Failed college coach Norman Dale gets a chance at redemption when he is hired to coach a high school basketball team in a tiny Indiana town. After a teacher persuades star player Jimmy Chitwood to quit and focus on his long-neglected studies, Dale struggles to develop a winning team in the face of community criticism for his temper and his unconventional choice of assistant coach: Shooter, a notorious alcoholic.
Cast
Gene Hackman
Coach Norman Dale
Barbara Hershey
Myra Fleener
Dennis Hopper
Shooter
Sheb Wooley
Cletus
Fern Persons
Opal Fleener
Chelcie Ross
George
Robert Swan
Rollin
Michael O'Guinne
Rooster
Wil Dewitt
Reverend Doty
John Robert Thompson
Sheriff Finley
Michael Sassone
Preacher Purl
Gloria Dorson
Millie
Mike Dalzell
Mayor Carl
Skip Welker
Junior
Eric Gilliom
J. June
Robert Boyle
Referee (Oolitic)
Jerry D. Petro
Referee - Oolitic Game
Sam Smiley
Referee - Cedar Knob Game
Tom McConnell
Coach - Cedar Knob
Dennis Farkas
Gorilla Player - Cedar Knob
Tim Fogarty
Referee - Verdi Game
Spyridon Stratigos
Referee - Loogootee Game
Ken Strunk
Referee - Dugger Game
Jerry D. Larrison
Referee - Terhune Game
Thomas W. Marshall
Referee - Terhune Game
Gary Long
Coach - Jasper
C.W. Mundy
Coach - Jasper
Jeff Moster
Player - Jasper
Ralph H. Shively
Doc Buggins
Rich Komenich
Reporter
Scott Miley
Reporter
Robert Sutton
Reporter
Ray Crowe
Coach - State
Ray Craft
Official - Finals
Tom Carnegie
Finals P.A. Announcer
Hilliard Gates
Radio Announcer - Finals
Laura Robling
Hickory Cheerleader
Nancy Harris
Hickory Cheerleader
Libbey Schenck
Hickory Cheerleader
Brad Boyle
Whit Butcher
Steve Hollar
Rade
Brad Long
Buddy
David Neidorf
Everett
Maris Valainis
Jimmy Chitwood
Kent Poole
Merle
Wade Schenck
Ollie
Scott Summers
Strap Purl
The Travel-Aires
Star Spangled Banner Quartet
Crew
David Anspaugh
Director
Angelo Pizzo
Writer, Producer
Carroll Timothy O'Meara
Editor
Mark Eggenweiler
Assistant Editor
Fred Murphy
Director of Photography
Karen Altman Morgenstern
Production Coordinator
John Daly
Executive Producer
Derek Gibson
Executive Producer
Carter DeHaven
Producer
Graham Henderson
Associate Producer
David Nichols
Production Design
Christopher Hackman
Second Assistant "B" Camera
Randy Nolen
Steadicam Operator
Ken Carlson
Casting
Jane Anderson
Costume Design
Daniel Marc
Hairstylist
Ronnie Specter
Makeup Artist
Bill Phillips
Supervising Sound Editor
Terry Porter
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
David J. Hudson
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Mel Metcalfe
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
David Brownlow
Production Sound Mixer
Peter Kurland
Boom Operator
Jerry Goldsmith
Original Music Composer
Budd Carr
Music Supervisor
Kenneth Hall
Music Editor
Janis Lubin
Set Decoration
Brendan Smith
Set Decoration
Marilyn Bailey
Script Supervisor
Ernie F. Orsatti
Stunt Coordinator
David Lubin
Art Direction
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