The World's Greatest Athlete
1973 film by Robert Scheerer
The World's Greatest Athlete is a 1973 American film released by Walt Disney Productions. It starred John Amos, Roscoe Lee Browne, Tim Conway, Dayle Haddon, and Jan-Michael Vincent. It is one of the few wide-release Hollywood sports films to look at the world of track and field, as the "World's Greatest Athlete", Nanu, played by Vincent, tries to make history by winning every event at the NCAA Track & Field Championship.
- Directed by Robert Scheerer. Produced by Bill Walsh. Written by Dee Caruso and Gerald Gardner.
From the Jungle to the Gym...He's the Greatest! (taglines)
Dialogue
edit- [Nanu is smitten on meeting Jane]
- Nanu: Me Nanu. You Jane.
- Milo Jackson: Now that doesn't sound quite right...
- Gazenga: My country is currently investing to attract more Doctors.
- Interviewer: In research facilities?
- Gazenga: No, Golf Courses.
- Jane Douglas: [tutoring Nanu in biology, Jane has him hold her hand] Your brain signaled the muscles in your hand to contract in order to hold my hand. Is that clear?
- Nanu: Nanu understand.
- Jane Douglas: Now when... [pause] You can stop holding my hand.
- Nanu: Nanu's brain is still signaling.
- Gazenga: The Innocent Man will live, the Guilty one will die.
- [Both the accused drink the potion in turn. The one on the left retches and dies. Then the other one retches and dies too]
- Coach Sam Archer: I guess they were both guilty...
Taglines
edit- From the Jungle to the Gym...He's the Greatest!
- He's a winner...he's a swinger...he's DYNAMITE!
Cast
edit- John Amos as Coach Sam Archer
- Tim Conway as Milo Jackson
- Jan-Michael Vincent as Nanu
- Roscoe Lee Browne as Gazenga
- Dayle Haddon as Jane
- Billy De Wolfe as Dean Maxwell
- Nancy Walker as Mrs. Petersen
- Danny Goldman as Leopold Maxwell
- Don Pedro Colley as Morumba
- Vito Scotti as Games spectator
- Liam Dunn as Dr. Winslow
- Ivor Francis as Dean Bellamy
- Leon Askin as Dr. Gottlieb
- Joe Kapp as Announcer Buzzer Kozak
- Clarence Muse as Gazenga's Assistant
- Virginia Capers as Native Woman
- Philip Ahn as Old Chinaman
- John Lupton as Race Starter
- Sarah Selby as Woman on Safari
- Russ Conway as Judge with Stopwatch
- Al Checco as Dr. Checco
- Dick Wilson as Drunk in bar
