The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh

The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh is a 1979 American sports/fantasy comedy film directed by Gilbert Moses and coproduced by David Dashev and Gary Stromberg. It was produced by Lorimar and distributed by United Artists.

The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
Directed byGilbert Moses
Screenplay byJaison Starkes
Edmond Stevens
Story byDavid Dashev
Gary Stromberg
Produced byDavid Dashev
Gary Stromberg
StarringJulius Erving
Jonathan Winters
Meadowlark Lemon
Jack Kehoe
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Margaret Avery
James Bond III
Michael V. Gazzo
Peter Isacksen
Nicholas Pryor
M. Emmet Walsh
Stockard Channing
Flip Wilson
CinematographyFrank Stanley
Edited byFrank Mazzola
Peter Zinner
Music byThom Bell
Production
company
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • November 6, 1979 (1979-11-06)
Running time
102 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The film was shot on location in Pittsburgh and at Pittsburgh's Civic Arena, as well as in suburban Moon Township, Pennsylvania.

The film has attracted a cult following, most notably for its disco-inspired setting and soundtrack, as well as the appearances of many NBA stars (including lead actor Julius Erving) and early roles for Debbie Allen, Stockard Channing and Harry Shearer. The film also contains a cameo by longtime Pittsburgh mayor Richard Caliguiri.

Plot

The Pittsburgh Pythons are a struggling professional basketball team whose continuous losing streak and lack of talent has made them the laughing stock of the city. Several players ask to be traded to other teams because of the bad publicity and the presence of difficult but highly paid star player Moses Guthrie.

Believing that the team needs a miracle, ballboy Tyrone Millman turns to astrology to improve the team's fortunes. He brings his idea to astrologer Mona Mondieu, and they devise the perfect concept: a team composed entirely of players born under Guthrie's astrological sign of Pisces. The team is reborn as the Pittsburgh Pisces.

Although Tyrone's sister and Guthrie think that the idea is absurd, they ultimately embrace the concept. The plan succeeds because of the new team's eccentric skills, teamwork and Mona's astrological readings, culminating in a championship opportunity.

Cast

As themselves

Basketball teams

Los Angeles:

New York:

Boston:

Detroit:

Production

Singer/actress Cher was originally cast as Mona Mondieu, but she withdrew at the last minute. Singer/actress Dee Dee Bridgewater, who plays Brandy, previously won a Tony Award for her role as Glinda in The Wiz on Broadway also under the direction of Gilbert Moses, whom she later married.

The Spinners recorded two songs for the film.[1] Actress/choreographer Debbie Allen and athlete Norm Nixon, who married in 1984, both appear in the film.

Despite popular belief, Julius Erving's character's name of Moses was not chosen in reference to teammate Moses Malone, as Erving and Malone would not become teammates until four years later.[2]

Novelization

A novelization written by Richard Woodley, based upon an early draft of the screenplay by Jaison Starkes and Edmond Stevens, was released in 1979. The novel differs in several respects from the film. In the film, the Pisces win every game, but in the novel, the team loses twice. The novel describes a group of people in wheelchairs causing havoc at a Pisces game, a scene that appears in the film's preview trailer but not in the final release.

Home media

In 2010, Warner Bros. Home Video released the film on DVD and digital download as part of its Warner Archive Collection.[3]

See also

References
  1. Billboard - Nov 10, 1979 Vol. 91, No. 45 "The Spinners recently reteamed with producer Thorn Bell to do two songs for his upcoming film score to "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh." The group sings "Do It Cause No One Does It Better," a mid-tempo tune which may be a single, and ."
  2. "Today in Philly Sports History: The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, 1979".
  3. "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh" (Warner Archive Collection)
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