Buzz
Initially envisioned by director Ivan Reitman as a Cheech and Chong-style Army film, Stripes evolved into a timeless comedy masterpiece. Boasting an exceptional ensemble cast, including Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, John Candy, and P.J. Soles, it also marked the breakthrough for talents like Sean Young, John Larroquette, Judge Reinhold, Timothy Busfield, and the ever-recognizable John Diehl. Discover 17 lesser-known facts about the iconic 1981 film.
1. HAROLD RAMIS AND COLUMBIA PICTURES WERE RELUCTANT TO CAST HAROLD RAMIS.
Aware of the studio's hesitation and more confident in his writing than acting, Ramis hesitated to take on the role of Russell. He even considered Dennis Quaid, then married to P.J. Soles, for the part. However, Bill Murray intervened, adamant that he would only collaborate with Ramis.
2. BILL MURRAY AND P.J. SOLES UNDERWENT A THREE-DAY BOOT CAMP.
John Winger and Stella originally intended to rise at 0500 and run alongside actual soldiers for a fortnight.
3. THE SPATULA SCENE WAS SHOT AT 3 A.M.
The scene was entirely improvised by Murray.
4. THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT APPROVED OF THE SCRIPT.
As a result, the crew was granted extensive access, including permission for Ivan Reitman and his team to film at Fort Knox and enlist real soldiers as extras.
5. MURRAY FELT UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT STARRING IN A FILM WHERE HE HANDLED A MACHINE GUN.
He convinced himself that using guns to protect his friends was justifiable.
6. ARMY ENLISTMENT RATES INCREASED FOLLOWING THE MOVIE'S RELEASE.
The rise was approximately 10 percent.
7. THE CAST SPENT TWO WEEKS IN A DRUNKEN STUPOR FOLLOWING JOHN LENNON’S DEATH.
John Larroquette, who played Capt. Stillman, confessed to being intoxicated during the scene where he reprimands the company after their mud wrestling escapade. Even after production shifted to Los Angeles, Murray and Warren Oates (Sgt. Hulka) shared a boozy night near the burial site of the late actor Strother Martin.
8. JOHN LARROQUETTE SUFFERED A BROKEN NOSE.
Larroquette permanently damaged his nose when he collided with a door while filming the scene where he realizes the EM-50 has been taken.
9. WARREN OATES CHIPPED A TOOTH.
Without Warren Oates’s knowledge, Reitman instructed the actors to seize Hulka and pull him into the mud during one of the obstacle course sequences. After chipping his tooth and yelling at Reitman, Oates insisted they could film from the opposite side of his face and continue shooting until he was persuaded to visit a dentist.
10. HULKA WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN TO DIE.
The script initially intended for the fall from the high platform to be fatal. However, the character and actor were so beloved that this part of the story was altered.
11. KENTUCKY STOOD IN FOR CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
The scenes set in Czechoslovakia were shot at the Chapeze Distillery, owned by Jim Beam, located in Clermont, Kentucky. Ramis explained that the third act was set in Czechoslovakia because Reitman’s family were refugees from the Czech region.
12. LARROQUETTE IMPROVISED THE LINE “I WISH I WAS A LOOFAH.”
Reitman encouraged Larroquette to ad-lib dialogue while observing naked women in the shower. He spontaneously delivered the line, “I wish I was a loofah.” After Reitman called “Cut!”, he inquired about the meaning of a loofah.
13. A NINE-MINUTE ACID TRIP SEQUENCE WAS FILMED BUT REMOVED.
John and Russell were depicted taking LSD and embarking on a mission to combat rebels in the Colombian jungle. Reitman felt the scene didn’t align with the overall tone of the film.
14. A SCENE FEATURING CRUISER AND HULKA WAS ALSO DELETED.
Cruiser removed a grenade pin and began counting, but he lost track of the numbers. Hulka swiftly grabbed the grenade and hurled it away, saving their lives.
15. DIEHL EARNED $1500 PER WEEK FOR HIS ROLE AS CRUISER.
The young actor was thrilled with his earnings.
16. MURRAY AND JOHN CANDY TOOK DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO CONNECT WITH THE PLATOON.
Murray organized a screening of the 1968 film The Bofors Gun, a somber military drama set in post-World War II West Germany. Candy, on the other hand, hosted the platoon at his home to watch the iconic Roberto Duran vs. Sugar Ray Leonard fight and served a spaghetti dinner prepared by his wife.
17. ONLY CANDY AND PSYCHO WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE LYRICS TO “DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY”
Conrad Dunn (Psycho) remembered that he and Candy had to instruct the rest of the group on the lyrics.
