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The Best Man ()

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The two front runners for their party's presidential nomination, one principled and the other ruthless, vie for the former president's endorsement.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
  • Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.
  • See more »
Reviews:

Photos and Videos

24 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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William Russell
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Joe Cantwell
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Mabel Cantwell
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Alice Russell
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Sheldon Bascomb
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President Art Hockstader
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Sue Ellen Gamadge
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Don Cantwell
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Dick Jensen
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Mahalia Jackson
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Howard K. Smith
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Gov. T.T. Claypoole
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Sen. Oscar Anderson
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Mrs. Claypoole (scenesDeleted)
George Kirgo ...
Speechwriter
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Tom
Anne Newman Bacal ...
Janet (as Anne Newman)
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Mrs. Merwin
H.E. West ...
Sen. Lazarus
Michael MacDonald ...
Zealot
William R. Ebersol ...
Gov. John Merwin
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Mrs. Anderson
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Cleaning Woman (as Blossom Rock)
Bill Stout ...
Bill Stout
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Chairman
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Doctor
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Alban ...
Banquet Guest (uncredited)
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Delegate (uncredited)
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Russell Supporter (uncredited)
Don Ames ...
Supporter (uncredited)
David Armstrong ...
Russell Campaign Worker (uncredited)
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Party Guest (uncredited)
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Reporter (uncredited)
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Reporter (uncredited)
Donald Chaffin ...
Supporter (uncredited)
Dick Cherney ...
Reporter (uncredited)
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Man at Pool (uncredited)
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Reporter (uncredited)
Jack Daly ...
Photographer (uncredited)
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Cantwell Supporter (uncredited)
Kenneth Gibson ...
Reporter (uncredited)
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Campaign Worker (uncredited)
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Cantwell Supporter (uncredited)
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Reporter (uncredited)
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Cantwell Supporter (uncredited)
Shep Houghton ...
Reporter (uncredited)
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Mafia Man (uncredited)
Eugene Jackson ...
Delegate (uncredited)
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Mayor (uncredited)
Chester Jones ...
Delegate (uncredited)
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Reporter (uncredited)
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Reporter (uncredited)
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Man at Pool (uncredited)
Joseph La Cava ...
Delegate (uncredited)
King Lockwood ...
Cantwell Supporter (uncredited)
John Marlin ...
Delegate (uncredited)
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Man at Delegation (uncredited)
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Banquet Guest (uncredited)
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Master of Ceremonies at Banquet (uncredited)
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Reporter (uncredited)
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Man at Pool (uncredited)
Kenneth Patterson ...
Delegate (uncredited)
Paul Power ...
Reporter (uncredited)
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Campaign Worker (uncredited)
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Banquet Guest (uncredited)
Tony Regan ...
Harvey (uncredited)
Greg Rhinelander ...
Supporter (uncredited)
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Cantwell Supporter (uncredited)
Edward Rickard ...
Campaign Worker (uncredited)
Victor Romito ...
Seucrity Guard (uncredited)
Clark Ross ...
Reporter (uncredited)
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Pennsylvania Delegate (uncredited)
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Banquet Guest (uncredited)
Mark Russell ...
Campaign Worker (uncredited)
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Banquet Guest (uncredited)
Sammy Shack ...
Man at Delegation (uncredited)
George Simmons ...
Cantwell Supporter (uncredited)
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Delegate (uncredited)
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Governor (uncredited)
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Banquet Guest (uncredited)
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Cantwell Supporter (uncredited)
Sara Taft ...
Mrs. Cantwell, Joe's Mother (uncredited)
Maxie Thrower ...
Delegate (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey ...
Cantwell Supporter (uncredited)
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Delegate (uncredited)
Chalky Williams ...
Police Officer (uncredited)
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New York Delegate (uncredited)

Directed by

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Franklin J. Schaffner ... (as Franklin Schaffner)

Written by

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Gore Vidal ... (screenplay)
 
Gore Vidal ... (play "The Best Man") (uncredited)

Produced by

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Stuart Millar ... producer
Lawrence Turman ... producer

Music by

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Mort Lindsey

Cinematography by

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Haskell Wexler ... director of photography

Editing by

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Robert Swink ... (as Robert E. Swink)

Editorial Department

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Hal Ashby ... editorial consultant (as Wm. Hal Ashby)
George E. Swink ... assistant editor (as George Swink)

Casting By

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Lynn Stalmaster ... (uncredited)

Production Design by

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Lyle R. Wheeler

Set Decoration by

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Richard Mansfield

Makeup Department

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Virginia Jones ... hair stylist
Ben Lane ... makeup artist

Production Management

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Robert Goodstein ... unit manager
Ben Hersh ... production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Dick Moder ... assistant director (as Richard Moder)

Art Department

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Max Frankel ... property master

Sound Department

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Don Hall ... sound editor (as Don Hall Jr.)
Jack Solomon ... sound

Camera and Electrical Department

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Robert Johannes ... camera operator (as Robert P. Johannes)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Kathleen Dennis ... wardrobe: women
Dorothy Jeakins ... costume supervisor
Ted Tetrick ... wardrobe: men

Music Department

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Jim Henrikson ... music editor (as James Henrikson)

Script and Continuity Department

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Kay Thackery ... script supervisor

Additional Crew

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Tom Mankiewicz ... production associate (as Thomas F. Mankiewicz)
Stuart Millar ... presenter
Marion Rosenberg ... assistant to producers
Roger L. Stevens ... stage producer
Lawrence Turman ... presenter
Crew believed to be complete

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

Intellectual William Russell and down-to-earth Joe Cantwell are front runners for a party nomination that will almost certainly mean the Presidency. Cantwell is prepared to use anything to achieve his goal while Russell sees himself as a man of principle - though his philandering means he is relieved his wife is prepared to appear alongside him. Both men crucially need the support of the ailing President, and as the stakes become higher each team has to decide how dirty they are prepared to get. Written by Jeremy Perkins {J-26}

Plot Keywords
Taglines The Best Man is Dynamite See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Gore Vidal's The Best Man (United States)
  • Gore Vidal's Best Man (World-wide, English title)
  • Que le meilleur l'emporte (France)
  • El mejor hombre (Spain)
  • El Millor (Spain, Catalan title)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 102 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Did You Know?

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Trivia Legend suggests that the future Republican American President Ronald Reagan, late in his previous career as a Hollywood actor, was rejected for a role in this film because a studio executive at United Artists didn't think he had "that presidential look". However, Gore Vidal, in one of his several essays attacking Reagan's presidency, says that Reagan was actually considered for the role of Joe Cantwell during preparations for the first Broadway production of his original play in 1960. (Frank Lovejoy eventually played Cantwell on stage). 1964, the year the film version appeared, was the year Reagan decisively left acting for politics, so Vidal's version of the story is the more likely. See more »
Goofs During the roll call, the chairman of the Pennsylvania delegation begins his announcement by saying "Mr Chairman, the State of Pennsylvania....". Pennsylvania is actually a Commonwealth, and any leading politician would refer to it as such. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Henry Fonda (1978). See more »
Crazy Credits During the opening credits, a picture of every single U.S. President appears in order, from George Washington to Lyndon Johnson. See more »
Quotes Joe Cantwell: I don't understand you.
William Russell: I know you don't. Because you have no sense of responsibility toward anybody or anything. And that is a tragedy in a man, and it is a disaster in a president.
See more »
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