Mr. Billion (1977)

Director:

Jonathan Kaplan

Writers:

Ken Friedman (writer)
Jonathan Kaplan (writer)

Release Date:

3 March 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy | Romance | Action

Tagline:

The eyes of the nation are on . . . MR. BILLION!

Plot:

Anthony Falcon is a billionaire. After he dies, he leaves his entire estate to his Italian nephew, Guido Falcone...

Plot Keywords:

Mechanic | Italian | Billionaire | Nephew | Inheritance

Cast

Terence Hill	...	Guido Falcone
Valerie Perrine	...	Rosie Jones
Jackie Gleason	...	John Cutler
Slim Pickens	...	Duane Hawkins
William Redfield	...	Leopold Lacy
Chill Wills	...	Col. Clayton T. Winkle
Dick Miller	...	Bernie
R.G. Armstrong	...	Sheriff T.C. Bishop
Kate Heflin	...	Lucy
Sam Laws	...	Pops Dinwitty
Johnny Ray McGhee	...	Carnell Dinwitty
David S. Cass Sr.	...	Boss Kidnapper (as Dave Cass)
Bob Minor	...	Black Kidnapper
Leo Rossi	...	Italian Kidnapper
Frances Heflin	...	Mrs. Apple Pie
Robert Staats	...	Conductor
Eric Barnes	...	Col. Winkle's Aide
Earl Boen	...	Col. Winkle's Aide
Marvin 'Swede' Johnson	...	Hy Kitchmiller (as Swede Johnson)
Bob Herron	...	Moose the Bodyguard
Neil Summers	...	Deputy Hank
Dan Leegant	...	Bus Clerk (as Dan Lee Gant)
Stephanie Kohl	...	Airline Passenger
Ralph Chesse	...	Anthony Falcon
Helen Bentley	...	Baba Wawa, TV Reporter
Julia Hare	...	Nancy the Newscaster
Marilyn Gleason	...	Make-Up Lady (as Marilyn Taylor)
George W. Cumming	...	Cable Car Conductor
Denver Mattson	...	Deputy Joe
Henry Kingi	...	Indian (as Henry Kinji)
Stan Ritchie	...	Bartender
Clay Braden	...	Airline Stewardess
Walt Davis	...	Chauffeur
James W. Gavin	...	Airline Pilot (as Gavin James)
Aldo Rendine	...	Restaurant Owner
Gianna Dauro	...	Restaurant Owner's Wife
Maurizio Fiori	...	Restaurant Owner's Eldest Child
Massimiliano Filoni	...	Restaurant Owner's Youngest Child
Marco Tulli	...	Translator
Cesare Nizzica	...	Head Mechanic
Victoria George	...	Lady Waiting for Car (as Vicky George)
Polky	...	Dashiell the Dog
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Don Baldaramos	...	Policeman
Frank Barone	...	Casino Manager (uncredited)
Paul Bartel	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Martin Kove	...	Texas Gambler (uncredited)
Will Marchetti	...	Cable Car Driver (uncredited)
Laurence Somma	...	Dealer (uncredited)
Mary Woronov	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Sam Younghans	...	Cellmate (uncredited)

Directed by
Jonathan Kaplan

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ken Friedman		writer
Jonathan Kaplan		writer

Produced by
Steven Bach	....	producer
Ken Friedman	....	producer
Gabriel Katzka	....	executive producer
Sheldon Schrager	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Dave Grusin

Cinematography by
Matthew F. Leonetti

Film Editing by
O. Nicholas Brown

Casting by
Ramsay King
Maurice Pacini

Art Direction by
Richard Berger

Set Decoration by
Sam J. Jones

Costume Design by
Seth Banks		(costumes: men)
Stephanie Colin		(costumes: women)

Makeup Department
Susan Germaine	....	hair stylist
Leo Lotito Jr.	....	makeup artist (as Leo Lotito)

Production Management
Laura Fattori	....	unit manager: Italy
Sheldon Schrager	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Bogart	....	assistant director
James W. Gavin	....	director: aerial sequences (as Jim Gavin)
Nate Long	....	second unit director
Arne Schmidt	....	second assistant director
Victor Tourjansky	....	assistant director: Italy

Art Department
Joe Chevalier	....	set dresser: Italy (as Joe Chavalier)
Jack Iannarelli	....	assistant property master
Wally Oliver	....	property master
Ed Shanley	....	construction coordinator (as Ed Shenley)

Sound Department
Richard I. Birnbaum	....	sound mixer
Darren Knight	....	sound mixer: Italy
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Paul Stewart	....	special effects

Stunts
Walter Scott	....	stunt coordinator
Jerry Brutsche	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nick Dimitri	....	stunts (uncredited)
Henry Kingi	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nate Long	....	stunts (uncredited)
Denver Mattson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Minor	....	stunts (uncredited)
Walter Scott	....	stunts (uncredited)
Melissa Teague	....	stunt double: Valerie Perrine (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Rick Martens	....	gaffer
Wynn Hammer	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bill Jobe	....	wardrobe: Ms. Perrine
Mel Pape	....	wardrobe: Mr. Gleason

Editorial Department
Robert Barrere	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Cliff Kohlweck	....	music editor (as Clifford C. Kohlweck)

Other crew
Alain Chammas	....	special consultant
George Eichen	....	assistant to producers
James William Newport	....	title designer (as Jim Newport)
Susan Rubin	....	assistant to producers (as Susan Robin)
Marshall Schlom	....	script supervisor
Barbara Wassel	....	assistant: Ms. Perrine

Production Companies

• Pantheon Films

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Fox Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Jef Films International (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• DeLuxe Laboratories  color (as DeLuxe)

Also Known As:

The Windfall
Chamem-me Dólares (Portugal) [pt]
El heredero del billón de dólares (Spain) [es]
Miljoonan dollarin perintö (Finland) [fi]
Mister Billion - O kyrios disekatommyrio (Greece) [el]
Mister miliardo (Italy) [it]
Onnen kultapoika (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Iceland:L | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Pantheon Films

Trivia:

Final film of Chill Wills.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: By 1976 San Francisco cable cars no longer went to Presidio Avenue, which is painted on the front, and were no longer operated by the California Street Cable R.R. Company, which is painted on the side panel.

Movie Connections:

Edited into 42nd Street Forever, Volume 2: The Deuce (2006) (V)

A funny road-action pic done right

Mr. Billion is a highly entertaining, fast-moving road action comedy in the "Smokey and the Bandit" style. The basic plot concerns an heir to a billion-dollar fortune, an Italian mechanic and race driver played by Terrence Hill, who must travel to California to claim his inheritance within a certain amount of time. If Terrence's character does not get to the corporate offices in time to claim the inheritance, the entire estate will end up in the hands of the executor, played devilishly by Jackie Gleason. Gleason's character continually directs a concerted effort throughout the film to stop the rightful heir from getting there on time.

Now, forget the plot. As you have probably guessed, the above situation simply sets the stage for the real feature of this movie--the bone-jarring, speed-limit-busting, car-rattling stunts, including a railroad jump stunt you have to see to believe. There's plenty of humor in this movie, too, and all of the players (Hill, Gleason, and Slim Pickens thrown in to boot) really have fun with the script and their characterizations.

To be honest, I first saw this movie on TV when I was about 13, but I often think back on this film and I think I would still enjoy it today (I'm 33 now) if it ever came back on TV. However, a trip to the rental store would probably be too much effort to expend on this film.

In summary, if you like road-action pics, this is an excellent kick-back-and-enjoy movie to spend an evening with.