| Thunder in Carolina | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Paul Helmick |
| Produced by | J. Francis White |
| Written by | Alexander Richards |
| Starring | Rory Calhoun Alan Hale, Jr. Connie Hines |
| Music by | Walter Greene |
| Cinematography | Joseph C. Brun |
| Editing by | Rex Lipton |
| Release date(s) | 1960 |
| Running time | 92 minute |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Thunder in Carolina is a 1960 stock car racing movie starring Rory Calhoun, Alan Hale, Jr., and Connie Hines. It was written by Alexander Richards, directed by Paul Helmick, and contains remarkable 1959-vintage stock car race footage.
Filmed at a number of small dirt ovals in the South, the script is based around the Southern 500 NASCAR race in Darlington, SC. All filming was done in 1959 with much of the footage taken during the actual event. A film car was entered to capture on-track sequences and Rory Calhoun actually ran some laps during the race. Calhoun drives a 1957 Chevrolet while his friend-turned-competitor "Les York" is in a 1959 Oldsmobile.
The movie is clearly a "B" grade production but Thunder In Carolina managed to capture much of the sound and fury of the era. The film was later marketed on video tape as "Hard Drivin'" with a freeze-frame title spliced into the opening.
Rory Calhoun ... Mitch Cooper
Alan Hale, Jr. ... Buddy Schaeffer
Connie Hines ... Rene York
Race Gentry ... Les York (billed as John Gentry)
Ed McGrath ... Reichert
Troyanne Ross ... Kay Hill
Helen Downey ... Eve Mason
Van Casey ... Stoogie
Tripplie Wisecup ... Myrtle Webb
Carey Loftin ... Tommy Webb
Billie Langston ... Peaches
Ann Stevens ... Singer
George Rembert, Jr. ... Junior Thorsen
Olwen Roney ... Motel manager
Richard Taylor ... Higgins