The Straight Story - actors, characters and roles

All actors and their roles in the film "The Straight Story"
The Straight Story (1999)
Timing: 1:52 (112 min)
The Straight Story - TMDB rating
7.742/10
1758
The Straight Story - Kinopoisk rating
7.838/10
35398
The Straight Story - IMDB rating
8/10
108000

Actors and characters

Photo Sissy Spacek #38741Photo Sissy Spacek #38742Photo Sissy Spacek #38743Photo Sissy Spacek #38744

Sissy Spacek

Sissy Spacek
Character Rose
Photo Jane Galloway Heitz #115101
Jane Galloway Heitz
Character Dorothy
Joseph A. Carpenter
Character Bud
Donald Wiegert
Character Sig
Tracey Maloney
Character Nurse
Photo Dan Flannery #29443
Dan Flannery
Character Doctor Gibbons
Jennifer Edwards
Character Brenda
Ed Grennan
Character Pete
Photo Jack Walsh #60229
Jack Walsh
Character Apple
Gil Pearson
Character Bus Driver
Barbara June Patterson
Character Woman on Bus
Photo Everett McGill #59114

Everett McGill

Everett McGill
Character Tom the John Deere Dealer
Anastasia Webb
Character Crystal
Matt Guidry
Character Steve
Photo Bill McCallum #237386Photo Bill McCallum #237387Photo Bill McCallum #237388
Bill McCallum
Character Rat
Photo Barbara E. Robertson #115105
Barbara E. Robertson
Character Deer Woman
James Cada
Character Danny Riordan
Photo Sally Wingert #55058
Sally Wingert
Character Darla Riordan
Photo Barbara Kingsley #115102Photo Barbara Kingsley #115103
Barbara Kingsley
Character Janet Johnson
Jim Haun
Character Johnny Johnson
Photo Wiley Harker #115104
Wiley Harker
Character Verlyn Heller
Randy Wiedenhoff
Character Fireman #1
Jerry E. Anderson
Character Fireman #2
Photo Kevin Farley #89280Photo Kevin Farley #89281

Kevin Farley

Kevin Farley
Character Harald
Photo John Farley #2677

John Farley

John Farley
Character Thorvald
John Lordan
Character Priest
Garrett Sweeney
Character Boy in Truck
Peter Sweeney
Character Boy in Truck
Tommy Fahey
Character Boy in Truck
Matt Fahey
Character Boy in Truck
Dan Fahey
Character Boy in Truck
Russ Reed
Character Mt. Zion Bartender
Leroy Swadley
Character Bar Patron
Ralph Feldhacker
Character Farmer on Tractor

What's left behind the scenes

  • The Zone 1 DVD of "Simple Histories" contains no extras, and not even a scene selection function – this was done at the special request of the film's director, David Lynch.
  • The real Alvin Straight, who served as the prototype for the film's protagonist, lived from 1920 to 1996, making his journey three years before his death.
  • The filming of the film's scenes proceeded in strict chronological order.
  • This is the first of David Lynch's films in which he directs his parents in cameo roles.
  • According to some reports, the lead role in the film was offered to John Hurt and Gregory Peck.
  • Lynch, who had been aware of the project from the beginning of the script's development, was not initially interested in it, but after reading the final script, he agreed to direct the film.
  • Farnsworth initially refused the role, citing illness, but Lynch persuaded him to take it.
  • Filming began in September 1998 and ended on October 19, 1998.
  • A publication in The New York Times about Alvin Straight's six-week journey on a lawnmower attracted the attention of Mary Sweeney, a long-time assistant to David Lynch. She sent the article to her long-time friend John Roach, who quickly became interested in the story. They tried to acquire the rights to the plot, but they had already been sold. The opportunity to acquire them arose only in 1998. They then secured the copyright for themselves and began working on the script. To add credibility to the script, Sweeney and Roach retraced Straight's steps from Lawrence (Iowa) to Mount Zion (Wisconsin), interviewing people who had interacted with Straight during his journey. They also met Straight's children, who were initially unhappy with the project, as they believed the film could give a false impression of their eccentric father. However, after learning of Sweeney and Roach’s attitude towards the story, they offered their support to the project and shared memories of Alvin and his photographs with the screenwriters to make the script’s character as close as possible to the real Alvin Straight.
  • For Richard Farnsworth, this role proved to be his last: at the time of filming, he was suffering from bone cancer, and on October 6, 2000, he shot himself at his ranch in Lincoln, New Mexico.
  • Notably, the film begins and ends with a shot of a starry sky, which may be a reference to another biographical film by Lynch – "The Elephant Man", which also concludes with a view of the starry sky.
  • Notably, the film begins and ends with a view of the starry sky, which may be a reference to Lynch's other biographical film – "The Elephant Man," which also ends with a view of the starry sky.
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