SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER

WRITER

DIRECTOR

JOHN BADHAM

PRODUCER

ROBERT STIGWOOD

PRODUCTION COMPANY

In Director John Badham's commentary on the DVD, he explains how brave it was in 1977, the year the film was shot, for all involved, to shoot, play, edit and keep this scene in the final cut. After a game of basketball at the local playground, Travolta and his buddies spot two gay men walking down the street and verbally harass them. I was the shorter of the two actors playing the gay men. Badham was extremely sensitive to our needs to play the scene realistically, yet not be offensive or suggest to young audiences that this was acceptable behavior. I had no idea that other actors had turned down my role, afraid if they played a gay man in 1977, they might never work again. However, I was thrilled that Casting Agent Joy Todd offered me the opportunity to work with both Travolta and and director Badham. It opened doors for me to play other parts. When Casting agents Navaro-Bertoni heard I had the bravery, albeit young naivete, to play 'gay' they offered me a similar role in a then unnamed Woody Allen film shooting at the same time as SNF...and I found myself with an on-screen role in 1978's Oscar winning movie, "ANNIE HALL". Thank you, Joy, John T, John B, Esther,and Ricardo.

Saturday Night Fever 'S CAST

shane radford