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AdventureDrama

The Great Waldo Pepper

- The second greatest flyer in the world.

A biplane pilot who had missed flying in WWI takes up barnstorming and later a movie career in his quest for the glory he had missed.

Release Date : 1975-03-13

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Universal Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Robert Redford

Character Name : Waldo Pepper

Original Name : Robert Redford

Gender : Male

Bo Svenson

Character Name : Axel Olsson

Original Name : Bo Svenson

Gender : Male

Bo Brundin

Character Name : Ernst Kessler

Original Name : Bo Brundin

Gender : Male

Susan Sarandon

Character Name : Mary Beth

Original Name : Susan Sarandon

Gender : Female

Geoffrey Lewis

Character Name : Newt

Original Name : Geoffrey Lewis

Gender : Male

Edward Herrmann

Character Name : Ezra Stiles

Original Name : Edward Herrmann

Gender : Male

Philip Bruns

Character Name : Dilhoefer

Original Name : Philip Bruns

Gender : Male

Roderick Cook

Character Name : Werfel

Original Name : Roderick Cook

Gender : Male

Kelly Jean Peters

Character Name : Patsy

Original Name : Kelly Jean Peters

Gender : Female

Margot Kidder

Character Name : Maude

Original Name : Margot Kidder

Gender : Female

Scott Newman

Character Name : Duke

Original Name : Scott Newman

Gender : Male

James S. Appleby

Character Name : Ace

Original Name : James S. Appleby

Gender : Male

Patrick W. Henderson Jr.

Character Name : Scooter

Original Name : Patrick W. Henderson Jr.

Gender : Male

James N. Harrell

Character Name : Farmer

Original Name : James N. Harrell

Gender : Male

Elma Aicklen

Character Name : Farmer's Wife

Original Name : Elma Aicklen

Gender : Female

Deborah Knapp

Character Name : Farmer's Daughter

Original Name : Deborah Knapp

Gender : Female

John A. Zee

Character Name : Director, Western Set

Original Name : John A. Zee

Gender : Male

John Reilly

Character Name : Western Star

Original Name : John Reilly

Gender : Male

Jack Manning

Character Name : Director, Spanish Set

Original Name : Jack Manning

Gender : Male

Joe Billings

Character Name : Policeman

Original Name : Joe Billings

Gender : Male

Lawrence P. Casey

Character Name : German Star

Original Name : Lawrence P. Casey

Gender : Male

Greg Martin

Character Name : Assistant Director

Original Name : Greg Martin

Gender : Male

Greg Bransom

Character Name : Carnival Specrator (uncredited)

Original Name : Greg Bransom

Gender : Male

Marilyn Burns

Character Name : Spectator (uncredited)

Original Name : Marilyn Burns

Gender : Female

A.L. Camp

Character Name : Farmer (uncredited)

Original Name : A.L. Camp

Gender : Male

Harvey Christiansen

Character Name : Farmer in Crowd (uncredited)

Original Name : Harvey Christiansen

Gender : Male

William Creamer

Character Name : Country Man in Restaurant (uncredited)

Original Name : William Creamer

Gender : Male

Kenny E. Bishop

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Kenny E. Bishop

Gender : Male

Cheryl Downey

Character Name : Minor Role (uncredited)

Original Name : Cheryl Downey

Gender : Male

Inge Erving

Character Name : City Woman in Restaurant (uncredited)

Original Name : Inge Erving

Gender : Male

Todd Ezell

Character Name : Carny Barker (uncredited)

Original Name : Todd Ezell

Gender : Male

John Guttman

Character Name : Poth Farmer #2 (uncredited)

Original Name : John Guttman

Gender : Male

Robert S. Holman

Character Name : Farmer at Fence #1 (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert S. Holman

Gender : Male

Elsie Julian

Character Name : Country Woman in Restaurant (uncredited)

Original Name : Elsie Julian

Gender : Male

R.C. Keene

Character Name : Air show attendee (uncredited)

Original Name : R.C. Keene

Gender : Male

Patrick G. Koerber

Character Name : Man in Crowd (uncredited)

Original Name : Patrick G. Koerber

Gender : Male

Ruby Leonard

Character Name : Ruby (uncredited)

Original Name : Ruby Leonard

Gender : Male

James Patrick Lockett

Character Name : Boy from Poth (uncredited)

Original Name : James Patrick Lockett

Gender : Male

Richard A. Meyer

Character Name : Poth Farmer #1 (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard A. Meyer

Gender : Male

Steve Moriarty

Character Name : Airport Mechanic (uncredited)

Original Name : Steve Moriarty

Gender : Male

Wayne Nowotny

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Wayne Nowotny

Gender : Male

Harold Offer

Character Name : City Man in Restaurant (uncredited)

Original Name : Harold Offer

Gender : Male

Murray Pollack

Character Name : Doctor (uncredited)

Original Name : Murray Pollack

Gender : Male

James Rosborough

Character Name : Farmer at Fence #2 (uncredited)

Original Name : James Rosborough

Gender : Male

Art Scholl

Character Name : Red Baron (uncredited)

Original Name : Art Scholl

Gender : Male

George W. Smyth

Character Name : Little Falls Farmer (uncredited)

Original Name : George W. Smyth

Gender : Male

Robert W. Winn

Character Name : Theater Manager (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert W. Winn

Gender : Male

Reviews

P

Patrick E. Abe

@Otokichi786

2021-06-23

Former World War I pilot Waldo Pepper barnstorms across rural America, giving 5 minute rides to skeptical townsfolk. Clearly the people behind this project love aviation and capture the feel of the post-World-War-I era when "the sky's the limit" was literally true. The downside of early aviation is shown via the ups and downs of "Doc Dilhoefer's Flying Circus," where a novice wing walker freezes in place. The long arm of the FAA catches up to Waldo because "it's time that aviation got civilized." With limited opportunities after being grounded for life, Waldo finds salvation at the movies, where danger is ever-present in the rickety, worn-out planes and fatal stunts for the camera. An old nemesis that Waldo missed meeting over France, Ernst Kessler (Ernst Udet?), arrives for the next project--the epic three vs. one dogfight. With the FAA closing in, Waldo's days in the air are numbered, though he's in better shape than the down-at-heels Kessler. Waldo and Kessler leave their parachutes behind as the cameras roll; this aerial ballet is going to be a battle! 7/10

W

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2024-09-28

**_The daredevil barnstormers of the 1920s with Robert Redford and Bo Svenson_** Two former pilots of WW1 team-up to entertain people in middle America with increasingly risky aerial maneuvers. Susan Sarandon plays a woman who joins the team while Margot Kidder appears as the protagonist’s on-again, off-again girlfriend. Geoffrey Lewis is also on hand as an inspector of the newly formed Air Commerce. "The Great Waldo Pepper" (1975) is a tribute to the men & women who risked their lives to entertain people in ‘flying circuses’ in the ’20s through the early ’30s. By the time of this particular story, competition amongst stunt fliers resulted in progressively dangerous tricks, as well as highly publicized accidents, which led to hampering safety regulations and the demise of barnstorming. The tone mixes life-or-death drama with amusing bits. There are a couple of shocking sequences that some critics have interpreted as ‘coldhearted,’ but they just reflect those times. Even if you were a female who joined the team, you’re one of the boys and they all knew the risks. Sudden deaths, while unfortunate, didn’t change the fact that it was part of how these people made a living. And the show must go on, as they say. Speaking of which, if you’re familiar with movies like “The Blue Max,” “Flyboys” and “The Red Baron,” this is what some of the surviving flying aces were doing after the war. It runs 1 hour, 47 minutes, and was mostly shot in and around Elgin, Texas (which is just east of Austin), and Piru, California (which is a 50-minute drive northwest of Los Angeles). Studio stuff was done at Universal Studios. GRADE: B-/B