The World's Greatest Athlete (1973)
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37% of users liked it
(1,268 ratings)
One of the best of the early-1970s Disney farces, The World's Greatest Athlete stars Jan-Michael Vincent in the title role. A "wild boy" living off the land in the jungles of Africa, Vincent is discovered by coaches Tim Conway and John Amos. Cursed with a last-place college athletic… More One of the best of the early-1970s Disney farces, The World's Greatest Athlete stars Jan-Michael Vincent in the title role. A "wild boy" living off the land in the jungles of Africa, Vincent is discovered by coaches Tim Conway and John Amos. Cursed with a last-place college athletic lineup, Conway and Amos hope that Vincent will pull them out of their years-long slump. And he does, but not before several Disneyesque slapstick highlights, not to mention a handful of amusing special-effects gags (at one point, Conway is shrunk to mouse size by witch doctor Roscoe Lee Browne). Despite its formidable lineup of comedians-Conway, Billy DeWolfe, Nancy Walker, Vito Scotti et. al.--The World's Greatest Athlete's funniest line goes to guest star Howard Cosell! The script is the handiwork of Gerald Gardner and Dee Caruso, late of That Was the Week That Was and Get Smart. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Robert Scheerer
- Genres
- Comedy, Kids & Family
G,
- In Theaters
- Feb 2, 1973 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Steve Crum, Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers
Pedestrian Disney has its family film humor moments.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Tim Conway
as Milo
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Jan-Michael Vincent
as Nanu
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John Amos
as Coach Sam Archer
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Roscoe Lee Browne
as Gazenga
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Dayle Haddon
as Jane
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Billy De Wolfe
as Maxwell
- Philip Ahn
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Leon Askin
as Dr. Gottlieb
- Virginia Capers
- Al Checco
- Leigh Christian
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Don Pedro Colley
as Morumba
- Russ Conway
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Howard Cosell
as Himself
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Liam Dunn
as Dr. Winslow
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Ivor Francis
as Dean Bellamy
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Danny Goldman
as Leopold
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Joe Kapp
as Announcer
- John Lupton
- David Manzy
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Clarence Muse
as Gazenga's Assistant
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Bud Palmer
as Announcer, Himself
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Vito Scotti
as Sports Fan
- Sarah Selby
- Dorothy Shay
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Bill Toomey
as Announcer
- Dick Wilson
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Jim McKay
as Himself
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Nancy Walker
as Mrs. Petersen
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Frank Gifford
as Announcer, Himself
- Jack Griffin
- Jesus Franco
