Coincidentally, the movie brought in over 45 million bucks with a budget of 17 million, so calling it a hit movie is more than fair. Dec 19, 2016 the movie based on a true story about a high school cross country team. Mcfarland is a new running film starring kevin costner. Caro manages to show the harsh realities of life in mcfarland, at least in a pgrated way, but also celebrates its mexicanamerican culture. Jim white s most popular book is manchester united. Jim whites phone number, email, address, public records. Dec 14, 2020 based on the 1987 true story, disneys mcfarland, usa follows novice runners from mcfarland, an economically challenged town in californias farmrich central valley. In fact, he taught in the mcfarland school district since 1964. The real jim white, subject of the disney movie, mcfarland usa, and runners visit northside christian church in fresno. Why did mcfarland usa create the fake backstory about jim. Feb 20, 2015 jim white and his wife stayed in mcfarland.
Running and life, a meeting with mcfarland usa coach jim white. Based on the 1987 true story, disneys mcfarland, usa follows novice runners from mcfarland, an economically challenged town in californias farmrich central valley. Mcfarland usa true story book an unauthorized guide to mcfarland usa book. The independent critic mcfarland, usa a spirited, feel. Jim white is married to cheryl white and has three daughters. As stated above, the real jim white started teaching in the mcfarland school district straight out of college in 1964.
So here you are, out in a remote area, kind of a coachs purgatory. Mcfarland hs is not located across the street from a. The second best result is jim white age 60s in palm springs, ca in the desert park estates neighborhood. This is not the first job white has lost because of his wild west personality. Learn more about the mcfarland, usa true story by watching the jim white interview below. Find jim white s phone number, address, and email on spokeo, the leading online directory for contact information. Feb 17, 2015 from 1987 to 2001, mcfarland high school won nine california cross country state titles with white leading the way. They still have a home in mcfarland, and after jim retired, they bought one in the nearby mountains, too, where the air is cleaner. The story starts when a family moves to a very poor town in central california called mcfarland. Also, take a closer look at the diaz family, who had seven children run for mcfarland. It means an awful lot to the community of mcfarland, myself included. Jim white and his wife cheryl have three daughters, not two. Jim white has 53 books on goodreads with 2149 ratings. In the opening scene of this emotional rich and resonant sports film, jim white kevin costner, the coach of a high school football team, loses his temper in the locker room and throws a shoe at a player, cutting him on the face.
The real jim white started coaching at mcfarland high school in 1987 instead of 1980 as stated by the movie. Mcfarland hs is not located across the street from a prison. Coach white learns that there is a state wide cross country tournament. Track coach jim white kevin costner is a newcomer to a predominately latino high school in californias central valley. Do it anyway coach jim white quoted a few lines from mother teresas inspiring poem during his morning devotional and motivational talk on the 2016 edition of the klove cruise. The division iv winner was an unheralded team from mcfarland high, a small school about 750 students in a small town in the san joaquin valley. Coached by jim white, the cougars were entirely composed of mexicanamerican boys, a reflection of the demographics in the town itself. Jim whites wife cheryl white was played by actress maria bello in the hit film, mcfarland, usa. Rated pg for thematic material, some violence and language.
Shop mcfarland, usa kevin costner as jim white sitting on bleachers with team 8 x 10 inch photo and more music, movie, and tv memorabilia at amazons. Mcfarland, usa kevin costner as jim white sitting on bleachers. Join facebook to connect with jim white and others you may know. He quickly notices that the kids there are faster than he has ever seen and turns the fastest boys into a cross country track team. White spoke to running times at a screening in december. Jim white was never fired from a previous school for losing his temper. Based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a mainly latino high school in mcfarland, california, the film stars kevin costner as jim white, the. As stated above, the real jim white started teaching in the mcfarland school district straight out of college in the mcfarland, usa true story reveals that, unlike the movie, he didnt come to mcfarland on his last leg after being fired several times for losing his temper with players, superintendents, etc. False the rise of the cross country team took place over several years and not just one year as portrayed in the movie. Meet the reallife hero coach played by kevin costner in mcfarland, usa how far we running today. Jim white said that the only one who had some doubts was the brothers mother, she told them,i love the film, but they didnt make me strict enough. The mcfarland, usa true story reveals that, unlike the movie, he didnt come to mcfarland on his last leg after being fired several times for losing his temper with players, superintendents, etc. Mcfarland coach jim white and runners visit northside.
Kevin costner plays high school crosscountry coach jim white in mcfarland, usa. The real jim white, subject of the disney movie, mcfarland usa, and. Mcfarland is the only place coach white is able to find a job as a pe teacher and assistant football coach. Jim white, a school football coach at odds with the system and players, takes a job as an assistant football coach at mcfarland. Coach white talked for 45 minutes sharing his thoughts on life and behind the scene details from the hit disney movie mcfarland. See more ideas about mcfarland, great movies, high school cross country. Feb 06, 2015 mcfarland, usa, a new disney film starring kevin costner, tells the true story of california crosscountry coach jim white, who transformed a migrant farm towns predominantly latino high school into an unlikely powerhouse. He gets interested in building up a crosscountry team, but has to adjust his ways to suit the system. James jim white born may 14, 1941 in sweetwater, texas is an american track and field coach, a former high school cross country coach at mcfarland high school. Mar 01, 2015 interview with coach jim white of mcfarland, usa. These 7 runners work hard to build a cross country team under the direction of their inexperienced running coach, jim white kevin costner. Coach white quickly learns to respect the work ethic and loyalty of his runners, most of whom work the fields before school, run several miles to school, then work the fields after school.
Kevin costner plays jim white, a teacher and crosscountry coach at a mostly latino high school in mcfarland, california, based on a true story and set in the 19871988 school year. Detective whose story told in mcfarland usa pleads guilty. They have also lived in carter lake, ia and bellevue, ne. Mcfarland high crosscountry coach jim white shares a laugh with some team members in 1997, shortly after the teams portrait was taken for the school yearbook. Julie and jami are also portrayed slightly younger than their real ages at the time of mcfarland s first state title win in 1987 all three were in college during that time.
Meet coach white and the diaz brothers inspirations for. You were a picker and lived alone ever since your parents died and were left selling products in your own. Feb 21, 2015 the movie tells the story of jim white kevin costner, a teacher who cannot find work anywhere but in californias central valley, where he gets a job at mcfarland high school in 1987 and. But the real cheryl white gave birth to three daughters and not two as portrayed. The pgrated motion picture, which opens nationwide feb. Mcfarland, usa follows the true story of how crosscountry coach jim white, played by kevin costner, gathered a misfit team of runners from a. Jim white, the inspiration behind movies like mcfarland.
White discusses the upcoming disney running movie mcfarlan. Mcfarland, usa, a new disney film starring kevin costner, tells the true story of california crosscountry coach jim white, who transformed a migrant farm towns predominantly latino high school into an unlikely powerhouse. Mc farland high crosscountry coach jim white shares a laugh with some team members in 1997, shortly after the teams portrait was taken for the school yearbook. Were there books or instructional manuals that you leaned on. There is a minor tendency towards schmaltz and overlength 15 to 20 minutes should have been trimmed, as well as some undernourished dialogue, and as in other. Interview with coach jim white the presbyterian outlook. Coached by jim white, the cougars were entirely composed of. Mcfarland, usa is about more than a team of runners and. Running for their lives, the 2004 gary smith story that inspired the kevin costner movie mcfarland, usa. Coach jim white interview for mcfarland starring kevin costner. Select this result to view jim j white s phone number, address, and more. Legendary cross country coach jim white, the man behind.
Mcfarland, usa inspiring and dramatic story about unlikely. He notices that a few of the kids are very fast runners. In an interview, coach white spoke about what makes great coaches and great runners, and why mcfarland is still his home. Letters to the editor thank you for a labor of love for boys of mcfarland dec. They have also lived in fairmount, ga and antelope, ca. Kevin costner plays jim white in the 2015 disney film mcfarland. When a man named jim white comes to mcfarland high, he makes a cross country team and sees you running one day. The boys, we just got out of question and answer things a press conference and theyre elated that theyre part of it. Jim white s wife cheryl white was played by actress maria bello in the hit film, mcfarland, usa. To the locals in mcfarland population,500 regarded as one of the states poorest towns jim white known affectionately as blanco is a living, breathing legend. On the mcfarland communitys reaction to the films production.
Mcfarland usa was released in 2015 and tells the story of coach jim white, played by kevin costner, and his transformation of a running team in mcfarland, a tiny farming town about 25 miles. Kevin costner stars as high school coach jim white, who launched a championship crosscountry team in the poor, primarily hispanic town of mcfarland, california, in the late 80s. Their life story is told in the recent disney movie mcfarland, usa. Hollywood put coach jim white and his boys state title team in lights with mcfarland usa but how much of the movie resembles what truly. Jim is related to bob white and laura vento as well as 3 additional people. White finds the potential for crosscountry in few students at the school. Apr 19, 2015 kevin costner plays reallife coach jim white in disneys mcfarland usa, the story of a group of teenage pickers crop workers who became california state crosscountry champions. No, the real coach jim white actually started coaching cross country at mcfarland high school in 1980. The oldest daughter, tami, does not appear in the film. Coached by jim white, the cougars were entirely composed of mexicanamerican boys, a reflection of the. Jim and cheryl are both members of the church of christ. The only difference between anger and danger is a d leaders often lose influence when they.
Why did mcfarland usa create the fake backstory about jim white being fired from his other school. Jim whites phone number, email, address, public records spokeo. And the fact that it was based on a true story just makes it even better. He did not arrive at mcfarland on his last leg after being fired. Feb 17, 2015 retired mcfarland high school cross country coach jim white speaks with joy in his voice in a phone interview from hollywood, where they had an advance screening of disneys mcfarland, usa, a. I wanted to know if mcfarland had changed through the years and danny jumped in to answer you know, growing up in mcfarland, we didnt have much. The faith behind disneys mcfarland, usa the christian. But the real cheryl white gave birth to three daughters and not two as portrayed in the movie. From 1987 to 2003, his team won nine state championships in divisions iii and iv, as well as numerous lesser titles. Coach white talked for 45 minutes sharing his thoughts on life and behind the scene details from the hit disney movie mcfarland usa 2015. Based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a mainly latino high school in mcfarland, california, the film stars kevin costner as jim white, the schools coach, who leads the team to win a state championship. What its done for the community actually is we now have a new city logo.
Coach white kevin costner and his family have to relocate to mcfarland, a town populated by farm growers. Also, take a closer look at the diaz family, who had seven children run for. In 1987, football coach jim white kevin costner loses his job at a high school for losing his temper and throwing a shoe at a kid. Mcfarland, usa is absolutely incredible and a movie everyone should see.
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