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Walking Tall ()

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Based on the life of Tennessee sheriff Buford Pusser, who almost single-handily cleaned up his small town of crime and corruption, but at a personal cost of his family life and nearly his own life.
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Photos and Videos

39 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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Buford Pusser
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Pauline
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Mike
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Dwana
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Grandpa (as Noah Beery)
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Grandma
Ed Call ...
Lutie McVeigh
Dominick Mazzie ...
Bozo
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Margie Ann
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Luan Paxton (as Brenda Benét)
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Buel Jaggers
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Ferrin Meaks
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1st Bouncer
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Dice Player
Warner Venetz ...
Stickman
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2nd Bouncer
Del Monroe ...
Otie Doss
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Sheriff Al Thurman
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Grady Coker
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Dr. Lamar Stivers
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Obra Eaker
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Judge Clarke (as Douglas V. Fowley)
Lloyd Tatum ...
Prosecutor
Vaudie Plunk ...
Jury Foreman
Wanea Wes ...
Singer
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Willie Rae Lockman
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Callie Hacker
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Prentiss Parley
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Augie McCullah
Pearline Wynn ...
Hassie Berlson
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Zolan Dicks
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Virgil Button
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Sheriff Tanner
Andrew J. Pirtle ...
Prisoner
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John Witter
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Arno Purdy
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Sheldon Levine
John Myhers ...
Lester Dickens
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lloyd Harris ...
Doctor in E.R. (uncredited)
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Bar Patron (uncredited)
Jim Sanderson ...
Sheriff Deputy (uncredited)
George Sawaya ...
George (uncredited)
Prim Shelton Sr. ...
Sawmill Boss (uncredited)

Directed by

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Phil Karlson

Written by

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Mort Briskin ... (writer)
 
Stephen Downing ... (writer)
 
John Michael Hayes ... () (uncredited)

Produced by

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Joel Briskin ... associate producer
Mort Briskin ... producer
Charles A. Pratt ... executive producer

Music by

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Walter Scharf

Cinematography by

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Jack A. Marta ... director of photography

Editing by

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Harry Gerstad

Casting By

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Irving Lande

Production Design by

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Stan Jolley

Costume Design by

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Phyllis Garr
Oscar Rodriguez

Makeup Department

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Virginia Jones ... hair stylist
Jack H. Young ... makeup artist

Production Management

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Floyd Joyer ... production manager
John Pommer ... production executive (as John E. Pommer)
Houseley Stevenson Jr. ... post-production supervisor (as Houseley Stevenson)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Ralph E. Black ... assistant director (as Ralph Black)
David 'Buck' Hall ... assistant director
Mark Sandrich Jr. ... second assistant director (as Mark Sandrich)

Art Department

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Sam Gordon ... properties
Wally Graham ... construction coordinator (as Wallace Graham)
Robert Tanenbaum ... movie poster artist (uncredited)

Sound Department

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David Dockendorf ... re-recording mixer
Andrew Gilmore ... production sound mixer (as Andy Gilmore)
James J. Klinger ... sound editor
Don MacDougall ... sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by

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Sass Bedig ... special effects

Stunts

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Carey Loftin ... stunt coordinator
Gil Perkins ... stunt coordinator
Roydon Clark ... stunt double: Joe Don Baker (uncredited)
Gene LeBell ... stunt bouncer (uncredited)
Victor Paul ... stunt bouncer (uncredited)
Gil Perkins ... stunt bouncer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department

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Earl Kennedy ... chief electrician
Sherman Kunkel ... camera operator (uncredited)

Music Department

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Else Blangsted ... music editor
Malcolm McNab ... musician: trumpet (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Hazel W. Hall ... script supervisor (as Hazel Hall)

Transportation Department

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James D. Brubaker ... transportation coordinator (as Jim Brubaker)

Additional Crew

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Bruce Glover ... acting mentor
Buford Pusser ... technical advisor
Maury Foladare ... unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

A surprise hit when it premiered, Walking Tall carried the theme of one man standing up for his sense of right and wrong. Selmer, a small town in southwest Tennessee, served as the authentic background for the bio-pic of the heroic southern Sheriff. Joe Don Baker did an admirable job with the role, and the hugely violent film was a surprise hit. Former Sheriff Pusser himself was set to portray himself in the sequel, but he died in a car crash as he as returning from his contract signing in California. The sequel was filmed using Swedish actor Bo Svensen, and a Final Chapter sequel told of Pusser's demise. While the Walking Tall franchise will never be on any list of Classic Film, the original is a great slice of Americana, Circa '70s. It made Bakers' career and perhaps kicked the 'southsploitation' genre of that decade into gear. Written by rick rothermel

Plot Keywords
Taglines His most powerful weapon is the truth See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Justice sauvage (France)
  • Der Große aus dem Dunkeln (Germany)
  • Pisando fuerte (Spain)
  • Lahjomaton sheriffi (Finland)
  • Legenda șerifului din Tennessee (Romania)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 125 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $500,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia The real-life Buford Pusser actually wanted Bo Svenson to play him in this film; however Svenson was unavailable and Joe Don Baker was cast instead. When Baker turned down Walking Tall Part II (1975), the producers approached Svenson again, by which time Svenson jumped at the chance to play Pusser. See more »
Goofs When bartender Bozo and Margie Ann pick up the unconscious drunk outside The Lucky Spot, the drunk pushes off slightly with his right leg to help out with the lift. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in The 67th Annual Academy Awards (1995). See more »
Soundtracks Walking Tall See more »
Quotes Buford: There's only two rules, and thats all... But don't ever forget them. Number one we enforce the law equally. Number two, any man caught taking a bribe gets his head knocked off by me.
See more »
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