This movie is based upon the life of Brian Piccolo and the deep and enduring relationship he had with fellow teammate and NFL Hall of Famer Gayle Sayers. It details the time they spent together on the Chicago Bears and how they came to trust and even care about one another. This happened in a time when racial tensions were still very real and were hard to push past, but Piccolo and Sayers came to respect and care for one another so deeply that after Piccolo’s passing Sayers made sure that his name would be remembered. It’s a very touching film that has immortalized the friendship between the two men.
Here are a few things you might not have known about the film.
10. Caan was a better athlete than Williams.
During their race in the park James Caan had to slow down to give Billy Dee Williams the chance to actually pass him up, otherwise he would have beaten him easily.
9. Louis Gosset Jr. was originally supposed to play Gayle Sayers.
It was unfortunate that Gosset injured his Achilles tendon before filming, which he lamented greatly since he believed that this would be his big shot. Fortunately he went on to fame not long afterwards anyway.
8. The same house that was used for Bewitched was used as Sayers’ house.
Considering this was a TV movie to start with it’s not hard to imagine this happening since so many sets got reused back in the day. In fact they still do in some cases.
7. Sayers wanted to play his own role.
He really wanted to take part in the film as himself but the training camp schedule wouldn’t allow it.
6. Caan initially turned the role of Piccolo down.
At first he wanted nothing to do with it but when he looked it over again Caan decided that he liked the part and decided to take it.
5. It was a TV movie before it was released in theaters.
It’s not too often that you see films take this route. Unfortunately it didn’t do as well in the theater as it did on TV and it had to be pulled shortly after.
4. Dick Butkus made his acting debut in this film.
He went uncredited for this role but has been in a number of other TV spots since. He was in Kicking and Screaming with Will Ferrell for instance.
3. It confirmed one of Piccolo’s favorite foods.
Piccolo was a big fan of pizza according to Sayers and others who knew him. Thankfully the film got this right.
2. The training camp was held in the real location of the actual camp.
It’s not too often that a film goes for this kind of realism, but it’s nice to see that some of them want to get things right.
1. James Caan had an amusing line before filming his death scene.
He said “Hold my cigarette and hold my can of Coke, I have to die”. Pretty plain and simple I guess. Let me go die and then give ’em back.
If you hadn’t guessed already Brian’s Song is one of the most liked guy-cry movies ever made.
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