Edwin Butterworth	....	makeup artist (as Ed Butterworth)
Tom Ellingwood	....	makeup artist

Production Management
David Hamburger	....	unit production manager
Andre Morgan	....	production supervisor (as André Morgan)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Bueno	....	second assistant director
Bill Coker	....	first assistant director
Marty Eli Schwartz	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Jerry Graham	....	property master
Gary F. Kieldrup	....	assistant property master (as Gary Kieldrup)
Drew Struzan	....	poster artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Milton C. Burrow	....	sound supervisor (as Milton Burrow)
Neil Burrow	....	sound effects editor
Scott Burrow	....	assistant sound effects editor
Gordon Davidson	....	sound effects editor
Jay Engel	....	dialogue editor
David M. Horton	....	sound effects editor
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Glen Lambert	....	boom operator
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Nicholson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert A. Reich	....	sound effects editor
Jack Solomon	....	sound
Jim Yant	....	sound effects editor (as James Yant)
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Gregg Bond	....	special effects prop artist
Cliff Wenger	....	special effects (as Cliff Wenger Sr.)

Stunts
Bobby Bass	....	stunt coordinator
Richard Epper	....	stunts
Scott Hamilton	....	stunt double
Terry James	....	stunts
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt double: Dean Martin
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt driver
Don Ruffin	....	stunts
Gene Witham	....	utility stunts
May Boss	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gilbert B. Combs	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mike De Luna	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lada Edmund Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eurlyne Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Allan Graf	....	stunts (uncredited)
James M. Halty	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bennie Moore	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jimmy Nickerson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Brad Orrison	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mark Orrison	....	stunts (uncredited)
Regina Parton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Heidi Von Beltz	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Barnett	....	grip
Mike Barnett	....	rigging grip
Dick Colean	....	camera operator
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Darryl M. Athons	....	costumer: men
Kathy O'Rear	....	costumer: women
Don Vargas	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
William J. Meshover	....	assistant film editor (as William Meshover)
Steve Mirkovich	....	assistant film editor
Janice Parker	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Snuff Garrett	....	music supervisor
Grover B. Helsley	....	music mixer (as Grover Helsley)
Jim Henrikson	....	music editor (as James Henrikson)

Transportation Department
Mike Doyle	....	transportation captain (as Michael Doyle)
Timothy Sheehan	....	driver
Howard A. Small	....	transportation coordinator (as Howard Small)
Roger Wooge	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Stanley Brossette	....	unit publicist
Lyle Christensen	....	car fabricator
Chris Karamanos	....	caterer
Jim McCarthy	....	production accountant
Adele Nadel	....	assistant to producer
Maureen Osborne-Beall	....	production coordinator
Art Sarno	....	unit publicist
Kathleen M. Shea	....	assistant to director
Doris Spriggs	....	assistant: Roger Moore
Dorothy Vitale	....	nurse
Chip Vucelich	....	production assistant
Hope Williams	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Golden Harvest Company (presents) (as Golden Harvest)
• Eurasia Investments

Distributors

• Media Asia Distribution (1981) (worldwide) (theatrical) (as Media Asia Distribution Ltd.)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1981) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Tobis Filmkunst (1981) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Vestron Video (1982) (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox Video (1983) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1983) (USA) (TV)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Manga Films (2001) (Spain) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Hollydan Works (2000) (Yugoslavia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Unique Movie Cars  picture cars

Also Known As:

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA | Hong Kong

Language:

English | Cantonese | Japanese | Arabic

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 (original rating) | Netherlands:6 (re-rating) | West Germany:6 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1982) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

King Harbor, Redondo Beach, California, USA

Company:

Golden Harvest Company

Trivia:

Jackie Chan, who played a small role in this movie, was very upset when he learned his character was Japanese since he himself is Chinese.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Cannonballers are standing around listening to the Instructions, the camera pans through the crowd. J.J. and Victor are standing nowhere near Marcie and Jill. The camera cuts to the speaker, then pans the crowd again. In a close up, J.J. and Victor are right next to Marcie and Jill.

Quotes:

Sheik's Assistant:I wonder why that guy parked his truck in the lobby?
The Sheik:Only in America! Get me 12 suites, better yet, the entire floor!
[Walks off, patting another assistant on the rear]
The Sheik:Ah, too much couscous!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Death Proof (2007)

Soundtrack:

Cannonball

Car chase mayhem which provides a few laughs and lots of mindless stunts and crashes.

It's hard to believe it, but when this film was released back in 1981 Burt Reynolds was the world's no.1 box office movie star. In this totally mindless chase comedy, Reynolds is supported by a cast of high profile actors in extended guest roles, all of whom play entrants in a wacky coast-to-coast (illegal) car race. The film has little plot to speak of, just a series of stunts, crashes and broad comedy moments. Much of the time it misses its targets, but from time to time there are genuinely funny vignettes and laugh-out-loud one-liners. No-one could ever seriously place this film on their list of all-time classics, but it's not as bad as critics like Maltin have claimed.

Mechanic J.J. McClure (Burt Reynolds) and his schizophrenic buddy Victor (Dom Deluise - who occasionally loses it and transforms into his deluded alter-ego Captain Chaos) enter a car race from New Jersey to California. Fellow entrants include a suave Englishman who thinks he's James Bond (Roger Moore); two con-men disguised as priests (Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr); a womanising sheik (Jamie Farr); a Subaru-driving Japanese stunt-man (Jackie Chan); and a couple of busty bimbos in a Lamborghini (Adrienne Barbeau and Tara Buckman).

Scenes that work (e.g scenes that ARE funny) include J.J and Victor landing an aeroplane in a busy street to purchase more beer; the Japanese racers almost crashing because their driver is busy watching porn movies on the in-built TV; the Lamborghini babes repeatedly dodging speeding charges by flashing their (considerable) cleavage at the prosecuting cops; and any of the hilarious out-takes shown over the closing credits. Jack Elam also has some amusing scenes as a very unreliable doctor with a penchant for injecting anaesthetics into people's asses! In other parts, the film is less successful, with rather a lot of lazy performances and scenes that don't tickle the funny bone because they are too immature or just too stupid. The Cannonball Run is loud, broad fun, very easy to watch and even easier to forget!