Not many people know this, but the movie Angels in the Outfield was filmed at the best coliseum in the world, the Oakland Coliseum, home of the Oakland Athletics. They should rename the movie, ‘Angels in the Outfield in Oakland’ – it would have been a better suited movie title. Most people would say the coliseum is a ‘dump’, but a lot of A’s fans would agree, that this place is home for many of us. Filmmakers at Disney agreed how lovable this site is and shot the movie there.
The Coliseum was a perfect site to film the movie because the Raiders were not in Oakland yet. Angels in the Outfield stars Lethal Weapon lead and Predator killer Danny Glover, a young lovable Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who looked like a certain Swingin A’s staff writer, Tony Danza, who starred in the greatest show in television history in Who’s the Boss and the inventor of time travel himself, Christopher Lloyd. Yes, Christopher Lloyd, who played Doc Brown who made time travel possible and who also said, ‘Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.’ Best movie quote of all time.
Jun 26, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Actor Christopher Lloyd looks out on to the field before the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
The film also stars then unknown actors as Angels players in Matthew McConaughey and Adrian Brody. Both actors would go on to win Academy awards later in their careers. Not many people know this but the Oakland A’s great third baseman Carney Lansford makes an appearance in the movie. Carney shows the world in this movie that he has the acting chops to potentially win a Academy award to go along with his 89′ World Series ring. Check out the movie and watch Carney’s intimidating scowl he gives Tony Danza’s character at the end of the movie – it’s classic. Watch out McConaughey and Brody, there is some acting competition from Carney!
It is fun to watch the Oakland Coliseum like it was back in the day before Mount Davis ruined it. We just need Christopher Lloyd to build a time machine, so we can enjoy the Coliseum like before.