After the death of his employer forces him out of the only home he's ever known, a simpleminded, sheltered gardener becomes an unlikely trusted advisor to a powerful tycoon and an insider in Washington politics.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- Won 1 Oscar. Another 13 wins & 15 nominations.
- See more »
Reviews:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Peter Sellers | ... |
Chance
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| Shirley MacLaine | ... |
Eve Rand
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| Melvyn Douglas | ... |
Benjamin Rand
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| Jack Warden | ... |
President 'Bobby'
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| Richard Dysart | ... |
Dr. Robert Allenby
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| Richard Basehart | ... |
Vladimir Skrapinov
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| Ruth Attaway | ... |
Louise
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| David Clennon | ... |
Thomas Franklin
(as Dave Clennon)
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| Fran Brill | ... |
Sally Hayes
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| Denise DuBarry | ... |
Johanna Franklin
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Oteil Burbridge | ... |
Lolo
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Ravenell Keller III | ... |
Abbaz
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Brian Corrigan | ... |
Policeman by White House
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Alfie Brown | ... |
Old Woman asked for lunch
(as Alfredine Brown)
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Don Jacob | ... |
David
(as Donald Jacob)
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Ernest McClure | ... |
Jeffrey
(as Ernest M. McClure)
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Kenneth Patterson | ... |
Perkins
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| Richard Venture | ... |
Wilson
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Arthur Grundy | ... |
Arthur
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W.C. 'Mutt' Burton | ... |
Lewis
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Henry B. Dawkins | ... |
Billings
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Georgine Hall | ... |
Mrs. Aubrey
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Nell P. Leaman | ... |
Constance
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Villa Mae P. Barkley | ... |
Teresa
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| Alice Hirson | ... |
First Lady
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| James Noble | ... |
Kaufman
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Timothy Shaner | ... |
Presidential Aide
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William F. Williams | ... |
Presidential Aide
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Bill Dance | ... |
Presidential Aide
(as William Dance)
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Jim Aar | ... |
Presidential Aide
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William Lubin | ... |
Presidential Aide
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Gerald C. McNabb Jr. | ... |
Woltz
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Hoyt Clark Harris Jr. | ... |
Riff
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Ned Wilson | ... |
Honeycutt
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Stanley Grover | ... |
Baldwin
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| John Harkins | ... |
Courtney
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| Katherine De Hetre | ... |
Kinney
(as Katherine DeHetre)
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| William Larsen | ... |
Lyman Stuart
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| Jerome Hellman | ... |
Gary Burns
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| Arthur Rosenberg | ... |
Morton Hull
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| Sam Weisman | ... |
Colson
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| Fredric Lehne | ... |
TV Page
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| Gwen Humble | ... |
TV Guest
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Laurie Jefferson | ... |
TV Reporter
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| Allen Williams | ... |
Other Reporter
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| Janet Wells | ... |
Other Reporter
(as Janet Meshad)
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| Paul Marin | ... |
Other Reporter
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| Melendy Britt | ... |
Sophie
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| Hanna Landy | ... |
Natasha Skrapinov
(as Hanna Hertelendy)
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| Elya Baskin | ... |
Karpatov
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Than Wyenn | ... |
Ambassador Gaufridi
(as Thann Wyenn)
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| Richard McKenzie | ... |
Ron Stiegler
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| Sandy Ward | ... |
Senator Slipshod
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Danna Hansen | ... |
Mrs. Slipshod
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Mitch Kreindel | ... |
Dennis Watson
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Richard Seff | ... |
Pallbearer
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| Terrence Currier | ... |
Pallbearer
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Leon Greenberg | ... |
Pallbearer
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Austin Hay | ... |
Pallbearer
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Mark Hammer | ... |
Pallbearer
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Maurice Copeland | ... |
Pallbearer
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Hal Ashby | ... |
Man at File Cabinet at the Washington Post (uncredited)
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Herbert Benkman | ... |
Dignitary (uncredited)
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| Basil Hoffman | ... |
Man in Commercial (uncredited)
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Jerry Jensen | ... |
General (uncredited)
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Alexandria Walsh | ... |
Court Reporter (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Hal Ashby | ||
Written by
| Jerzy Kosinski | ... | (novel) |
| Jerzy Kosinski | ... | (screenplay) |
| Robert C. Jones | ... | () (uncredited) |
Produced by
| Merv Adelson | ... | executive producer (uncredited) |
| Andrew Braunsberg | ... | producer |
| Charles Mulvehill | ... | associate producer (as Charles B. Mulvehill) |
| Jack Schwartzman | ... | executive producer |
Music by
| Johnny Mandel | ||
Cinematography by
| Caleb Deschanel | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Don Zimmerman | ||
Editorial Department
| Rebecca Einfeld | ... | apprentice film editor |
| Sheri Eisenberg | ... | theatrical mastering colorist |
| Mireille Machu | ... | editorial consultant |
| Mark Warner | ... | assistant editor |
| Ron Lambert | ... | color timer (uncredited) |
| Steven Ramirez | ... | assistant editor (uncredited) |
Casting By
| Lynn Stalmaster | ||
Production Design by
| Michael D. Haller | ... | (as Michael Haller) |
Art Direction by
| James L. Schoppe | ... | (as James Schoppe) |
Set Decoration by
| Robert R. Benton | ... | (as Robert Benton) |
Costume Design by
| May Routh | ||
Makeup Department
| Edie Panda | ... | hair stylist: Shirley MacLaine |
| Charles H. Schram | ... | makeup artist: Peter Sellers (as Charles Schram) |
| Vivienne Walker | ... | hair stylist: Peter Sellers |
| Frank Westmore | ... | makeup artist: Shirley MacLaine |
Production Management
| Charles Mulvehill | ... | production manager (as Charles B. Mulvehill) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| David Hamburger | ... | first assistant director (as David S. Hamburger) |
| Toby Lovallo | ... | second assistant director |
Art Department
| Irving Dion | ... | propmaker foreman |
| Charles McKinlay | ... | propmaker foreman |
| Ray Mercer Jr. | ... | property master |
| Richard Reseigne | ... | construction coordinator |
| Arthur Shippee | ... | assistant property master (as Arthur Shippee Jr.) |
| Larry Verne | ... | construction foreman |
| John Villarino | ... | carpenter (uncredited) |
| Mike Villarino | ... | propmaker (uncredited) |
| Randal Woodward | ... | set painter (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Don Coufal | ... | boom operator |
| Norval D. Crutcher | ... | sound effects editorial staff |
| Samuel C. Crutcher | ... | sound effects editorial staff |
| Gary S. Gerlich | ... | sound effects editorial staff |
| Victoria Martin | ... | sound effects editorial staff |
| Donald O. Mitchell | ... | re-recording mixer (as Don Mitchell) |
| Frank E. Warner | ... | supervising sound effects editor (as Frank Warner) |
| Jeff Wexler | ... | production sound mixer |
| Ken Dufva | ... | foley artist (uncredited) |
| Walter A. Gest | ... | sound re-recordist (uncredited) |
| Rick Kline | ... | re-recording mixer (uncredited) |
| Bill Nicholson | ... | re-recording mixer (uncredited) |
| Jack Snyder | ... | sound engineer (uncredited) |
| Larry Tozzi | ... | post-production sound (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
| Don Hansard | ... | process coordinator |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Sidney Ray Baldwin | ... | still photographer (as Sidney Baldwin) |
| Craig Denault | ... | first assistant camera |
| Clyde Hart | ... | key grip |
| Gary Holt | ... | gaffer |
| Harry C. Howard | ... | video engineer |
| Louis Mahler | ... | video playback operator |
| Pete Martinez | ... | video playback operator (as Peter Martinez) |
| Nick McLean | ... | camera operator |
| Ken Nishino | ... | second assistant camera (as Kenneth Nishino) |
| Dianne Schroeder | ... | special photography |
| Chris Strong | ... | electrician (uncredited) |
Casting Department
| David Welch | ... | extras casting |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Tony Faso | ... | wardrobe: men (as Anthony Faso) |
| Suzanne Grace | ... | wardrobe: women |
Location Management
| Spencer Quinn | ... | location manager |
| Stuart Neumann | ... | location manager (uncredited) |
| Jerry Whittington | ... | location scout (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Jim Henrikson | ... | music editor |
| Andy D'Addario | ... | Music Scoring Recordist (uncredited) |
| James Thatcher | ... | musician: French horn (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Edle Bakke | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
| Michael McDuffee | ... | assistant transportation coordinator |
| Gerald R. Molen | ... | transportation coordinator (as Jerry Molen) |
Additional Crew
| Charles Clapsaddle | ... | production assistant |
| Pablo Ferro | ... | title designer |
| Michael Flowers | ... | production assistant |
| Michael Jeffery | ... | assistant: Peter Sellers |
| Loretta Lorden | ... | secretary to the director |
| Don Mischer | ... | director: "Gary Burns Show" video segment |
| Gregory Palmer | ... | production assistant |
| Ken Ryan | ... | accountant (as Kenneth Ryan) |
| Dianne Schroeder | ... | video researcher |
| Teresa Stokovic | ... | production office coordinator |
| Beverly Walker | ... | unit publicist |
| Anne Dutter | ... | subtitles: original version with French subtitles (uncredited) |
| Georges Dutter | ... | subtitles: original version with French subtitles (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- BSB
- CIP
- Lorimar Film Entertainment
- NatWest Ventures
- New Gold Entertainment (co-production)
- Northstar Media
Distributors
- United Artists (1979) (United States) (theatrical)
- Diasa (1980) (Spain) (theatrical)
- Elan Film (1980) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Filmes Lusomundo (1980) (Portugal) (theatrical)
- Gold Film (1980) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Roadshow Films (1980) (Australia) (theatrical)
- S.N. Prodis (1980) (France) (theatrical)
- Scotia International Filmverleih (1980) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Warner-Columbia Films (1980) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- Adams Filmi (1980) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Hafbo (1980) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- ITC (1980) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Sandrew Film & Teater AB (1980) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Syncron Film (1980) (Norway) (theatrical)
- MGM/CBS Home Video (1980) (United States) (VHS)
- Shochiku-Fuji Company (1981) (Japan) (theatrical)
- CBS Video (1982) (United States) (video) (CED VideoDisc)
- CBS/Fox Home Video (1983) (Australia) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox (1983) (United States) (VHS) (pan and scan)
- CBS/Fox (1983) (United States) (video) (LaserDisc)
- CBS (1984) (United States) (tv)
- CBS/Fox Video (1984) (Belgium) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox (1984) (United States) (VHS)
- CBS Electronics (1985) (Greece) (VHS)
- Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
- Mainostelevisio (MTV) (1988) (Finland) (tv)
- Warner Home Video (1990) (United States) (VHS)
- Warner Home Video (1991) (United States) (VHS)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (1993) (Finland) (tv)
- Artédis (1995) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Warner Home Video (2001) (United States) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
- Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2006) (United States) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2009) (United States) (DVD) (deluxe edition)
- Madadayo Films (2011) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
- The Criterion Collection (2017) (United States) (DVD)
- The Criterion Collection (2017) (United States) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- HBO Max (2021) (United States) (video) (VOD)
- Warner Bros. (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Showtime Video (Finland) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Bill Dance Casting (extras casting)
- C. D. (Italian dubbing by)
- Location Video (video playback)
- Pacific Title (titles and opticals)
- Roundabout Entertainment (post-production facilities) (theatrical mastering)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Simple-minded gardener Chance has spent all his life in the Washington D.C. home of an old man. When the man dies, Chance is put out on the street with no knowledge of the world except what he has learned from television. After a run-in with a limousine, he ends up a guest of Eve and her husband Ben, an influential but sickly businessman. Now called Chauncey Gardner, Chance becomes friend and confidante to Ben, and an unlikely political insider.
Written by Scott Renshaw |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | "I like to watch". See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | It took Peter Sellers nearly nine years to get this movie made by a studio, mainly because by the 1970s Sellers' career had hit rock bottom and no studio in Hollywood would work with him. After the revival (and success) of the Pink Panther movies, Lorimar Pictures finally greenlit the project. See more » |
| Goofs | While at dinner for the first evening with Ben and Eve, Chauncey's wine glass fills and empties within seconds. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in The 37th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1980). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Basketball Jones Featuring Tyrone Shoelaces See more » |
| Crazy Credits | Under the end titles of the theatrical release are outtakes of Peter Sellers as Chance recounting the encounter with Abbaz. Sellers breaks character and laughs during each attempt. The lines do not appear in the movie. Certain versions of the film have credits with white text on a black background without the outtakes. See more » |
| Quotes |
[last lines]
President "Bobby": Life is a state of mind. See more » |