Where Is the Cast of ‘The Bad News Bears’?
The Bad News Bears hit theaters on April 7, 1976, and even then, it didn’t feel like a typical sports comedy. The kids were messy, and Coach Buttermaker wasn’t exactly handing out life lessons. That rough-around-the-edges feel is really what made the movie stick with fans. The film was a hit with critics too, earning strong reviews for its honesty and humor, and it went on to spawn two sequels, The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training and The Bad News Bears Go to Japan, plus a 2005 remake.
Fifty years later, it’s worth looking back at the cast who made the Bears so memorable, and where life took them after the film wrapped.
Tatum O’Neal (62)
Amanda Whurlitzer
Everett Collection; Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Pure Flix Entertainment
Before playing Amanda, O’Neal had already made history, winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Paper Moon at age 10, which still makes her the youngest competitive Oscar winner. On The Bad News Bears, she wasn’t just acting like a pitcher; she had been trained for the role and handled much of the pitching herself. She returned as Amanda in The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training and continued working steadily through the late ’70s in films like Nickelodeon, International Velvet, and Little Darlings.
After that early run, her film career slowed significantly, with only a handful of movie roles over the next couple of decades. However, she continued working in television, appearing on shows like Sex and the City and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In the 2000s, she had a recurring role on Rescue Me. She has also spoken publicly about struggles that affected her career, including addiction and personal challenges.
Jackie Earle Haley (64)
Kelly Leak
Everett Collection; Phillip Faraone/Getty Images
He returned as Kelly in both sequels, The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training and The Bad News Bears Go to Japan, before his acting career slowed down and eventually went dormant for a stretch. During that time, he shifted into directing and producing television commercials, stepping away from acting through much of the ’90s and early 2000s.
His comeback began in 2006 with All the King’s Men, followed by Little Children, in which he played a recently paroled sex offender. This performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. That role marked a clear shift into darker material, which continued with parts like Rorschach in Watchmen and later roles in films like Shutter Island and the remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street.
Gary Lee Cavagnaro (62)
Engelberg
Cavagnaro didn’t continue with acting after The Bad News Bears and has kept a low profile since, appearing in only two small TV movies after the film before retreating to a private life.
Brandon Cruz (63)
Joey Turner
Cruz was already a recognizable face from The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, where he played Eddie Corbett for three seasons, so audiences knew him well. After his early acting run, Cruz shifted direction pretty quickly, moving into the punk scene by the early ’80s as the lead singer of the band Dr. Know, and later performing with the Dead Kennedys for a period in the early 2000s. He didn’t disappear from entertainment entirely, though, taking on behind-the-scenes work, including assistant editing on South Park and working with networks like the Discovery Channel and UPN.
Chris Barnes (60)
Tanner Boyle
Barnes reprised the role in The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training and continued acting into the early ’80s, including appearances in TV projects like ABC Afterschool Special. His acting career was relatively short, though, running from the mid-’70s to the early ’80s.
Unlike some of his co-stars, he largely stepped away from public life afterward, but Tanner remains one of the most recognizable and frequently quoted characters from the original film.
Joyce Van Patten (92)
Cleveland
Monty Sherman/TV Guide/Everett Collection; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
She already had a long list of television credits before the film, including roles on shows like The Danny Kaye Show and The Good Guys, and she continued working steadily for decades afterward. Her later credits include films like St. Elmo’s Fire and TV appearances on The Sopranos and Desperate Housewives.
In Memoriam
Everett Collection
Walter Matthau, who played Coach Buttermaker, died on July 1, 2000, at age 79 from cardiac arrest after a long career that included an Academy Award and decades of film work.
Vic Morrow, who played Roy Turner, died on July 23, 1982, at age 53, in a tragic on-set accident during the filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie, an event that led to lasting changes in film safety standards.
Where to Watch The Bad News Bears
The Bad News Bears is available for digital rental or purchase on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Vudu.
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Baseball
May 2024
Celebrate America's pastime and favorite game in film, iconic moments, best players & more!
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