Harry and the Hendersons (1987)

Director:

William Dear

Writers:

William Dear (written by)
Bill Martin (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

5 June 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Comedy

Tagline:

According to science, Bigfoot doesn't exist.

Plot:

Returning from a hunting trip in the forest, the Henderson family's car hits an animal in the road. At first they fear it was a man...

Plot Keywords:

Bigfoot | Animal Rampage | Bad Smell | Seattle Washington | Freaked Out

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

John Lithgow	...	George Henderson
Melinda Dillon	...	Nancy Henderson
Margaret Langrick	...	Sarah Henderson
Joshua Rudoy	...	Ernie Henderson
Kevin Peter Hall	...	Harry
Lainie Kazan	...	Irene Moffat
Don Ameche	...	Dr. Wallace Wrightwood
M. Emmet Walsh	...	George Henderson Sr.
Bill Ontiverous	...	Sgt. Mancini
David Richardt	...	Dirty Harry Officer
Jacqueline Moscou	...	DMV Clerk
Laura Kenny	...	'Mouse' Woman
Richard Arnold	...	'Mouse' Spouse
Sean Morgan	...	Jerry Seville
Nick Flynn	...	Stuart
David MacIntyre	...	Billers
Peggy Platt	...	Librarian
Orene Anderson	...	Woman in Kitchen
William Dear	...	Sighting Man
Laurie O'Brien	...	Screaming Woman
Michael J. Loggins	...	Big Gun Man
James King	...	Bicycle Man
Nathaniel Ellis	...	Sgt. Bader
Juleen Murray	...	Press Woman #1
Mark Mitchell	...	Press Man #1
Connie Craig	...	Press Woman #2
Dana Middleton	...	News Anchor #1
Richard Foley	...	News Anchor #2
Larry Wansley	...	News Anchor #3
Steve Sheppard-Brodie	...	News Anchor #4
Mickey Gilbert	...	Police Officer
Tom Hammond	...	Police Officer
Stuart Schwarz	...	SWAT Officer
Justin Mastro	...	Vigilante
Michael Goodell	...	Pool Man
Chuck McCollum	...	Guard
Vern Taylor	...	Jerome
Stan Sturing	...	Police Clerk
Robert Isaac Lee	...	Kim Lee
Debbie Lee Carrington	...	Little Bigfoot
John Bloom	...	Feet (as John F. Bloom)
Fred Newman	...	Vocal Effects (voice)
William Frankfather	...	Schwarz
David Suchet	...	Jacques LaFleur
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Hanley	...	Eddy Rose (uncredited)
Vicki Petite	...	Baby Bigfoot (uncredited)

Directed by
William Dear

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
William Dear		written by
Bill Martin		written by (as William E. Martin)
Ezra D. Rappaport		written by

Produced by
William Dear	....	producer
Richard Vane	....	producer
Frank Baur	....	associate producer (uncredited)
Steven Spielberg	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Bruce Broughton

Cinematography by
Allen Daviau		(director of photography)
George Koblasa

Film Editing by
Donn Cambern

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton
Judy Taylor

Production Design by
James D. Bissell		(as James Bissell)

Art Direction by
Donald B. Woodruff		(as Don Woodruff)

Set Decoration by
Linda DeScenna

Makeup Department
Stuart Artingstall	....	head hair department: Rick Baker's crew
Rick Baker	....	makeup artist
Janice Barnes	....	assistant head hair department: Rick Baker's crew
Jack Bricker	....	hair stylist: Rick Baker's crew
Michael Burnett	....	special makeup effects assistant: Rick Baker's crew
Everett Burrell	....	special makeup effects artist
Norman Cabrera	....	special makeup effects technician: Rick Baker Cinovation
Charlotte De Vlaming	....	assistant head hair department: Rick Baker's crew
Tony Gardner	....	hair stylist
Tony Gardner	....	special makeup effects assistant: Rick Baker's crew
Christine Lee	....	hair stylist (as Chris Lee)
Greg Nelson	....	makeup artist
Vicky Stockwell	....	assistant head hair department: Rick Baker's crew (as Victoria Stockwell)
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	makeup artist (as Dan Striepeke)
Brian Wade	....	special makeup effects artist: Rick Baker/Cinovation
Matt Rose	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Tim Turner	....	special makeup effects assistant: Rick Baker's Cinovation (uncredited)

Production Management
Frank Baur	....	unit production manager
Ted Swanson	....	unit production manager: second unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James D. Bissell	....	second unit director (as James Bissell)
Karen Miller Ehrlich	....	trainee assistant director
Lynda Gilman	....	second second assistant director
Michael Rowles	....	first assistant director: second unit
Stephen Southard	....	second assistant director (as Steve Southard)
L. Andrew Stone	....	first assistant director
Ted Swanson	....	first assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Art Department
Michael Burnett	....	foam technician
Norman Cabrera	....	painter: Rick Baker's crew
Giovanni Casalenuovo	....	paint foreman
Marienus Cetani Sr.	....	stand-by painter (as Don Cetani)
Leonard Early	....	construction foreman: Seattle
Glenn Forbes	....	set dresser
Loren Gitthens	....	shop assistant: Rick Baker's crew
Martin A. Kline	....	production illustrator
Peter Lamppu	....	construction foreman: Los Angeles
Leonard MacDonald	....	painter: Rick Baker's crew
Michael McCombe	....	greensman (as Michael J. McCombe)
Ric McElvin	....	lead man
Frank Mitchell	....	greensman
Rick Moore	....	production illustrator
Richard Reseigne	....	construction coordinator
Darrell Rooney	....	illustrator: end credit animation sequence
Cameron Striewski	....	art director: end credit animation sequence
William James Teegarden	....	set designer
'Dangerous' Bob Widin	....	assistant property master
John Zemansky	....	property master

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard L. Anderson	....	supervising sound editor
Michael J. Benavente	....	sound editor
Willie D. Burton	....	sound mixer (as Willie Burton)
James Christopher	....	sound editor
Burness Dembrowski	....	sound editor (as Bunny S.)
Teresa Eckton	....	sound editor
Donald Flick	....	foley editor
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound editor (as Stephen H. Flick)
Gil Haimsohn	....	assistant sound editor
Robert W. Harris	....	utility sound (as Bob Harris)
Marvin E. Lewis	....	boom operator (as Marvin Lewis)
James Matheny	....	foley editor
Matthew C. May	....	assistant sound editor
Joan Metzger	....	apprentice sound editor
James Moriana	....	foley artist (as Jim M. Moriana)
Lettie Odney	....	adr editor
Gary D. Rogers	....	foley mixer (as Gary Rogers)
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Curt Schulkey	....	adr editor (as Curtis Schulkey)
B. Tennyson Sebastian II	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tanya Sharp David	....	adr mixer
Bill Varney	....	supervising re-recording mixer
Denise Whiting	....	adr editor
David Williams	....	sound editor
Steve Kohler	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Howard Berger	....	assistant mold maker: Rick Baker's crew
Bob Burns	....	special effects
Everett Burrell	....	assistant mold maker: Rick Baker's crew
Curtis Dickson	....	special effects (as Curt Dickson)
Robert S. Henderson	....	special effects (as Robert Henderson)
Doug Hubbard	....	special effects
Clive R. Kay	....	special effects contact lenses
Conrad Krumm	....	special effects
Jim Leonard	....	head mold maker: Rick Baker's crew
Henry Millar	....	special effects supervisor
Mike Millar	....	special effects foreman (as Michael J. Millar)
Donald Pennington	....	assistant mold maker: Rick Baker's crew (as Don Pennington)
Matt Rose	....	sculptor: Rick Baker's crew
Brian Wade	....	assistant mold maker: Rick Baker's crew
Steve Wang	....	sculptor: Rick Baker's crew

Visual Effects by
Robert Dyke	....	additional visual effects: Magic Lantern Productions
Michael Pangrazio	....	matte artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Kathy Brock	....	stunts
Debbie Coe	....	stunts
Bill Couch	....	stunt coordinator
Bill Couch	....	stunts
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunt coordinator
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunts
Tim Gilbert	....	stunts
Troy Gilbert	....	stunts
Carey Loftin	....	stunts
Wally Rose	....	stunts
Anthony G. Schmidt	....	stunts (as Anthony Schmidt)
Dawan Scott	....	stunts
Neil Summers	....	stunts
Ted Swanson	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Jamie Anderson	....	camera operator
Rick Borchardt	....	key grip
Ophelious Braxton	....	second grip
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera
Larry D. Davis	....	second assistant camera (as Larry Davis)
Chuck Fey	....	second assistant camera (as Charles Fey)
Norman Harris	....	gaffer (as Norm Harris)
Ted Harrison	....	key grip: second unit
M. Todd Henry	....	camera operator (as Michael Todd Henry)
Ron Kenyon	....	assistant chief lighting technician
George Koblasa	....	additional photographer: second unit
T. Sano Kwong	....	company grip
Spencer McDonald	....	second assistant camera
Peter McEvoy	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Montey Menapace	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Nicholas J. Musuraca	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Ralph Nelson	....	still photographer (as Ralph Nelson Jr.)
Reggie Newkirk	....	first assistant camera
Randy Nolen	....	Steadicam operator
Paul F. Petzoldt	....	gaffer: second unit
Alberto S. Ramos	....	crane grip (as Al Ramos)
Clyde Smith	....	dolly grip
Alexander Witt	....	camera operator: second unit

Animation Department
John Belig	....	producer: end credit animation sequence

Casting Department
Patti Carns Kalles	....	casting: Seattle

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laura Crow	....	wardrobe assistant
Camilla Henneman	....	special costume key person: Rick Baker's crew
Gary J. Saldutti	....	costumer: men (as Gary Saldutti)
Peter V. Saldutti	....	costume supervisor
Marla Denise Schlom	....	costume supervisor
Donna R. Schultz	....	assistant special costume key person: Rick Baker's crew (as Donna Schultz)
Juliann M. Smith	....	assistant special costume key person: Rick Baker's crew

Editorial Department
Jack Cooper	....	negative cutter
Phil Downey	....	color timer
Carrie Ellison	....	assistant editor
Jack Hooper	....	negative cutter
Steven Kemper	....	additional editor
J.J. Rogers	....	assistant editor
Saul Saladow	....	assistant editor
Kevin Stitt	....	assistant editor
Jim Michaels	....	post-production (uncredited)
Jeff Smithwick	....	color timer: dailies (uncredited)

Music Department
Chris Boardman	....	music arranger
Walt Borchers	....	scoring crew
Terry Brown	....	scoring crew
Chuck Garsha	....	scoring crew
Mark McKenzie	....	orchestrator
Fred Newman	....	vocal effects
Curt Sobel	....	music editor
Armin Steiner	....	music mixer
Chris Boardman	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Todd Connolly	....	transportation co-captain
Bob Cornell	....	transportation captain
Eugene Schwartz	....	transportation coordinator (as Gene Schwartz)
Ray Tostado	....	driver: insert car

Other crew
Tom Adams	....	craft service
Rick Baker	....	creature designer: Harry
Rick Baker	....	puppeteer: Rick Baker's crew
Michael J. Burmeister	....	location: Los Angeles
Allen Coulter	....	head mechanic: Rick Baker's crew (as Al Coulter)
Cindy Cullen	....	animal trainer
Monica Di Meo	....	caterer: second unit
Carrie Dinow	....	assistant: Mr. Vane
Joan Eisenberg	....	unit publicist
Peter Elliott	....	animal coordinator: Rick Baker's crew
Patricia Fay	....	location manager: Seattle
Monica Garris-Powell	....	location assistant (as Monica Powell)
Jim Gerwig	....	caterer
Anne Gordon	....	animal trainer: Seattle
Nancy Gregory	....	choreographer: Rick Baker's crew
Larry Hamlin	....	general manager: Rick Baker's crew
Rossie Harris	....	script supervisor: second unit
Scott Harris	....	production associate
Tom Hester	....	puppeteer: Rick Baker's crew
Willie Kapahu	....	location auditor
Trish Kinney	....	script supervisor
Julie Ann Larson	....	staff: Mr. Dear (as Julie Larson)
Adria Later	....	studio teacher
Fireball Tim Lawrence	....	puppeteer: Rick Baker's crew (as Tim Lawrence)
Justin Mastrio	....	staff: Mr. Dear
James Maull	....	production auditor (as Jim Maull)
Heather Murphy	....	production associate
Paul Pat	....	location manager: Los Angeles
Kurt Platkowski	....	animal trainer: Rick Baker's crew
Willie Radcliff	....	craft service
Julie Reid	....	production secretary
Barbara Ritchie	....	assistant: Mr. Vane
David Ronan	....	production associate
Cliff T.E. Roseman	....	location: Los Angeles (as Clifford Roseman)
Judi Rosner	....	production coordinator
Vanessa Ross	....	title designer (as Saxon-Ross)
Nina Saxon	....	title designer (as Saxon-Ross)
Lynn Dee Schwarz	....	assistant location manager
Randy Simper	....	mechanical engineer: stunt "Harry" construction
Marc Tyler	....	assistant head mechanic: Rick Baker's crew
Robert C. Campion	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Carol Riggins	....	animal trainer (uncredited)

Thanks
Peter V. Herald	....	special thanks (as Peter Herald)
Doug Howard	....	special thanks
Dana Middleton	....	special thanks
Flossi Siguardsson	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Amblin Entertainment
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1987) (France) (theatrical)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• EuroVideo (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• MCA Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Phillips (????) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) (special effects)
• Makeup Effects Laboratories

Other Companies

• Intrada  score album released by (limited edition)

Also Known As:

Bigfoot (Philippines: English title)
Bigfoot and the Hendersons (UK)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Index, Washington, USA

Company:

Amblin Entertainment

Trivia:

M. Emmet Walsh plays 'John Lithgow''s father, when in actuality Walsh is only 10 years older than Lithgow.

Goofs:

Continuity: Harry copies the police car's siren on the freeway to get traffic to move out of their way so they can escape LaFluer. When George realizes what he's doing and sticks his head out of the window along with Harry to check where LaFluer is, the cars behind him are all stopped a long way behind him neatly and not surrounding their van as shown in all other shots of the traffic jam.

Quotes:

Ernie Henderson: The basement. You'll love it! It's like a cave with a pool table.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Robot Chicken: PS: Yes, in That Way (#4.6)" (2009)

Better than E.T.

Harry and the Hendersons is one of the first films I remember seeing in the cinema as a kid. It was 1987 and my uncle had just passed his driving test so he was well into driving places and the cinema just happened to be one of them.

Even though the film is only 110 minutes long, they still had an intermission halfway through, for some reason. And I swear, they actually had ushers coming round selling stuff before it started back up again. I believe that is the first and only time I have seen such old-fashioned picturehouse practices. But it makes my original memory of this film so much more nostalgic.

The Hendersons consist of wannabe artist/gun salesman dad George (that always brilliant John Lithgow), loving mum Melinda Dillon, a bratty daughter and a hyperactive son. On returning from a camping trip in the Pacific Northwest, they accidentally run into some sort of large furry creature on the forest road. Originally believing it to be a bear, George steps out of the car to prod it with his gun a few times. But the bear has man-like hands and George suddenly asks his family 'What if it's...HIM'.

Bigfoot! Think of how much he's worth! So they tie him to the roof of the car and drive him home, while George thinks of the best way of selling him. Later that night, he is curious as to how big his feet really are. So he sneaks down to the garage with a measuring tape only to find that he's no longer strapped to the roof of the car, but poking around in the kitchen fridge.

The Hendersons stand back as bigfoot (or Harry as he is later renamed) stomps around the house and garden investigating all their strange belongings. Though he doesn't care much for all the animal trophies hanging around everywhere. Freaking out, George tries to snipe Harry from through the bedroom window, but has a change of heart when he realises that Harry is just big, harmless oaf.

The best scenes of the film involve Harry making himself at home in the Henderson house. His mannerisms and body language are similar to a child warned to be on their best behavior while visiting old relatives. He constantly looks a bit nervous and uncomfortable but is always ready to grab you for a big hug.

Rick Baker deservedly took home an Academy Award for Best Make-Up Effects back in 1988 for this movie. Harry Henderson is an amazing character with a wonderfully wide range of expressions and emotions. All E.T. ever did was sit there looking bug-eyed. Not Harry though, you can't help loving him. I so want my own Bigfoot.

Even now as an adult I this movie is still great. As a kid I remember feeling the panic and excitement when Harry got lost in Seattle and the half-crazed Bigfoot hunter Jacques LaFleur (David Suchet) doing lots of sleaziness in order to have him shot, gutted and sold to science. Forgive the repeated comparison, but to me it was more involving and fun than the man with the keys in E.T.

You just don't get family movies like this anymore. Back in the 80's Steven Spielberg's Amblin production company made loads of great family movies like Gremlins, Goonies, the Back to the Future Trilogy, Young Sherlock Holmes and Innerspace. They all had some kind high-concept spin that crud such as Like Mike and Crapper by the Dozen don't.

It was a great time to be a kid back in those days. We weren't cynical and jaded and hooked on Playstation like modern children. We still had a sense of adventure, a longing for the outdoors. Anything could be out there. Maybe Harry is actually bumbling around in the woods as I write this.

Like the Patterson/Gimlin film that inspired it, Harry and the Hendersons is one movie that will be timeless forever.