The Last Hurrah (1977 film)

The Last Hurrah
Based on	The Last Hurrah by Edwin O'Connor
Written by	Carroll O'Connor
Directed by	Vincent Sherman
Starring	Carroll O'Connor Patrick O'Neal Dana Andrews Mariette Hartley
Music by	Peter Matz
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Carroll O'Connor Terry Becker
Producers	Franklin R. Levy Mike Wise
Cinematography	Gerald Perry Finnerman
Editors	Bernard Balmuth Les Green
Running time	105 minutes
Production companies	Columbia Pictures Television Hallmark Hall of Fame
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	November 16, 1977 (1977-11-16)

The Last Hurrah is a 1977 American made-for-television political drama film based on the 1956 novel The Last Hurrah , by Edwin O'Connor, ^[1] and starring Carroll O'Connor. It was directed by Vincent Sherman ^{[2] [3] [4]} and originally aired on NBC as a presentation of Hallmark Hall of Fame on November 16, 1977. ^[5]

Edwin O'Connor described Norman Cass as a "very old undergraduate". ^[6] The film stars Carroll O'Connor, ^[3] Leslie Ackerman, ^[5] John Anderson, ^[5] Dana Andrews, ^{[3] [7]} Mariette Hartley, ^[3] Burgess Meredith ^[3] and Patrick O'Neal. ^{[3] [8]}

Supporting cast included Robert Brown, ^[5] Jack Carter, ^[5] Tom Clancy, ^[5] Arthur Franz, ^{[5] [9]} and Alan Hamel. ^[5]

The novel was previously adapted for a 1958 film of the same title, starring Spencer Tracy. ^{[5] [10]}

Plot

A big-city mayor, Frank Skeffington, runs a powerful political machine as he seeks a fourth term, but his age, health, and unhappy adversaries all stand in his way.

Production

The Last Hurrah took nineteen days to film, but had twenty days in order to film according to director Vincent Sherman. ^[11]

Cast

• Carroll O'Connor as Frank Skeffington
• Leslie Ackerman as Prudy Cass
• John Anderson as Amos Force
• Dana Andrews as Roger Shanley
• Robert Brown as Nat Gardiner
• Jack Carter as Sam Weinberg
• Tom Clancy as Ditto Boland
• Brendan Dillon ^[5] as John Gorman
• Arthur Franz as Hack Wiles
• Alan Hamel as George Sherrard
• Mariette Hartley as Clare Gardiner
• Stewart Moss as Winslow
• Burgess Meredith as Cardinal Burke
• Patrick O'Neal as Norman Cass
• Paul Picerni as Dr. Mike Santangelo
• Patrick Wayne as Robert 'Bobby' Skeffington
• Kitty Winn ^[5] as Maeve Skeffington
• Mel Stewart ^[5] as Herb Ripley
• Katharine Bard ^[5] as Grace Minihan
• Bill Quinn ^[5] as Jimmy Minihan
• Sandy Kenyon ^[5] as Kane
• James B. Sikking ^[5] as Monsignor Killian
• Arthur Batanides ^[5] as Ben Morrow
• William 'Billy' Benedict ^[5] as Willie Degman
• Harry Basch ^[5] as Editor
• Lane Allan ^[5] as Maj. O'Sullivan
• George Barrows ^[5] as Tomasino
• Jack Griffin ^[5] as Walsh
• Sal Vecchio ^[5] as Narone
• Paul Napier ^[5] as Collins
• Ricki Williams ^[5] as Elaine
• Mike Walden ^[5] as TV announcer
• Dennis McMullen ^[5] as Sgt. Sullivan
• Larry McCormick ^[5] as Election announcer
• Barbara Schillaci ^[5] as Ms. Stone
• Paul L. Ehrmann ^[5] as Restaurant captain (Paul Laurence)
• Elise O'Connor ^[5] as Mrs. Cusack

References

1. O'Connor, Edwin (1985) [1956]. The Last Hurrah (Paperback). New York City: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN   978-0316626590.
2. Roberts 2009, p. 545.
3. Verswijver 2003, p. 187.
4. McLellan, Dennis (June 20, 2006). "Vincent Sherman, 99; Director for Warner Bros. in the 1940s". Los Angeles Times . Los Angeles Times Communications LLC. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
5. Berard & Englund 2009, p. 379. sfn error: no target: CITEREFBerardEnglund2009 (help)
6. Kelley 2009, p. 33. sfn error: no target: CITEREFKelley2009 (help)
7. Monush 2003, pp. 13–14.
8. Monush 2003, pp. 569–570.
9. Monush 2003, pp. 254–255.
10. McKay 2014, p. 217.
11. Bawden & Miller 2023, pp. 254–255.

Sources

• Roberts, Jerry (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors (eBook). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. p. 545. ISBN   978-0810861381.
• Kelley, Beverly Merrill (2004). Reelpolitik II: Political Ideologies in '50s and '60s Films (Paperback). London: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 33. ISBN   978-0742530416.</ref>
• Verswijver, Leo (2003). "Movies Were Always Magical": Interviews with 19 Actors, Directors, and Producers from the Hollywood of the 1930s Through the 1950s (Paperback). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 187. ISBN   978-0786411290.
• Jeanette M. Berard; Klaudia Englund, eds. (2009). Television Series and Specials Scripts, 1946-1992: A Catalog of the American Radio Archives Collection (eBook). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 379. ISBN   978-0786454372.
• McKay, James (2014). Dana Andrews: The Face of Noir (eBook). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 217. ISBN   978-0786456765.
• Bawden, James; Miller, Ron (2023). They Made the Movies: Conversations with Great Filmmakers (eBook). Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky. pp. 254–255. ISBN   978-0813197548.
• Monush, Barry (2003). The Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From the Silent Era to 1965 (eBook). Vol. 1. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 13–14, 254–255, 569–570. ISBN   978-1480329980.

External links

• The Last Hurrah at IMDb