Searching for Bobby Fischer
A 7 year-old boy, fascinated by the chess player Bobby Fischer, plays chess with drop-outs in a public park. When his father, a sportswriter, realises that he has a remarkable gift for the game, he engages a former champion to coach the boy, but when he begins entering him in championships, paternal encouragement starts to border on obsession. The pressures entailed threaten the boy's enjoyment of childhood and of the game.
Cast & credits
Cast
- Josh Waitzkin Max Pomeranc
- Fred Waitzkin Joe Mantegna
- Bonnie Waitzkin Joan Allen
- Bruce Pandolfini Ben Kingsley
- Vinnie Laurence Fishburne
- Jonathan Poe Michael Nirenberg
- Poe's teacher Robert Stephens
- Kalev David Paymer
- Morgan Hal Scardino
- Russian park player Vasek Simek
- tunafish father William H. Macy
- tournament director Dan Hedaya
- school teacher Laura Linney
- fighting parent Anthony Heald
- man of many signals Steven Randazzo
- Katya Waitzkin Chelsea Moore
- chess club regular Josh Mostel
- chess club regular Josh Kornbluth
- chess club member Tony Shalhoub
- Asa Hoffman Austin Pendleton
- reporter Tom Mcgowan
- reporter Ona Fletcher
- himself Kamran Shirazi
- himself Joel Benjamin
- himself Roman Dzindzichasvili
- park player Jerry Poe Mcclinton
- night park player Matt De Matt Reines
- Washington Square patzer Vincent Smith
- Washington Square patzer Jerry Rakow
- statistician William Colgate
- journalist Tony Desantis
- final tournament director R.D. Reid
- park dealer Anthony Mcgowan
- 82nd girl Katya Waitzkin
- Petey Ryder Fleming-jones
- running chess kid Harris Krofchick
- gym parent John Bourgeois
- gym parent Maria Ricossa
- screaming mom Caroline Yeager
- Josh's Syracuse opponent Andrew Sardella
- Josh's teammate Nathan Carter
- birthday friend Nicholas Taylor
- birthday friend Jonathan Fazio
- birthday friend Nicky Mellina
- birthday friend Philip Neiman
- birthday friend Elizabeth Gropman
- [man who compares Josh to Bobby Fischer] Bruce Pandolfini
- [man in park during Josh/Vinnie game] Josh Waitzkin
Credits
Direction
- Director Steven Zaillian
- Assistant Director Anthony Gittelson
- Assistant Director Burtt Harris
- Assistant Director Walter Gasparovic
- Assistant Director (2nd 2nd) Rose Tedesco
- Assistant Director (3rd) Grant Lucibello
- Assistant Director (NY) Julie A. Bloom
- Assistant Director (NY 2nd 2nd) Juan Ros
Production
- ©/Presents Paramount Pictures
- Production Company Scott Rudin Productions
- Production Company Mirage Enterprises
- Executive Producer Sydney Pollack
- Producer Scott Rudin
- Producer William Horberg
- Co-producer David Wisnievitz
- Unit Production Manager David Coatsworth
- Unit Production Manager Jonathan Filley
- Production Co-ordinator Mara Mcsweeny
- Production Co-ordinator (LA) Alex Alexanian
- Location Manager Fred Kamping
- Location Manager (NY) Daniel Strol
Casting
- Casting Avy Kaufman
- Voice Casting Barbara Harris
- Casting Associate Michele Heilbrun
- Toronto Casting Tina Gerussi
Writing
- Screenplay Steven Zaillian
- Based on the book by Fred Waitzkin
Photography
- Director of Photography Conrad Hall
- Additional Photography Rob Hahn
- Camera Operator Rob Hahn
- Camera Operator (B Camera) Harald Ortenburger
- Camera Operator (NY B Camera) Tom Priestley
- Steadicam Operator David Crone
- Steadicam Operator Rick Raphael
- Video Playback Operator Stephen Sebert
- Video Playback Operator David Woods
- Video Playback Operator (NY) Nils Johnson
Special Effects
- Special Effects Bob Hall
Editing
- Editor Wayne Wahrman
- Co-editor Ronald Roose
Design
- Production Designer David Gropman
- Art Director Gregory P. Keen
- Art Director Dan Davis
- Set Decorator Steve Shewchuk
- Set Decorator (NY) Christopher Maya
- Set Dresser Denis Kirkham
- Set Dresser Bill Woods
- Set Dresser (NY) Dan Grosso
- Draughtsman Douglas Mclean
- Head Scenic Artist Gunther Bartlik
Costumes
- Costume Designer Julie Weiss
- Wardrobe Kim Chow
- Wardrobe (NY) Walter Rivera
- Wardrobe (NY) Rose Cuervo
Make-up
- Make-up Artist Linda Gill
- Make-up Artist (NY) Paul Gebbia
- Hairstylist Paul Elliot
- Hairstylist (NY) Bill Farley
Titles
- Title Design Robert Dawson
- Titles/Opticals Cinema Research Corporation
Music
- Music Composed/Conducted by James Horner
- Orchestrations Thomas Pasatieri
- Music Editor Jim Henrikson
Sound
- Music Recording Shawn Murphy
- Sound Recordist David Lee
- Re-recording Mixer Gary Bourgeois
- Re-recording Mixer Scott Millan
- Re-recording Mixer Elmo Ponsdomenech
- Supervising Sound Editor Beth Sterner
- Dialogue Editor Bobby Mackston
- Dialogue Editor Michael Magill
- Sound Effects Editor Thierry J. Couturier
- Sound Effects Editor Richard Burton
- Sound Effects Editor Kim Secrist
- Sound Effects Editor Noah Blough
- ADR Recordist Bob Baron
- Supervising ADR Editor Nicholas Korda
- ADR Editor Norto Sepulveda
- Foley Artist Catherine Rowe
- Foley Artist Jim Moriana
- Foley Artist Joan Rowe
- Foley Recordist Eric Gotthelf
- Supervising Foley Editor Scott D. Jackson
- Foley Editor Leslie Troy Gaulin
- Foley Editor Patrick Bietz
Consultant
- Technical Adviser Bruce Pandolfini