To: Glenn Petersen who wrote (17724 ) 4/2/2021 3:48:30 PM From: Glenn Petersen 1 RecommendationRecommended By Sr K
Respond to of 17962 James Caan: More thoughts on ‘Thief” — and 3 Chicago Bears Players who befriended the actor on ‘Brian’s Song’ continued to make an impact on the actor, and his door By Richard Roeper Chicago Sun Times Mar 30, 2021, 5:29am CDT Jessie (Tuesday Weld, left) meets Frank (James Caan) at the O’Hare Tollway Oasis in “Thief.” United Artists ------------------------------------------ A handful of behind-the-scenes gems from my James Caan interview about the making of the 1981 classic “Thief” — and the story of the three Bears. -- For the iconic, nearly 10-minute sequence in “Thief” with Frank and Jessie sharing their life stories, director Michael Mann filmed at the O’Hare Tollway Oasis — the same spot where he and his future wife, Summer, had talked through the night years earlier. -- The late Robert Prosky was a 51-year-old veteran of the theater when he made his feature film debut as crime boss Leo in “Thief.” -- Prosky went on to appear in films such as “The Natural,” “Broadcast News,” “Hoffa” and “Dead Man Walking,” and played Sgt. Stan Jablonski on “Hill Street Blues.” -- Also making their film debuts in “Thief”: Jim Belushi as Frank’s partner Barry; William Petersen as a bouncer at Wise Fools Pub who scoots away when Frank puts a scare into him, and Dennis Farina, who was still on the Chicago Police force and was working as a consultant on the film when Mann cast him as one of Leo’s henchmen, who wounds Frank in the climactic scene before Frank guns him down. Real-life jewel thief John Santucci was also cast in the film, as a corrupt police officer. -- Two years after Tangerine Dream contributed the searing soundtrack for “Thief,” the German electronic group’s music was put to equally effective use in another memorable early 1980s Chicago adventure: “Risky Business.” -- Of course, “Thief” wasn’t James Caan’s first Chicago-centric film that has stood the test of time. A decade earlier, he played Chicago Bears fullback Brian Piccolo, who succumbed to cancer at age 26, and Billy Dee Williams played Gale Sayers in the classic “Brian’s Song.” Real-life Chicago Bears had bit roles as themselves in the movie, and Caan said when the Bears would come out to play the then-Los Angeles Rams, a few of them would visit his house and knock down his door. Not ON his door, mind you.“ "That was 50 years ago, holy s---,” said Caan. “Oh yeah, my boys, my Chicago boys. [Dick] Butkus, [Doug] Buffone, [Ed] O’Bradovich. They would break down my front door on a Saturday. They thought that was really funny. Seriously, they’d just pound it in. They wouldn’t knock or anything.” Story Link