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The Kid from Left Field (1979 film)
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Wikipedia article
'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
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 October 1979). [http://people.com/archive/picks-and-pans-review-the-kid-from-left-field-vol-12-no-14/ Picks and Pans Review: The Kid from Left Field], 'People'
Primary Cast
* Gary Coleman - Jackie Robinson "J.R." Cooper
* Robert Guillaume - Larry Cooper
* Gary Collins - Pete Sloane
* Ed McMahon - Fred Walker
* Tricia O'Neil - Marion Fowler
* Tab Hunter - Bill Lorant
Reception
A vehicle for NBC to try to enhance Coleman's growing stardom from the sitcom 'Diff'rent Strokes', the television movie first aired on Sunday, September 30, 1979. It was the 15th highest-rated prime time show of the week, with a Nielsen rating of 21.4.Brown, Les. (3 October 1979). [https://www.nytimes.com/1979/10/03/archives/nbc-a-close-2d-to-abc-in-tv-ratings-fight-carries-friday-night.html?_r=0 NBC a Close 2d to ABC in TV Ratings], 'The New York Times' Critics, however, did not love the film, which was plainly directed at younger viewers. Tom Shales of 'The Washington Post' wrote "there is no point in listing the credits ... because no credit is due."Pearlman, Jeff (11 June 2010). [https://www.si.com/more-sports/2010/06/11/coleman Remembering Gary Coleman as The Kid From Left Field], 'Sports Illustrated'Shales, Tom (29 September 1979). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1979/09/29/james-earl-jones-sizzling-in-paris/24c58a5a-9920-4eea-935c-2a96adce316c/ James Earl Jones, Sizzling in 'Paris'], 'The Washington Post' After Coleman died in 2010 and Jeff Pearlman wrote a tribute to the film in 'Sports Illustrated', director Adell Aldrich commented "we weren't trying to win awards, but we did want to make something people would enjoy." Vince Edwards had originally been picked to direct, but quit after two days because he didn't want to work with children.Erickson, Hal. [https://books.google.com/books?id=qZg-CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA257 The Baseball Filmography, 1915 through 2001, 2d ed.], pp. 257-59 (2010)
NBC held a special preview of the film after a San Diego Padres game on September 21, 1979.(20 September 1979). [https://www.nytimes.com/1979/09/20/archives/briefs-on-the-arts-russianborn-american-wins-kreisler-violin-prize.html Crowd at Ball Game to See Preview of a TV Movie], 'The New York Times' 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.(2 October 1979). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1928&dat=19791002&id=kWEgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xWUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3608,274884 Jerry Coleman to Manage Padres], 'Lewiston Sun' (Associated Press) This led to some jokes that the team had meant to hire Gary Coleman.Kenney, Kirk & Randy Jones. [https://books.google.com/books?id=mksHDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT295&lpg=PT295#v=onepage&q&f=false 100 Things Padres Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die], p. 295 (2016)Strasberg, Andy. [https://books.google.com/books?id=hf9kAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA48&lpg=#v=onepage&q&f=false San Diego Baseball Fantography], p. 48 (2014)
Award
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.Home media
The film was released on VHS by Vestron Video in 1984. It has not been released on DVD.
References
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