Trivia / Breaking Away

• Cast the Runner-Up:
  • P. J. Soles originally hoped to get the role of the French student Dave meets at the end of the movie, as she spoke fluent French in real life. When someone else was cast, she got the part of Suzy, one of the members of Katharine's sorority.
  • Dennis Christopher originally auditioned for Cyril, but was ultimately cast as Dave.
• Creator's Favorite Episode: Peter Yates picked this as one of his three favorite movies that he directed (along with The Friends of Eddie Coyle and The Dresser).
• Dawson Casting: Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, and Daniel Stern were 23, 21, and 24, respectively, playing 19-year-olds during filming.
• Defictionalization: After the movie came out, the university created a real Cutters team for the Little 500 race, composed of either townies or college students from outside of the frats. It went on to rack up the most championships of any team in the race's history.
• Enforced Method Acting: When Katharine slaps Dave in the face after he tells her the truth about who he is, Robyn Douglass (according to Word of God) accidentally slapped Dennis Christopher for real, and the look on his face is genuine.
• Irony as She Is Cast: Dennis Christopher actually is an Italian-American (his real name is Dennis Carrelli).
• Recycled: The Series: The film was adapted into a 1980–81 series on ABC. Barbara Barrie, Jackie Earle Haley, and John Ashton all reprised their film roles, with Shaun Cassidy taking over the role of Dave and Vincent Gardenia playing his father Ray. Barrie was nominated for an Emmy Award, thereby receiving both an Oscar and Emmy nomination for playing the same character.
• Those Two Actors:
  • Paul Dooley and Dennis Christopher also played father and son in A Wedding (1978).
  • Christopher and Dennis Quaid also appeared in September 30, 1955.
• Underage Casting: Jackie Earle Haley was 17 playing 19-year-old Moocher when the film was made.
• Write What You Know: Writer Steven Tesich was a graduate of Indiana University, and knew a bicycle champion whom he based Dave on.

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