The First Olympics: Athens 1896 (1984) (TV)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Alvin Rakoff

Writers:

Charles Gary Allison (writer)
William Bast (writer)

Release Date:

20 May 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Sport

Plot:

This movie describes the founding of the modern Olympics and concentrates on the creation of the American...

Plot Keywords:

Olympics | Ozu | Seasickness | Acropolis | Nudity

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

David Ogden Stiers	...	Dr. William Milligan Sloane
Hunt Block	...	Robert Garrett
David Caruso	...	James Connolly
Alex Hyde-White	...	Arthur 'Skip' Blake
Benedict Taylor	...	Edwin Flack
Edward Wiley	...	Coach John Graham
Nicos Ziagos	...	Spiridon Louis (as Nikos Ziagos)
Honor Blackman	...	Madam Ursula Schumann
Gayle Hunnicutt	...	Mary Sloane
Virginia McKenna	...	Annabel Flack
Bill Travers	...	Harold Flack
Louis Jourdan	...	Baron Pierre de Coubertin
Angela Lansbury	...	Alice Garrett
Keith Edwards	...	Albert Tyler
Dave King	...	Nathaniel Perry
Rolf Saxon	...	Tim Coldfelt
Titos Vandis
William Armstrong	...	William Wells Hoyt
Hutton Cobb	...	Thomas Edmund Burke
Jason Connery	...	Thomas Pelham Curtis
Matt Frewer	...	Francis Adonijah 'Addie' Lane
Ian Morton	...	Ellery Clark
Aaron Swartz	...	Herbert Jamison
David Healy	...	Dean Elliott
Bruce Boa	...	President Francis Patton
Sean Caffrey	...	Uncle Mike
Betty Valassi	...	Mother of Spiridon Louis
Alexander Revidis
Elvira Poulianou	...	Eleni
Dimitri Malavetas	...	Col. Papadiamondrooulous
Christos Efthimou
Alkis Panagiotidis	...	Crown Prince Constantine
Mihalis Giannatos	...	Eleni's Father (as Michael Yannatos)
David Gilliam	...	Gardner 'Gardy' Williams
Terrance Conder	...	Sumner Paine
Peter Merrill	...	John Paine
Nancy Paul	...	Charlotte Patton
Ed Bishop	...	Mr. Bogardus
Alibe Parsons
Jenifer Landor	...	Kathy Baker (as Jennifer Landor)
Andy Pantelidou	...	Apostolus Skukalakis
Robert James	...	Professor Judson
Kevork Malikyan	...	Mr. Persakis, US team host
Jeff Harding	...	US Consul Felix Horton
Albert Welling	...	Lionel Wyndgate
Paul Maxwell	...	US Ambassador Ebin Alexander
Robert Addie	...	Grantly Goulding
Alan Rowe	...	British Amb. Edwin Edgerton
Brian Coburn	...	Blacksmith
Kate Binchy	...	Connolly's mother
Dimitri Andreas	...	Koukermos of the 'Athens Express'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Abineri	...	Herman Fox (uncredited)
Yanis Alexandridis	...	Spiro's army friend (uncredited)
Basiliou Alexandrini	...	Mother of girl in Italian village (uncredited)
Nikos Alexiou	...	Marathon official (uncredited)
Maria Alkeou	...	Eleni's Mother (uncredited)
Peter Allen	...	US Navy Bandmaster (uncredited)
Antigoni Amanitou	...	Crown Princess Sophia (uncredited)
Tasos Argyros	...	Stadium starter (uncredited)
Robert Ashe	...	Waiter at Palm Court (uncredited)
Peter Athanassopoulos	...	Official at shooting (uncredited)
Gay Baynes	...	Wife of man under broken cart (uncredited)
Spiros Bibilas	...	Lt. Koralis, assistant band master (uncredited)
Colin Bruce	...	Thomas Cook travel agent (uncredited)
Michael Chesdon	...	Desk clerk at athlete's hotel (uncredited)
George Christadoulakis	...	Patras customs official (uncredited)
Stelios Christopher	...	Barracks sentry (uncredited)
James Coates	...	Mr. Dimitrious (uncredited)
Alekos Mandilas Constantine	...	Archbishop (uncredited)
Peter Diamond	...	Man under broken cart (uncredited)
James Donnelly	...	O'Leary, the job foreman (uncredited)
Thodoros Exarhos	...	King George I (uncredited)
Michael Fitzpatrick	...	Hennessy of the 'Boston Globe' (uncredited)
Nicos Georgiadis	...	Sunion tour guide (uncredited)
David Gillum	...	Man (uncredited)
Christopher Gray	...	Granger (uncredited)
Andrew Johnson	...	Gardner's father (uncredited)
Thanos Kanellis	...	Bishop (uncredited)
Gertan Klauber	...	Ship steward on Fulda (uncredited)
Lili Kokkodis	...	Princess Amalia (uncredited)
Yorgos Kotanidis	...	Eleni's Brother Vasili (uncredited)
Dimitri Koumiotis	...	Prince George (uncredited)
Themis Manessis	...	Uncle Panos (uncredited)
Takis Moschos	...	Eleni's Brother Nikos (uncredited)
Tyrone Murphy	...	French athlete Lermusiaux (uncredited)
Timothy Oldroyd	...	Princeton Prof. Miller (uncredited)
Michael John Paliotti	...	Princeton Prof. Harrington (uncredited)
Adam Perry	...	French marathon runner (uncredited)
Steve Plytas	...	Greek Merchant at athletes hotel (uncredited)
Louiza Podimata	...	Queen Olga (uncredited)
Dimitris Poulikakos	...	Col. Padrinkas, band master (uncredited)
Bill Reimbold	...	Train conductor (uncredited)
Miles Richardson	...	Hadley (uncredited)
Henry Roberts	...	Col. Waverly at Gibraltar (uncredited)
Mark Rolston	...	Princeton student (uncredited)
Carolle Rousseau	...	Baroness de Coubertin (uncredited)
John Serret	...	Thomas Cook telegrapher (uncredited)
T.G. Stephens	...	Refree at Boston Garden (uncredited)
Mannis Syllignakis	...	Italian train conductor (uncredited)
Simon Tebbett	...	Questioning Englishman (uncredited)
Yannis Totzikas	...	Italian stationmaster (uncredited)
Shannon Tweed	...	Woman (uncredited)
Konstantinos Tzoumas	...	Stadium P.A. Announcer (uncredited)
Hristos Valavanidis	...	Dry good store proprietor (uncredited)
Nikos Vandoros	...	Village priest (uncredited)
Lucia Vlachava	...	Girl in Italian village (uncredited)
Takis Vlastos	...	Pole vault official (uncredited)
Giannis Zavradinos	...	Prince Nicholas (uncredited)

Directed by
Alvin Rakoff

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Charles Gary Allison		writer (as Gary Allison)
William Bast		writer

Produced by
Charles Gary Allison	....	supervising producer (as Gary Allison)
William Hill	....	producer
Larry White	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Bruce Broughton

Cinematography by
Paul Beeson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Grover
Ralph Sheldon

Production Design by
Michael Stringer

Art Direction by
Fred Carter
John Roberts		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Terry Parr

Costume Design by
Olga Lehmann

Makeup Department
Mark Nelson	....	chief hair stylist
Basil Newall	....	chief makeup artist
Bunty Phillips	....	makeup artist
Freddie Williamson	....	makeup artist
Helen Lennox	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Stephen Rose	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Dimitri Dimitriadis	....	production supervisor: Greece
Ray Frift	....	production supervisor
David Middlemas	....	production manager
Panos Roussos	....	production manager: Greece

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Antonis Michaleas	....	assistant director: Greece
Waldo Roeg	....	second assistant director
Michael Stevenson	....	second assistant director
David Tringham	....	first assistant director
Melvin Lind	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Robert G. Rossi	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Ken Shane	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Dick Frift	....	construction manager: Greece
Rex Hobbs	....	property master
Reg Richards	....	construction manager
Melina Violetzi	....	art director: Greece
Les Andrews	....	prop dressing (uncredited)
David Appleby	....	stagehand (uncredited)
David Appleby	....	stagehand (uncredited)
Gillian Atkinson	....	art construction (uncredited)
Albert Bale	....	painter (uncredited)
Cleopatra Diga	....	set dressing (uncredited)
Terry Pecks	....	prop dressing (uncredited)
Paul Purdy	....	chargehand storeman (uncredited)
Bill N. Read	....	stand-by props (uncredited)
Jim Reynolds	....	stand-by props (uncredited)
Bob Sherwood	....	prop dressing (uncredited)
Danny Skundric	....	property master (uncredited)
John Wells	....	stand-by props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Alfie Cox	....	sound editor
Peter Lennard	....	sound editor
Brian Marshall	....	sound recordist
Otto Snel	....	dubbing mixer
David Appleby	....	sound recording mixer (uncredited)
Trevor Rutherford	....	boom operator (uncredited)
John Stevenson	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Chic Anstiss	....	visual effects assistant camera (uncredited)
Robin Carlyle	....	visual effects matte camera (uncredited)
Neil Culley	....	visual effects matte camera (uncredited)
Carole Latimer	....	special photographer (uncredited)

Stunts
Richard C. Allison	....	stunt double: athlete (uncredited)
Graeme Crowther	....	stunt double: athlete (uncredited)
John S. Curran	....	stunt double: athlete (uncredited)
Cliff Dickenson	....	stunt double: athlete (uncredited)
Edward Jennings Messler	....	stunt double: athlete (uncredited)
Darren Johnstone	....	stunt double: athlete (uncredited)
Doug Landry	....	stunt double: athlete (uncredited)
Trevor Llewelyn	....	stunt double: athlete (uncredited)
Adam Perry	....	stunt double: athlete (uncredited)
William Stevens	....	stunt double: athlete (uncredited)
Kevin Sturman	....	stunt double: athlete (uncredited)
Andrew Talbot	....	stunt double: athlete (uncredited)
Rod Woodruff	....	stunt double: athlete (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Wally Byatt	....	camera operator
John Tythe	....	supervising electrician
David Worley	....	camera operator
Jim Blackman	....	rigger (uncredited)
Keith Blake	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Victor Chandler	....	electrician (uncredited)
John Coyle	....	grip (uncredited)
Mike Frift	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Sonny Holdsworth	....	grip (uncredited)
Simon Hume	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Ron Hutton	....	chargehand electrician (uncredited)
Tony Jackson	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Jim Kane	....	dolly grip (uncredited)
Louis H. Lavelly	....	chief electrician (uncredited)
Simon Mills	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Bill Osbourne	....	grip (uncredited)
John Outred	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Bernie Pochetty	....	electrician (uncredited)
Laurie Ridley	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Nigel Seal	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Fran Bascom	....	casting: UK
Esta Charkham	....	casting: USA
Meryl O'Loughlin	....	casting: UK

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Jeffery	....	wardrobe master
David Murphy	....	wardrobe supervisor
Tony Allen	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Elvira Angelinetta	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Brian Cox	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Barbara Gillett	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Philippe Pickford	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Hilary Watson	....	wardrobe mistress (uncredited)
Robert Worley	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Matthew Glen	....	assistant editor
Alec Jeakin	....	assistant editor
Richard Jones	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Valerie Lesser	....	music editor
John Mouchleanitis	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Ian Atkins	....	driver (uncredited)
Ron Collis	....	driver (uncredited)
Richard Farnes	....	driver (uncredited)
Jim Harris	....	driver (uncredited)
Eugean McGreesh	....	driver (uncredited)
David Morris	....	driver (uncredited)
Gary Skull	....	driver (uncredited)
Tony Wise	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
David Allan	....	athletics consultant
Sallie Beechinor	....	production assistant
Peter Carter	....	location manager: Greece
Claude Gresset	....	location manager
Stephen Long	....	production accountant
John Lucas	....	historical advisor (as Dr. John Lucas)
Tom McNab	....	athletic consultant
Edward O'Neil	....	historical advisor (as Dr. Edward O'Neil)
John Sargent	....	production controller
Doreen Soan	....	continuity
Adrian Adamson	....	caterer: London (uncredited)
David Allen	....	physiotherapist (uncredited)
Jack Breslin	....	publicist: NBC, USA (uncredited)
Carol Brown	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Ted Davey	....	electrical maintenance (uncredited)
Robin Demetriou	....	caterer: London (uncredited)
Dimitri Dimitriadis	....	production supervisor: Greece (uncredited)
Nikos Doukas	....	location manager (uncredited)
Elly Evangelides	....	public relations: Prima Associates, Athens (uncredited)
Alexander Fakiolas	....	stadium crowd control: captain of team 1 (uncredited)
Val Farmer	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Dick Frift	....	location manager: Greece (uncredited)
Michael Gomme	....	caterer: London (uncredited)
Marilena Korisi	....	stadium crowd control: captain of team 2 (uncredited)
Doreen Landry	....	publicist: UK (uncredited)
Al Lavine	....	publicist: NBC, USA (uncredited)
Danos Lyguzos	....	stadium crowd control: master of ceremonies (uncredited)
Derek Lyons	....	stand-in (uncredited)
George Mazareas	....	stadium crowd control: crowd control team captain (uncredited)
Paula Nivey	....	caterer: London (uncredited)
Bob Noble	....	caterer: London (uncredited)
Alan Palmer	....	location tents (uncredited)
Calliopi Paraskevapoulou	....	stadium crowd control: usher captain (uncredited)
Steve Passmore	....	caterer: London (uncredited)
Theodore Salibas	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Otto Szymiczck	....	consultant: 1896 Games (uncredited)
Peter Titterrall	....	caterer: London (uncredited)
Rona Wooley Lester	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Television

Distributors

• Columbia TriStar Domestic Television
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1984) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Television (2002-)

Other Companies

• Anthenaeum Inter-Continental, Athens  special thanks
• Berman's and Nathan's  special thanks
• Hellenic Olympic Committee  special thanks
• International Olympic Committee  special thanks
• Intrada  score album released by (limited edition)
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• Lee Electrics  special thanks
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Willie's Wheels  special thanks

Also Known As:

The First Modern Olympics

Runtime:

237 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Greece

Company:

Columbia Pictures Television

Trivia:

Spiridon Louis' name entered the Greek language in the phrase, "Egine Louis", which means, "Became Louis" or ran quickly.

Goofs:

Plot holes: In the series, three Greek flags are raised after the finish of the Marathon. However, it is not mentioned that the third Greek finisher, Spiridon Belokas was disqualified for riding part of the way in a carriage. His spot was awarded to Gyula Kellner of Hungary.

Quotes:

Baron Pierre de Coubertin: [The problem of international cooperation] The Germans mistrust the French because we are starting the whole thing. The English mistrust the Germans on principle...

Way better than Chariots of Fire

This is one of my favorite sports films.

It has lots of historically accurate information much like a documentary but is presented in an entertaining narrative format with good story and plot.

Purists may be annoyed that the casting of the actors doesn't always respect the look of typical athletes in each discipline but it's otherwise pretty realistic.

The anecdotes around the discus event are hilarious and unforgettable.

Now if it could only come out on DVD I would buy it instantly.

-Ben