Questions
When did The Bad News Bears come out?
It was released on April 7, 1976 by Paramount Pictures.
Who directed it and who wrote it?
Michael Ritchie directed the film, and it was written by Bill Lancaster, the son of actor Burt Lancaster.
Who plays the coach?
Walter Matthau plays Morris Buttermaker, an alcoholic pool cleaner and former minor-league baseball pitcher who takes a secret cash payment to coach the team.
What is the team called and who sponsors them?
They are the Bears, and reportedly they were sponsored by an actual local company called Chico’s Bail Bonds.
Who is Amanda and how does she know Buttermaker?
Amanda Whurlitzer, played by Tatum O’Neal, is the team’s star pitcher whose mother is Buttermaker’s ex-girlfriend, and she looks to him as a father figure.
Who plays Kelly Leak?
Jackie Earle Haley plays Kelly Leak, the local troublemaker who smokes and rides a mini Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
How much did the cast get paid?
Walter Matthau was paid $750,000 plus 10% of theatrical rentals, and Tatum O’Neal was paid $350,000 plus a profit percentage, later estimated at around $1.9 million.
Was the movie a hit?
Yes. Made on a budget of about $9 million, it earned $42.3 million at the box office.
What music does the film use?
The score adapted themes from Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen.
How does the movie end?
After losing the championship game, Buttermaker gives the team beer, which they spray on each other in celebration as if they had won, and they tell the Yankees where they can put their trophy.
Where was it filmed?
It was shot in Los Angeles, primarily the San Fernando Valley, with the baseball field at Mason Park in Chatsworth and one scene at Los Angeles City Hall.
Did it win any awards?
Bill Lancaster won Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen at the 29th Writers Guild Awards, and Walter Matthau received a BAFTA nomination.
Were there sequels?
Yes. Two sequels followed, Breaking Training (1977) and Go to Japan (1978), plus a CBS television series (1979 to 1980) and a 2005 remake.
How is the film regarded today?
It holds a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Roger Ebert gave it 3 out of 4 stars, calling it an unblinking, scathing look at competition.
