Filmed in the coal country of West Virginia, "Matewan" celebrates labor organizing in the context of a 1920s work stoppage. Union organizer, Joe Kenehan, a scab named "Few Clothes" Johnson and a sympathetic mayor and police chief heroically fight the power represented by a coal company and Matewan's vested interests so that justice and workers' rights need not take a back seat to squalid working conditions, exploitation and the bottom line.
Cast
Chris Cooper
Joe Kenehan
James Earl Jones
'Few Clothes' Johnson
Mary McDonnell
Elma Radnor
Will Oldham
Danny Radnor
David Strathairn
Police Chief Sid Hatfield
Ken Jenkins
Sephus Purcell
Kevin Tighe
Bill Hickey
Gordon Clapp
Tom Griggs
Bob Gunton
C.E. Lively
Jace Alexander
Hilllard Elkins
Joe Grifasi
Fausto
Nancy Mette
Bridey Mae Tolliver
Jo Henderson
Mrs. Elkins
Josh Mostel
Mayor Cabell Testerman
Gary McCleery
Ludie
Maggie Renzi
Rosaria
Tom Wright
Tom
Michael B. Preston
Ellix (as Michael Preston)
Thomas A. Carlin
Turley
Jenni Cline
Luann
Michael Mantell
Doolin
J.K. Kent Lilly
Pappy's Voice (voice)
Ida Williams
Mrs. Knightes
James Kizer
Tolbert
Ronnie Stapleton
Stennis
Davide Ferrario
Gianni
Frank Payne Jr.
Old Miner
John Sayles
Hardshell Preacher
Hazel Dickens
Singer
Charles Haywood
Sheb
Neale Clark
Isaac
Mitch Scott
Mister
Hazel Pearl
Missus
Michael Frasher
Lee Felts
Frank Hoyt Taylor
Al Felts
Fred Decker
James
Bill Morris
Bass
Delmas Lawhorn
Conductor
William Dean
Broker
P. Michael Munsey
Broker
Thomas Hal Phillips
Boxcar Guard
Stephen C. Hall
Redneck Miner
Percy Fruit
Black Miner
Thomas Poore
Injured Black Miner
Tara Williams
Miner's Wife
Gerald Milnes
Fiddler
Mason Daring
Picker
Jim Costa
Mandolin Player
Phil Wiggins
Harmonica Player
Crew
Gabriele Campbell
Wardrobe Intern
Connie Lucas
Wardrobe Intern
Holly Scarborough
Wardrobe Intern
Vincent Gratzer
Wardrobe Intern
Andrea Gustke
Wardrobe Intern
John Sayles
Director, Writer
Sonya Polonsky
Editor
Geraldine Peroni
Assistant Editor
Haskell Wexler
Director of Photography
Matia Karrell
First Assistant Director
Benita Allen
Second Assistant Director
Pat McCarthy
Assistant Production Coordinator
Amir Jacob Malin
Executive Producer
Mark Balsam
Executive Producer
Jerry Silva
Executive Producer
Peggy Rajski
Producer, Production Manager
Maggie Renzi
Producer
Ira Deutchman
Associate Producer
James Glenn Dudelson
Associate Producer
Ned Kandel
Associate Producer
Beth Bernstein
Production Assistant
Libby Bika
Production Assistant
Nora Chavooshian
Production Design
David Leonard
Editorial Production Assistant
Mitch Dubin
Camera Operator
P. Scott Sakamoto
First Assistant Camera
Debbie Sarjeant
Second Assistant Camera
Claudia Bailey
Additional Camera
Eve Battaglia
Casting Assistant
Pam Flam
Casting Assistant
Julie Hutchinson
Casting Assistant
Robert Grindrod
Casting Associate
Barbara Shapiro
Casting
Barbara-Ann Stein
Casting Consultant
Avy Kaufman
Additional Casting
Cynthia Flynt
Costume Designer
Susan Lyall
Assistant Costume Designer
Heidi Shulman
Wardrobe Supervisor
Lorna Scott
Wardrobe Assistant
James Sarzotti
Makeup & Hair
David Halsey
Makeup & Hair Assistant
Newton Thomas Sigel
Second Unit Director of Photography
Paul Marcus
Second Unit Location Manager, Location Manager
Howard J. Calvert Jr.
Art Department Manager
Jeff Butcher
Art Department Assistant
Chris Gibbin
Art Department Production Assistant
Archie Lambert
Art Department Production Assistant
Nancy Kim Parsons
Art Department Production Assistant
Almer Shuttle
Art Department Production Assistant
James Dean
Art Department Production Assistant
Pat McClinch
Scenic Artist
Joel Ossenfort
Scenic Artist
Skip Lievsay
Supervising Sound Editor
Philip Stockton
Sound Editor
Marissa Littlefield
Assistant Sound Editor
Bruce Pross
Assistant Sound Editor
Christopher Weir
Assistant Sound Editor
Tom Fleischman
Additional Sound Re-Recording Mixer
John Sutton
Sound Mixer
Lisa Schnall
Boom Operator
Peter Kunz
Special Effects Coordinator
Shirley Belwood
Special Effects
Russell Berg
Special Effects
Todd Wolfeil
Special Effects
Mason Daring
Original Music Composer
Sara Malossini
Dialogue Coach
Davide Ferrario
Dialogue Coach
Leslie A. Pope
Set Decoration
Anamarie Michnevich
Set Decoration
Leigh Johnson
Assistant Set Decoration
Leigh Kyle
Lead Set Dresser
Nancy Gilmore
Set Dresser
Daniel Boxer
Assistant Set Dresser
Daniel Fisher
Set Dressing Production Assistant
Bill McKinney
Set Dressing Production Assistant
David Smith
Set Dressing Production Assistant
Nelle Stokes
Set Dressing Production Assistant
Anthony Dunne
Construction Coordinator
Bob Marshak
Still Photographer
John Tintori
Script Supervisor
Robert Bruce
Electrician
Louisa Heyward
Electrician
Lynn Breschel
Best Boy Electric
John Robinson
Carpenter
Roscoe Thomas
Driver
Sonny Adkins
Driver
Mark Moore
Driver
Kevin Ball
Set Production Assistant
Rachel Bower
Set Production Assistant
Buddy Brewer
Set Production Assistant
Will Chapman
Set Production Assistant
Ralph Renzi
Set Production Assistant
Brian Wenk
Set Production Assistant
Gregory Jacobs
Set Production Assistant
Bob Bailey
Location Assistant
Cilista Eberle
Production Office Coordinator
Danny Aiello III
Stunts
Len DeVirgilio
Stunts
Edgard Mourino
Stunt Coordinator
Ann Edgeworth
Property Master
Jem Cohen
Assistant Property Master
Roland Brooks
Charge Scenic Artist
Steve Apicella
Video Assist Operator
Stefan Czapsky
Key Grip
Arthur Blum
Grip
Robert K. Feldmann
Grip
Lee Shapira
Grip
Claiborne Lashley
Assistant Grip
Luke Latino
Assistant Grip
Sean Fogel
Assistant Grip
Erica Gelczis
Assistant Grip
Morris Flam
Gaffer
Sarah Green
Assistant Production Manager
Diana Pokorny
Unit Manager
David Hollander
Legal Services
John Sloss
Legal Services
Sandy Cox
Craft Service
Gary Rosenblatt
Publicist
Dan Bishop
Art Direction
Bill Lehne
Leadman
Ken Nelson
Leadman
Brent Haywood
Leadman
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