

Songwriter
“He got mad when they took his money and his business. But when they tried to take his songs... Nobody ever had a better time getting even.”
Synopsis
Doc Jenkins may be one of country music's most beloved stars, but his private life is a wreck. He's split up with his longtime partner, Blackie Buck, a country outlaw with a heart of gold. Doc's singer-wife, Honey Carder, has thrown him out of the house. And now he's gotten involved with a sleazy music manager, Rodeo Rocky, who's out to steal his material. Teaming up with Blackie, Doc takes drastic measures to win back his family and reclaim his songs.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
1984 Songwriter Official Trailer 1 TriStar Pictures
Type: Trailer • Published 2019-07-15
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Willie Nelson
Doc Jenkins
Kris Kristofferson
Blackie Buck
Melinda Dillon
Honey Carder
Rip Torn
Dino McLeish
Lesley Ann Warren
Gilda
Mickey Raphael
Arly / Harmonica (Gilda's Band)
Rhonda Dotson
Corkie
Richard C. Sarafian
Rodeo Rocky
Robert Gould
Ralph
Sage Parker
Pattie McLeish
Shannon Wilcox
Anita
Jeff MacKay
Hogan
Gailard Sartain
Mulreaux
Stephen Bruton
Sam / Roarers Band
Glen Clark
Paul / Roarers Band
Cleve Dupin
Road Manager
B.C. Cooper
Cooper
Poodie Locke
Purvis
Release History & Theatrical Window
October 14, 1984
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$8.6M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$866K
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.1x
-$7.7M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Alan Rudolph
- Screenplay & Story
- Bud Shrake
- Original Score
- Larry Cansler
- Original Title
- Songwriter
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 34m
- Production Budget
- $8.6M
- Worldwide Gross
- $866K
- Production Studios
- TriStar Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Alan Rudolph
Bud Shrake
Larry Cansler
Matthew F. Leonetti
Stuart H. Pappé, George A. Martin, Stephen Lovejoy
Sydney Pollack
Department Leadership Roster
Alan Rudolph
Director
Bud Shrake
Writer
Stuart H. Pappé
Editor
Sydney Pollack
Producer
Matthew F. Leonetti
Director of Photography
Larry Cansler
Original Music Composer
Joel Schiller
Production Design
Ernest Misko
Costume Design
Kathleen Gore-Misko
Costume Design
George A. Martin
Editor
Stephen Lovejoy
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Songwriter.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Songwriter.
Mid Hunting List
A list of mids found by Mid Hunters
Movies
WATCHED
Movies I have viewed
Musicals
Every film Wikidata tags as a musical film.
Golden Globe Nominated Titles - IMDb
1980
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Frequently Asked Questions About Songwriter
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Songwriter about?
Doc Jenkins may be one of country music's most beloved stars, but his private life is a wreck. He's split up with his longtime partner, Blackie Buck, a country outlaw with a heart of gold. Doc's singer-wife, Honey Carder, has thrown him out of the house. And now he's gotten involved with a sleazy music manager, Rodeo Rocky, who's out to steal his material. Teaming up with Blackie, Doc takes drastic measures to win back his family and reclaim his songs.
Who directed Songwriter?
Songwriter was directed by Alan Rudolph.
Who stars in Songwriter?
The principal cast of Songwriter includes Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Melinda Dillon, Rip Torn, Lesley Ann Warren.
When was Songwriter released and how long is it?
Songwriter was released in 1984 with a total runtime of 1h 34m.
What was the box office and production budget of Songwriter?
Songwriter had a reported production budget of $8.6M and grossed $866K at the worldwide box office (0.1 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Songwriter?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Songwriter was composed by Larry Cansler.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Songwriter?
Songwriter holds official age classifications: US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).



















