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in full bound. Seeing this, the coaching staff quickly whip out their recruitment pen and papers, but soon fall (literally) into the clutches of Nanu's godfather, spiritual leader
Gazenga (Roscoe Lee Browne). Because Nanu is an orphan and an innocent child of the bush, Gazenga believes that throwing
289:
Sam Archer (Amos) and his assistant Milo
Jackson (Conway) are coaches at Merrivale College. They have lost every game in every sport which they have coached, raising the concerns of the head of the Alumni Association. With only one year left on his contract, Archer decides that he is in need of a
641:
wrote: "It's a dream that is more often simple-minded than simple and generally as hilarious as finishing fourth in the mile run. It should be stressed, however, that this ribbing of the Tarzan myth runs a good, clean course that should grab all red-blooded sports fans up to and including the
337:
Jane
Douglas (Dayle Haddon). Jane and Nanu's budding relationship angers rival Leopold Maxwell (Danny Goldman), whose attempts to sabotage the budding star build toward a crescendo as the ultimate competition approaches. The climactic track meet is peppered with commentary by
526:
actor was used to portray Harry, Nanu's companion and pet who he brings with him from Africa to
California. As tigers are not native to Africa, Nanu explains to Archer and Jackson that Harry emigrated from India to Africa as a cub.
332:
plotting of the villains all play roles in the action as the film heads toward the final track meet. The atmosphere of
American competition does indeed threaten Nanu, but he is saved from disintegration by
258:
to look at the world of track and field. In the film, two coaches (portrayed by Amos and Conway) make use of a jungle boy (played by
Vincent) and have him make history by winning every event at the
642:
14-year-old group. It might be added that everyone from coach Amos to Jan-Michael
Vincent, in the title role, athletically tries without much success to make all this good-natured nonsense funny."
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The film opened with a disappointing $ 125,000 in its first week in New York but was one of the most popular releases of 1973, earning $ 10,600,000 in
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346:. After his victory, Nanu decides to return home, accompanied by Jane and Harry, and Archer and Jackson bid him farewell at the airport.
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Despite
Gazenga's concerns, the ambitious coaches persuade Nanu to join the Merrivale College program as Nanu brings his pet
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747:"'Tango' At $ 5, Takes $ 41,280, First; 'Shamus' Strong Among Newcomers; Hall's Ungymnastic 'Athlete' & Revue".
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is shown where Archer and
Jackson are depicted trying to recruit a new athletic phenomenon that resides in China.
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The film also features many prolific athletes and sports journalists in small or cameo roles, including
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Nanu's innocence, Archer's scheming, Jackson's ineptitude, Gazenga's outraged wisdom, and the
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streaming service (unlike the majority of Disney's catalogue titles), for reasons unknown.
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Harry with him. From this point forward, the plot is driven by a combination of
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While out on a safari, the pair catch sight with their guide
Morumba of the
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882:"Screen: 'Greatest Athlete': Disney College Farce Is at the Music Hall"
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on August 2, 2005. As of March 2024, the film had not appeared on the
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will annoy several powerful people who are used to getting their way.
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301:-like jungle boy named Nanu (Jan-Michael Vincent), who can outrun a
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611:
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Films with screenplays by Gerald Gardner (scriptwriter)
723:"The World's Greatest Athlete, Box Office Information"
606:in October 1986 by Walt Disney Home Video, and by
281:'s final roles before he died the following year.
610:on March 18, 1997. The film was also released on
306:Nanu into the world of competitive United States
989:
310:would interfere with his spiritual development.
290:vacation. Together, Archer and Jackson head to
254:, it is one of the few wide-release Hollywood
559:. The live-action jungle scenes were shot at
654:in the United States and Canada that year.
674:List of films about the sport of athletics
38:
321:and suspense, for Nanu's destiny as the
1053:Films produced by Bill Walsh (producer)
757:
579:The film opened on February 1, 1973 at
557:California State University-Los Angeles
277:of the film. This film was also one of
14:
1058:Films set in universities and colleges
990:
879:
852:Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
803:Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
742:
740:
608:Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
698:
696:
694:
1093:Films with screenplays by Dee Caruso
626:
737:
24:
880:Weiler, A. H. (February 5, 1973).
691:
555:. The track scenes were filmed at
25:
1114:
1023:Films directed by Robert Scheerer
915:
771:. September 29, 1986. p. 19.
967:The World's Greatest Athlete
932:The World's Greatest Athlete
704:The World's Greatest Athlete
1018:Films scored by Marvin Hamlisch
591:and then expanded on the 14th.
1063:Films set in the United States
894:
873:
824:
775:
753:. February 7, 1973. p. 8.
715:
669:List of American films of 1973
263:Track & Field Championship
13:
1:
907:. 9 January 1974. p. 19.
833:The World's Greatest Athlete'
784:The World's Greatest Athlete'
684:
645:
594:
587:. It opened on February 7 in
535:Much of the film was shot at
530:
18:World's greatest athlete
1013:1970s English-language films
1008:American sports comedy films
978:The World's Greatest Athlete
956:The World's Greatest Athlete
945:The World's Greatest Athlete
938:AFI Catalog of Feature Films
901:"Big Rental Films of 1973".
710:AFI Catalog of Feature Films
621:
600:The World's Greatest Athlete
216:The World's Greatest Athlete
33:The World's Greatest Athlete
27:1973 film by Robert Scheerer
7:
657:
561:Caswell Memorial State Park
10:
1119:
1038:Walt Disney Pictures films
574:
164:February 1, 1973
1078:Films adapted into comics
631:Upon the film's release,
553:Santa Clarita, California
541:San Joaquin Delta College
537:University of the Pacific
443:as Announcer Buzzer Kozak
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129:
119:
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83:
73:
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49:
44:Theatrical release poster
37:
32:
1073:Films shot in California
679:World's Greatest Athlete
323:World's Greatest Athlete
265:. The screenplay was by
150:Buena Vista Distribution
1028:Films about size change
839:Walt Disney Productions
790:Walt Disney Productions
765:"Disney Movies Grow Up"
479:as Judge with Stopwatch
356:
284:
252:Walt Disney Productions
139:Walt Disney Productions
1083:Jungle adventure films
449:as Gazenga's Assistant
349:In the final scene, a
581:Radio City Music Hall
1103:1970s American films
545:Stockton, California
294:in Southern Africa.
1088:Films about animals
1068:Films set in Zambia
1043:Films about orphans
848:Burbank, California
799:Burbank, California
375:Jan-Michael Vincent
365:as Coach Sam Archer
248:Jan-Michael Vincent
219:is a 1973 American
104:Jan-Michael Vincent
1048:Films about tigers
1003:1970s sports films
983:TCM Movie Database
887:The New York Times
854:. August 5, 2005.
805:. March 18, 1997.
652:theatrical rentals
638:The New York Times
473:as Woman on Safari
419:as Games spectator
407:as Leopold Maxwell
769:Asbury Park Press
627:Critical response
569:Ripon, California
381:Roscoe Lee Browne
308:college athletics
236:Roscoe Lee Browne
212:
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114:Frank V. Phillips
92:Roscoe Lee Browne
16:(Redirected from
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924:Official website
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602:was released on
565:Stanislaus River
551:neighborhood of
522:An unidentified
411:Don Pedro Colley
401:as Mrs. Petersen
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491:as Drunk in bar
467:as Race Starter
461:as Old Chinaman
455:as Native Woman
453:Virginia Capers
437:as Dr. Gottlieb
431:as Dean Bellamy
395:as Dean Maxwell
389:as Jane Douglas
371:as Milo Jackson
359:
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273:who also did a
228:Robert Scheerer
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124:Marvin Hamlisch
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351:framing device
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271:Gerald Gardner
250:. Released by
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110:Cinematography
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725:. The Numbers
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585:New York City
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547:, and in the
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520:
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501:Frank Gifford
498:
497:Howard Cosell
490:
487:
485:as Dr. Checco
484:
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447:Clarence Muse
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405:Danny Goldman
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347:
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344:Howard Cosell
342:sportscaster
341:
336:
335:love interest
331:
330:Machiavellian
326:
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230:and starring
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192:United States
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863:. Retrieved
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814:. Retrieved
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748:
727:. Retrieved
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649:
636:
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599:
598:
578:
534:
524:Bengal tiger
521:
494:
429:Ivor Francis
399:Nancy Walker
387:Dayle Haddon
348:
327:
322:
315:Bengal tiger
312:
296:
288:
275:novelisation
256:sports films
244:Dayle Haddon
226:directed by
215:
214:
213:
208:$ 22,583,370
180:Running time
157:Release date
100:Dayle Haddon
633:A.H. Weiler
589:Los Angeles
567:outside of
517:Bill Toomey
489:Dick Wilson
477:Russ Conway
471:Sarah Selby
465:John Lupton
417:Vito Scotti
224:comedy film
74:Produced by
50:Directed by
998:1973 films
992:Categories
860:B0007Z9QZ8
811:6304368844
685:References
646:Box office
595:Home media
531:Production
509:Bud Palmer
459:Philip Ahn
435:Leon Askin
413:as Morumba
383:as Gazenga
369:Tim Conway
267:Dee Caruso
240:Tim Conway
205:Box office
184:93 minutes
168:1973-02-01
131:Production
96:Tim Conway
78:Bill Walsh
64:Dee Caruso
60:Written by
865:March 12,
816:March 12,
664:Decathlon
622:Reception
563:, on the
505:Jim McKay
483:Al Checco
423:Liam Dunn
363:John Amos
319:slapstick
232:John Amos
88:John Amos
950:AllMovie
658:See also
513:Joe Kapp
441:Joe Kapp
197:Language
120:Music by
84:Starring
981:at the
935:at the
904:Variety
750:Variety
729:May 27,
707:at the
616:Disney+
575:Release
549:Newhall
377:as Nanu
303:cheetah
200:English
189:Country
166: (
133:company
858:
809:
515:, and
340:ABC-TV
299:Tarzan
292:Zambia
246:, and
221:sports
961:IMDb
867:2019
856:ASIN
818:2019
807:ASIN
731:2012
539:and
357:Cast
285:Plot
269:and
260:NCAA
970:at
959:at
948:at
846:).
844:DVD
797:).
795:VHS
635:of
612:DVD
604:VHS
583:in
543:in
994::
884:.
850::
836:.
801::
787:.
767:.
739:^
693:^
571:.
519:.
511:,
507:,
503:,
499:,
242:,
238:,
234:,
890:.
869:.
842:(
820:.
793:(
733:.
170:)
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
