1977  Opening Night

John Cassavetes' Opening Night stars Gena Rowlands (Mrs. Cassavetes) as end-of-tether Broadway actress Myrtle Gordon. She is about to open in a play written by her old friend Sarah Goode (Joan Blondell), but a series of pre-show setbacks and disasters threaten to destroy not only the production but Myrtle's sanity. The actress is especially rattled when one of her staunchest fans dies in an accident. In the face of bleak reality, just how important is the old "show must go on" ethic? Supporting Gena Rowlands are such veterans of the New York-Hollywood shuttle as Ben Gazzara, Zohra Lampert, Paul Stewart, James Karen, and several friends and relatives of the principals. (Synopsis courtesy of AllMovie.com)

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Cast Gena Rowlands ... Myrtle Gordon John Cassavetes ... Maurice Aarons Ben Gazzara ... Manny Victor Joan Blondell ... Sarah Goode Paul Stewart ... David Samuels Zohra Lampert ... Dorothy Victor Laura Johnson ... Nancy Stein John Tuell ... Gus Simmons Ray Powers ... Jimmy John Finnegan ... Prop man Louise Lewis ... Kelly (as Louise Finch) Fred Draper ... Leo Katherine Cassavetes ... Vivian Lady Rowlands ... Melva Drake Carol Warren ... Carla Briana Carver ... Iena Angelo Grisanti ... Charlie Spikes Meade Roberts ... Eddie Stein Eleanor Zee ... Sylvia Stein David Rowlands ... Doorman Sharon Van Ivan ... Shirley Jimmy Christie ... Newsstand Operator James Karen ... Bellboy Jimmy Joyce ... Bartender Sherry Bain ... Barmaid Sylvia Davis Shaw ... Hotel Maid Peter Lampert ... Maitre d' Barbara Perry Josh Becker ... Himself (Extra) (uncredited) Peter Bogdanovich ... Cameo appearance (uncredited) Seymour Cassel ... Cameo appearance (uncredited) Peter Falk ... Cameo appearance (uncredited) Jana Howard ... Young Girl (uncredited) William Kramer ... Rabbi (uncredited) Robert Leader ... Larry Stein (uncredited) Robert von Dassanowsky ... Audience member (uncredited) Release Dates USA 22 December 1977 (Los Angeles, California) West Germany February 1978 Sweden 17 April 1978 Finland 26 January 1979 Italy 2 February 1979 Hungary 17 May 1979 Portugal 25 June 1993 Argentina 11 April 2000 Czech Republic 5 July 2004 Greece 22 September 2004 UK 15 June 2007 (re-release)

Directed by John Cassavetes Writing credits John Cassavetes Produced by Michael Lally .... associate producer (as Michael Lally) Al Ruban .... producer Sam Shaw .... executive producer Original Music by Bo Harwood Cinematography by Al Ruban Film Editing by Tom Cornwell Casting by Prometheus Patient Production Design by Bryan Ryman Art Direction by Brian Ryman Costume Design by Alexandra Corwin-Hankin Production Management Edward Ledding .... production manager (as Ted Lenning) Foster H. Phinney .... production manager Second Unit Director or Assistant Director Lisa Hallas-Gottlieb .... second assistant director (as Lisa Hallas) Art Department Verna Bagby .... chief set construction Richard Uper .... graphic artist Robert Vehon .... property master Abraham Zwick .... set construction assistant Sound Department Crew Chamberlain .... boom operator Bo Harwood .... sound Joanne T. Harwood .... sound assistant Bill Varney .... sound mixer Joe Woo Jr. .... sound editor Special Effects by Jaime Fernandez .... rainmaker (uncredited) Conrad Rothmann .... special effects crew (uncredited) Stunts Donna Garrett .... stunts Victor Paul .... stunt driver Charlie Picerni .... stunt driver (as Charles Picerni) Camera and Electrical Department Pat Don Aroma .... best boy Larry Baughman .... best boy Catherine E. Coulson .... assistant camera Donne Daniels .... gaffer Larry Dean .... best boy Frederick Elmes .... camera operator Michael Ferris .... camera operator Emmett O'Connell .... best boy Joseph L. Rezwin .... gaffer Son Robinson .... gaffer Richard Ross .... gaffer Jed Skillman .... assistant camera Richard Uper .... still photographer Dave Walker .... best boy R. Michael Stringer .... additional photographer (uncredited) Costume and Wardrobe Department Charles Akins .... wardrober Miles Ciletti .... wardrober Editorial Department Kathleen Barker .... post-production Kent Beyda .... assistant editor Hal Bowers .... assistant editor Music Department Lee Houskeeper .... musical consultant Booker T. Jones .... conductor Booker T. Jones .... music arranger Booker T. Jones .... musical director Other crew Robert Bogdanoff .... production assistant Esme Chandlee .... publicist Tom Cornwell .... script supervisor Arlene Harris .... production secretary Michelle Hart .... production secretary Susan Howell .... production accountant Jack Krupnick .... location manager Adria Later .... teacher/welfare worker Eve Siegel .... publicist Teresa Stokovic .... production coordinator Sharon Van Ivan .... assistant to producer Raymond Vellucci .... production assistant Rick Schmidlin .... production assistant (uncredited) Rick Schmidlin .... production runner (uncredited) Thanks Harland Sanders .... thanks (as Colonel Sanders)