Set up and wrongfully accused, two best friends are sent to prison for a crime they didn't commit. However, no prison cell can keep them locked in a cage.
Director:
Writers:
Award:
- 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Gene Wilder | ... |
Skip Donahue
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| Richard Pryor | ... |
Harry Monroe
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| Georg Stanford Brown | ... |
Rory Schultebrand
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| JoBeth Williams | ... |
Meredith
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| Miguel Ángel Suárez | ... |
Jesus Ramirez
(as Miguelangel Suarez)
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| Craig T. Nelson | ... |
Deputy Ward Wilson
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| Barry Corbin | ... |
Warden Walter Beatty
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| Charles Weldon | ... |
Blade
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| Nicolas Coster | ... |
Warden Henry Sampson
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| Joel Brooks | ... |
Len Garber
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| Jonathan Banks | ... |
Jack Graham
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| Erland van Lidth | ... |
Grossberger
(as Erland Van Lidth De Jeude)
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| Lewis Van Bergen | ... |
Guard #1
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Karmin Murcelo | ... |
Teresa Ramirez
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| Franklyn Ajaye | ... |
Young Man in Hospital
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Estelle Omens | ... |
Mrs. R.H. Broache
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Peter Looney | ... |
Kicker #1
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Cedrick Hardman | ... |
Big Mean
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Doug Johnson | ... |
Guard #2
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| Henry Kingi | ... |
Ramon
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Joe Massengale | ... |
Caesar Geronimo
(as Joseph Massengale)
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| Herman Poppe | ... |
Alex
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| Luis Avalos | ... |
Chico
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Esther Sutherland | ... |
Sissie
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Pamela Poitier | ... |
Cook's Helper
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James Oscar Lee | ... |
Kicker #2
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| Rod McCary | ... |
Minister
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Claudia Cron | ... |
Joy
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Bill Bailey | ... |
Announcer
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Donna Kei Benz | ... |
Nancy
(as Donna Benz)
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| Grand L. Bush | ... |
Big Mean's Sidekick
(as Grand Bush)
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| Alvin Ing | ... |
Korean Doctor
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Thomas Moore | ... |
Judge
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Danna Hansen | ... |
Mrs. Sampson
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| Gwen Van Dam | ... |
Mrs. Beatty
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| Herb Armstrong | ... |
County Jail Guard
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Herbert Hirschman | ... |
Man at Dinner Party
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Don Circle | ... |
Bank Teller
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| Madison Arnold | ... |
Guard #3
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Gene Earl | ... |
Sheriff
(as Gene Earle)
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| Mickey Jones | ... |
Guard #8
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Tracy Lee Rowe | ... |
Little Girl
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Essex Smith | ... |
Blade's Friend
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Kenneth Menard | ... |
Repairman
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| Billy Beck | ... |
Flycatching Prisoner
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| Lee Purcell | ... |
Susan
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Rush Adams | ... |
Deputy (uncredited)
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Rocky Beach | ... |
Prisoner (uncredited)
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| Tony Burton | ... |
Guy Who Punches Big Mean (uncredited)
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Raven Grey Eagle | ... |
Spectator (uncredited)
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| Jim Henry | ... |
Rodeo Cowboy (uncredited)
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| David Lautrec | ... |
Inmate (uncredited)
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Drasha Meyer | ... |
Lady in Restaurant (uncredited)
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| David Moskowitz | ... |
Rodeo Spectator (uncredited)
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Cliff Owens | ... |
Son Visiting Inmate (uncredited)
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Erik Owens | ... |
Son of Inmate (uncredited)
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Scott Perry | ... |
Prisoner (uncredited)
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| John Richard Petersen | ... |
Rodeo Spectator (uncredited)
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| Stan Rodarte | ... |
Customer in Strip Bar (uncredited)
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| Al Silvani | ... |
Inmate (uncredited)
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| Earl W. Smith | ... |
Jack Graham's Enforcer (uncredited)
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| Brien Varady | ... |
Young Inmate (uncredited)
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| Wendy Wells-Gunkel | ... |
Rodeo Guest (uncredited)
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Bob Yanez | ... |
Prisoner (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Sidney Poitier | ||
Written by
| Bruce Jay Friedman | ... | (written by) |
| Charles Blackwell | ... | () (uncredited) |
Produced by
| François De Menil | ... | associate producer (as Francois deMenil) |
| Melville Tucker | ... | executive producer |
| Hannah Weinstein | ... | producer |
Music by
| Tom Scott | ||
Cinematography by
| Fred Schuler | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Harry Keller | ||
Editorial Department
| Thomas G. Jingles | ... | assistant editor |
| Bruce Pearson | ... | color timer |
Casting By
| Toni Howard | ||
| Lynn Stalmaster | ||
Production Design by
| Alfred Sweeney | ||
Set Decoration by
| Arthur Jeph Parker | ||
Costume Design by
| Patricia Edwards | ||
Makeup Department
| Richard Cobos | ... | makeup artist |
| Lola Kemp | ... | hair stylist |
Production Management
| Mickey McCardle | ... | unit production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Daniel McCauley | ... | first assistant director (as Daniel J. McCauley) |
| Joseph Paul Moore | ... | second assistant director (as Joseph Moore) |
| Don Wilkerson | ... | second assistant director |
Art Department
| Harold Broner | ... | construction coordinator |
| Donald B. Nunley | ... | property master (as Donald Nunley) |
| Santos Raspa | ... | construction coordinator |
| Gary Zink | ... | welder/fabricator |
| Ron Frazier | ... | propmaker foreman (uncredited) |
| Wayne Kerner | ... | sign writer supervisor (uncredited) |
| William Ladd Skinner | ... | set designer (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Glenn E. Anderson | ... | sound mixer (as Glen Anderson) / sound (as Glen Anderson) |
| Wayne Artman | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Tom Beckert | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Jeff Bushelman | ... | sound effects |
| Michael Jiron | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Dan O'Connell | ... | foley artist |
| Pat Somerset | ... | sound effects |
Special Effects by
| Larry L. Fuentes | ... | special effects (as Larry Fuentes) |
Stunts
| John Ashby | ... | stunts |
| Kerrie Cullen | ... | stunts |
| Mickey Gilbert | ... | stunt coordinator |
| Chuck Henson | ... | stunts |
| Larry McKinney | ... | stunts |
| Stoney Neufang Jr. | ... | stunts |
| Scott Raftery | ... | stunts |
| Ernest Robinson | ... | stunt double: Richard Pryor |
| Gene Walker | ... | stunts |
| Alex Green | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Sidney Ray Baldwin | ... | still photographer (as Sidney Baldwin) |
| Dustin Blauvelt | ... | first assistant camera |
| Albert Hood | ... | Set Electrician |
| Bill Krattiger | ... | lighting technician |
| Keith Lundy | ... | second assistant camera |
| Joe R. Marquette Jr. | ... | camera operator (as Joe Marquette Jr.) |
| Rick Martens | ... | gaffer (as Richard Martens) |
| Robert Moore | ... | grip |
| Randall Robinson | ... | first assistant camera: "b" camera |
| Dennis Smith | ... | camera operator: "b" camera |
Casting Department
| Jack N. Young | ... | extras casting (as Jack Young) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Marie Brown | ... | wardrobe: women (as Marie V. Brown) |
| David Rawley | ... | wardrobe: men |
Location Management
| Ronald L. Carr | ... | location manager (as Ron Carr) |
| Eliot Yaffe | ... | location projectionist (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Cliff Kohlweck | ... | music editor (as Clif Kohlweck) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Ray Quiroz | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
| James Langhorne | ... | transportation coordinator |
Additional Crew
| Herb Honis | ... | unit publicist (as Herbert Honis) |
| Harold Hourihan | ... | production accountant |
| David R. Lawson | ... | medic |
| Claire Mactague | ... | production coordinator |
| Jimmy Medearis | ... | head wrangler (as James Medearis) |
| Robert Milicevic | ... | stand-in: Gene Wilder |
| Patricia J. O'Donohue | ... | research consultant |
| Scott Salmon | ... | choreographer |
| B.J. Smith | ... | first aid (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Columbia Pictures (1980) (United States) (theatrical)
- Columbia Pictures of Canada (1980) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Columbia-EMI-Warner (1980) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Warner-Columbia Film (1981) (France) (theatrical)
- Warner-Columbia Film (1981) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1981) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Columbia International Films (1981) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Columbia C.E.I.A.D. (1981) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Columbia Pictures of Argentina (1981) (Argentina) (theatrical) (through Warner-Columbia Films)
- Sony Pictures Releasing (1981) (India) (theatrical) (as Columbia Films of India)
- Warner-Columbia Films (1981) (Argentina) (theatrical) (through)
- Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment (1981) (United States) (VHS)
- RCA SelectaVision VideoDiscs (1981) (United States) (video) (CED VideoDisc)
- Columbia-Warner Filmes de Portugal (1981) (Portugal) (theatrical)
- Columbia-Warner Films (1981) (Brazil) (theatrical)
- Fox Columbia Film Distributors (1981) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Renkli Filmler (1981) (Turkey) (theatrical) (for Film Pop)
- Home Box Office (HBO) (1982) (United States) (tv) (pay television)
- LK-TEL (1982) (Argentina) (VHS)
- RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video (1982) (West Germany) (VHS)
- RCA/Columbia-Hoyts Home Video (1987) (Australia) (VHS) (for Virgin Vision)
- RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video (1990) (United Kingdom) (VHS) (for The Video Collection)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (1995) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (1995) (United States) (VHS)
- Columbia Tristar Television Distribution (1995) (United States) (tv) (syndication)
- Comedy Central (1996) (United States) (tv) (cable television)
- Egmont Film (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (United States) (DVD)
- Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
- Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Nordisk Film (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
- Sony Pictures Television (2002) (United States) (tv) (syndication)
- Universal Pictures (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
- Image Entertainment (2012) (United States) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Columbia Films of India (1981) (India) (theatrical)
- Pluto TV (2023) (United States) (video)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2021) (Australia) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Burbank Editorial Service Inc. (sound effects)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (titles and opticals)
- International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) (this picture made under the jurisdiction of)
- Motion Picture Association (MPA)
- William F. White International (grip and lighting equipment)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Skip and Harry are framed for a bank robbery and end up in a southwestern prison. The two eastern boys are having difficulty adjusting to the new life until the warden finds that Skip has a natural talent for riding broncos, and the inter-prison rodeo is coming up soon.
Written by John Vogel |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Only these two pigeons could dress up as woodpeckers... See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $10,000,000 (estimated) |
| Opening Weekend United States | $8,691,886, 14 Dec 1980 |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | Prior to filming, Arizona State Prison Warden Robert Raines had tried to organize a rodeo for 2 years. The biggest obstacle was the cost of constructing an arena, complete with grandstand, stables, and livestock chutes. When Columbia Pictures inquired about renting the prison for a film shoot, he saw a way to realize his dream. If security could be maintained, the prison was available for a fee which matched the budget for the new rodeo grounds. Raines said, "There was a fringe benefit we didn't anticipate. Morale in the prison was never higher. Some 350 inmates signed on as extras, playing themselves, and the rest, even the most notorious troublemakers, stayed on their best behavior. There were simply no incidents." See more » |
| Goofs | The chair with Skip's coat on it changes position between shots. When Skip returns from speaking to the 2 fighting men, the chair has moved away from the table. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!! (2003). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Crazy See more » |
| Quotes |
Skip Donahue:
What are you doing? Harry Monroe: I'm gettin bad. You better get bad, Jack, 'cause if you ain't bad, you're gonna get fucked. See more » |