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The Cannonball Run

The Cannonball Run is a 1981 American road action-comedy film directed by Hal Needham.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Cannonball Run is a 1981 American road action-comedy film directed by Hal Needham. It features an ensemble cast including Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Jackie Chan, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin. The film was inspired by the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, an actual cross-country outlaw race in the United States.

Production

The Cannonball Run was directed by Hal Needham and produced by Golden Harvest, with distribution by 20th Century-Fox. It was filmed in Panavision and assembled as a large ensemble comedy.

Story and inspiration

The film is loosely based on the real Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, a cross-country outlaw race run in the 1970s. The 1979 event is identified as the main inspiration for the movie.

Cast

The film features an ensemble cast led by Burt Reynolds, alongside Dom DeLuise, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Jackie Chan, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin.

Legacy

The film became one of the best-known depictions of the Cannonball legend and helped popularize the topic in mainstream entertainment. It is commonly discussed alongside later Cannonball-related films.

Key facts

  • The film was produced by Golden Harvest and distributed by 20th Century-Fox.
  • It is based on the 1979 running of the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash.
  • The story centres on an illegal cross-country car race from the eastern United States to California.
  • The cast includes several major stars from the era, including Burt Reynolds and Roger Moore.
  • The film is part of a broader series of Cannonball-themed racing films.
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Canadian context

The film was distributed internationally and remains familiar to Canadian audiences as part of 1980s Hollywood ensemble comedy cinema.

Frequently asked questions

What is The Cannonball Run?
It is a 1981 American road action-comedy film about an illegal cross-country car race.
Who directed The Cannonball Run?
The film was directed by Hal Needham.
What real event inspired the film?
It was inspired by the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, a real outlaw road race.
Who starred in the film?
The ensemble cast included Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Jackie Chan, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin.
When was it released?
It was released in the United States on June 19, 1981.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cannonball_Run
    Supports: Director, year, genre, cast, and basis in the 1979 Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash.
  2. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cannonball_run
    Supports: Release date, director, genre, runtime, and basic synopsis.
  3. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082136/
    Supports: Release date and country of origin.
  4. TMDb — https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/11286-the-cannonball-run
    Supports: Plot inspiration from the real Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash.
  5. Happy Soul — https://www.happy-soul.co/articles/20-interesting-facts-about-the-cannonball-run-movies/
    Supports: General overview of the film as a loose adaptation of the real event.