The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Michael Pressman

Writers:

Paul Brickman (written by)
Bill Lancaster (characters)

Release Date:

8 July 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sport

Tagline:

They've fired their coach. They've "borrowed" a van. They're on their way to the Houston Astrodome...with girls on their minds, cops on their tails, and the game of their lives at stake.

Plot:

A troubled, rebellious teen drives his rambunctious baseball team out to Houston where they play an exhibition game and the boy meets his estranged father, and hires him as the teams coach.

Plot Keywords:

Baseball | Sequel | Little League | Astrodome | Houston Astrodome

Cast

William Devane	...	Mike Leak
Clifton James	...	Sy Orlansky
Chris Barnes	...	Tanner Boyle
Jackie Earle Haley	...	Kelly Leak
Jimmy Baio	...	Carmen Ronzonni
Erin Blunt	...	Ahmad Abdul Rahim
George Gonzales	...	Miguel Agilar
Jaime Escobedo	...	Jose Agilar (as Jamie O. Escobedo)
Alfred Lutter III	...	Ogilvie (as Alfred Lutter)
Brett Marx	...	Jimmy Feldman
David Pollock	...	Rudi Stein
Quinn Smith	...	Timmy Lupus (The Big Looper)
David Stambaugh	...	Toby Whitewood
Jeffrey Louis Starr	...	Mike Engelberg
Lane Smith	...	Officer Mackle
Fred Stuthman	...	Lester Eastland
Dolph Sweet	...	Mr. Manning
Pat Corley	...	Morrie Slaytor
Ira Gilbert	...	Motel manager
Gene Rader	...	Grocery clerk
Ronnie Thomas	...	Indian pitcher
Douglas Anderson	...	Carl Rutherford
Jerry Lawson	...	Chip Roberts
G.G. Lively	...	Patrolman #1
Martha Turner	...	Evonne
Maggie Burns	...	Ruth
Michelle Fruge	...	Janet
Leigh Manley	...	Janet's girlfriend
Jason Cooper	...	Leon Waterson
Yvonne McCord	...	Sheila Lansing
Charles Krohn	...	Newscaster
Viki Kilstrom	...	Hitchhiker
John W. Goyen Jr.	...	Locker room official
Ted Dawson	...	Astrodome announcer
Robert J. Watson	...	Houston Astros First Baseman
Joseph V. Ferguson	...	Houston Astros Catcher
Enos Cabell	...	Houston Astros Third Baseman
Ken Forsch	...	Houston Astros Relief Pitcher (as Kenneth R. Forsch)
Roger Metzger	...	Houston Astros Shortstop
William C. Virdon	...	Houston Astros Manager
James Richard	...	Houston Astros Starting Pitcher
César Cedeno	...	Houston Astros Outfielder

Directed by
Michael Pressman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Paul Brickman		written by
Bill Lancaster		characters

Produced by
Fred T. Gallo	....	associate producer
Leonard Goldberg	....	producer

Original Music by
Craig Safan

Cinematography by
Fred J. Koenekamp		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John W. Wheeler

Art Direction by
Stephen Myles Berger		(as Steve Berger)

Set Decoration by
Fred Price		(as Fred R. Price)

Costume Design by
Jack Martell

Makeup Department
John Inzerella	....	makeup artist
Joan Phillips	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Fred T. Gallo	....	unit production manager
Lindsley Parsons Jr.	....	executive production manager: Paramount (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Daves	....	first assistant director
Kim Kurumada	....	second assistant director
David Nicksay	....	second assistant director (as Dave Nicksay)

Art Department
Matt Springman	....	property master

Sound Department
Howard Beals	....	sound effects editor
Dominick Gaffey	....	sound mixer (as Nick Gaffey)
John Wilkinson	....	sound re-recording mixer (as John K. Wilkinson)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Benson	....	camera operator (as Michael Benson)
John Murray	....	key grip (as John J. Murray)
Gene Stout	....	gaffer (as Eugene W. Stout)

Casting Department
Liz Keigley	....	location casting

Music Department
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Milton Lustig	....	music editor
Craig Safan	....	music adaptor
Craig Safan	....	music producer: "Lookin' Good"

Other crew
Douglas D. Anderson	....	dialogue coach
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	titles
Elise Ganz	....	studio teacher
Don Henry	....	production auditor
Adria Later	....	studio teacher (as Adria Licklider)
Michael Lehman	....	unit publicist
Louis Smallwood	....	studio teacher
Hope Williams	....	script supervisor
Dominic Jack Pizzo Sr.	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Movielab Films Inc.  color timing (as Movielab)
• Panavision  camera equipment provided by

Also Known As:

Breaking Training (Philippines: English title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Astrodome - 8400 Kirby Drive, Houston, Texas, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The baseball field where the Bears are training is in real life, Bayland Park off Bissonnet in Southwest Houston. During the baseball training scenes, there is an advertisement for Discount Trophies (off South Post Oak), which went out of business in 1993.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The game was to be a sell out, or near sell-out. However, there appears to be a limited number of extras available. In several shots, the Astrodome is obviously empty except for the first few rows. Looking near the top of the screen, you can easily see the empty seats.

Quotes:

Jose Agilar: Four dollars, for both of us!

Movie Connections:

Features Knute Rockne All American (1940)

Soundtrack:

1812 Overture

This was as good as sports sequels can get

"The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training" (which should've just been called "The Bad News Bears 2" takes off a year after the first one. The boys led by Kelly Leak (Jackie Earle Haley) jump into a stolen van and drive from Southern California to Houston Texas to play against the reigning Little League Baseball Champs, The Toros. I love how most of the boys returned and that it is a worthy sequel. I also like the subplot with Kelly and his father, Mike (William Devane), showing why Kelly was so bad to begin with. Things that did make me mad about this film is the disappearance of Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal, if they were in this film, it would've been good, and Kelly's Dad could've been the co-coach. Kelly and Tatum also could've had a little romance blossom in this one. And the only other thing I didn't like is why Timmy Lupus is in the film, but for a maximum of three minutes! But you gotta love Tanner Boyle, Ahmad Abdul Rahim, and smart whiz Ogilvie. Jimmy Baio's Carmen Ronzanni I could've did without, but he was good towards the end. I recommend this for all "Bad News Bears" Fans.