The Bear (1984)

Biopic about the great college football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant of the University of Alabama.

Director:

Richard C. Sarafian

Writer:

Michael Kane

Stars:

Gary Busey, Cynthia Leake, Carmen Thomas

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gary Busey	...	Paul W. Bryant
Cynthia Leake	...	Mary Harmon Bryant
Carmen Thomas	...	Mae Martin Bryant
Cary Guffey	...	Grandson Marc
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Coach Thomas
Jon-Erik Hexum	...	Pat Trammell
Steve Greenstein	...	Joe Namath
Michael McGrady	...	Gene Stallings
William Wesley Neighbors Jr.	...	Billy Neighbors
Brett Rice	...	Don Hutson
Buddy Farmer	...	Herman Ball
Owen Orr	...	Ermal Allen (as Owen E. Orr)
Charles Gabrielson	...	Steve Meilinger
D'Urville Martin	...	Billy
Ken Taylor	...	Jimbo / Ball Player

Storyline

Biopic about the great college football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant of the University of Alabama.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | nickname as title | two word title | paul bryant character | college football | 

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Taglines:

WINNING. That was the difference between playing football and playing for "The Bear".

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Family | Sport

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Though theatrically released in 1984, this film was not released on home video until over 30 years later, despite there being many promos for release on home video in 1985.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Gary Busey/Roseanne Barr/Steve Trotter (1985)

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Soundtracks

I'll Be Home Again
Music by Bill Conti
Lyrics by Dennis Lambert

User Reviews

Horror stories about being an extra in this film!

I actually worked on this film briefly as a featured extra. The scenes I did were shot at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA, a suburb of Atlanta. I played one of Bear Bryant's fraternity brothers.

We filmed in December of 1983, just before Christmas. It was freezing cold outside, but the scenes were supposed to be taking place on a warm, late spring evening, so we were all dressed in short sleeves. The director and crew made us sit outside, nearly freezing to death, for hours on end while they -- bundled up in coats and gloves! -- set up the shots for filming. I wound up getting very sick after three days of shooting! Of course, all the principal actors who were in the scenes stayed in their cozy trailers until it was time to film.

Also, my tote bag ... containing my wallet and money; car keys; and the clothes I wore to the set ... was stolen out of the dressing room on my last day of shooting. I was treated VERY badly by the extras casting director, who showed no sympathy whatsoever about the fact that my belongings were stolen. She would not even take the time to drive me home to get a spare set of car keys since mine were stolen! I was literally stranded -- no car keys, no clothes, no money! -- until a wonderful woman, who was also an extra on the film, drove me home.

Gary Bussey was drinking heavily during the filming of this movie and the "buzz" on the set was that he was sometimes so drunk that he wasn't able to do his scenes.

By the way, I was paid a whopping $50 a day for my work on this film ... and when it came time to eat, the extras ate AFTER the principal actors had dined first and picked through the food on the buffet lines.

When I saw the movie, I was greatly disappointed. It was not very good.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 September 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Bär

Filming Locations:

Georgia Tech Football Practice Field, Rose Bowl Field, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$221,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,160,644, 30 September 1984

Gross USA:

$2,687,148

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,687,148

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)