IMDb > The Bear (1984)

Overview

User Rating:
5.9/10   187 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 26% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Writer:

Michael Kane (written by)

Contact:

View company contact information for The Bear on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

28 September 1984 (USA) more

Tagline:

WINNING. That was the difference between playing football and playing for "The Bear".

Plot:

Biopic about the great college football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant of the University of Alabama. | add synopsis

NewsDesk:

Remembering Jon-Erik Hexum
 (From AfterElton.com. 16 October 2009, 8:24 AM, PDT)

User Comments:

Horror stories about being an extra in this film! more (6 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Gary Busey ... Paul W. Bryant
Cynthia Leake ... Mary Harmon Bryant
Carmen Thomas ... Mae Martin Bryant
Cary Guffey ... Grandson Marc

Harry Dean Stanton ... Coach Thomas
Jon-Erik Hexum ... Pat Trammell

Steve Greenstein ... Joe Namath

Michael McGrady ... Gene Stallings
William Wesley Neighbors Jr. ... Billy Neighbors

Brett Rice ... Don Hutson
Buddy Farmer ... Herman Ball
Owen Orr ... Ermal Allen (as Owen E. Orr)
Charles Gabrielson ... Steve Meilinger
D'Urville Martin ... Billy
Ken Taylor ... Jimbo / Ball Player
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Valencia, California, USA more


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

Gene Stallings, who played for Bear Bryant at Texas A&M and went on to become head football coach at Alabama, was the technical advisor on the film. more

Soundtrack:

I'll Be Home Again more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
5 out of 9 people found the following comment useful.
Horror stories about being an extra in this film!, 25 December 2005
4/10
Author: chipcoffey from Atlanta, GA

I actually worked on this film briefly as a featured extra. The scenes I did were shot at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA, a suburb of Atlanta. I played one of Bear Bryant's fraternity brothers.

We filmed in December of 1983, just before Christmas. It was freezing cold outside, but the scenes were supposed to be taking place on a warm, late spring evening, so we were all dressed in short sleeves. The director and crew made us sit outside, nearly freezing to death, for hours on end while they -- bundled up in coats and gloves! -- set up the shots for filming. I wound up getting very sick after three days of shooting! Of course, all the principal actors who were in the scenes stayed in their cozy trailers until it was time to film.

Also, my tote bag ... containing my wallet and money; car keys; and the clothes I wore to the set ... was stolen out of the dressing room on my last day of shooting. I was treated VERY badly by the extras casting director, who showed no sympathy whatsoever about the fact that my belongings were stolen. She would not even take the time to drive me home to get a spare set of car keys since mine were stolen! I was literally stranded -- no car keys, no clothes, no money! -- until a wonderful woman, who was also an extra on the film, drove me home.

Gary Bussey was drinking heavily during the filming of this movie and the "buzz" on the set was that he was sometimes so drunk that he wasn't able to do his scenes.

By the way, I was paid a whopping $50 a day for my work on this film ... and when it came time to eat, the extras ate AFTER the principal actors had dined first and picked through the food on the buffet lines.

When I saw the movie, I was greatly disappointed. It was not very good.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (6 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Bear (1984)

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Hometown Legend We Are Marshall The Club Knute Rockne All American The Program
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 Biography 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.