The Hollywood Show: How One ‘Grease’ Star’s Flubbed Line Ending Up a Part of Movie History

Released in 1978, Grease is a cultural touchstone that revolutionized the musical genre. It became the defining 1950s nostalgia piece for multiple generations and popularized dance-pop through its multi-platinum soundtrack. Its legacy endures through iconic fashion, ongoing worldwide stage productions, and a bevy of highly quotable lines from the pic’s various characters.

But did you know that one of the film’s most famous quotes was a film flub that made it into the final cut?

At the Hollywood Show, Barry Pearl, who plays Doody, the youngest member of the T-Birds, talked to ReMIND about his onscreen legacy and how he made film history with a blooper.

Karen Ruud

“When we’re in the bleachers, before we sing ‘Summer Nights, we’re making fun of Tom Chisum, Lorenzo [Lamas’] character,” said Pearl. “He’s running in his football stuff, and he puts his foot in his helmet, and we say, ‘You really put your foot into it this time, Chisum!'”

“Michael [Tucci], who’s an authentic Italian, as I’m an authentic Jew — I’m supposed to be Italian in this, at least that was my choice — Michael uses the word when he puts somebody down, ‘you’re a real gavone.’ A ‘gavone’ is like a nerd. That’s Italian: You gavone, you stupid person,” explained Pearl. “I loved that, and in the moment, because we did a lot of improvisation in many of the scenes, when it came time for us to be making fun of Tom Chisum, I wanted to call him, ‘You’re a real gavone,’ or ‘Hey gavone,’ at which point Michael actually said it, ‘What a gavone.'”

And at that point, I already had the “G” coming out of my mouth. So, I said, ‘Gumdrops, man,’ revealed Perry. “It means nothing! It’s not a put-down, it’s nothing! And that’s the shot that they’ve got in the movie! You see, you say, I got a Pepsi in my hand, a yellow squirt gun on the other hand, and ‘Gumdrops, man!’ And they kept it!”

Gumdrops, man.