Grand Theft Auto (1977)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Ron Howard

Writers:

Rance Howard (written by) and
Ron Howard (written by)

Release Date:

16 June 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Romance

Tagline:

See the greatest cars in the world destroyed!

Plot:

A rich girl steals her dad's Rolls Royce and heads off to Las Vegas to get married. However, her angry parents, a jealous suitor, and a bunch of reward seekers are determined to stop her.

Plot Keywords:

Grand Theft Auto | Exploding Car | Telephone Booth | Helicopter | Low Budget Film

Cast

Ron Howard	...	Sam Freeman
Nancy Morgan	...	Paula Powers
Elizabeth Rogers	...	Priscilla Powers
Barry Cahill	...	Bigby Powers
Rance Howard	...	Ned Slinker (private detective)
Paul Linke	...	Collins Hedgeworth
Marion Ross	...	Vivian Hedgeworth
Don Steele	...	Curly Q. Brown (DJ, TenQ radio)
Peter Isacksen	...	Sparky
Clint Howard	...	Ace
James Ritz	...	Officer Tad (as Jim Ritz)
Hoke Howell	...	Preacher
Lew Brown	...	Jack Klapper
Ken Lerner	...	Eagle I
Jack Perkins	...	Shadley
Paul Bartel	...	Groom
Bill Conklin	...	Eagle Hingleman
Robby Weaver	...	Harold Hingleman
Garry Marshall	...	Underworld boss
Leo Rossi	...	Vegas muscle chief
Bobs Watson	...	Minister (as Reverend Bobs Watson)
Jim Begg	...	Vegas businessman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gisella Blake	...	Accordionist (uncredited)
Reed Chenault	...	Rex (uncredited)
Ancel Cook	...	Dink (uncredited)
James Costigan	...	Hiram (old folks' bus driver) (uncredited)
Larry Cruickshank	...	Elder spokesman (uncredited)
Bill Denochelle	...	Derby driver (uncredited)
Jimi Fox	...	Engineer (uncredited)
Lars Frederiksen	...	Stony (uncredited)
Wayne Goodwin	...	Mysterious man (uncredited)
Gene Hartline	...	Gas station attendant (uncredited)
Karen Kaysing	...	Bride (uncredited)
Todd McCarthy	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Leo Michelson	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Eddie Mulder	...	Derby driver (uncredited)
Cal Naylor	...	Car salesman (uncredited)
Vic Rivers	...	Muskovitz (uncredited)
Felicitas Sanchez	...	Lupe (uncredited)
Rick Seaman	...	Max Hingleman (uncredited)
Glenn Towery	...	Tony (uncredited)
George Wagner	...	Camera operator (uncredited)
Tom Waters	...	Lester (uncredited)

Directed by
Ron Howard

Writing credits
Rance Howard		(written by) and
Ron Howard		(written by)

Produced by
Roger Corman	....	executive producer
Laurence Cruickshank	....	producer: second unit
Jon Davison	....	producer
Rance Howard	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Peter Ivers

Cinematography by
Gary Graver

Film Editing by
Joe Dante

Production Management
Michael Finnell	....	production manager: second unit (as Mike Finnell)
Harry Wowchuk	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Allan Arkush	....	second unit director
Cal Naylor	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Richard L. Anderson	....	sound coordinator
D.G. Fisher	....	boom operator
Stephen Halbert	....	sound: second unit
David Schneiderman	....	sound recording mixer

Special Effects by
Roger George	....	special effects

Stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt driver (as Bruce Barbour)
Dana D. Bertolette	....	stunt driver (as Dana Bertolette)
Dana D. Bertolette	....	stunt driver
Tim Chitwood	....	stunt driver
Gene Hartline	....	stunt driver
Tim Heck	....	stunt driver (as Jim Heck)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt driver
Diane Peterson	....	stunt driver
Vic Rivers	....	stunt coordinator (as Victor Rivers)
Rick Seaman	....	stunt driver
Gene Hartline	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Mulder	....	stunts (uncredited)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator: second unit (uncredited)
Vic Rivers	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jamie Anderson	....	camera operator: second unit
Mark Brown	....	still photographer
Ben Haller	....	key grip
M. Todd Henry	....	assistant camera (as Todd Henry)
Andrew G. La Marca	....	assistant camera (as Andy LaMarca)
Leslie Otis	....	assistant camera
Larry Snodgrass	....	assistant camera
Gary Strange	....	grip
R. Michael Stringer	....	gaffer
Gil Valle	....	camera equipment
Ken Wheeland	....	grip

Editorial Department
Mark Goldblatt	....	associate editor
Sandy Nervig	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Joanie Blum	....	script supervisor
Linda Civitello	....	production assistant
David DeGeus	....	production assistant
Rick Hynes	....	production assistant
Tom Jacobson	....	production assistant
Hunt Lowry	....	production assistant
Alan Toomayan	....	production assistant
Nancy Zearfoss	....	location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• New World Pictures

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1978) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Highlight Video (West Germany) (VHS)
• Interglobal Home Video (1980s) (Canada) (VHS)
• International Film Distributors (Canada)
• New Horizons Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• New Horizons Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Television (1997) (USA) (TV)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1981) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Metrocolor  color by
• Ryder Sound Services  sound by

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Ryder Sound Services)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | USA:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Victorville, California, USA

Company:

New World Pictures

Trivia:

Filmed in only 15 days.

Goofs:

Continuity: The first time the helicopter attempts to block the road for the Rolls Royce, the helicopter makes the turn twice.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Paula has brought Sam to her home]
Priscilla Powers: Aagh! Paula, how could you do this?
Paula Powers: Come on, mom, PLEASE don't be so dramatic!
Priscilla Powers: I have been planning for months the weddings of you and Collins Hedgeworth.
Paula Powers: No, mother! He didn't ask me, he asked *you*!
Bigby Powers: Shut up, young lady! Just sit down and sit your lips. You are engaged to Collins Hedgeworth.
Bigby Powers: [to Sam] Did you know, that she was engaged to Collins Hedgeworth?
Sam Freeman: Sir, I realize, that there is a conflict, but...
Bigby Powers: [to Priscilla] You see, he understands...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "At the Movies: Summer Special 2008/09" (2008)

Not Bad For What It Is

Ron Howard's directorial debut (in which he also stars) is a pretty good piece of drive-in movie fun, with a silly but fast-paced story and enough car chases and crashes to keep those who go for this kind of thing plenty satisfied. A handful of familiar faces in amusing cameos add to the fun.