Questions
When did Anchorman come out and who made it?
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy was released on July 9, 2004 by DreamWorks Pictures. It was directed by Adam McKay (his directorial debut), written by McKay and Will Ferrell, and produced by Judd Apatow.
Who stars in the movie?
Will Ferrell plays Ron Burgundy, with Christina Applegate as Veronica Corningstone, plus Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner, and Fred Willard rounding out the cast.
What’s the movie actually about?
Set in 1975 San Diego, top news anchor Ron Burgundy anchors KVWN Channel 4 alongside his buddies Brian Fantana, Champ Kind, and Brick Tamland. His world is upended when ambitious female co-anchor Veronica Corningstone joins the team.
Was it really filmed in San Diego?
No. Despite the San Diego setting, the film was shot in Los Angeles, Glendale, and Long Beach.
Is it true the script started as something completely different?
Yes. The early version was reportedly a disaster-film parody about a news team stranded after a plane crash, and it reportedly included ninja-wielding orangutans and a musical number with sharks.
How did the panda storyline come about?
An original subplot involving a bank robber storyline tested poorly with audiences, so it was reshot and replaced with the panda birth storyline instead.
Did a famous director almost work on this?
Reportedly, Paul Thomas Anderson initially offered to shepherd the script but left the production after finding it too bizarre.
Who really played the jazz flute solo?
The jazz flute heard in the film was played by Katisse Buckingham, a Los Angeles based studio musician.
What happens to Baxter the dog?
After a run-in with a motorcyclist, Ron’s dog Baxter gets punted off a bridge into the water. He miraculously survives and later helps the news team during a bear attack.
Which celebrities have cameos?
Jack Black appears as the motorcyclist, and the big news team brawl features cameos from the likes of Ben Stiller, Tim Robbins, and Luke Wilson. Seth Rogen also appears.
What are the most quotable lines?
Fans still repeat "Stay classy, San Diego," "boy, that escalated quickly," "60% of the time, it works every time," "milk was a bad choice," and "I love lamp."
How did it do at the box office?
It opened at number two with $28.4 million and grossed $90.6 million worldwide against a $26 million budget.
Is there a second Anchorman movie made from leftover footage?
Yes. A companion film titled Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie was released straight to DVD on December 28, 2004, assembled from outtakes and abandoned subplots, including the scrapped hippie bank robber plot known as "The Alarm Clock."
Was there a proper sequel?
Yes. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues was released on December 18, 2013, with the original cast returning.
Did the movie leave a real-world legacy?
It developed cult status and ranks number 49 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century. Real news anchors Andrew Marr of the BBC and Dermot Murnaghan of Sky News even referenced the film’s signature closing line during their final broadcasts.
