The Bad News Bears: Living or Dead?

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Which cast and crew of 1976 film by Michael Ritchie The Bad News Bears are living and who are dead?

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By Andrew Droid Webber

Updated 29 March 2023

Image info

Artist	Tage Olsin
Credit	Cropped from Image:Baseball.jpg by Tage Olsin
License	cc-by-sa-2.0
Desc	A baseball, cropped from Image:Baseball.jpg
Usage	Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0

Image info/credit

1976 film by Michael Ritchie

The Bad News Bears

Released	1976 (46 years, 6 months ago)

Director	Michael Ritchie
Duration	102 minutes
Genre	coming-of-age story and comedy film
Composer	Jerry Fielding
Production company	Paramount Pictures
Country of origin	United States of America
Screenwriter	Bill Lancaster
Producer	Stanley R. Jaffe

About The Bad News Bears

The Bad News Bears, directed by Michael Ritchie, is a classic sports comedy film that follows the story of a group of misfit kids who form a Little League baseball team. Released in 1976, the film stars Walter Matthau as the grumpy and alcoholic coach Morris Buttermaker, who takes on the challenge of coaching the underdog team to victory.

The film was a huge success, grossing over $32 million at the box office and receiving critical acclaim for its humor and heart. It has since become a cult classic and is considered one of the greatest sports films of all time.

The Bad News Bears is a perfect example of the underdog story, as the team of misfits faces off against the more talented and well-funded teams in the league. The film also touches on themes of friendship, teamwork, and the importance of perseverance.

The performances in the film are top-notch, with Matthau delivering a standout performance as the gruff coach who slowly learns to care about his team. The child actors also shine, with Tatum O'Neal giving a memorable performance as the team's star pitcher.

Overall, The Bad News Bears is a timeless classic that continues to entertain audiences today. Its legacy has been cemented with multiple sequels and a 2005 remake, but the original film remains the definitive version.

References:

- Ebert, R. (1976, April 7). The Bad News Bears. RogerEbert.com. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-bad-news-bears-1976

- The Bad News Bears. Box Office Mojo. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0074174/