| On the Right Track | |
|---|---|
.jpg) On the Right Track movie poster | |
| Directed by | Lee Philips |
| Written by | Avery Buddy Richard Moses Tina Pine |
| Produced by | Jim Begg Ronald Jacobs |
| Starring | Gary Coleman |
| Cinematography | Jack L. Richards |
| Edited by | Bill Butler |
| Music by | Arthur B. Rubinstein |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
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Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $3 million |
| Box office | $13 million (US) |
On the Right Track is a 1981 American romantic comedy film with the feature film debut of Gary Coleman. It was directed by Lee Philips, produced by Ronald Jacobs, and released to theaters by 20th Century Fox in the spring of 1981. The co-stars include Michael Lembeck, Lisa Eilbacher, Bill Russell, Maureen Stapleton, and. Norman Fell.
A young, homeless shoeshine 10 years old boy named Lester (Coleman) is living in a locker at Union Station, Chicago. Already a beloved figure among the staff at the station who look after him, and avoiding attempts to move him to an orphanage, he finds great popularity after it is revealed that he has an amazing talent for picking winning horses at the racetrack.
Due to his success on television with the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, child actor Gary Coleman's popularity led to development of film projects where he can play the lead. A script, originally intended for someone else, was chosen because of Coleman's love for trains. With a $3 million budget, filming commenced in May 1980 in Chicago.
Though it received a number of reviews concluding that it was sappy and capitalizing on Coleman's TV following, many found the film charming, well written, well acted, with Coleman being a solid actor in his first lead role in a motion picture.
The film was a financial success, it grossed 13 million at the box office ranking it at 61 on highest grosses of that year. On home-video rentals that film added 10 to 15 millions to their revenue.