The Right Stuff (1983)

Director:

Philip Kaufman

Writers:

Tom Wolfe (book)
Philip Kaufman (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 October 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | History

Tagline:

They were ordinary men and women who shared a common ambition and what they achieved together captured the imagination of the world [UK Theatrical]

Plot:

The original US Mercury 7 astronauts and their macho, seat-of-the-pants approach to the space program.

Plot Keywords:

Astronaut | Space Program | Sound Barrier | Rocket | U.S. Space Program

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Sam Shepard	...	Chuck Yeager
Scott Glenn	...	Alan Shepard
Ed Harris	...	John Glenn
Dennis Quaid	...	Gordon Cooper
Fred Ward	...	Gus Grissom
Barbara Hershey	...	Glennis Yeager
Kim Stanley	...	Pancho Barnes
Veronica Cartwright	...	Betty Grissom
Pamela Reed	...	Trudy Cooper
Scott Paulin	...	Deke Slayton
Charles Frank	...	Scott Carpenter
Lance Henriksen	...	Wally Schirra
Donald Moffat	...	Lyndon B. Johnson
Levon Helm	...	Jack Ridley / Narrator
Mary Jo Deschanel	...	Annie Glenn
Scott Wilson	...	Scott Crossfield
Kathy Baker	...	Louise Shepard
Mickey Crocker	...	Marge Slayton
Susan Kase	...	Rene Carpenter
Mittie Smith	...	Jo Schirra
Royal Dano	...	Minister
David Clennon	...	Liaison Man
Jim Haynie	...	Air Force Major
Jeff Goldblum	...	Recruiter
Harry Shearer	...	Recruiter
Scott Beach	...	Chief Scientist
Jane Dornacker	...	Nurse Murch
Anthony Munoz	...	Gonzales
John P. Ryan	...	Head of Program
Darryl Henriques	...	Life Reporter
Eric Sevareid	...	Eric Sevareid
William Russ	...	Slick Goodlin
Drew Letchworth	...	The Permanent Press Corps
Christopher P. Beale	...	The Permanent Press Corps
Richard Dupell	...	The Permanent Press Corps
William Hall	...	The Permanent Press Corps
John X. Heart	...	The Permanent Press Corps
Ed Holmes	...	The Permanent Press Corps
Jack Bruno Tate	...	The Permanent Press Corps
Edward Anhalt	...	Grand Designer
Mary Apick	...	Woman Reporter
Robert Beer	...	Dwight D. Eisenhower
Erik Bergmann	...	Eddie Hodges
James Brady	...	Aide to Lyndon B. Johnson (as James M. Brady)
Katherine Conklin	...	Woman TV Reporter
Maureen Coyne	...	Waitress
Tom Dahlgren	...	Bell Aircraft Executive
John Lion	...	Bell Aircraft Executive
Peggy Davis	...	Sally Rand
John Dehner	...	Henry Luce
Robert Elross	...	Review Board President
Drew Eshelman	...	Assistant Scientist
Robert J. Geary	...	Game Show M.C.
Royce Grones	...	1st X-1 Pilot (as Major Royce Grones)
David Gulpilil	...	Aborigine
Anthony Wallis	...	Australian Driver (as Anthony Wallace)
Kaaren Lee	...	Young Widow
Sandy Kronemeyer	...	Cocoa Beach Girl
Frankie Di	...	Cocoa Beach Girl
Michael Pritchard	...	Texan
Ed Corbett	...	Texan
O-Lan Jones	...	Girl at Pancho's (as O-Lan Shepard)
Mark Todd	...	Astronaut Trainee
Allen Gebhardt	...	Astronaut Trainee (as Alan Gebhart)
Chuck Yeager	...	Fred (as General Chuck Yeager)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ed Sullivan	...	Himself (archive footage)
Gilbert Bazan	...	Spectator (uncredited)
Nikolai Bulganin	...	Himself - Viewing Parade for Gagarin (archive footage) (uncredited)
Bill Dana	...	Jose Jimenez (archive footage) (uncredited)
Yuri Gagarin	...	Himself - Embracing Khrushchev (archive footage) (uncredited)
Lyndon Johnson	...	Himself - Standing Behind JFK (archive footage) (uncredited)
John F. Kennedy	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Nikita Khrushchev	...	Himself - Embracing Gagarin (archive footage) (uncredited)
Christopher Kriesa	...	Mission control room man (uncredited)
Georgi Malenkov	...	Himself - Viewing Parade for Gagarin (archive footage) (uncredited)
James Mathers	...	Capt. Mills (uncredited)
Anastas Mikoyan	...	Himself - Viewing Parade for Gagarin (archive footage) (uncredited)
Mimi Sarkisian	...	New Mexico Nurse in Lobby (uncredited)
Tony Toscano	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Kliment Voroshilov	...	Himself - Viewing Parade for Gagarin (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Philip Kaufman

Writing credits
Tom Wolfe		(book)
Philip Kaufman		(screenplay)

Produced by
James D. Brubaker	....	executive producer
Robert Chartoff	....	producer
Irwin Winkler	....	producer

Original Music by
Bill Conti

Cinematography by
Caleb Deschanel

Film Editing by
Glenn Farr
Lisa Fruchtman
Tom Rolf
Stephen A. Rotter
Douglas Stewart

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Geoffrey Kirkland

Art Direction by
W. Stewart Campbell
Richard Lawrence		(as Richard J. Lawrence)
Peter R. Romero		(as Peter Romero)

Set Decoration by
George R. Nelson
Jim Poynter		(as Pat Pending)

Makeup Department
Karen Bradley	....	makeup artist
Catherine Childers	....	hair stylist
Yvonne Curry	....	makeup artist (as J. Yvonne Curry)
Bruce Geller	....	hair stylist
Pat Grover	....	hair stylist (as Patricia Grover)

Production Management
James D. Brubaker	....	production manager
Ned Kopp	....	production manager: additional photography
Larry Powell	....	unit production manager: desert and aerial unit
David Whorf	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nancy Giebink	....	second assistant director: additional unit
L. Dean Jones Jr.	....	second assistant director
Michael Looney	....	additional second assistant director
Sharon Mann	....	additional second assistant director
Ed Milkovich	....	first assistant director: desert and aerial unit (as Edward F. Milkovich)
Charles Myers	....	first assistant director (as Charles A. Myers)
Charles Myers	....	first assistant director: additional unit (as Charles A. Myers)

Art Department
James R. Allen	....	assistant property master
Thomas Anderson	....	labor foreman
Peter Bankins	....	lead set dresser (as Peteris M. Bankins)
Steve Banks	....	additional set dresser
Tim Boxell	....	storyboard artist
Alan Covey Jr.	....	greensman
Dale Edward Cowart	....	drapery foreman
Paul Dal Porto	....	property master
Bruce Di Valerio	....	construction foreman
Cal DiValerio	....	supervising construction coordinator (as Cal Di Valerio)
Craig Edgar	....	set designer
Robert Evans	....	stand-by painter
Emily Ferry	....	supervising property master
Tom J. Furginson	....	lead set dresser (as Thomas J. Furginson)
Gary Gutierrez	....	storyboard artist
Elizabeth Hamilton	....	paint coordinator
Dale Haugo	....	paint foreman (as Dale Halgo)
Donald E. Kerns	....	additional set dresser
Rich Larson	....	storyboard artist (as Richard Larson)
Joel David Lawrence	....	set designer
Leo Loverro	....	construction foreman
Rick Moore	....	artist
Nick Navarro	....	set designer (as Nicanor Navarro)
Gene Rudolf	....	visual consultant
James D. Schwalm	....	construction foreman (as James David Schwalm)
Don Watson	....	drapery supervisor
Dwight Williams	....	construction coordinator (as Dwight E. Williams)
George Zimninsky	....	lead set dresser
William Boyd	....	construction foreman (uncredited)
Scott H. Campbell	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Gerald Gates Jr.	....	paint foreman (uncredited)

Sound Department
C.J. Appel	....	adr editor
Sandina Bailo-Lape	....	dialogue and adr assistant (as Sandina Bailo)
Tom Bellfort	....	adr assistant
Danny Benson	....	cable person
John Benson	....	sound effects editor
Mark Berger	....	supervising re-recording mixer
Jay Boekelheide	....	supervising sound editor
Todd Boekelheide	....	sound re-recording mixer
Karen Brocco	....	sound technician
Valerie Bryce	....	sound recordist
T.M. Christopher	....	sound effects assistant (as Tom Christopher)
Sukey Fontelieu	....	sound effects assistant
Vivien Hillgrove Gilliam	....	dialogue editor
Cynthia Haagens	....	assistant foley editor
Tim Holland	....	sound effects editor
Richard Hymns	....	supervising dialogue editor
Pat Jackson	....	sound effects editor
Mary Helen Leasman	....	changes assistant
David MacMillan	....	production sound mixer (as David R.B. MacMillan)
Michael Magill	....	sound effects assistant
Robert Marty	....	sound recordist
Barbara McBane	....	dialogue editor
Marilyn McCoppen	....	dialogue assistant
David Parker	....	location and sound effects mixer
Diana Pellegrini	....	foley editor
Steve Powell	....	boom operator (as Stephen E. Powell)
E. Jeane Putnam	....	sound apprentice (as Jeane Putnam)
Fred Runner	....	sound apprentice
Paige Sartorius	....	sound apprentice
Thomas Scott	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Tom Scott)
Michael Silvers	....	dialogue assistant
Karen Spangenberg	....	dialogue assistant
Stephen Sutter	....	sound re-recording mix assistant (as Stephen J. Sutter)
Randy Thom	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dennie Thorpe	....	foley artist
Christopher Weir	....	sound effects assistant
Karen G. Wilson	....	sound effects editor (as Karen Wilson)
Andy Wiskes	....	sound re-recording mixer
J. Michael Davis	....	sound sampler (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)
Ewa Sztompke	....	sound technician (uncredited)
Clive Taylor	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Stan Parks	....	special effects foreman
Ken Pepiot	....	special effects supervisor (as Kenneth Pepiot)
David Pier	....	special effects foreman
Rod P. Sharpe	....	technical engineering advisor

Visual Effects by
Terry Lynn Allen	....	editorial coordinator: USFX
Peter Amundson	....	editorial coordinator: USFX
Stewart Barbee	....	effects cameraman: USFX
Jordan Belson	....	special visual creations
Leigh Blicher	....	editorial coordinator: USFX
Zac Bogart	....	motion control systems designer: USFX
Michael Bottero	....	key grip: USFX
Kris Boxell	....	art assistant: USFX
Bill Buttfield	....	modelmaker: USFX
David Carothers	....	modelmaker: USFX
Peter Daulton	....	first assistant cameraman: USFX
Don Dow	....	effects cameraman: USFX (as Donald Dow)
John V. Fante	....	effects cameraman: USFX
Rick Fichter	....	effects cameraman: USFX
Whitney Green	....	production manager: USFX
William Groshelle	....	second assistant cameraman: USFX
Gary Gutierrez	....	supervisor special visual effects: USFX
Peter Hadres	....	key grip: USFX
Bill Hansard Jr.	....	process coordinator (as William G. Hansard Jr.)
Donald Hansard Sr.	....	process coordinator (as Donald R. Hansard)
Toby Heindel	....	second assistant cameraman: USFX
H. Kent Hendricks	....	photographic printer: USFX
Karl Herrmann	....	effects cameraman: USFX
Jan M. Heyneker	....	chief stage technician: USFX
Jena Holman	....	art supervisor: USFX
Jay Ignaszewski	....	chief stage technician: USFX
Rick Kerrigan	....	production administator: USFX (as Richard Kerrigan)
Greg Kimble	....	second assistant cameraman: USFX (as Gregory Kimble)
Pete Kleinow	....	modelmaker: USFX (as Peter Kleinow)
Dan Kuhn	....	key grip: USFX
Michael Lawler	....	effects cameraman: USFX
Frank Morelli	....	chief model designer: USFX
Deborah Morgan	....	second assistant cameraman: USFX
Thaine Morris	....	pyrotechnician: USFX
Earle Murphy	....	model shop supervisor: USFX
Bill Neil	....	effects cameraman: USFX (as William Neil)
Jenny Oznowicz	....	editorial apprentice: USFX
Diana Pellegrini	....	editorial coordinator: USFX
Rick Perkins	....	mechanical designer: USFX
Gary Platek	....	technical researcher: USFX
Bruce Richardson	....	modelmaker: USFX
Lawrence G. Robinson	....	process supervisor
Martin Rosenberg	....	first assistant cameraman: USFX
Tom Rudduck	....	modelmaker: USFX
John Rynn	....	computer programmer: USFX
David Shwartz	....	modelmaker: USFX
Mark Stetson	....	chief model designer: USFX
Gordon Stout	....	engineering consultant: USFX
Chris Strohmeyer	....	key grip: USFX
Zuzana Swansea	....	modelmaker: USFX
Pat Turner	....	first assistant cameraman: USFX (as Patrick Turner)
Christine Whitney	....	assistant production administrator: USFX
Thomas Baker	....	main title graphics (uncredited)

Stunts
Rande DeLuca	....	parachute stunts
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunt coordinator
Clay Lacy	....	stunt pilot
Phil Pastuhov	....	parachute stunts
Art Scholl	....	stunt pilot (as Arthur Scholl)
Joseph Leonard Svec	....	parachute stunts
B.J. Worth	....	parachute stunts
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunt double: riding: Sam Shepard (uncredited)
Joseph Leonard Svec	....	parachuting stunt double: Sam Shepard (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Elizabeth Bailey	....	video assistant
Jim Beebe	....	aerial photographer
Maurice Beesley	....	electrician
Gary M. Brickley	....	grip
Hugh Byrne	....	best boy grip (as Hugh C. Byrne Jr.)
Steve Cardellini	....	grip (as Steven L. Cardellini)
Dave Childers	....	electrician (as David O. Childers)
Ted Churchill	....	Steadicam operator
Ray De La Motte	....	additional camera operator
Craig Denault	....	camera operator
Alan R. Disler	....	first assistant camera (as Alan Disler)
Stephen J. Gardner	....	best boy
Jeff Gershman	....	assistant camera: desert (as Jeffrey Gershman)
Jeff Gilliam	....	gaffer (as Jeffrey Gilliam)
Girard A. Gill Jr.	....	grip
Ron Grover	....	still photographer
Jon Guterres	....	key grip (as Jonathan Guterres)
Gary Holt	....	supervising gaffer
Brad Jerrell	....	electrician (as Brad L. Jerrell)
Louis Mahler	....	video technician (as Louis E. Mahler)
Harry Mathias	....	Steadicam operator
Stan McClain	....	assistant camera: aerial unit
Ned McClean	....	additional camera operator
Paul Murphey	....	video operator (as Paul Jay Murphy)
Hiro Narita	....	additional camera operator
Dennis Pope	....	best boy grip
Medel Ramos	....	electrician
Art Scholl	....	aerial photographer
Tom Sindicich	....	grip (as Thomas Sindicich)
Christopher Squires	....	second assistant camera
Bill Bennett	....	aerial camera operator (uncredited)
Mark Ludwig	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Michael Maley	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Ann Brebner	....	additional casting: San Francisco
Patricia de Oliveira	....	casting assistant
Gail Eisenstadt	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
William Browder	....	costumer
Winnie D. Brown	....	costumer: women (as Winnie Brown)
Jill Maley	....	costumer
Monique Montgomery	....	promotion wardrobe coordinator
John Napolitano	....	costumer
James W. Tyson	....	costume supervisor (as Jim Tyson)

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Louis Benioff	....	first assistant editor
Susanna Blaustein	....	apprentice editor
Nicole Boris	....	editorial assistant
David Dresher	....	apprentice editor
Jack Garsha	....	color timer
Cliff Latimer	....	apprentice editor (as Clifford Latimer)
Victor Livingston	....	first assistant editor
John Morris	....	apprentice editor
Sara Roberts	....	assistant editor
Bob Sarles	....	apprentice editor
Frank Simeone	....	apprentice editor (as Franklin Simeone)
John Teton	....	editorial consultant
Jeff Watts	....	assistant editor
Jenny Weyman-Cockle	....	assistant editor (as Jennifer Weyman-Cockle)
Robert Yano	....	apprentice editor
William Chartoff	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Todd Boekelheide	....	composer: additional music
Susan R. Crutcher	....	source music editor (as Susan Crutcher)
Vivien Hillgrove Gilliam	....	source music editor
Stephen A. Hope	....	music editor
Garth Hudson	....	composer: additional music
Forrest Patten	....	music researcher (as Forrest O. Patten)
Dan Wallin	....	scoring mixer
Angela Morley	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Celia Weiner	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Ed Arter	....	transportation co-captain
Russell McEntyre	....	transportation coordinator
Bruce Richardson	....	transportation captain
Dan Riportella	....	transportation captain (as Danny Riportella)
Ed Wirth	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
Don Aites	....	military liaison officer: USCG (as Capt. Don Aites)
Joey Bacow	....	production assistant
Ted Bear	....	historical research
Steph Benseman	....	additional locations (as Stephen S. Benseman)
Dale Benson	....	promotion consultant
Karen Bergman	....	stock footage researcher
Lynne Birdt	....	assistant production accountant
Gloria S. Borders	....	stock footage researcher (as Gloria Borders)
Kevin Breslin	....	production assistant
Dell Byrne	....	stock footage researcher
Christine Claycombe-Brooks	....	crowd promotion coordinator
Martha Cohen	....	production assistant
Janet Crosby	....	assistant: Mr. Winkler
Dan Curry	....	title designer
Patricia de Oliveira	....	assistant: Mr. Kaufman
Rory Enke	....	additional locations
Robert Evans Lowy	....	production assistant
Jonathan Fairbanks	....	production assistant
Karen Frerichs	....	assistant: Mr. Kaufman
Tom Gray	....	unit publicist
Royce Grones	....	military liaison officer: USAF (as Maj. Royce Grones)
Richard P. Hallion	....	historical research (as Dr. Richard P. Hallion)
Larry Heflin	....	stock footage researcher
Diane Jackson	....	production secretary
Peter Kaufman	....	assistant: Mr. Kaufman
Howard Kosters	....	military liaison officer: USAF (as Lt. Col. Howard Kosters)
Major Nancy Laluntas	....	military liaison officer: USMC (as Capt. Nancy LaLuntas)
Pixie Larson	....	military liaison officer: USN (as Lt. Pixie Larson)
JoAnn May-Pavey	....	production coordinator (as Jo Ann May-Pavey)
Michael O'Donnell	....	craft service
Nancy Oleko	....	historical research
Barbara Parker	....	assistant: Mr. Kaufman
Michael Polaire	....	location manager
Patrick Ranahan	....	additional locations
Susan Roether	....	production secretary
Art Schaeffer	....	production accountant (as Art Schaefer)
Lori Sussman	....	assistant: Mr. Chartoff
Heinrich Thueringer	....	military liaison officer: German Air Force (as Lt. Col. Heinrich Thueringer)
Alice Tompkins	....	script supervisor
Dave Wagner	....	military liaison officer: USA (as Lt. Col. Dave Wagner)
Diana Wells	....	production secretary
Duncan Wilmore	....	technical advisor
Chuck Yeager	....	technical consultant (as Gen. General Charles E. 'Chuck' Yeager)
Peter Greenwood	....	australian footage consultant (uncredited)
Wayne Klein	....	security officer (uncredited)
Bill McCamey	....	stage set constructor (uncredited)

Thanks
Arthur Baliantz	....	special thanks
Walter Murch	....	special thanks
Wallis Nicita	....	special thanks (as Wally Nicita)

Production Companies

• Ladd Company, The

Distributors

• Ladd Company, The (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical) (through)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1986) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Steward (France) (re-release)
• Varus Video (Russia) (VHS)
• Warner Bros.
• Warner Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Colossal Pictures (special photographic effects)
• USFX (special photographic effects)

Other Companies

• Cinematic Company  additional opticals
• Clay Lacy Aviation  aerial photography
• Du Art Film Laboratories  additional opticals
• Modern Film Effects  titles and opticals
• Northern California Casting  extras casting
• Pacific Title  additional opticals
• Rockwell International Corporation  technical assistance
• Saul Zaentz Film Center  re-recording facilities
• Tallmantz Aviation  aerial photography
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• NORCAL Casting  extras casting
• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound post-production services
• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound re-recording
• Toni Howard & Associates  casting