IMDb > Urban Cowboy (1980)
Urban Cowboy
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Urban Cowboy (1980) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
5.9/10   4,758 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 58% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Aaron Latham (story)
James Bridges (writer) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Urban Cowboy on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
6 June 1980 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Hard Hat Days And Honky-Tonk Nights.
Plot:
John Travolta stars as a young man from the country who learns about life and love in a Houston bar. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(9 articles)
DGA Board Member Kim Kurumada Dies
 (From The Wrap. 22 November 2009, 1:49 PM, PST)

Travolta jurors 'to begin deliberations'
 (From digitalspy. 21 October 2009, 1:03 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Glory Days of The Energy City. more (54 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

John Travolta ... Bud

Debra Winger ... Sissy

Scott Glenn ... Wes
Madolyn Smith Osborne ... Pam (as Madolyn Smith)

Barry Corbin ... Uncle Bob
Brooke Alderson ... Aunt Corene

Cooper Huckabee ... Marshall

James Gammon ... Steve Strange
Mickey Gilley ... Himself
Johnny Lee ... Himself

Bonnie Raitt ... Herself
Charlie Daniels ... Himself (as Charlie Daniels Band)
Taz Di Gregorio ... Himself (as Charlie Daniels Band)
Charlie Hayward ... Himself (as Charlie Daniels Band)

Betty Murphy ... Bud's Mom
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
132 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
UK:12 (DVD rating) | UK:15 (re-rating) (1987) | UK:AA (original rating) | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1980) | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | Argentina:13
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Studio executives were against casting Debra Winger in the lead role at first. Director James Bridges threatened to quit the film unless she was cast. They eventually approved the casting. more
Goofs:
Continuity: In the scene where Bud and Uncle Bob are working the graveyard shift, right before Uncle Bob dies, Bob puts some chewing tobacco in his mouth, folds up the pouch the chew was in and puts it back in his shirt pocket. Seconds later he walks away with the pouch of chew still in his hand. more
Quotes:
Bud: Now, you gotta learn something - there are just certain things a girl cain't do.
Sissy: Name one.
Marshall: I can name serval, pissin' on the side of a wall, gettn laid while your pants are still on...
Sissy: Why would you want to?
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Orange Blossom Special/Hoedown more

FAQ

How does it end?
more
11 out of 15 people found the following comment useful.
Glory Days of The Energy City., 16 May 2003
Author: jwrowe3 from Tampa, FL

PERSONAL NOTE: I saw this movie in the Palms Theater, in Sugar Land Texas, in August 1980, with my high school girlfriend. The theater, and the girl, are both long gone.

Back to the review....

For those of you who grew up, or lived in and around Houston during the 70's, this is a delight to watch. I tend to endure Travolta, and that horrid "twang" he tries to do, but it's okay, the rest of the flick makes up for that!

-Minor Spoilers-

We start the movie w/Bud coming to town. Just watching him drive thru Houston, thru the 610 loop, and on to his Uncle's place is a treat. There is the Houston of "Big Oil and Big Space". When I was little, and went on vacations, if some one asked me where I was from, their next question was "Do you have a ranch, own an oil well, or know astronauts?" That was part of the joy of being from Houston, back in the old days.

But I'm rambling. The casting on URBAN COWBOY is great, not a dud in the bunch, even counting the Travolta factor. Only he could have pulled this movie off, at the time it was made. On a side note, it was common practice during the filming of "UC", for the local media to have a "Travolta Sighting" comment on the news, or in the newspapers. The biggest spotting occurred in mid 1979 at the sports arena, known at the time as "The Summit". Travolta appeared, in "the white suit" from Saturday Night Fever at a Bee Gee's concert, and hopped up on stage. No one recognized him at first, as he had grown a beard for the opening parts of the movie.

If you grew up around Houston during this long-past era, this is a "MUST OWN". My daughters always ask if I ever rode a mechanical bull when we watch it.

But I have always wondered about one small thing in this picture. And this is simply 'cause I am a car geek. Why, at the end of the movie when Bud and Sissy drive away from Gilley's, is there, parked amongst the F-150's, GMC's, Chevy Big 10's, and other pick-up trucks, a Volvo P1800 wagon? You can't miss it.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (54 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Urban Cowboy (1980)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
R RATED version..... heeljobbers
Song Question by artist who sang in the bar italiangirl106
Believe it or not, I have the orignal sountrack on vinyl patmvaldez2
guitar version of look what you've done to me dallas_cowboy_fan2005
Always drives me crazy... mackrc420
Sissy v. Pam bchelrprty
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Raging Bull Giant Road House House of Sand and Fog Goodfellas
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Drama section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.