The Bad News Bears Go to Japan
Encyclopedia
The Bad News Bears Go to Japan (also known as The Bad News Bears 3) is a 1978 film release by Paramount Pictures
and was the sequel to The Bad News Bears and the sequel to The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
. It stars Tony Curtis
, Jackie Earle Haley
, and Regis Philbin
. This film was followed by the 1979 CBS
-TV series, and the 2005 remake of the 1976 film.
in their match against the country's best little league baseball team.
As implied in Breaking Training, the Bears had to defeat the Houston Toros for a shot at the Japanese champs. In the process, the trip sparks off a series of adventures and mishaps for the boys. A subplot involves Kelly Leak's interest in a local Japanese girl, and the cultural divide that comes to bear in that relationship.
About half of the original or "classic" lineup of Bears players return (players Jose Agilar, Alfred Ogilvie, Timmy Lupus and Tanner Boyle are not featured). Three new players are featured: E.R.W. Tillyard III, Abe Bernstein and Ahmad's younger brother, Mustapha Rahim.
Other cast members listed alphabetically:
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
and was the sequel to The Bad News Bears and the sequel to The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training is the 1977 sequel to the feature film The Bad News Bears.This film picks up the Bears' career a year after their infamous second-place finish in the North Valley League. However, after winning this year, they are left reeling by the departure of Buttermaker...
. It stars Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama...
, Jackie Earle Haley
Jackie Earle Haley
Jackie Earle Haley is an American film actor. Establishing himself from child actor to adult Academy Award-nominee, he is perhaps best known for his roles as Moocher in Breaking Away, Kelly Leak in The Bad News Bears, pedophile Ronnie McGorvey in Little Children, the vigilante Rorschach in...
, and Regis Philbin
Regis Philbin
Regis Francis Xavier Philbin is an American media personality, actor and singer, known for hosting talk and game shows since the 1960s. Philbin is often called "the hardest working man in show business" and holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera...
. This film was followed by the 1979 CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
-TV series, and the 2005 remake of the 1976 film.
Plot
Small-time promoter/hustler Marvin Lazar (Tony Curtis) sees a potential money-making venture in the Bears that will help him to pay off his debts. After seeing a TV spot about the Bears, he decides to chaperone the baseball team for a trip to JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in their match against the country's best little league baseball team.
As implied in Breaking Training, the Bears had to defeat the Houston Toros for a shot at the Japanese champs. In the process, the trip sparks off a series of adventures and mishaps for the boys. A subplot involves Kelly Leak's interest in a local Japanese girl, and the cultural divide that comes to bear in that relationship.
About half of the original or "classic" lineup of Bears players return (players Jose Agilar, Alfred Ogilvie, Timmy Lupus and Tanner Boyle are not featured). Three new players are featured: E.R.W. Tillyard III, Abe Bernstein and Ahmad's younger brother, Mustapha Rahim.
Cast
- Tony CurtisTony CurtisTony Curtis was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama...
... Marvin Lazar - Jackie Earle HaleyJackie Earle HaleyJackie Earle Haley is an American film actor. Establishing himself from child actor to adult Academy Award-nominee, he is perhaps best known for his roles as Moocher in Breaking Away, Kelly Leak in The Bad News Bears, pedophile Ronnie McGorvey in Little Children, the vigilante Rorschach in...
... Kelly Leak - Tomisaburo WakayamaTomisaburo Wakayama, born Masaru Okumura, was a Japanese actor, best known for playing Ogami Ittō, the scowling, 17th century ronin warrior in the six Lone Wolf and Cub samurai movies.-Biography:...
... Coach Shimizu - Antonio InokiAntonio Inokiis a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
... Himself - Hatsune Ishihara ... Arika
- George WynerGeorge WynerGeorge Wyner is an American film and television actor. He is probably best known for his role as ADA Bernstein on the series Hill Street Blues. Wyner graduated from Syracuse University in 1968 as a drama major, and was an in-demand character actor by the early 1970s. To date, Wyner has made guest...
... The Network Director - Lonny ChapmanLonny ChapmanLonny Chapman was an American television actor best known for his numerous guest star appearances on detective dramas, including Quincy, M.E., The A-Team, Murder, She Wrote, Matlock, and NYPD Blue...
... Louis the Gambler - Matthew Anton ... E.R.W. Tillyard, III (as Matthew Douglas Anton)
- Erin BluntErin BluntErin Blunt is an American actor best known for his role as Ahmad Abdul-Rahim in The Bad News Bears, The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training, and The Bad News Bears Go to Japan. He also appeared in numerous episodes of TV shows and films such as Car Wash and A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a...
... Ahmad Rahim - George Gonzales ... Miguel Agilar
- Brett MarxBrett MarxBrett Marx is an American movie and television actor.Best known as "Jimmy Feldman" in the Bad News Bears movies, Marx was born in Los Angeles, California. He has also appeared on television, in one episode each of Tales from the Darkside, My Two Dads and Party of Five...
... Jimmy Feldman - David PollockDavid Pollock (actor)David B. Pollock is a former American child actor best remembered for his portrayal of Rudi Stein in the movie The Bad News Bears and its sequels in 1977 and 1978.He attended Montclair High School.-Filmography:...
... Rudi Stein - Jeffrey Louis Starr ... Mike Engelberg
- Scoody Thornton ... Mustapha Rahim
- Abraham Unger ... Abe Bernstein
- Dick ButtonDick ButtonRichard Totten "Dick" Button is an American former figure skater and a well-known long-time skating television analyst. He is a two-time Olympic Champion and five-time World Champion...
... Himself - Regis PhilbinRegis PhilbinRegis Francis Xavier Philbin is an American media personality, actor and singer, known for hosting talk and game shows since the 1960s. Philbin is often called "the hardest working man in show business" and holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera...
... Harry Hahn - Kinichi HagimotoKinichi Hagimotois a Japanese comedian.He is active as a stage performer, emcee, and manager of the amateur Ibaraki Golden Golds of the Japanese Baseball Association ....
... Game Show Host - Hugh GillinHugh GillinHugh Gillin was an American film and television actor. Gillin was born in Galesburg, Illinois. He is best known for playing Sheriff John Hunt in Psycho II and III. Gillin has appeared in a total of 75 films and television series...
... Pennywall - Robert Sorrells ... Locke
- Clarence Barnes ... Mean Bones Beaudine
- Michael Yama ... Usher
- James Staley ... Network Man #4
- Dick McGarvin ... Network Man #3
- Takayuki KubotaTakayuki Kubotais a Japanese master of karate. He founded the Gosoku-ryu style of karate, and is the founder and president of the International Karate Association. Kubota holds the title of Sōke for his development of the Gosoku-ryū style of karate...
... Referee - Jerry ZiesmerJerry ZiesmerJerry Ziesmer is a career assistant director for major Hollywood films, best recognized for the line "terminate with extreme prejudice" in his acting role as a CIA operative in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now.-Early life:...
... Eddie of Network - Gene LeBellGene LeBellIvan Gene LeBell is a former American Judo champion, instructor, stunt performer, stunt coordinator, and professional wrestler born in Los Angeles, California. LeBell has worked on over 1,000 films and TV shows, and has authored a number of books.In 2000, he was promoted to 9th Dan in US Ju-Jitsu...
... Mean Bones' Manager - Victor Toyota ... Interpreter
- Yangi Kitadani ... Fight Announcer
- Marjorie JacksonMarjorie JacksonMarjorie Jackson-Nelson, AC, CVO, MBE is a former Governor of South Australia and a former Australian athlete...
... Waitress - Jerry MarenJerry MarenJerry Maren is an American actor and one of only three confirmed surviving dwarf munchkins from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. The other two surviving munchkin cast members are Margaret Williams Pellegrini and Ruth Robinson Duccini, making Maren the last surviving male Munchkin from the...
... Page Boy - Tim P. Sullivan ... Network Man #2
- Bob Kino ... Moderator
- Dennis FreemanDennis FreemanHarold Dennis Freeman, known as Dennis Freeman , was the mayor of historic Logansport, a town adjacent to the Sabine River in DeSoto Parish in northwestern Louisiana from 1984 until his death. His contributions were particularly significant considering the otherwise limited role of a small-town mayor...
... Network Man #5 - Kyôko Fuji ... Madam (as Kyoko Fuji)
- Ginger Martin ... Director's Aide
- Daniel Sasaki ... Band Leader
- Don Watters ... Network Man #1
- Bin Amatsu ... Arika's Father
- Dean A. Okinaka ... Manager
- David Stambaugh ... Toby Whitewood
Other cast members listed alphabetically:
- Akira Oizumi ... (uncredited)
- Brad Taylor ... Mike; "Ringer" shortstop for the Bears (uncredited)
- Julie Hampton ... Dancing woman (uncredited)
- Randy Meadows ... Henry; "Ringer" pitcher for the Bears (uncredited)
- Stephen Sullivan ... Mitch; "Ringer" 2nd baseman for the Bears (uncredited)