Made famous during the drag race between Bob Falfa's 1955 Chevy and John Milner
John Milner
John David Milner was an American first baseman and left fielder in Major League Baseball. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, he grew up a huge Hank Aaron fan, even appropriating his idol's nickname, "The Hammer." He was a member of the 1979 "We Are Family" Pittsburgh Pirates team that won th…
American Graffiti
Features the coming of age of four teenagers on their last summer night before college. Rediscover drag racing, Insipiration Point and drive-ins all over again in this nostalgic looks at the 60's. The incredible soundtrack brings you the most memorable rock 'n' roll hits of the era.
Where did the movie American Graffiti take place?
Cruising on Main Street: A scene from George Lucas's 1973 film American Graffiti. Watch the opening scenes of George Lucas's 1973 classic American Graffit i, and you will catch glimpses of my hometown, San Rafael, California, as it flits past the windshields of the classic cars that serve as the real set of this movie.
Is'American Graffiti'overpraised?
Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote, " American Graffiti is such a funny, accurate movie, so controlled and efficient in its narrative, that it stands to be overpraised to the point where seeing it will be an anticlimax."
What happened to cruising in American Graffiti?
When American Graffiti came out in our senior year, the movie actually reintroduced cruising, like an extinct plant returned to its native habitat. As Rob recently remembered during our reprise tour, the summer after the movie's premiere, San Rafael's main drag was clogged with cars seeking to reenact the movie's cruising scenes.
What is American Graffiti?
American Graffiti evokes mankind's relationship with machines, notably the elaborate number of hot rods —having been called a "classic-car flick", representative of the motor car's importance to American culture at the time it was made.
What town does American Graffiti take place in?
It's no wonder that director George Lucas chose Petaluma as the setting for his iconic movie American Graffiti. Filmed during the summer of 1972, Petaluma Boulevard and Western Street in downtown Petaluma are just a couple of the locations that Lucas used for some of the movie's most memorable scenes.
Where was the drag race scene in American Graffiti filmed?
You can take a walking tour of the town's many movie sites, with a guide from the Petaluma Visitor Center, 210 Lakeville Street/Hwy 116 (tel: 707.769. 0429). The boys drive up and down Petaluma Boulevard North, on D Street and Washington Street, the main drag used in the movie.
Which characters have a drag race in American Graffiti?
Set in Modesto, California, at the tail end of summer 1962, it follows the exploits of a quartet of recent high-school grads: college-bound Curt Henderson (Richard Dreyfuss), class president Steve Bolander (Ron Howard), the nerdy Terry the Toad (Charles Martin Smith), and drag-racer John Milner (Paul Le Mat).
What street did they cruise in American Graffiti?
The characters of "American Graffiti" were loosely drawn from people George grew-up with in Modesto. The places and scenes in the movie were drawn from his own cruising experiences in his hometown... The “cruising” showcased in the film was originally called “dragging” and took place on 10th Street.
What is the road the race is on in American Graffiti?
Paradise RoadProduction: American Graffiti (1973) Two souped-up cars align down a hallowed straightaway known as Paradise Road. The steady, mellow beat of “Green Onions” echoes from their radios.
Where is the 55 Chevy from American Graffiti?
After filming on American Graffiti was finished, the inventory of studio-owned cars was assigned to Travers for disposal. He removed the drive train and front sheet metal from the stunt car and sold the remains to a California stock car racer who was interested in the battered car since it had a full roll cage.
How much was Harrison Ford paid for American Graffiti?
$500Harrison Ford initially turned down the film because he was offered $485 a week, less than he earned as a carpenter and not enough to support his family. When the offer was upped to $500, he accepted.
Who was the girl in the Thunderbird in American Graffiti?
Suzanne SomersSuzanne Somers: Blonde in T-Bird.
Where is the 55 Chevy from American Graffiti?
After filming on American Graffiti was finished, the inventory of studio-owned cars was assigned to Travers for disposal. He removed the drive train and front sheet metal from the stunt car and sold the remains to a California stock car racer who was interested in the battered car since it had a full roll cage.
How old was Harrison Ford in American Graffiti?
30Charles Martin Smith (18) and Ron Howard (18) were the only two real teenage principal actors of the film. Most of the remaining principal cast members were in their 20s with the exceptions of the 12-year-old Mackenzie Phillips, and Harrison Ford, who turned 30 during filming.
What car was in American Graffiti?
In American Graffiti, Bob Falfa (Harrison Ford) rolls into town in a tough-looking, much-modified 1955 Chevrolet One Fifty two-door sedan to challenge Milner's king-of-the-street status.
Who were the pharaohs in American Graffiti?
Even though their low-riding, Flathead powered Mercury is probably far from being the fastest car in the Valley, the members of the PHARAOHS [Bo Hopkins, Manuel Padilla, Jr, & Beau Gentry] are among the coolest kids in director, George Lucas' 1973 nostalgic film, American Graffiti.
Where was American Graffiti filmed?
American Graffiti was shot in small towns in Northern California, but its real stage is those lanes of blacktop.
What movie was Cruising on Main Street in?
Cruising on Main Street: A scene from George Lucas's 1973 film American Graffiti.
Where did American Graffiti take place?
The genesis of American Graffiti took place in Modesto in the early 1960s, during Lucas' teenage years. He was unsuccessful in pitching the concept to financiers and distributors, but found favor at Universal Pictures after every other major film studio turned him down.
What year was American Graffiti?
Not to be confused with graffiti in the United States. American Graffiti is a 1973 American coming-of-age comedy film directed by George Lucas, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz and Lucas, and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Harrison Ford, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, ...
How much did American Graffiti make in the 1990s?
By the 1990s, American Graffiti had earned more than $200 million (equivalent to $396 million in 2020) in box-office gross and home video sales.
How much money did American Graffiti make?
Produced on a $777,000 budget, it has become one of the most profitable films ever. Since its initial release, American Graffiti has earned an estimated return well over $200 million in box-office gross and home video sales, not including merchandising.
How long was the first cut of American Graffiti?
The first cut of American Graffiti was three and a half hours long, and to whittle the film down to a more manageable two hours, many scenes had to be cut, shortened, or combined. As a result, the film's structure became increasingly loose and no longer adhered to Lucas's original "ABCD" presentation.
How many songs are in the soundtrack of American Graffiti?
A soundtrack album for the film, 41 Original Hits from the Soundtrack of American Graffiti, was issued by MCA Records. The album contains all the songs used in the film (with the exception of "Gee" by the Crows, which was subsequently included on a second soundtrack album), presented in the order in which they appeared in the film.
When was Graffiti reissued?
Universal reissued Graffiti on May 26, 1978 with Dolby sound and earned an additional $63 million (equivalent to $250 million in 2020), which brought the total revenue for the two releases to $118 million (equivalent to $468 million in 2020). The reissue included stereophonic sound and the additional four minutes the studio had removed from Lucas' original cut. All home video releases also included these scenes. Also, the date of John Milner's death was changed from June 1964 to December 1964 to fit the narrative structure of the upcoming sequel, More American Graffiti. At the end of its theatrical run, American Graffiti had one of the greatest profit-to-cost ratios of a motion picture ever.
