#dick richards

Tootsie premiered in Hollywood, CA on 1 December 1982 before opening in almost 1,000 theaters 2 weeks later.

Don McGuire’s play Would I Lie to You? had been circulating in Hollywood since the early 1970s until Buddy Hackett took a serious interest in 1978 and Charles Evans (brother of Robert Evans) purchased an option on the play. Evans began work on the screenplay with Bob Kaufman and Dick Richards, and Richards showed a draft of the screenplay to Dustin Hoffman, who wanted to be involved, but only if he had creative control of the project.

Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal reworked the script (with uncredited work from Barry Levinson and Elaine May) and Richards (originally intending to direct) left due to “creative differences” (he would received a producer’s credit), and Hal Ashby was hired to direct. Columbia Pictures forced Ashby to quit (due to a contractual obligation), and Sydney Pollack was hired.

Hoffman insisted that Pollack play the role of the agent - which had been written specifically for Dabney Coleman - and Pollack then offered Coleman the role of Ron Carlisle (the director of the soap opera).

Tootsie was a commercial and critical success. It was the 2nd-highest grossing film of 1982 (behind E.T.), and was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress (Teri Garr), Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography (Owen Roizman), Best Film Editing (Fredric and William Steinkamp), Best Original Song (”It Might Be You” by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, and Dave Gruisin), and Best Sound.