Pete's Dragon (1977 movie) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pete's Dragon |
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|---|---|
| Directed by | Don Chaffey |
| Produced by | Jerome Courtland Ron W. Miller |
| Screenplay by | Malcolm Marmorstein |
| Story by | S.S. Field Seton Miller (short story) |
| Starring | Helen Reddy Jim Dale Mickey Rooney Red Buttons Shelley Winters Sean Marshall |
| Music by | Joel Hirschhorn Al Kasha (Songs) Irwin Kostal |
| Cinematography | Frank Phillips |
| Editing by | Gordon D. Brenner |
| Studio | Don Bluth Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Walt Disney Productions Buena Vista Distribution Company, Inc. |
| Release date(s) | January 1, 1977 |
| Running time | 134 minutes |
| Country | United States United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10 million |
| Money made | $36,000,000 |
Pete's Dragon is a fun musical movie from Walt Disney Productions. It came out in 1977. This movie mixes live-action scenes with animation. The main character, a dragon named Elliott, is animated. All the other characters are real actors.
The story is about a young orphan boy named Pete. He runs away from his mean foster family, the Gogans. Pete's only friend is Elliott, a friendly dragon. Elliott is also Pete's protector. He has a special power: he can make himself invisible! Pete and Elliott travel to a small fishing town called Passamaquoddy in Maine.
Contents
Meet the Characters
- Charlie Callas (voice) plays Elliott the dragon. Elliott is Pete's invisible, helpful friend.
- Sean Marshall plays Pete. He is an orphan who escapes a tough life.
- Helen Reddy plays Nora. She is a kind and strong woman. Nora is the daughter of the lighthouse keeper.
- Mickey Rooney plays Lampie. He is the lighthouse keeper in Passamaquoddy. Lampie is Nora's father.
- Jim Dale plays Dr. Terminus. He is a tricky person who tries to fool people.
- Red Buttons plays Hoagy. He is Dr. Terminus's helper.
- Shelley Winters plays Lena Gogan. She is the boss of the Gogan family.
- Charles Tyner plays Merle Gogan. He is Lena's husband.
- Gary Morgan and Jeff Conaway play Grover and Willie Gogan. They are Lena and Merle's sons.
- Cal Bartlett plays Paul. He is Nora's fiancé.
- Walter Barnes plays the Captain. He is the captain of Paul's ship.
- Jane Kean plays Miss Abbey Taylor. She is a strict schoolteacher.
- Jim Backus plays the mayor of Passamaquoddy.
Movie Achievements
Pete's Dragon was recognized for its music and special effects.
Academy Awards
The movie was nominated for two Academy Awards. These awards are also known as the Oscars.
- Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Candle on the Water". This song was written by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn.
- Academy Award for Original Song Score for its music. This award went to Al Kasha, Joel Hirschhorn, and Irwin Kostal.
Saturn Awards
The movie was nominated for four Saturn Awards. These awards celebrate science fiction, fantasy, and horror films.
- Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film
- Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for Red Buttons
- Saturn Award for Best Costume
- Saturn Award for Best Special Effects
Golden Globe Awards
Pete's Dragon was nominated for one Golden Globe Award.
- Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score for Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn.
When the Movie Came Out
Pete's Dragon was released in different countries at different times.
| Country | Premiere |
|---|---|
 United States |
3 November 1977 |
 Argentina |
8 December 1977 |
 Brazil |
23 January 1978 |
 Australia |
13 April 1978 |
 Spain |
28 August 1978 |
 Sweden |
23 September 1978 |
 Netherlands |
5 October 1978 |
 Finland |
6 October 1978 |
 Denmark |
13 October 1978 |
 France |
18 October 1978 |
 Hong Kong |
19 October 1978 |
 Ireland |
8 December 1978 |
 West Germany |
14 December 1978 |
 Portugal |
15 August 1980 |
 Hungary |
21 April 1994 |
