Harry and the Hendersons (1987)

The Henderson family adopt a friendly Sasquatch but have a hard time trying to keep the legend of 'Bigfoot' a secret.

Director:

William Dear

Writers:

William Dear, Bill Martin (as William E. Martin)

Stars:

John Lithgow, Melinda Dillon, Margaret Langrick

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Lithgow	...	George Henderson
Melinda Dillon	...	Nancy Henderson
Margaret Langrick	...	Sarah Henderson
Joshua Rudoy	...	Ernie Henderson
Kevin Peter Hall	...	Harry
David Suchet	...	Jacques Lafleur
Lainie Kazan	...	Irene Moffitt
Don Ameche	...	Dr. Wallace Wrightwood
M. Emmet Walsh	...	George Henderson Sr.
William Ontiveros	...	Sgt. Mancini (as Bill Ontiverous)
David Richardt	...	Dirty Harry Officer
Jacqueline Moscou	...	DMV Clerk
Laura Kenny	...	'Mouse' Woman
Richard Arnold	...	'Mouse' Spouse (as Richard E. Arnold)
Sean Morgan	...	Jerry Seville

Storyline

Returning from a hunting trip in the forest, the Henderson family's car hits an animal in the road. At first they fear it was a man, but when they examine the "body" they find it's a "bigfoot". They think it's dead so they decide to take it home (there could be some money in this..). As you guessed, "it" isn't dead. Far from being the ferocious monster they fear "Harry" to be, he's a friendly giant. In their attempts to keep Harry a secret, the Henderson's have to hide him from the authorities and a man, who has made it his goal in life, to catch a "bigfoot".

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Plot Keywords:

hunter | kindness | change of heart | compassion | bigfoot | 

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Taglines:

According To Science, Bigfoot Doesn't Exist. When You Can't Believe Your Eyes, Trust Your Heart.

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 June 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Harry and the Hendersons

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$29,760,613

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$49,998,613

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amblin Entertainment, DreamWorks, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Regarding the exit the Hendersons take from the freeway. This is the Lake City Way exit from the northbound express lanes of Interstate 5. The DOT highway crews changed the sign from "Lake City Way" to "Mt Rainier". If they simply continue on Lake City Way through Bothell, they will eventually hit Highway 2 which goes up Stevens Pass and into the Cascade Mountains. But they would still be a long way from Mt Rainier.

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Goofs

When Ernie tells his parents that Harry "...didn't like the blue-cheese." and the camera shows the wall, it is obvious the dip had already slid down on the wall in previous takes.

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Quotes

Sarah Henderson: Where's the roast?
George Henderson: I'll go get it.
Nancy Henderson: The roast is resting in a shallow unmarked grave in the backyard.
George Henderson: Oh. Well, there's plenty of other stuff.
Dr. Wallace Wrightwood: Are you vegetarians?
George Henderson: Sometimes. It depends on the guest.

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Crazy Credits

In the the thank you section of the credits, there is a thank you to Bigfoot.

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Connections

Featured in The Cinema Snob: Curse of Bigfoot (2014)

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Soundtracks

I'm Just Wild About Harry
Written by Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle

User Reviews

The All Time Best Family Movie

It's hard to find a good "all around" family movie. If it's something the kid will like, best bet, the parents will hate it. And if it's something mom and dad like, the kids will hate it. Harry and the Hendersons is one of the few family movies that the entire family enjoys! With a PG rating, the movie has just enough action, drama, suspense, and comedy to keep each member of the family interested. An interesting fact: The only character who curses in the entire film is the little boy? Except for hearing the word sh*t two or three times, the rest of the movie is clean for the whole family to enjoy.