Line #16 Trivia/Tommy


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2	* BlackSheepHit: "Pinball Wizard" was added to the album as an afterthought, supposedly to gain the favor of New York Times music critic Nik Cohn, who was noted to be a fan of pinball. (Cohn was apprehensive about an early draft of ''Tommy'', but when Pete suggested that Tommy would become famous as a pinball player, his opinion immediately improved.) Pete Townshend even admitted that it was "the most clumsy piece of writing I'd ever done"; he refused to believe there was ''any'' merit to it until the producer and the rest of the band said it sounded like a hit.
3	* BreakawayPopHit: "Pinball Wizard" served as this for both the original album and the 1975 film.
4	* DawsonCasting: Roger Daltrey is less than three years younger than his screen mother Ann-Margret, and just over four years younger than his screen stepfather Creator/OliverReed. To top it all off, Daltrey is exactly three months older than his screen father Robert Powell. He is also two years older than Keith Moon, who plays his uncle Ernie.
5	* ExecutiveMeddling: Creator/KenRussell insisted on casting Creator/OliverReed in the movie, and consequently expanded his character's role to replace that of Tommy's father in the album. This led Music/PeteTownshend to have to tweak his singing parts so it was within his range.
6	* FakeBrit:
7	** Nora Walker is played by the extremely-American (born in Sweden) Ann-Margret.
8	** Creator/JackNicholson cameos as the very very English-sounding Specialist.
9	* HarpoDoesSomethingFunny: Creator/AnnMargret largely improvised the infamous bean scene. Creator/KenRussell simply told her that her character was having a nervous breakdown, and that she could do whatever she wanted. Unfortunately, at one point during filming, her hand accidentally struck the broken glass of the television screen and Russell had to rush her to the hospital for stitches.
10	* PropRecycling: The costumes in the "Rex Baked Beans" advert were originally made for the lavish masked ball sequence in ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1973'', and the dress worn by the Queen in the Rex ad is that worn by Creator/GeraldineChaplin in the earlier film.
11	* RecursiveAdaptation: The album was adapted as a musical in the 1990s, and produced an album of the original cast recording. The film soundtrack was also released as a double album.
12	* ThoseTwoActors: Creator/JackNicholson and Ann-Margret, who played lovers in ''Film/CarnalKnowledge'', are briefly reunited in the film.
13	* ThrowItIn:
14	** The building that is seen to be on fire, part of Tommy's holiday camp, is in fact, really burning down. It is South Parade Pier in Southsea. A fire was accidentally started during filming, and the crew decided to include the footage in the film. The fire crews and the fire are genuine. The pier was rebuilt, and is still in use today.
15	** During the legendary Woodstock festival, while performing "See Me, Feel Me" early in the morning, the sun broke over the horizon just as Roger started singing the chorus, bathing the stage in sunlight. While unplanned, the effect was so good that the band began incorporating lighting rigs into their act just to replicate it, and it's given a nod in the movie.
16	* UnderageCasting:
17	** Ann-Margaret is only three years older than Roger Daltrey.
18	** Daltrey is ''three months'' older than Robert Powell, who plays Captain Walker.
19	* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
20	** Roger Daltrey was taught ''real'' sign language so that he would be able to use it in the gesture song scene in the film. Unfortunately (arguably due to some more ExecutiveMeddling), it ended up just being a ''parody'' of sign language instead.
21	** Creator/GeorgeLucas could've directed the movie. Yes, ''that'' [[Franchise/IndianaJones George]] [[Franchise/StarWars Lucas]]. He wasn't available due to working on ''Film/AmericanGraffiti'' at the time he was asked.
22	** Music/RodStewart could've been the Local Lad for the movie. He turned the role down after Music/EltonJohn advised him not to take it (and after Elton had turned it down himself). Elton later said that Stewart never quite forgave him for that.
23	*** Some rumors have gone around about Music/TinyTim being considered for that role as well.
24	** Music/DavidBowie was considered for the role of the Acid Queen at some point. Music/MickJagger was reportedly offered the role but insisted on singing three of his own songs so the role was given to Music/TinaTurner.
25	** According to Pete Townshend in his book ''Who I Am'', when Music/StevieWonder found out they were making a movie of Tommy, he wanted to play the Pinball Wizard, but Pete Townshend didn't think it would make sense that he would have a blind guy playing a guy with sight, playing pinball against someone who's supposed to be blind, deaf, and dumb. Needless to say, Wonder was a little upset at Townshend over it.
26	** Creator/ChristopherLee turned down the role of The Specialist, as he was in Thailand filming ''Film/TheManWithTheGoldenGun''. Creator/PeterSellers was also considered.
27	** The whole thing was originally going to be about a girl who was reincarnated.
28	* WorkingTitle: ''Deaf Dumb and Blind Boy'' and ''Amazing Journey''.

Context Trivia / Tommy