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3: The Dale Earnhardt Story
2004 television film directed by Russell Mulcahy
2004 television film directed by Russell Mulcahy
| Field | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| image | Three the dale earnhardt story.jpg | |
| caption | Television release poster | |
| genre | Biographical drama | |
| writer | Robert Eisele | |
| director | Russell Mulcahy | |
| starring | {{Plainlist | |
| music | Louis Febre | |
| country | United States | |
| language | English | |
| executive_producer | Orly Adelson | |
| producer | Lynn Raynor | |
| editor | William B. Stich | |
| cinematography | James Chressanthis | |
| runtime | 90 minutes | |
| company | {{Plainlist | |
| network | ESPN | |
| released |
- Barry Pepper
- J.K. Simmons
- Elizabeth Mitchell
- Sean Bridgers
- Joe Chrest
- Chad McCumbee
- Greg Thompson
- Kevin Stillwell
- Ron Prather
- Orly Adelson Productions
- ESPN Original Entertainment 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story is a 2004 American biographical drama television film directed by Russell Mulcahy, written by Robert Eisele, and starring Barry Pepper as NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt. It chronicles Earnhardt's life from his humble upbringing in Kannapolis, North Carolina, throughout his career racing automobiles to include his rise to dominance in NASCAR, culminating with his death in the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Its central theme focuses on the relationship between him and his father, Ralph Earnhardt, as well as the relationship between him and his youngest son, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The film premiered on ESPN on December 11, 2004. Pepper's performance earned him a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie.
Many of the film's race scenes were filmed at Rockingham Speedway. The track had lost its races and at the time was used mostly as a test facility and driving school. Chad McCumbee, who portrayed Earnhardt Jr., later became a NASCAR driver in the Craftsman Truck Series. He also raced alongside Dale Jr. himself at the 2007 Pocono 500, driving Kyle Petty's 45 car, as Petty was in the TNT broadcast booth.
Actors playing the part of the Flying Aces were Ray Everett, Greg Davis, David Brooks, Robbie Hicks, and Don Gyr.
Synopsis
The film details the life of stock-car racing legend Dale Earnhardt. From an early age, Earnhardt learned about cars from his father Ralph, who worked at a mill to feed and clothe his family but also rebuilt jalopies in his garage and raced them at local events on weekends. Ralph, a minor legend in Southern stock-car racing, inspired Dale to follow his own passion for racing. After dropping out of high school to race, Dale started out in his father's shadow and struggled to establish himself for more than a decade, especially when tangling with legends in the sport such as Darrell Waltrip. Dale finally broke into NASCAR in the late '70s, and in time became the top prize money winner in NASCAR history. The lessons Dale learned from his father are revisited when Dale's own teenage son, Dale Jr., decides to take up racing at the age of 16.
Cast
| Cast Member | Role |
|---|---|
| Barry Pepper | Dale Earnhardt |
| Elizabeth Mitchell | Teresa Earnhardt |
| Ernest Whitted | Pit Crowd |
| Andrea Powell | Martha Earnhardt |
| Sean Bridgers | Neil Bonnett |
| David Lewis Brooks | Earnhardt Pit Crew |
| Russell Brooks | Earnhardt Pit Crew (credited as Russell Dean Brooks Jr.) |
| Joe Chrest | Jake Elder |
| Russell Cook | Press Conference VIP |
| Teresa Delgado | Kelley Earnhardt |
| Tony Devon | Will |
| Thunderbird Dinwiddie | Connie (credited as Traci Dinwiddie) |
| Tricia Dyar | Daisy (credited as Tricia Quattlebaum) |
| Corri English | Kelley Earnhardt |
| Michael Flippo | Wayne Robertson |
| Daniel Freeze | Dale Pit Crew |
| Frank Glidden | Kerry Earnhardt |
| Craig S. Harper | Kenny Schrader |
| Andy Hillenburg | Deke |
| Kenneth M. Johnston | Darrell Waltrip Pit Crew Member |
| Jim Keisler | GM Executive |
| Andrea Kfoury | Marion |
| James G. Martin Jr. | Dwayne |
| Chad McCumbee | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| Marshal McGee | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| Ron Prather | Richard Childress |
| Brandi Ryans | Brenda Gee |
| David Sherrill | H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler |
| Lori Beth Sikes | Latane Brown (credited as Lori Beth Edgeman) |
| J. K. Simmons | Ralph Earnhardt |
| Zachary Dylan Smith | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| Kevin Stillwell | Rod Osterlund |
| Greg Thompson | Darrell Waltrip |
| Olivia Weston | Dale's Mistress |
| David Wilson | GM Executive |
| Meredith DiPaolo Stephens | Driver's Wife (uncredited) |
Copyright infringement controversy
The script of this film was not approved by Earnhardt's widow, Teresa Earnhardt and the Earnhardt Family. The film, although capturing the essence of Earnhardt, is inaccurate in many of the events seen in it. Richard Childress, the former car owner and team owner of Earnhardt, sued ESPN for copyright infringement with its use of the "3" logo. In December 2005, the lawsuit was settled out of court.
References
References
- Heffernan, Virginia. (December 10, 2004). [https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/10/arts/television/a-first-love-becomes-the-family-business.html A First Love Becomes the Family Business]. nytimes.com. Retrieved November 16, his 2015.
- [http://www.sagawards.org/awards/nominees-and-recipients/11th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards The 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards]. sagawards.org. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
- [http://www.racing-reference.info/driver/Chad_McCumbee Chad McCumbee]. racing-reference.info. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
- "3". Rotten Tomatoes.
- Bell, Robert. (March 23, 2005) [http://www.greensboro.com/earnhardt-s-spins-its-way-into-courtroom-a-lawsuit-filed/article_f6f402c9-1524-5b03-aa32-80098905a4e7.html EARNHARDT'S '3' SPINS ITS WAY INTO COURTROOM A LAWSUIT FILED IN FEDERAL COURT IN GREENSBORO CHARGES ESPN WITH COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT]. greensboro.com. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
- (15 December 2005). "Earnhardt '3' lawsuit ends with settlement {{!}} Auto Racing {{!}} greensboro.com".
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