The Only Major Actors Still Alive From Hoosiers
David Anspaugh's 1986 sports drama "Hoosiers" has gone down in history as one of the most influential sports dramas ever made. Partly inspired by the real-life story of the 1954 Indiana state champions Milan High School, "Hoosiers" focuses on formerly-disgraced basketball coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman), who gets a rare second chance to prove his mettle at Indiana's Hickory High School. The rather tight-knit town of Hickory seems a little too unforgiving towards Norman due to his sketchy past, but redemption finds its way to him via a David vs. Goliath situation that soon transforms into a classic underdog tale about dreaming big and achieving the impossible.
Some of the more saccharine themes in "Hoosiers" might feel a tad corny at times, but it is a film that brandishes sincere authenticity when it comes to the magic of unexpected second chances and the highs and lows of small-town sports. Moreover, a good underdog or comeback tale is incomplete without those who vehemently oppose such ideas, and here, the town itself represents this sentiment, as its people believe that Norman is bound to fail as a coach and a person. Even in such a hopeless scenario, there is scope for second chances: for instance, Dennis Hopper's Shooter Flatch, an alcoholic parent, is granted a chance at rehabilitation when Norman asks him to coach the basketball team with him. There is also Myra Fleener (Barbara Hershey), a teacher at Hickory, who helps Norman come to terms with emotions he has repressed deep within while flaunting a hardened, no-nonsense public persona.
Among the film's primary cast, only Hackman and Hershey are still alive, as Hopper sadly passed away in 2010 after being diagnosed with cancer.
Gene Hackman (Norman Dale)
Hackman's enduring and unforgettable acting legacy can be traced all the way back to his earliest Broadway performances in the 1960s, especially "Any Wednesday," which paved the path for his illustrious film career. A supporting performance in 1967's "Bonnie and Clyde" earned Hackman an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. After that, he actor shot to stardom, belting out memorable performances in films like "The French Connection," "Cisko Pike," "I Never Sang For My Father," and "The Conversation," among others. Hackman also dabbled in comedic roles for a while, such as his character Harold the Blind Man in "Young Frankenstein," along with gritty, nuanced portrayals in films like Arthur Penn's 1975 neo-noir, "Night Moves," where he plays a Los Angeles private investigator involved in a conspiracy that feels sinister beyond comprehension.
Perhaps one of Hackman's most easily recognizable performances is his turn as Lex Luthor in 1978's "Superman: The Movie" and its sequels over the years. He also starred in many film and TV projects including "Uncommon Valor," "No Way Out," "Another Woman," and "Mississippi Burning" (which earned him another Oscar nomination, this time for Best Actor). This inclination to be passionately involved in a plethora of projects continued throughout the 1990s to the early 2000s, until he chose to retire permanently from acting around 2004, save for some voice-over narration for documentaries over the years.
Although Hackman has retired from acting, he has taken up writing as a profession now, having co-written three historical fiction novels with undersea archaeologist Daniel Lenihan. The actor was granted the prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2003 for his impressive, long-spanning contribution to the field.
Barbara Hershey (Myra Fleener)
Hershey's acting career spans more than 50 years, as she has been working relentlessly since the mid-1960s and has appeared in several roles in notable films and television shows. The actor got her big break after starring in Martin Scorsese's "Boxcar Bertha," and reunited with the director 16 years later in his brilliant, controversial "The Last Temptation of Christ," where she played Mary Magdalene. However, the film that earned Hershey critical praise was Richard Rush's "The Stunt Man," which allowed the actor to take on meatier, more challenging roles in films like "The Right Stuff" and "The Natural," alongside comedies like Barry Levinson's "Tin Men," where she starred alongside Richard Dreyfuss and Danny DeVito.
Other projects of note include "Hannah and Her Sisters," for which Hershey earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and Andrei Konchalovsky's "Shy People," for which she was awarded Best Actress at the 40th Cannes Film Festival. Hershey would go on to win another Best Actress award at Cannes for 1988's "A World Apart," in which she played anti-apartheid activist Diana Roth. The actor also starred in several television films such as "A Killing in a Small Town" (for which she won an Emmy and a Golden Globe), "Paris Trout," and "Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning," among others.
Some of Hershey's more recent acting stints include "Black Swan," "Insidious," "Once Upon A Time," "Damien," and "The Manor."
David Neidorf (Everett Flatch)
Neidorf was the only professional actor to play a basketball team member in "Hoosiers," as the other cast members who made up the team had little to no acting experience — an aspect of the film that lends authenticity to the complicated socio-political dynamics of the small town of Hickory. Neidorf confidently embodied Everett Flatch (son of Shooter Flatch) as the actor is proficient in the sport and has an understanding of what it means to be a small-town high-school sports hero, where the dream of making it to the state-level championship supersedes every other passion or instinct.
After "Hoosiers," Neidorf played Tex (the soldier who has his hand blown off) in 1986's "Platoon," and went on to play small roles in films like "Empire of the Sun," "Born on the Fourth of July," and "Undercover." Although Neidorf's acting stint was pretty short, the impact "Hoosiers" had on him was seminal, as the onscreen dynamic between Everett and his father, Shooter, helped him feel closer to his own father (via ESPN):
"Like a lot of sons, I have a complex relationship with my dad. He really connected with the redemptive part of the movie. When I told Dennis Hopper that I loved him, my father felt like I was telling him. This film brought us closer together."
Maris Valainis (Jimmy Chitwood)
Valainis is a former actor best known for his role in "Hoosiers," where he plays Jimmy, who is instrumental to the Hickory Huskers winning the 1952 Indiana state high school championship (his real-life counterpart being Bobby Plump). When Valainis was cast for the role, he had no acting background or formal experience in high-school-level basketball, but his audition was impressive enough for him to be a part of the core basketball team in the film. A memorable scene in "Hoosiers" featuring the actor is when his character Jimmy has a lengthy conversation with Hackman's coach Norman, with the former shooting baskets in the court. This scene was filmed in a single take.
After "Hoosiers," Valanais landed a few roles in projects such as the TV biopic "Liberace," but eventually chose to retire and take up golf on a professional level. Valainis' role in "Hoosiers" might have been small compared to the likes of Hopper or Hackman, but the impact of Jimmy Chitwood can still be felt among enthusiasts of the sports drama.
Other cast members from Hoosiers
Other basketball team actors from "Hoosiers" who are still alive include Brad Boyle (Whit Butcher), Steve Hollar (Rade Butcher), Brad Long (Buddy Walker), Scott Summers (Strap Purl), and Wade Schenck (Ollie McLellan). Kent Poole, who played Merle Webb, tragically died in 2003. His character is best remembered for the memorable line, "Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here." Almost all of these cast members pursued other interests and professions after "Hoosiers," but the experience remains fresh in their minds, and some of them shared behind-the-scenes tidbits with ESPN, such as Hollar explaining how they prepared for their roles:
"We studied game film from the '50s. We'd spent all our lives learning to play one way, and then we had to start shooting a completely different way. No behind-the-back passes, no hand checking."
The legacy of "Hoosiers" is a longstanding one. The film has managed to resonate with audiences despite never being a box office sensation, and fans continue to turn to this sports drama for inspiration about making it big, beating impossible odds, and challenging fate to grow in the best ways. "Hoosiers" makes small towns like Hickory feel like a sandbox for something grander, where a single, ballsy move can catapult anyone toward victory.