Stroker Ace (1983)

Director:

Hal Needham

Writers:

William Neely (novel) and
Robert K. Ottum (novel) ...

Release Date:

1 July 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

BURT'S BACK . . . With car crashin' & party crashin' as the hassled hunk who drives his car upside down & his women round the bend! [Australia theatrical]

Plot:

The title character, a popular NASCAR driver, clashes with the fried-chicken mogul that sponsors his racing team.

Plot Keywords:

Sponsor | Nascar | Racing | Chicken Suit | Race Car

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	Stroker Ace
Ned Beatty	...	Clyde Torkle
Jim Nabors	...	Lugs Harvey
Parker Stevenson	...	Aubrey James
Loni Anderson	...	Pembrook Feeney
John Byner	...	Doc Seegle
Frank O. Hill	...	Dad Seegle
Cassandra Peterson	...	Girl with Lugs
Bubba Smith	...	Arnold
Warren Stevens	...	Jim Catty
Alfie Wise	...	Charlie
James C. Lewis	...	Crew Chief
Neil Bonnett	...	NASCAR Driver
Dale Earnhardt	...	NASCAR Driver
Harry P. Gant	...	NASCAR Driver (as Harry Gant)

Also Known As:

Stand on It (Australia) (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Norway:12 | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Director Hal Needham has two separate cameos in the film. The first is when Stroker (Burt Reynolds) is doing the TV ad dressed as a chicken. He's the voice of the commercial director asking him to do one more take (as seen in the outtakes when Burt's "Smokey" co-star Jerry Reed shows up on set). The second is during the bar fight at the hotel. When Stroker gives a thumbs-up to Lugs (Jim Nabors) and then does a comical spin out of the scene when he's hit by a man in a cowboy hat. The "cowboy" is Needham.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning of the final race at Charlotte during the pace lap, some of the cars are already damaged. NASCAR would not have let a driver start a race in a damaged car.

Quotes:

Announcer: Just once, JUST ONCE, I wish you guys would TELL US THE REAL STORY!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Death Proof (2007)

Soundtrack:

A Victim Of Circumstances

Burt Reynolds is on his best in this film filled with super charged action!

Stroker Ace,a film directed by Hal Needham (the same director of such souped-up hits,like Smokey and The Bandit and Hooper),is a real surprise for the audience!it offers a lot of fun and laughs,all of this accomplished by dangerous and incredible scenes of action,which make Speed look like a boring movie!the character was made for Burt Reynolds,and combines with his own personality and way of interpretation!it's a nice movie,that everybody should discover,specially because it symbolizes a time when what really counted in the box-offices was the protagonist's charisma,and not stupid special effects!good times,when Burt was the best...and this time is going to be back!