Half-Assed Internet Research
10,000 residents were extras; Cruise had a minor concussion; area coach Donald A. Yonesa played the other coach; Pat Jordan nearly went unpaid for the rights; Johnstown's 24.8% unemployment; Walter Briggs threw Rifleman's passes
In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:23:29Read transcript
- Ten thousand residents of the town were the extras, given free soft drinks, hot dogs, raffle prizes and donations, and Tom Cruise had a minor concussion during filming.
- Real area coach Donald A. Yonesa (as transcribed) played the other football coach and was the technical consultant.
- By Pat Jordan's account, Lucille Ball's production company bought the rights for $2,500 and promised $35,000 if it became a movie; a Pittsburgh friend later told him a movie like his was being made in Duquesne, his agent called, and he got the $35,000 they had been about to stiff him on.
- Earlier research: Johnstown, where much of the movie was filmed, had 5,100 of 7,000 workers laid off and 24.8% unemployment during filming, and the producer brought in two million bucks of extra spending.
- In what is called real half-assed internet research, the guy who played Rifleman, or at least threw that pass, is Walter Briggs, who played small college ball and had a short strike-season stint with the Jets.