Chuck Gordon Clapp as Kenny Lawrence Dane as Coach Walker Lesleh Donaldson as Andrea Andropolis Robin Duke as Olympic Office Receptionist David Eisner as Man in Unemployment Office Giancarlo Esposito as Teenager Marvin Goldhar as Maloney Robert Hannah as Stuntman Shawn Lawrence as Kenny's Trainer Jim McKay as Himself Jennifer McKinney as Susan Andropolis Monica Parker as Fat Lady Tony Rosato as Italian athlete Murray Westgate as Mr. Finlay Trudy Young as Pregnant woman Production Many of the scenes including the start of the marathon as well as scenic shots were filmed in Georgetown, Ontario, Canada. Additional scenes were filmed at Lakeshore Studio in Toronto, Ontario; Montreal, Quebec; and New York City. The film was made for $4 million and sold to TV for $5 million even before it was released. Reception Vincent Canby of The New York Times described the film as "earnest but not particularly affecting." Variety wrote: "Scriptwriter Steven Stern, who directed, never really capitalizes on the sport of running which has become so popular, but Douglas overcomes to deliver a polished performance." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film one star out of four and called it "easily one of the year's worst movies ... This picture was made by a TV writer-director, and it shows." Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the film was "enlivened by some outstanding performances," but also stated that "I didn't get any real sense of the pain or the glory, the mystique or the physicality or the mechanics of running ... and it presents difficulties in a film called 'Running.'" Gary Arnold of The Washington Post described the film as "insufferable ... this sporting tearjerker is the dopiest imitation yet of 'Rocky,' already imitated into absurdity." James K. Loutzenhiser of BoxOffice gave the film a rating of "Good" and called it "an entertaining film" with Douglas "likable and convincing in the leading role." Lawrence O'Toole of Maclean's wrote, "A formula movie, nicely shot by Laszlo George and acted with real vigor by Douglas, Running is Television City, its script easily accessible to any prime-time child." References External links 1979 films 1970s sports drama films Canadian sports drama films English-language Canadian films Films about the 1976 Summer Olympics Films about Olympic track and field Films directed by Steven Hilliard Stern Universal Pictures films 1979 drama films 1970s English-language films 1970s Canadian films