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Frank McRae had his first co-starring role and his first poster credit in Robert Zemeckis' 1980 comedy USED CARS. In the film, when the owner of a struggling used car lot (Jack Warden) is killed, it's up to the lot's hot-shot salesman—“Rudy Russo” (Kurt Russell), “Jeff” (Gerrit Graham), and “Jim the Mechanic” (McRae)—to save the property from falling into the hands of the owner's ruthless brother and used-car rival (also Jack Warden).
Gerrit Graham, Kurt Russell, and Frank McRae in USED CARS
Frank McRae's character, Jim the Mechanic, is loosely based on a weird garage mechanic who writers Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale encountered on a road trip. Ernest Gold's score for the film was rejected and replaced with one by Patrick Williams. Both scores were released on a 2012 La-La Land CD.
Gene Blakely and Frank McRae in USED CARS
Columbia Pictures spent $6 million to produce the film and laid down another $3 million in advertising and promotion. The film was a box office disappointment, with a domestic gross of $11.7 million.
CBS commissioned a pilot for a half-hour sitcom called “Used Cars,” but the show wasn’t picked up by the network. The pilot featured Frank McRae reprising his character of “Jim” from the film. The show also starred Fred McCarren, Clayton Landey, and Deborah Harmon as a young woman who inherits a used car lot and tries to keep it reputable and honest.
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Posted: |
Aug 5, 2021 - 11:58 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Frank McRae appeared as “Police Chief Haden” in the 1982 cop buddy action-comedy 48 HRS.. In the film, Sonny Landham played "Billy Bear," a Native American man who helps one of a group of work detail prisoners, "Albert Ganz" (James Remar), escape, shooting two officers in the process. Police officer "Jack Cates" (Nick Nolte) paroles one of Ganz's former gang members, "Reggie Hammond" (Eddie Murphy), for 48 hours to help him track the pair down.
Walter Hill (HARD TIMES) directed the film. James Horner's score for the film was released by Intrada in 2011. The $10 million film was a smash hit, coming in at #7 at the U.S. box office, with a gross of $78.9 million.
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RED DAWN posits the beginning of World War III. In mid-western America, a group of teenagers band together to defend their town, and their country, from invading Soviet forces. Powers Boothe plays "Lieutenant Colonel Andy Tanner," a downed American fighter pilot, who is found by "Erica" (Lea Thompson). He joins the group, which is led by "Jed" (Patrick Swayze). Charlie Sheen had his first major part in the film, as "Matt," Jed's brother. Frank McRae had a co-starring role as “Mr. Teasdale,” a history teacher at Calumet High School in Colorado.
Frank McRae in RED DAWN
John Milius directed the 1984 film. Basil Poledouris' score was the first LP release by Intrada, who issued an expanded CD in 2007. The $16 million film ended up in the top 25 films of the year at the American box office, with a $38.4 million gross.
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Posted: |
Aug 6, 2021 - 11:40 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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*BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED is set in New York City’s East Village, where many blocks of a run-down neighborhood are being demolished to build Lacey Plaza, a high-rise office tower and sports complex. However, residents of one four-story apartment building refuse to move out, despite the developer’s offer to pay them to relocate. Elderly couple “Frank” (Hume Cronyn) and “Faye Riley” (Jessica Tandy), who run the diner on the ground floor and live on the second floor, have been in the building fifty years and cannot imagine any place else as home. Other tenants include starving artist “Mason Baylor” (Dennis Boutsikaris), pregnant “Marisa Esteval” (Elizabeth Peña), and retired boxer “Harry Noble” (Frank McRae). But the tenants are about to get some “outside” help in their battle against the ruthless land developer who's out to evict them.
Jessica Tandy, Frank McRae, Elizabeth Peña, Hume Cronyn, and Dennis Boutsikaris in *BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED
The idea for the film was originally conceived as an episode of the science-fiction, horror, and fantasy television anthology series, “Amazing Stories” (NBC, 29 Sep 1985—10 Apr 1987), which was created by Steven Spielberg and produced by his Amblin Entertainment. Spielberg liked the idea so much, he decided to make it a theatrical release.
Matthew Robbins directed and co-wrote the 1987 film. James Horner’s score was released by MCA Records. Intrada released an expanded edition in 2018. The effects-heavy film cost $25 million to produce and returned a disappointing $33 million at the American box office. Foreign receipts brought the worldwide gross up to $65 million.
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Posted: |
Aug 7, 2021 - 11:23 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In FAREWELL TO THE KING, soldier “Captain Nigel Fairbourne” (Nigel Havers), is parachuted into Borneo in early 1945 along with a sergeant, “Tenga” (Frank McRae), who’s African, under assignment to organize the mountain tribes into a guerrilla force to help kick out the Japanese. He finds that many of the tribes have already been united under a king, and more fantastically, the king is a former American Navy sailor named “Learoyd” (Nick Nolte). Shipwrecked on Borneo after fleeing the fall of the Philippines with some other sailors who were then killed by Japanese patrols under a colonel who rides a signature white horse, Learoyd struggled through the jungle and was found near death by villagers. They were fascinated by the totemic dragon tattoo on his chest and spared his life. Eventually, Learoyd grew strong again and learned the local dialect, as prelude to his challenging for supremacy over the tribe that adopted him.
Frank McRae (center-left) and Nick Nolte (center-right) in FAREWELL TO THE KING
John Milius wrote and directed this 1989 adventure film. Basil Poledouris’ score was released by Varese Sarabande. Prometheus released an expanded edition in 2006. The $16 million production was a disaster at the box office, with a $2.4 million U.S. gross.
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Posted: |
Aug 11, 2021 - 12:32 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In LAST ACTION HERO, “Danny Madigan” (Austin O’Brien) is a kid living with his widowed mom (Mercedes Ruehl) in the dingiest, most crime-challenged part of New York City. He escapes by watching “Jack Slater” movies, which star Arnold Schwarzenegger, and gets to see the new one when “Nick” the projectionist (Robert Prosky) gives him a ticket that once belonged to Harry Houdini. This ticket allows Danny to enter the world of Slater, where he meets his talking cat “Whiskers” (Danny Devito) and wonders about his friend “John Practice” (F. Murray Abraham), who Danny instantly doesn’t trust because he was also Salieri, the man who killed Mozart in AMADEUS.
Of course, because this is a movie, Slater’s supervisor “Dekker” (Frank McRae) assigns Danny as the supercop’s new partner and sends them after mobster “Tony Vivaldi” (Anthony Quinn).
Frank McRae in LAST ACTION HERO
John McTiernan directed this 1993 adventure fantasy. The film’s budget and performance at the box office became a subject of heated debate: Columbia released a final production cost of $47.5 million, but various sources speculated figures ranging from $77--$82.5 million. One current estimate runs to $85 million. An article published in the 28 February 1994 issue of the New Yorker claimed the film’s high production and marketing costs left Sony with an “unrecouped balance” of more than $124 million. This figure, taken from an internal profit-and-loss statement from the studio, did not account for home video release or foreign sales, but both Columbia and Sony stated that the sum was “ludicrous and false.” Current estimates of the film’s worldwide gross are in the range of $137 million. Columbia Records released separate albums of the film’s songs and Michael Kamen’s score.
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Posted: |
Aug 11, 2021 - 11:38 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Since 2003, the Hallmark Channel has been producing a series of Christian-themed films called the “Love Comes Softly Saga,” based upon a series of books by Janette Oke. The films include “Love Comes Softly” (2003), “Love's Enduring Promise” (2004), “Love’s Long Journey” (2005). “Love's Abiding Joy” (2006), “Love's Unending Legacy” (2007), “Love's Unfolding Dream” (2007), “Love Takes Wing” (2009), “Love Finds a Home” (2009), and “Love's Christmas Journey” (2011), as well as the 2011 prequels, “Love Begins” and “Love's Everlasting Courage.” The films are set on the American prairie of the 19th century.
Frank McRae’s final acting roles were in two of these films—LOVE’S LONG JOURNEY (2005) and LOVE’S ABIDING JOY (2006). McRae played ranch hand “Cookie” in the films.
William Morgan Sheppard and Frank McRae in LOVE’S LONG JOURNEY
Frank McRae and Dale Midkiff in LOVE’S ABIDING JOY
Both films were directed by Michael Landon, Jr., whose father had produced and starred in the television series “Little House on the Prairie.” Kevin Kiner scored the films.
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