Cast Of Hoosiers Then And Now? Who Are The Cast Of Hoosiers?
by Hemalatha R | Updated Feb 09, 2023
Hoosiers
The 1986 American sports drama film Hoosiers was directed by David Anspaugh in his feature film debut. It was written by Angelo Pizzo. It depicts the tale of an Indiana high school basketball team from a small town that competes in the state finals. The Milan High School squad that won the state championship in 1954 served as inspiration for some of it. As Norman Dale, a new coach with a murky past, Gene Hackman plays the lead role. Dennis Hopper, who received an Oscar nomination for his performance as the basketball-loving town alcoholic, co-stars with Barbara Hershey in the movie. For his composition, Jerry Goldsmith was also nominated for an Academy Award. Hoosiers was chosen by the Library of Congress in 2001 for inclusion in the United States National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important."
Cast Of Hoosiers Then And Now
Here you can find information about the cast of Hoosiers.
Gene Hackman as Coach Norman Dale
Hackman has had eight Golden Globe nominations, has won four of them, and has been nominated for five Academy Awards. The actor, who is now in his 90s and has retired from acting in 2004, has not stopped living and working. Hackman has written five novels, performs voiceover work for TV commercials, narrates documentaries, and lives a more sedate life in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Although his on-screen presence is missed, he has earned the time off after giving so many memorable performances in less than fifty years.
Barbara Hershey as Myra Fleener
Since the middle of the 1960s, Barbara Hershey has maintained a steady career, working with directors like Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, and Darren Aronofsky, bringing tears to audiences' eyes with films like Beaches, and earning recognition from her peers with an Oscar nomination for 1996's The Portrait of a Lady. She is Coach Dale's most challenging opponent in Hoosiers, but his strategy ultimately succeeds in winning her affection. Being one of the few women in the cast, she didn't seem to really embrace the ethos of the group, declined to participate in any promotions for the movie, and hasn't talked much about it since. She, fortunately, doesn't need to cling to the past because one of her more recent efforts is The Manor, a Blumhouse horror film.
Dennis Hopper as Wilbur 'Shooter' Flatch
Surprisingly, Dennis Hopper received two Academy Award nominations: one for penning Easy Rider and the other for his outstanding supporting performance as Shooter Flatch in Hoosiers, the redeeming town alcoholic with a brilliant basketball intellect. He tormented film forever in the same year by inhaling gas and exhaling lunacy as Frank Booth in David Lynch's Blue Velvet. Hopper portrayed every type of villain, scoundrel, weirdo, everything in between, and everything not in between in everything from Rebel Without a Cause to TV westerns to Apocalypse Now to Speed to his role as King Koopa in the Super Mario Bros. movie. He also experimented with music, painting, photography, drugs, and drink extensively, which lent authenticity to the characters he played who also used drugs and alcohol. After a fight with prostate cancer, he passed away in 2010, but there is still life after death: The Other Side of the Wind, an unfinished Orson Welles movie, was finally finished in 2018, allowing Dennis to shine on screens for one more time.
Sheb Wooley as Cletus Summers
The achievements and contributions to society's delight made by Sheb Wooley will endure over time. In June 1958, he helped it reach the top of the Billboard charts. What about the Wilhelm scream, a well-known Hollywood inside joke and lucky charm that has appeared in several movies including those in the Star Wars and Indiana Jones series, Lord of the Rings, Disney cartoons, and countless others? It is strongly suspected that he produced the famed howl while recording additional background and audio sound effects for the 1951 film Distant Drums, in which he had an uncredited role. Sheb had a consistent career in both audio and visual arts, proving that he wasn't a one-hit-wonder. In Hoosiers, he played Coach Dale's friend who always gave him a second chance. This turned out to be one of his final roles. His role in the 1988 film Purple People Eater, which was based on his hit song, also fit the bill. Wooley was given a leukemia diagnosis in 1996, continued to perform live music until 1999, and died in 2003.
Maris Valainis as Jimmy Chitwood
Every young person fantasizes about making a game-winning shot. Jimmy Chitwood accomplished this and rose to prominence as one of cinema's greatest sports heroes. Maris Valainis, who played the hesitant and meek Chitwood, brought the ideal soul to the role with a gentle, reserved touch. Ironically, the Hollywood legend failed three times at trying out for his high school squad. Coach Hackman encouraged Valainis to continue acting, and he did so. Valainis appeared in three TV movies, including one in which he played Liberace's lover, and he finished his career in 1989 with a prominent role in the star-studded film Casualties of War. Before beginning his current career as a building consultant, he continued to live in the West and managed golf courses. He now runs his own business in Costa Mesa, California, called AKV Consulting.
David Neidorf as Everett Flatch
David Neidorf, the lone Hoosier who wasn't actually from Indiana, added the light of his home city of Los Angeles to his gloomy portrayal as the ashamed son of an alcoholic. Despite the considerable burden of living in Shooter's shadow, David gave his all to the character of Everett. After that, he began his career, co-starring in a variety of noteworthy movies like Born on the Fourth of July, Empire of the Sun, Bull Durham, and Platoon. He signed his final contract in 1995, permanently departed Hollywood, and went on to become a successful poker player. He founded Full House Consulting, Inc., his own property management business, in 2008. He and his family reside in the dream home that his architect wife Pauline Lyders created for them in Bend, Oregon.
Brad Long as Buddy Walker
Brad Long, the oldest team member in the cast, was 23 years old. When he was cast as Buddy, the player who is dismissed from the squad and then mysteriously reappears on the roster later in the movie, he had recently earned his degree from Southwestern College. Buddy, as long remembered, "was a leader, cocky, and the finest defensive player on the team. My teammates would agree that defense wasn't my strong suit and that I wasn't the kind to argue with a coach or speak off. Therefore, it was fun to portray a role that wasn't mine—sort of the renegade type. Long, who works as a sales representative for Jostens, enjoys talking about the movie and his upbeat, religious attitude on life, much as he has done for more than 300 captive audiences as a motivational speaker.
Steve Hollar as Rade Butcher
Baller Steve Hollar is. He contributed 12 points to the 1984 Indiana State Basketball Championship victory of his high school Warsaw Tigers team before sitting on the bench for two seasons at DePauw University. He joined the Hoosiers team as the aggressive Rade Butcher while still in college. He received a meagre salary for the part, but because he was paid while still enrolled in school, it was against NCAA regulations. As a result, he and some other college athletes who appeared in the movie were punished for three games and were required to repay their salaries. While Steve did bounce back with two more film parts, he eventually made the switch to a reputable career in teeth management and now has his own dentist office in Warsaw, his birthplace.
Brad Boyle as Whit Butcher
In Decatur, Indiana, Brad Boyle and David Anspaugh both participated on the same high school basketball team. In 1984, Boyle even guided his team to the state semifinals. At the time of his audition for the movie, he was a member of the Indiana National Guard, and he claimed that because he "already had the butch haircut," he looked the part. Dan, his brother, tried out for the movie as well, but he was rejected. After leaving Indiana, he attended Ball State, David Letterman's alma mater, before enlisting in the US Army to study medicine. He is still a part of the Indiana National Guard's 76th Brigade and has even provided aid to individuals in need in Afghanistan. He now lives and works as a physician assistant in family medicine in Decatur.
Wade Schenck as Ollie McLellan
Wade Schenck, a country boy from an 800-person Indiana hamlet, was ideal for the role of the apologetic benchwarmer Ollie. Schenck was genuinely strong at hoops and had to tone down his game to fit the screenplay, in contrast to his on-screen image, which included his overly-nervous underhanded free throw shoots. He went to Indiana State University once the shooting was finished, where he earned a degree in Business Administration and Management. He currently works for Koehler Welding in Madison, Indiana, as an Account Manager.
Kent Poole as Merle Webb
Kent Poole was a real Hoosier, a farmer, and a cager, just like Wade Schenck. He and the Western Boone High School team reached the state semifinals in 1982. He was cast as Merle Webb, who delivered the movie's pivotal phrase, "Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here," thanks to his talent. Two years later, Poole landed his next job with a small role in filmmaker Anspaugh's 1988 action film Fresh Horses, which also starred Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Ben Stiller, and Viggo Mortensen. He never made it to Hollywood, and neither did his life, as he committed suicide in 2003 at the age of 39. For the Small Schools, a short documentary about Poole and his sadness was produced by Brad Long's son Landry.
Scott Summers as Strap Purl
Cyclops from the X-Men is Scott Summers' alter ego, but it was a separate character. For the Huskers, Scott Summers portrayed the godly basketball superhero Strap. Coach Dale's tough and stern demeanor always seemed to be able to be chipped away by Scott Summers of the Hoosiers, who delivered a knowing, deep smile. With the exception of one cast reunion in 2017 that included every surviving member of the squad, he has since faded from the spotlight after graduating from high school and enrolling at Taylor University to study business. The father of two reportedly works as a contractor these days, resides in Zionsville, Indiana, and may or may not have a mustache.
Fern Persons as Opal Fleener
It's uncommon to show up in one of the greatest sports movies ever, but what about two of them? When Fern Persons co-starred as Kevin Costner's mother-in-law in the baseball classic Field of Dreams, she accomplished exactly that. Persons, who was 75 years old at the time of filming, had a vibrant life both before and after Hoosiers, working well into her late nineties. In the 1950s, she hosted a local Chicago kitchen and home television programme, but she didn't truly start acting again until her husband passed away in 1971. She returned to "school" in 1983, acting as a headmistress in Class and a lab teacher in Risky Business. She agreed to work on Hoosiers for less money in exchange for a more prominent credit position. She was only retired for two years and died in 2012 at the age of 101.
Chelcie Ross as George Walker
Since the early 1980s, Chelcie Ross has been a live-action performer with a visage you won't soon forget. In 1989's Major League, he played the clumsy old pitcher Eddie Harris, in which he made the immortal comment, "Up yours, Jobu." Additionally, he appeared in several sports movies, including Trouble with the Curve, Basic Instinct, Richie Rich, A Simple Plan, and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. He even collaborated once again with the Hoosiers director and writing team for Rudy, the sequel to that film, playing Dan Divine, the head coach of Notre Dame. Another Indiana cinema institution in its own right is Rudy. Ross has demonstrated that he is still in charge thanks to his six-episode run on Mad Men and current work on Showtime's Billions.
Robert Swan as Rollin
You won't believe how multi-talented the man himself is, having worked as an actor, poet, real estate mogul, and opera singer. Robert "Bob" Swan's Rollin was one of the few townspeople to give Coach Dale an early chance and believe in him. He made iconic roles that scream "that guy" as an actor, including a mountie in The Untouchables, Ruth's father in The Babe, a bloodied deputy in Natural Born Killers, a detective in Who's That Girl, a bartender in Backdraft, and a priest beside Chelcie Ross in Rudy. He has spent the last ten years out of commission due to a terrible automobile accident and other health issues, but he has continued to be active by performing with his own opera company and working with the Acorn Theater in Three Oaks, Michigan.
Michael O'Guinne as Rooster
You won't believe how multi-talented the man himself is, having worked as an actor, poet, real estate mogul, and opera singer. Robert "Bob" Swan's Rollin was one of the few townspeople to give Coach Dale an early chance and believe in him. He made iconic roles that scream "that guy" as an actor, including a mountie in The Untouchables, Ruth's father in The Babe, a bloodied deputy in Natural Born Killers, a detective in Who's That Girl, a bartender in Backdraft, and a priest beside Chelcie Ross in Rudy. He has spent the last ten years out of commission due to a terrible automobile accident and other health issues, but he has continued to be active by performing with his own opera company and working with the Acorn Theater in Three Oaks, Michigan.
Wil DeWitt as Reverend Vernon Doty
Wil DeWitt's role as Husker town and team chaplain Reverend Vernon Doty was his only appearance on a major motion picture, although according to his 2003 obituary, he also appeared in plays and commercials and worked as a news announcer, producer, and director for radio and television. He was also the owner of Master Jack, a home repair business.
Michael Sassone as Preacher Purl
Michael Sassone, a devout Christian both on and off the court, gave a friendly smile to his breakthrough movie role as a preacher, bus driver, and father in Husker Strap. Sassone is primarily a stage performer who has appeared in plays with Chicago's renowned Steppenwolf Theatre as well as in small-town regional theatre. He has also made appearances in historical dramas from Hollywood like Public Enemies and Road to Perdition, and like Chelcie Ross and Bob Swan, he also got a role in Rudy. His final known acting role was in the 2015 movie Uncle John.
The Hoosier Gym as the Hickory Huskers' Gym
The Hickory Huskers' home court is one of the movie's unsung heroes. Zooming in on a team portrait displayed proudly in the gym, it's where the impossibility of the dream starts and the movie comes to a close. The Knightstown, Indiana facility was constructed in 1921 and provided the neighborhood with a space for community gatherings as well as a court for young basketball players for 45 years. After a new high school gym was constructed next by, it saw minimal use and eventually decommissioned in 1966. All of that changed in the fall of 1985 when Hoosiers was filmed there and the gym functioned as the home court location. The Hoosier Gym was about to be demolished, but thanks to the movie's popularity and enduring appeal, it was spared, and it is now home to over 80 basketball contests each year as well as a museum dedicated to the film and everything Indiana. The 60,000 tourists that flocked to Knightstown every year to fulfill their own hoop dreams have decreased as a result of the pandemic, but they have continued to thrive thanks to volunteers, donations, and merchandise sales.
Cast Of Hoosiers
Here, the below table contains the list of cast of Hoosiers.
Name
Character
Gene Hackman
Norman Dale
Barbara Hershey
Myra Fleener
Dennis Hopper
Shooter Flatch
Sheb Wooley
Cletus Summers
Maris Valainis
Jimmy Chitwood
David Neidorf
Everett Flatch
Brad Long
Buddy Walker
Steve Hollar
Rade Butcher
Brad Boyle
Whit Butcher
Wade Schenck
Ollie McLellan
Kent Poole
Merle Webb
Scott Summers
Strap Purl
Fern Persons
Opal Fleener
Michael Sassone
Preacher Purl
Gloria Dorson
Millie
Hilliard Gates
Radio Announcer
Michael O'Guinne
Rooster
Wil Dewitt
Reverend Doty
John Robert Thompson
Sheriff Finley
Cast Of Hoosiers Then And Now - FAQs
The film is very loosely based on "The Milan Miracle," the story of the 1954 Milan High School basketball team, which won the state championship on a last-second shot by Bobby Plump. Milan also made it to the state championship game in 1953.
Brad Boyle as Whit Butcher
No. In the film, Coach Norman Dale is hired to replace a well-liked Coach who dies. The team's star player, Jimmy Chitwood, refuses to play for part of the season because he's so upset.
None of the players had any acting experience. Long, who played at Center Grove and at Southwestern College (Kan.), said there were numerous practical jokes among the players between scenes.
There was once a contractor named Hoosier employed on the Louisville and Portland Canal who preferred to hire laborers from Indiana. They were called "Hoosier's men" and eventually all Indianans were called Hoosiers.