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The Kid from Left Field (1979 film)

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The Kid from Left Field
Cover of VHS release of movie
GenreComedy
Family
Sport
Written byKatharyn Powers
Jack Sher
Directed byAdell Aldrich
StarringGary Coleman
Robert Guillaume
Gary Collins
Ed McMahon
Music byDavid Michael Frank
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerDeena Silver-Kramer
ProducerDavid Vreeland
CinematographyFrank Thackery
EditorsRobert Hernandez
Peter Kirby
Running time100 minutes
Production companiesGary Coleman Productions
Zephyr Productions
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 30, 1979 (1979-09-30)

The Kid from Left Field is a 1979 American made-for-television baseball comedy film starring Gary Coleman and Robert Guillaume. Coleman's first film, it is a remake of the 1953 film of the same name.

Plot[edit]

Jackie Robinson "J.R." Cooper is a kid who loves baseball, and also the son of a former major leaguer now down on his luck (and now a vendor working the stands at games). J.R. parlays his baseball knowledge into becoming manager of the San Diego Padres and leading them to the World Series.[1]

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

Filming took place at San Diego Stadium.[2]

Production[edit]

The television film was made by NBC to enhance Coleman's name recognition and boost his commercial value[3]

Vince Edwards had originally been picked to direct, but quit after two days because he didn't want to work with children.[3]

Director Adell Aldrich said "I was a mother, and that's part of the reason they hired me. Gary was brilliant. Just a natural actor who could memorize his lines after one reading. But his people -- his parents and his representatives -- didn't care how long the kid worked or what he was doing. So it was my job to direct, but also to make sure he was OK. I hugged him every day and let him know I was there for him."[3]

On the project se commented "we weren't trying to win awards, but we did want to make something people would enjoy."[3]

Release[edit]

NBC held a special preview of the film after a San Diego Padres game on September 21, 1979.[4] Oddly enough, the day after the film first aired on television, the Padres hired their announcer Jerry Coleman (who also appeared in the film as the team's announcer) as their new manager.[5] This led to some jokes that the team had meant to hire Gary Coleman.[6][7]

The television movie first aired on Sunday, September 30, 1979.[8]

Reception[edit]

Ratings[edit]

It was the 15th highest-rated prime time show of the week, with a Nielsen rating of 21.4.[9]

Critical reception[edit]

Kevin Thomas of The Los Angelas Times liked it, while finding highly sentimental, he praised the actors and said that Guillaume and Coleman gave winning performances. He also praised director Aldrich capable of making good film films regardless of style and showed range from her previous output which was a darker film, while this one was positive and up lifting.[10]

Tom Shales of The Washington Post did not like it and wrote "Instead of constructing a vehicle designed to display the amazing talents of this youngster while he's at his winning, naturalistic peak, everyone involved elected to make do with a slovenly and underwritten bore."[11]

Accolades[edit]

At a dinner ceremony, Sunday evening, December 7, 1980, Gary Coleman, on behalf of the film, accepted the Image Award for "Best Children's Special or Episode in a Series," at the 13th NAACP Image Awards at the Hollywood Palladium.[12]

Home media[edit]

The film was released on VHS by Vestron Video in 1984.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ (1 October 1979). Picks and Pans Review: The Kid from Left Field, People
  2. ^ (1983-12-01). Spotlight on filming in SD County. Daily Times-Advocate, 52, 56-57.
  3. ^ a b c d Pearlman, Jeff (11 June 2010). Remembering Gary Coleman as The Kid From Left Field, Sports Illustrated
  4. ^ (20 September 1979). Crowd at Ball Game to See Preview of a TV Movie, The New York Times
  5. ^ (2 October 1979). Jerry Coleman to Manage Padres, Lewiston Sun (Associated Press)
  6. ^ Kenney, Kirk & Randy Jones. 100 Things Padres Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die, p. 295 (2016)
  7. ^ Strasberg, Andy. San Diego Baseball Fantography, p. 48 (2014)
  8. ^ Erickson, Hal. The Baseball Filmography, 1915 through 2001, 2d ed., pp. 257-59 (2010)
  9. ^ Brown, Les. (3 October 1979). NBC a Close 2d to ABC in TV Ratings, The New York Times
  10. ^ Thomas, Kevin (September 28, 1979). "'Kid from left field' win in 9th". The Los Angeles Times. pp. Part IV: 34.
  11. ^ Shales, Tom (29 September 1979). James Earl Jones, Sizzling in 'Paris', The Washington Post
  12. ^ "13th Image Awards Named," Los Angeles Times, December 9, 1980 (photo of Gary Coleman accepting award from presenters Danielle Spencer & Kim Fields)
    (accessible via Newspapers.com, part 6, p. 1 & Newspapers.com, part 6, p. 2; subscription required)

External links[edit]

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