Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story

Last updated
Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story
Final Shot VHS cover.jpg
VHS cover
GenreBiography
Drama
Sport
Written by Fred Johnson
Screenplay byFred Johnson
Don Enright
Ed Fields
Story byFred Johnson
Directed by Charles Braverman
Starring Victor Love [1]
Duane Davis
George Kennedy
Nell Carter
Sam Hennings
Music by Stanley Clarke
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producer Russell Vreeland
Producers Don Enright
Les Alexander
James P. McGillen [2]
Production locations Los Angeles
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [3]
Santa Monica, California
CinematographyStephen Blake
Running time92 minutes
Production companiesMcGillen Entertainment
Alexander, Enright & Associates
Tribune Entertainment [4]
Budget$3 million [5]
Original release
Network First-run syndication [6] [7]
ReleaseMarch 29, 1992 (1992-03-29)

Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story is an American 1992 sports drama biography television film [8] about the life of Loyola Marymount basketball player Eric "Hank" Gathers, written for Tribune Entertainment by Fred Johnson, Don Enright and Ed Fields, and directed by Charles Braverman. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]

Contents

Synopsis

This film follows the life of basketball legend Eric "Hank" Gathers, from his growing up in the ghettos of Philadelphia to his freshman year at USC through his brief career playing basketball for Loyola Marymount University, where he collapsed during a game and died of a heart ailment. [10]

Partial cast

Production

Casting began in late 1991, [14] with a television debut slated for March 1992. [15] The project was filmed in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; as well as in Santa Monica and Los Angeles, California. [11]

Reception

Entertainment Weekly wrote that the film "does a decent job of showing us the person inside the uniform," but felt that the film is overall "too sketchily told to be truly satisfying." [16]

Dallas Morning News felt that the film went beyond disappointing to become "an insult -- not for what it focuses on, but for what it leaves out." The reviewer felt that the film fell "in line with many TV projects based on real-life people by reducing its subject to sterotypes." [17]

Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that film suffered in its dwelling less on the formative events of Gathers' life to concentrate too much upon his basketball career. [13]

Conversely, San Diego Union-Tribune felt the film was a fitting tribute to Hank Gathers' memory. [18]

Variety wrote that while some of the scenes were awkward, the film "sets a fine example of what a youth under pressure in North Philly can accomplish." They wrote that it is the growing relation of Hank Gathers with his college teammate Bo Kimble as friends and players that holds the viewer's interest, while making note that Gathers' off-court life remains "shadowy and vague". [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig T. Nelson</span> American actor (born 1944)

Craig Theodore Nelson is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Hayden Fox in the ABC sitcom Coach, Deputy Warden Ward Wilson in the 1980 film Stir Crazy, Steve Freeling in the 1982 film Poltergeist, Burt Nickerson in All the Right Moves (1983), Peter Dellaplane in Action Jackson, Chief Howard Hyde in Turner & Hooch (1989), Alex Cullen in The Devil's Advocate (1997), Chief Jack Mannion in the CBS drama The District (2000–04), The Warden in the NBC sitcom My Name Is Earl (2005–09), and the voice of Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible in the 2004 film The Incredibles and its 2018 sequel. He also starred as Zeek Braverman in the NBC drama series Parenthood (2010–15) and played Dale Ballard in the CBS sitcom Young Sheldon (2017–24).

In the NCAA men's Division I basketball championship or the NCAA women's Division I basketball championship, the "Elite Eight" comprises the final eight teams, representing the regional finals, or national quarterfinals. In Division I and Division III, the Elite Eight consists of the two teams in each of the four regional championship games. The winners advance to the Final Four. Since 1997, when the NCAA trademarked the phrase, in Division II, the Elite Eight consists of the eight winners of the eight Division II regions. Like the Division I Final Four, the Division II Elite Eight games are all held in one predetermined location.

William Couturié is a film director and producer, best known for his work in the field of documentary film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hank Gathers</span> American basketball player (1967–1990)

Eric Wilson "Hank" Gathers Jr. was an American college basketball player for the Loyola Marymount Lions in the West Coast Conference (WCC). As a junior in 1989, he became the second player in NCAA Division I history to lead the nation in scoring and rebounding in the same season. Gathers was a consensus second-team All-American as a senior in 1990. His No. 44 was retired by the Lions, who also placed a statue of him in his honor outside their home arena Gersten Pavilion.

The Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center is a convention center located in Long Beach, California. Built on the former site of the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, the venue is composed of the Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach Arena, and the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. It is served by the 1st Street station of Los Angeles Metro Rail.

Tribune Entertainment was a television production and broadcast syndication company owned and operated by Tribune Broadcasting. It was started in 1964 as a subsidiary of WGN-TV in Chicago. Many programs offered from Tribune Entertainment have been broadcast on the company's television stations.

Gregory Kevin "Bo" Kimble is an American basketball coach and former professional player. He played college basketball for the Loyola Marymount Lions. As a senior in the 1989–90 season, Kimble was named a consensus second-team All-American as well as the conference player of the year in the West Coast Conference (WCC). He led the 11th-seeded Lions to the regional finals of the NCAA tournament after the death of teammate Hank Gathers. Kimble was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the 1990 NBA draft with the eighth overall pick. He played three seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Clippers and the New York Knicks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gersten Pavilion</span> Sports arena at Loyola Marymount University

The Gersten Pavilion is a 3,900-seat multi-purpose arena in Los Angeles, California. It is the home of the Loyola Marymount University Lions. It was built in 1981 and has been used for home games by the university's men's basketball, women's basketball, and volleyball teams since January 1982.

Paul William Westhead is an American former basketball coach. He was the head coach for three National Basketball Association (NBA) teams and an assistant for four others, and also coached in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), American Basketball Association (ABA), and Japan Basketball League (JBL). In his first year as an NBA head coach, he led a rookie Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers to the 1980 NBA Finals, which they won in six games for the team's first title in eight years. Westhead won titles in both the NBA and WNBA, and he is also remembered as the coach of the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) men's basketball team. Westhead is known for an unorthodox, run-and-gun style called "The System." He was nicknamed "The Professor" due to his former career as an English teacher prior to coaching and his tendency to quote Shakespeare and other literary sources while coaching. He attended Saint Joseph's University.

<i>The Bonfire of the Vanities</i> (film) 1990 film by Brian De Palma

The Bonfire of the Vanities is a 1990 American satirical black comedy film directed and produced by Brian De Palma and starring Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith, Kim Cattrall, and Morgan Freeman. The screenplay, written by Michael Cristofer, was adapted from the bestselling 1987 novel of the same name by Tom Wolfe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Raveling</span> American basketball coach and announcer (born 1937)

George Henry Raveling is an American former college basketball player and coach. He played at Villanova University, and was the head coach at Washington State University (1972–1983), the University of Iowa (1983–1986), and the University of Southern California (1986–1994).

Duane Davis is an American actor who has been in films such as Under Siege, The Program, Ghosts of Mars, and Paparazzi.

Charles Dell "Chuck" Braverman is an American film director, collage animator, documentary filmmaker and producer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject for his 2000 documentary, Curtain Call; he was also nominated for three Directors Guild of America Awards for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary, winning in 2000 for High School Boot Camp. He has also directed episodes of several major television series, including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place and Northern Exposure as well as television films such as the Prince of Bel Air and Brotherhood of Justice starring Keanu Reeves and Kiefer Sutherland.

The 1989–90 La Salle Explorers men's basketball team represented La Salle University during the 1989–90 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by fourth-year head coach Speedy Morris, the team established the single-season school record for wins with a 30-2 record, including a 22-game win streak. National Player of the Year Lionel "L-Train" Simmons finished his collegiate career third in NCAA scoring with 3,217 points, and also accumulated 1,429 rebounds. He was the first player in NCAA history to score more than 3,000 points and grab more than 1,100 rebounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loyola Marymount Lions men's basketball</span> Mens college basketball team

The Loyola Marymount Lions men's basketball team represents Loyola Marymount University in men’s college basketball. The team competes in the West Coast Conference. The team has played its home game at Gersten Pavilion since 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murrell Dobbins Career and Technical Education High School</span> United States historic place

Murrell Dobbins Career & Technical Education High School, also known as Murrell Dobbins Vocational High School, is a historic vocational school building located in the West Lehigh neighborhood of North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the School District of Philadelphia. The building was designed by Irwin T. Catharine and built between 1936–1937. It is a six- to seven-story, 14-bay, brick building in the Moderne-style. It has a one-story, stone front building. It features brick piers with terracotta tops and the building has terra cotta trim.

Victor Love is an American actor, best known for the role of Bigger Thomas in the 1986 movie adaptation of the Richard Wright novel Native Son, for which he was nominated the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1989–90 Loyola Marymount Lions men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 1989–90 Loyola Marymount Lions men's basketball team represented Loyola Marymount University during the 1989–90 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lions were led by fifth-year head coach Paul Westhead. They played their home games at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles, California as members of the West Coast Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamarr Kimble</span> American basketball player

Lamarr "Fresh" Kimble is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Worcester Wolves of the British Basketball League (BBL). He played college basketball for Saint Joseph's and Louisville.

References

  1. ↑ Weaver, Maurice (April 5, 1992). "HANK GATHERS STORY". Chicago Tribune.
  2. ↑ Herbert, Steven (April 19, 1992). "The Pride of the Lions : Film follows the life of Loyola's Hank Gathers until his 'Final Shot' two years ago". Los Angeles Times.
  3. ↑ Prouty (April 22, 1992). "Variety TV REV 1991-92 17". Variety. ISBN   9780824037963.
  4. ↑ Rosenberg, Howard (April 22, 1992). "TV REVIEW : 'Final Shot' Misses Basket". Los Angeles Times.
  5. ↑ Blystone, Ryan T. (March 26, 1992). "'Final Shot' profiles life and death of Gathers" (PDF). California State University, Fullerton Daily Titan.
  6. ↑ Hiltbrand, David (March 30, 1992). "Picks and Pans Review: Final Shot: the Hank Gathers Story". People.
  7. ↑ "WGN Presents". epguides.com.
  8. ↑ "Have Cheetah, Will View #170 – "Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story" (1992)". THE INNER CIRCLE. March 8, 2018.
  9. ↑ Hal Erickson (2007). "Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story (1992)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  10. 1 2 Fearn-Banks, Kathleen (2007). Historical dictionary of African-American television. Historical dictionaries of literature and the arts. Vol. 7 (illustrated ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 31, 68, 141, 262, 277, 356, 377. ISBN   978-0-8108-5335-5.
  11. 1 2 3 Scott, Tony (1994). Prouty (ed.). VARIETY TV REV 1991-92 17. Variety and Daily Variety Television Reviews. Vol. 17 (illustrated ed.). Taylor & Francis. ISBN   0-8240-3796-0.
  12. ↑ "Coming home for Hank". Philadelphia Inquirer . April 1, 1992. p. E01. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  13. 1 2 "TV Portrait of Gathers simply spares too much". Philadelphia Inquirer . April 1, 1992. p. E01. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  14. ↑ "Putting Stalin in his place". Long Beach Press Telegram . November 10, 1991. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  15. ↑ Hudson, Maryann (December 6, 1991). "Gathers Trial Set to Begin Feb. 24 in Torrance". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  16. ↑ Slauter, Michael (March 12, 1993). "review: Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  17. ↑ Perkins, Parrish (March 28, 1992). "Final Shot': just an air ball. Hank Gathers story becomes misleading made-for-TV movie". Dallas Morning News . Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  18. ↑ Freeman, John (April 19, 1992). "'Final Shot' scores as fitting TV tribute to Hank Gathers' memory". San Diego Union-Tribune . Retrieved 2 September 2010.[ dead link ]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.