Grand Theft Auto (1977)

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

Colour:

Colour (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:

As a promotion for this movie, "16" magazine ran a contest and the winner received a trip to Hollywood and bit part in the film. Her name was Caryn and she was the girl who catches the bouquet at Paula and Sam's wedding.

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:

Featured in "TCM Underground: Grand Theft Auto/The Fast and the Furious (#1.28)" (2007)

"Two Thumbs Up!" - Arthur Fonzarelli

This movie will never be remembered as great filmmaking, but it's sure to go down in history as an eerily accurate time capsule of the 1970's. The seventies, a time when, despite the depressingly high crime rate, people left their keys in the ignition without giving it a second thought; when cars were stolen so often we considered them communal property.(By the way, if you're ever the victim of a car theft, stand in the road shaking your fist as the car drives off, then yell 'come back here!' as loudly as possible. This is sure to get your car back.)The seventies were a magical time, when gubernatorial candidates wore jumpsuits without fear of ridicule and kept hired goons on retainer; when towns had only one radio station and we all listened to it; when whiny polo players were considered good catches.

And the car chases! Every day and twice on holy days, my Dad would tell me. Many times, while driving to his job as Jack Lord's shoe buffer, he would come across an impromptu car chase headed to Las Vegas or Tahiti or some other fun place and you better believe he joined in! He would be gone for weeks at a time but we always understood. Mom and I were never worried about him; we could follow his progress from the constant radio reports given by the DJ flying overhead. In the seventies, radio stations thought nothing of scrapping their entire playlist and sending up a fleet of helicopters manned by skinny DJs in smoked glasses to spend days covering a car chase while whole police forces sat idly by, except for that one wacky policeman who always seemed to show up carrying some personal vendetta against one of the chasers and was in way over his head but didn't know it because he wasn't too bright but we understood and we loved him anyway.

Because it was the seventies.