That Thing You Do! (1996)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Tom Hanks

Writer (WGA):

Tom Hanks (written by)

Release Date:

4 October 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

In every life there comes a time when that dream you dream becomes that thing you do.

Plot:

A Pennsylvania band scores a hit in 1964 and rides the star-making machinery as long as it can, with lots of help from its manager.

Plot Keywords:

Band | Pennsylvania | Jazz | Appliance Store | Drummer

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Tom Everett Scott	...	Guy Patterson
Liv Tyler	...	Faye Dolan
Johnathon Schaech	...	Jimmy Mattingly
Steve Zahn	...	Lenny Haise
Ethan Embry	...	T. B. Player
Tom Hanks	...	Mr. White
Charlize Theron	...	Tina
Obba Babatundé	...	Lamarr
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Chad
Chris Ellis	...	Phil Horace
Alex Rocco	...	Sol Siler
Bill Cobbs	...	Del Paxton
Peter Scolari	...	Troy Chesterfield
Rita Wilson	...	Marguerite
Chris Isaak	...	Uncle Bob
Kevin Pollak	...	Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich
Robert Torti	...	Freddy Fredrickson
Chaille Percival	...	Diane Dane
Holmes Osborne	...	Mr. Patterson (as Holmes Osborne Jr.)
Claudia Stedelin	...	Mrs. Patterson
Dawn Maxey	...	Darlene Patterson
Jack Milo	...	Villapiano
Keith Neubert	...	Dentist Dr. Collins
Lee Everett	...	Kitty
Sean Whalen	...	Heckler
Clint Howard	...	KJZZ Disk Jockey
Sarah Koskoff	...	Chrissy Thomkins
Mark Brettschneider	...	Talent Show Emcee
Kathleen Kinmont	...	Koss' Secretary
Warren Berlinger	...	Polaroid T.V. Host
Clive Rosengren	...	Wisconsin Cop
Brittney Powell	...	Shades Fan
Jonathan Demme	...	Major Motion Picture Director
Erika Greene	...	Major Motion Picture Assistant Director
Dave Oliver	...	Rick
Tracy Reiner	...	Anita
Barry Sobel	...	Goofball
Paul Feig	...	KMPC D.J.
Gedde Watanabe	...	Play-Tone Photographer
Michael P. Byrne	...	Play-Tone Reporter
Dick Corman	...	Play-Tone Reporter
Diane McGee	...	Play-Tone Reporter
Randy Fechter	...	Play-Tone Tour Manager
Mars Callahan	...	Ernie the Disc Master Engineer
Benjamin John Parrillo	...	Marine Sergeant
Robert Ridgely	...	Hollywood Showcase Announcer
Marc McClure	...	Hollywood Showcase Director
Karen Praxel	...	Hollywood Showcase Script Supervisor
Paulie DiCocco	...	Hollywood Showcase Floor Manager
Bryan Cranston	...	Virgil 'Gus' Grissom
Charlie Frye	...	Plate Spinner
Colin Hanks	...	Male Page
Elizabeth Hanks	...	Bored Girl in Dress Shop
Bill Wiley	...	Pageant Helper
Cheryl L. Bruton	...	Pageant Helper
Heather Hewitt	...	Sales Lady
Renée Lippin	...	Beautician
Carole Androsky	...	Diner Waitress
Ginger Slaughter	...	Ambassador Waitress
Robert Wisdom	...	Bobby Washington
Larry Antonino	...	Scott 'Wolfman' Pell
Rick Elias	...	Play-Tone Band Member
Ted Kramer	...	Play-Tone Band Member
Howard Locke	...	Play-Tone Band Member
Don Markese	...	Play-Tone Band Member
Paula Nichols	...	Play-Tone Band Member
Scott Rogness	...	Play-Tone Band Member
Angel Sheppard	...	Play-Tone Band Member
Wade Short	...	Play-Tone Band Member
Scott Strecker	...	Play-Tone Band Member
Jimmy Willis	...	Play-Tone Band Member
Kennya J. Ramsey	...	Chantrellines Member
Julie L. Harkness	...	Chantrellines Member
Darlene Dillinger	...	Chantrellines Member
Jennifer York	...	Folk Girls Member
Bethany Hartf	...	Folk Girls Member
Kathy Stuber	...	Folk Girls Member
Cathryne Senescu	...	Folk Girls Member
Steve Billington	...	Legends of Brass Member
Andy Duncan	...	Legends of Brass Member
Dave Ryan	...	Legends of Brass Member
Todd Simon	...	Legends of Brass Member
Mike Uhler	...	Legends of Brass Member
Marco Villanova	...	Legends of Brass Member
Thomas Cleo	...	Saturn 5 Member
Ken Empie	...	Saturn 5 Member
Ron Jeffrey	...	Saturn 5 Member
Mike Piccirillo	...	Saturn 5 Member
Christine Wilson	...	Saturn 5 Member (as Chris Wilson)
Barth Beasley	...	Blue Spot Trio Member
James Leary	...	Blue Spot Trio Member
Alphonse Mouzon	...	Blue Spot Trio Member
Kristie J. Canavan	...	Wisconsin Dancer
Bethany Chesser	...	Wisconsin Dancer
Tara Nicole Hughes	...	Wisconsin Dancer
Melissa Hurley	...	Wisconsin Dancer
Cherie Hill	...	Wisconsin Dancer
Robin Lindsley Allen	...	Wisconsin Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jonathan Adler	...	Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Ray Angona	...	Hollywood Showcase Technician (uncredited)
Mike Boss	...	(uncredited)
K.C. Brooks	...	Hollywood Showcase Dancer (uncredited)
Phillip V. Caruso	...	Mr. White's Photographer (uncredited)
Kacee DeMasi	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Monica Huntington	...	Student (uncredited)
Shelly Insheiwat	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Heather Marie Marsden	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Scott McKinley	...	Cop (uncredited)
Ryan O'Quinn	...	Beach Teen (uncredited)
Dayna Price	...	Orpheum Girl (uncredited)
Derik Wingo	...	Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Tom Hanks

Writing credits (WGA)
Tom Hanks		(written by)

Produced by
Jonathan Demme	....	producer
Gary Goetzman	....	producer
Terry Odem	....	associate producer
Edward Saxon	....	producer

Original Music by
Howard Shore

Cinematography by
Tak Fujimoto		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Richard Chew

Casting by
Howard Feuer

Production Design by
Victor Kempster

Art Direction by
Dan Webster

Set Decoration by
Merideth Boswell

Costume Design by
Colleen Atwood

Makeup Department
Larry Abbott	....	makeup artist
Janice Alexander	....	hair stylist
Audrey L. Anzures	....	key hair stylist
Steve Artmont	....	makeup artist
Kathryn Blondell	....	hair department head (as Kathryn L. Blondell)
Carolyn Elias	....	hair stylist
Margaret E. Elliott	....	makeup artist
Frank Griffin	....	key makeup artist (as Frank H. Griffin Jr.)
Norma Lee	....	hair stylist
Elizabeth Rabe	....	hair stylist
Rick Sharp	....	makeup artist
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Charles Skouras III	....	unit production manager
Christa Vausbinder	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pamela Cederquist	....	second second assistant director
Mark Cotone	....	second assistant director
Katterli Frauenfelder	....	first assistant director
Jessica W. Leung	....	dga trainee
Lisa C. Satriano	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Patrik Alven	....	assistant property master
Alice Baker	....	buyer
Taylor Black	....	second lead man
Will Blount	....	property master
Tristan Paris Bourne	....	on-set dresser (as Tristan Bourne)
Sarah Bowen	....	art department coordinator
Jon J. Bush	....	set dresser
David T. Cannon	....	construction coordinator
Martin Charles	....	graphic designer
Keith P. Cunningham	....	set designer (as Keith Cunningham)
Charles Daboub Jr.	....	assistant art director (as Charles Daboub)
Rachel A. Flores	....	property production assistant (as Rachel Flores)
Hugo Herrera	....	head greensman
Bart C. Hubenthal	....	set dresser
Ari Jacobs	....	art department production assistant
Johnnie Jenkins	....	construction auditor
Roger Knight	....	set dresser
Chris Kubin	....	propmaker foreman
James E. Marchwick	....	set dresser
Matthew Martin	....	propmaker foreman
Masako Masuda	....	set designer
Ryan T. Mennealy	....	art department production assistant
Christopher S. Nushawg	....	assistant art director
Lisa Ozanne	....	on-set dresser
Monica Ragan	....	assistant property master
Tommy Samona	....	lead man
Lisa K. Sessions	....	buyer
Doug Sieck	....	set dresser
Mitch Simmons	....	lead paint foreman
Margaret Tucker	....	construction production assistant
Stella Vaccaro	....	set designer (as Stella Furner)
David A. Weinman	....	general foreman
Suzan Wexler	....	set designer
Tommy Ardolino	....	archivist (uncredited)
Chris Nakayama	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Timothy Oakley	....	prop fabricator (uncredited)
Victor M. Shannon	....	plasterer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bob Beemer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael J. Benavente	....	sound effects editor
Bill W. Benton	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Bolt	....	additional sound re-recording mixer (as Jim Bolt)
David Boulton	....	adr mixer
Catherine Calleson	....	assistant sound editor
Chris Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Carmen Flores De Tanis	....	assistant sound editor
Susan Dudeck	....	adr editor
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley recordist
John Glaeser	....	cable person
Kimberly Harris	....	supervising adr editor (as Kimberly Harris-Rivolier)
Craig Heath	....	sound recordist
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Dave Jahnsen	....	sound recording engineer
Bobby Johanson	....	adr recordist
Richard King	....	supervising sound editor
Nicholas Vincent Korda	....	adr editor (as Nicholas Korda)
John Kurlander	....	sound recording engineer
Kimberly Lambert	....	dialogue editor
Diane Linn	....	adr recordist
James Matheny	....	dialogue editor
Virgil Naffarette	....	adr recordist
Jeffrey R. Payne	....	foley editor
Rick Pekkonen	....	sound recording engineer
Eric Potter	....	sound effects recordist
John Pritchett	....	sound mixer (as John Patrick Pritchett)
Robert Renga	....	sound recordist
Charleen Richards	....	adr mixer (as Charlene Richards)
David M. Roberts	....	boom operator
Michael C. Ross	....	sound recording engineer
Doug Ryder	....	sound recording engineer
Monique Salvato	....	assistant sound editor
Frank Smathers	....	foley editor
Denis St. Amand	....	stage engineer
Robert Troy	....	dialogue editor
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist (as Jeffrey B. Wilhoit)
Mark Wolfson	....	recording supervisor

Special Effects by
Thomas R. Ward	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Blondel Aidoo	....	digital efx producer
Dan Hamilton	....	digital technical supervisor
Ralph Maiers	....	digital artist
Steve Rundell	....	visual effects supervisor
Janice Tso	....	supervising digital artist
Ralph Maiers	....	digital compositor: Cinema Research Corp./D-rez (uncredited)

Stunts
Joe Basile	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dustin Ault	....	company grip
Herb Ault	....	key grip
Erik Bernstein	....	lamp operator
Richard L. Carden	....	dolly grip
Phillip V. Caruso	....	still photographer
Doug Cowden	....	best boy grip
R. Michael De Chellis	....	rigging gaffer (as Michael DeChellis)
Yusef Edmonds	....	camera loader
Thomas Enright	....	lamp operator
Craig Haagensen	....	camera operator
Brent Lon Hershman	....	second assistant camera
Beth Horton	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Steve Irwin	....	24 frame video operator
Kent H. Jorgensen	....	key rigging grip (as Kent Jorgensen)
Gregory Lundsgaard	....	Steadicam operator (as Greg Lundsgaard)
Larry McCarron	....	company grip
Daniel P. Moore	....	video assist operator
Chris Napolitano	....	best boy set lighting
Edward R. Nedin	....	lamp operator
Jason Newton	....	company grip
Walter Royle	....	company grip (as Walter Royle Jr.)
Art Schwab	....	first assistant camera: "c" camera
Sean Smith	....	lamp operator
Michael Starkey	....	best boy rigging grip (as Mike Starkey)
Baird Steptoe	....	first assistant camera (as Baird B. Steptoe Sr.)
Tom West	....	best boy rigging grip
Randy Woodside	....	gaffer
Clyde E. Bryan	....	Steadicam assistant (uncredited)
Clyde E. Bryan	....	assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)
David French	....	grip (uncredited)
Ron Kunecke	....	night light operator (uncredited)
Paul Taylor	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Bill Dance	....	extras casting
Meredith Tucker	....	casting assistant
Dixie Webster	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cha Blevins	....	costume supervisor
Marsha Bozeman	....	set costumer (as Marsha L. Bozeman)
Cindy Evans	....	set costumer
Alix Friedberg	....	costumer
Emily Loreto	....	wardrobe production assistant
Valerie T. O'Brien	....	key costumer
Donna O'Neal	....	costumer
Eva Prappas	....	key costumer (as Eva L. Prappas)
Nicole Smith	....	cutter/fitter
Sloane Morrison	....	set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Catherine Chase	....	first assistant film editor
Phil Hetos	....	color timer
Liv Torgerson	....	second assistant film editor
Clarinda Wong	....	assistant editor: avid
Mark Yoshikawa	....	editorial production assistant

Music Department
Josie Aiello	....	additional vocalist
Deva Anderson	....	music coordinator
Kenny Aronoff	....	additional musician
David Boruff	....	additional musician
David Carpenter	....	additional musician
Andy Chase	....	additional vocalist
Neil Citron	....	additional musician
Steve Dorff	....	music arranger
Chris Fraiser	....	additional musician
Alex Gibson	....	music editor
Mark Goldenberg	....	additional musician
Wayne Jones	....	additional musician
Harry Kim	....	additional musician
John Lissauer	....	orchestrator: score
Warren Luening	....	additional musician
Gary Mallaber	....	additional musician
Robert F. Mann	....	additional musician (as Robert Mann)
Don Markese	....	music arranger
Dean Parks	....	additional musician
Joel C. Peskin	....	additional musician (as Joel Peskin)
Mike Piccirillo	....	music arranger
Jeff Richman	....	additional musician
John Robinson	....	additional musician
Scott Rogness	....	additional vocalist
Steve Schaeffer	....	additional musician
Adam Schlesinger	....	additional vocalist
Howard Shore	....	conductor: score
Neil Stubenhaus	....	additional musician
Joe Sublett	....	additional musician
Mike Viola	....	additional vocalist
Randy Waldman	....	additional musician
Billy Ward	....	additional musician
Robert Cotnoir	....	music coordinator (uncredited)
John Kurlander	....	music recording engineer (uncredited)
John Kurlander	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Mike Paventi	....	transportation captain
Ken Peterson	....	transportation coordinator
Tina Peterson	....	transportation production assistant
Yvette Peterson	....	transportation production assistant
Kristen Redd-Ginchereau	....	transportation captain
Larry Stelling	....	picture car coordinator
Paulie DiCocco	....	driver: Liv Tyler (uncredited)
Dennis Lally	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Ellen Adolph	....	production accountant
Vardit Afriat	....	production assistant
Neda Armian	....	assistant: Mr. Demme
Dana Bambace	....	production assistant
Toni Basil	....	choreographer
Kirt Birch	....	production assistant
Kevin A. Canamar	....	first aid
Mark Carter	....	set production assistant
Diana Choi	....	production associate
Robin Citrin	....	location manager
Margo Day	....	production coordinator
Patricia Eyerman	....	hollywood showcase technical advisor
Pablo Ferro	....	title design and graphics
Leigh French	....	adr group coordinator
John R. Hansen	....	payroll accountant
Carol Hatchett	....	assistant choreographer
Nancy Duvall Horne	....	assistant: Mr. Goetzman
Kathy McDonald Jones	....	assistant production coordinator
L.B. Kyle Keilman	....	craft service
Paul Kostick	....	assistant: Mr. Hanks
John C. Kruize	....	assistant auditor (as Chris Kruize)
Adria Later	....	studio teacher
Daryl C. Lefever	....	assistant auditor
Jonas C. Matz	....	first aid
Deborah J. Page	....	assistant location manager
Eric E. Paulson	....	production assistant
Marc Pitre	....	production intern
Anne Rapp	....	script supervisor
Marsha Robertson	....	unit publicist
Stephanie Rudat	....	production intern
Angel Singleton	....	production assistant
Miura Smith	....	assistant: Mr. Saxon
Kip Walton	....	hollywood showcase technical advisor
James Williams	....	security officer
Rebekah Williams	....	assistant location manager
Wayne Witherspoon	....	set production assistant
Ted Yonenaka	....	craft service
T.J. Espinoza	....	dancer (uncredited)
Brian McMillan	....	head animal trainer (uncredited)
Errol Reichow	....	location scout (uncredited)
Mark C. Smith	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Kayla Thames	....	location scout (uncredited)
Mary Tobler	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)
Crystal Weaver	....	staff production coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Clavius Base
• Clinica Estetico
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (Argentina)
• Alta Films (Spain)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1997) (Netherlands) (video)

Special Effects

• D. Rez Hollywood (digital composites)

Other Companies

• Bill Dance Casting  extras casting
• Brian McMillan's Animal Rentals Unlimited  animals provided by
• Capitol Studios  recording facilities
• Capitol Studios  score mixed at
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Complex, The  recording facilities
• Complex, The  score mixed at
• Creative Cafe  sound editing
• Deluxe Catering  catering
• Entourage Studios  recording facilities
• Entourage Studios  score mixed at
• Epic Records  soundtrack published by
• Epic Soundtrax  soundtrack published by
• Grass Valley Electronics  sound equipment
• ITC Entertainment Group  'Fireball XL5' courtesy of
• Ludwig Drums  percussion instruments
• Mix This  recording facilities
• Mix This  score mixed at
• O'Henry Sound Studios  recording facilities
• O'Henry Sound Studios  score mixed at
• Ocean Way Studios  recording facilities
• Ocean Way Studios  score mixed at
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Peavey  sound equipment
• Playtone  soundtrack published by
• Sabian Cymbals  percussion instruments
• ShowBiz Enterprises  draperies
• Sound One Corporation  adr recorded at
• Title House  titles
• Todd-AO Studios (West)  adr recorded at
• Tomkats Catering  catering
• Twentieth Century Fox Sound Department  re-recording facilities

MPAA:

Rated PG for some language.

Runtime:

108 min | USA:149 min (Director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Germany:6 (w) | Netherlands:AL | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Clavius Base

Trivia:

The scene where The Wonders perform live on The Hollywood Television Showcase was filmed at the Bob Barker Studio (Studio 33) at CBS Television City in Hollywood, California where the long-running hit game show "The Price Is Right" (1956) is taped.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When the bass player visits Disneyland he rides in a Matterhorn car. The Matterhorn cars in the 1960s were single bobsleds, not two tandem bobsleds as shown in the film. They didn't run tandem until the ride was updated in 1978. The ones shown in the film are the current tandem bobsleds painted in the 1960s scheme. Also, when he poses for a photograph with Mickey Mouse, Mickey and Goofy are wearing 1990s costumes and definitely not 1960s-era costumes. Mickey in the '60s had a very different hairline with much fuzzier hair.

Quotes:

Lenny: Thank you, Illinois! The Land of Lincoln!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "HBO First Look: The Making of 'That Thing You Do' (#3.7)" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Hold My Hand, Hold My Heart

That Thing You Do - A Review By Jo Henshaw

That Thing You Do! In every life there becomes a time when that dream you dream becomes that thing you do.

That Thing You Do begins with a group of friends practising for their college talent show. Their band - the amusingly named One-ders win the contest with their catchy song - That Thing You Do. But this is only the beginning of their success story. In a blur, the newly renamed Wonders become a hit - playing at their local clubs, and then moving on to a national tour with Playtone records under the guidance of Mr White (Tom Hanks) The beauty of the film is there is no conflict, just the excitement and exhilaration that the band feels as they become celebrities and this is can't be shown better than in the scene where they first hear their song on the radio and they are literally dancing in the street, you can't help but feel happy for them too. Tom Everett Scott plays the charming Guy Patterson - the electrical store assistant who becomes the band's drummer and a national sex symbol with his trademark sunglasses. Lenny (Steve Zahn) is the carefree guitarist who sees the bands success as a huge lark and just throws himself into enjoying every day. Jimmy (James) Mattingly II is the band's creativity - writing the songs - and also its serious side. He sees the commercialisation of the wonders as stifling his creativity and is reluctant to sign anything to do with his music. Liv Tyler is also a delight as Jimmy's girlfriend Faye and the band's biggest supporter. The success of That Thing You do lies in the little things that are so easy to miss yet are the glue that brings the whole film together. Watch out for how well Guy's family react to his success and how the bands first drummer with the broken arm keeps turning up. Also notice how it is Guy that keeps looking out for Faye. It is these little things that will bring you to the film and that find you leaving with a smile and a desire to see it again.