The Slugger's Wife (1985)

Director:

Hal Ashby

Writer:

Neil Simon (written by)

Release Date:

29 March 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

How can a woman walk out on a love like this? Just Watch!

Plot:

A major league star who is on the verge of breaking a record, meets a singer and they get married, but they have different goals, so they separate, jeopardizing his opportunity in sports and the possibility of making up with his wife. |

Plot Keywords:

Baseball | Superstition | Baseball Psychopath

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Michael O'Keefe	...	Darryl Palmer
Rebecca De Mornay	...	Debby (Huston) Palmer
Martin Ritt	...	Burly DeVito, Braves Manager
Randy Quaid	...	Moose Granger
Cleavant Derricks	...	Manny Alvarado
Lisa Langlois	...	Aline Cooper
Loudon Wainwright III	...	Gary
Georgann Johnson	...	Marie DeVito
Danny Tucker	...	Coach O'Brien
Lynn Whitfield	...	Tina Alvarado
Al Garrison	...	Guard
NiCandra Hood	...	Nurse (as Nicandra Hood)
Ginger Taylor	...	Sherry, Hired Date
Kay McClelland	...	Peggy, Hired Date
Julie Kemp	...	Paloma, Hired Date
Tina Kincaid	...	Baseball Wife
Martha Harrison	...	Baseball Wife
Becky Pate	...	Baseball Wife
Dennis Burkley	...	Chuck
Alisha Das	...	Lola
Dan Biggers	...	Preacher
Justine Thielemann	...	Mrs. Granger
Marc Clement	...	Mr. Davis
Richard Alan Reiner	...	Patron at Zelda's
Valerie Mitchell	...	Waitress at Limelight
Edwin H. Cipot	...	Coneo
Stephen H. Stier	...	Varsity Patron
David R. Yood	...	Cop in Varsity
Wallace Merck	...	Fan in Limelight (as Wallace G. Merck)
Johnny B. Watson Jr.	...	Gateman
Alex Hawkins	...	Hawkins
Mort Schwartz	...	Man
John B. Sterling	...	Himself
George Stokes	...	Stage Manager
Harmon L. Wages	...	Interviewer
John W. Bradley	...	Himself
Jerome Olds	...	Musician
Erby Walker	...	Waitress
Phillipe Fontanelli	...	Waitress
Steve Daniels Jr.	...	Umpire
Henry J. Rountree	...	Umpire
George Jack Klarman	...	Umpire
Collin Fagan	...	Umpire
David M. Pallone	...	Umpire
Kevin James Barnes	...	Public Address
John Lawhorn	...	Coach Reckon
Douglas Garland Nave	...	Catcher
Bill G. Fite	...	Catcher
Al Hrabosky	...	Baseball Player (as Al Hrobosky)
Mark Fidrych	...	Baseball Player
Pete Van Wieren	...	Baseball Narrator
Ernie Johnson	...	Baseball Narrator
Skip Caray	...	Sportscaster
Nick Charles	...	Sportscaster
Chico Renfroe	...	Reporter
Tony Peck	...	Reporter (as Anthony Peck)
Corey B. McPherrin	...	Reporter
Paul S. Ryden	...	Reporter
Charles Darden	...	Reporter
John Buren Solberg	...	Reporter
Brad Nessler	...	Reporter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chris Companik	...	Man with cigar (uncredited)
Dennis Drew	...	(uncredited)
Evans Forlidas	...	Nightclub Guest (uncredited)
Josh Green	...	Baseball Player's Son (uncredited)
Steven Gustafson	...	(uncredited)
Chad Hillman	...	Dancer (uncredited)
James Hope	...	Larry Johnson (uncredited)
Renee Saroff Oliner	...	Baseball Player's Wife (uncredited)
Barbara Portman	...	Baseball Player's Wife (uncredited)
Earl Ramsey	...	(uncredited)
Raylon C. Ruggles	...	Bat Boy (uncredited)
Ted Turner	...	Darryl Fan (uncredited)

Directed by
Hal Ashby

Writing credits
Neil Simon		(written by)

Produced by
Margaret Booth	....	executive producer
Ray Stark	....	producer

Original Music by
Patrick Williams

Cinematography by
Caleb Deschanel

Film Editing by
Don Brochu
George C. Villaseñor

Casting by
Pennie DuPont

Production Design by
J. Michael Riva		(as Michael Riva)

Art Direction by
Rick Carter

Set Decoration by
Bruce Weintraub

Costume Design by
Ann Roth

Makeup Department
Lee Harman	....	makeup artist
Barbara Maggi	....	makeup artist
Kaye Pownall	....	hair stylist
Robert L. Renn	....	hair color

Production Management
Jerry A. Baerwitz	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Bueno	....	first assistant director
Don Yorkshire	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Ray Mercer Jr.	....	property master
Virginia L. Randolph	....	set designer (as Ginny Randolph)
George Stokes	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Jim Bullock	....	sound editor
Neil Burrow	....	sound editor
Don Coufal	....	boom operator
Carlos Delarios	....	sound re-recording mixer
Doreen A. Dixon	....	adr editor
John Keating	....	sound transfer
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom McCarthy Jr.	....	supervising sound editor
Ray O'Reilly	....	sound re-recording mixer
Aaron Rochin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard Shorr	....	sound editor
David Spence	....	supervising sound editor
Jim Stuebe	....	cable person
Jeff Wexler	....	production sound mixer
Vanessa Theme Ament	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Garrett Brown	....	photographer: Skycam
David L. Butler	....	director of photography: second unit (as Davis Butler)
Craig Denault	....	camera operator
Daniel C. Gold	....	first assistant camera
Clyde Hart	....	key grip
Gary Holt	....	chief lighting technician
Michael Ritt	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Leslie Danis	....	additional casting
Lucile Jones	....	additional casting
Annette Stillwell	....	casting: Atlanta

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Darryl M. Athons	....	costumer: men
Shiela Haynes	....	costumer: women
Gary Jones	....	assistant costume designer
Mort Schwartz	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Dee D'Orazio	....	assistant film editor
Mark Wilson	....	apprentice film editor

Music Department
Glen Ballard	....	music producer
Christopher Brooks	....	music editor
Tom Bähler	....	executive music producer
Helen Dell	....	musician: stadium organ
Robert Fernandez	....	scoring mixer
Daniel J. Johnson	....	co-music editor
Quincy Jones	....	executive music producer
Anthony Marinelli	....	musician: drums
Brian L. McCarty	....	music coordinator
Sarah M. Taylor	....	musician
John Van Tongeren	....	music producer

Transportation Department
James E. Foote	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Bonnie Arnold	....	assistant production coordinator
Kirk Borcherding	....	local auditor
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Lauri Gaffin	....	assistant: Mr. Ashby
Steven E. Housewright	....	production assistant
Gary Manacher	....	assistant to producer
Julie Oberdorfer	....	production coordinator
Sheila Possner	....	production assistant
June Samson	....	script supervisor
Judy Siem	....	production secretary
Elaine Smith	....	location manager
Michael C. Smith	....	security coordinator
Greg Torre	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures (presents)
• Rastar Films (as Rastar)
• Delphi II Productions (as Columbia-Delphi Productions II)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• MCA Records  soundtrack
• Effective Sound Limited  sound editing
• Modern Film Effects  opticals
• Metrocolor  prints by
• State of Georgia  thanks (as State of Georgia - Film Commission of City of Atlanta)
• Atlanta Police Department  thanks
• Eastern Airlines  thanks
• Segue Music  music editing
• The David Forbes Company  marketing and distribution services

Also Known As:

"Neil Simon's The Slugger's Wife" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Australia:M | Iceland:L | West Germany:16 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures

Trivia:

Cameo: [Mark Fidrych']The baseball player as a baseball player.

Goofs:

Continuity: Right before Palmer his 62nd home run, the announcer says "Everyone is standing here in Atlanta Fulton County Stadium." We then see a full stadium with a very unexcited and seated crowd (although it could just be announcer's hyperbole).

Quotes:

Burly DeVito:I'm a manager, not a pimp!

Movie Connections:

References Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Soundtrack:

LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH

Complete wash out

Baseball player meets rockstar - they marry and have difficulty adjusting to each other's different lives. Not only was I very disappointed when I saw this film, but I actually felt robbed of two hours of my life. I get angry when I think about the time I wasted watching this movie. Judging by cast and crew, it should've been a halfway decent movie. Not in the least... ranks as one of the worst I've ever seen. Not romantic, not comedic...not an honest or unique moment in this whole film. Bull Durham is a much better example of romance/baseball movie... Slapshot is also a better sports/comedy movie, with a subplot about the difficulty of being married to a professional player.