• Today's news
  • Reviews and deals
  • Climate change
  • 2024 election
  • Fall allergies
  • Health news
  • Mental health
  • Sexual health
  • Family health
  • So mini ways
  • Unapologetically
  • Buying guides

Entertainment

  • How to Watch
  • My watchlist
  • Stock market
  • Biden economy
  • Personal finance
  • Stocks: most active
  • Stocks: gainers
  • Stocks: losers
  • Trending tickers
  • World indices
  • US Treasury bonds
  • Top mutual funds
  • Highest open interest
  • Highest implied volatility
  • Currency converter
  • Basic materials
  • Communication services
  • Consumer cyclical
  • Consumer defensive
  • Financial services
  • Industrials
  • Real estate
  • Mutual funds
  • Credit cards
  • Credit card rates
  • Balance transfer credit cards
  • Business credit cards
  • Cash back credit cards
  • Rewards credit cards
  • Travel credit cards
  • Checking accounts
  • Online checking accounts
  • High-yield savings accounts
  • Money market accounts
  • Personal loans
  • Student loans
  • Car insurance
  • Home buying
  • Options pit
  • Investment ideas
  • Research reports
  • Fantasy football
  • Pro Pick 'Em
  • College Pick 'Em
  • Fantasy baseball
  • Fantasy hockey
  • Fantasy basketball
  • Download the app
  • Daily fantasy
  • Scores and schedules
  • GameChannel
  • World Baseball Classic
  • Premier League
  • CONCACAF League
  • Champions League
  • Motorsports
  • Horse racing
  • Newsletters

New on Yahoo

  • Privacy Dashboard

‘Risky Business’ Underwear Scene Explained 30 Years Later

Before moviegoers caught Tom Cruise dancing in his underwear on screen in "Risky Business," Paul Brickman had it all in his head.

"It was pretty much what you saw — it was in my head," the film's writer-director tells Yahoo! Movies.

The famous scene — and the movie — turns 30 years old on Monday. Released on August 5, 1983, the coming-of-age tale of privileged college-bound teen Joel (Cruise) who earns a degree in the real world from a prostitute (Rebecca De Mornay), became one of the biggest box-office hits of the year, transformed 21-year-old Cruise from a newcomer into a People magazine profile subject , and gave a jolt to Ray-Ban Wayfarers.

But back to the underwear dance.

In a film filled with smart observations, hypnotic visuals, and oft-quoted lines, some safer for work than others (e.g., "Who's the U-boat commander?"), it is the underwear dance, coming 10 minutes into the film, just as Joel's parents have left him home alone in the family's suburban two-story, that defines "Risky Business."

Watch the 'Risky Business' Trailer:

[Related: Tom Cruise Gets in Touch With His Spineless Side in 'Edge of Tomorrow' ]

Brickman saw the scene as key, but no more key really than the film's other scenes.

"Obviously I didn't know it would have the shelf life it seemed to have have," he says. "You never think that."

What Brickman was thinking was that the underwear dance would be his main character's declaration of independence.

"'As rock-'n'-roll blasts through the house, Joel is quite ripped, standing in his Jockey shorts in the middle of the room feeling very free and sexy,'" Brickman says, reading from his script. "'He bops and struts around the room in a manic dance to freedom and privacy and general lewdness.'"

For music, Brickman zeroed in on Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll," a barn burner of a Top 30 radio hit from 1978. "I was just looking for something that was a timeless rock-'n'-roll piece that wouldn't be dated," he says.

In a long-ago interview for Interview magazine, Cruise remembered Brickman giving him the option of finding another tune. "[But] in the end," Cruise said , "nothing beat Bob Seger."

Brickman and Cruise walked and talked through the scene on an off-day, a Sunday, the filmmaker recalls. Cruise's marching orders, as the actor said in Interview: "Let's really play it and use the whole house."

On the day of the shoot, Cruise told Oprah Winfrey he stripped — he stripped his feet, that is.

"I kept falling," Cruise said of the barefoot approach. "So, I thought, Well, I'm going to put on my socks.'"

While socks allowed Cruise to deftly glide into frame on Joel's hardwood floors--a move aided, the actor has said, by his own waxing efforts--they were just one of the proposed entry vehicles. Brickman recalls Cruise bounding in from an off-camera trampoline and trying to stick the landing "like a gymnast."

[Related: Tom Cruise Is the Latest Star to Suit Up for Sci-Fi ]

"It made us laugh," Brickman says, but it wasn't right.

All told, the shoot, costarring a candlestick-cum-microphone, a pink oxford shirt and, of course, a pair of white briefs, took about a day. (Jockey reference or no in the script, Brickman doesn't recall which brand of underwear Cruise modeled.)

From the set to theaters to the sweet spot of pop culture, the underwear dance was in short time referenced everywhere from a cat-food commercial to "Saturday Night Live," where presidential son Ron Reagan danced in his tighty-whities in a famous 1986 bit.

As the years have passed, the appeal of the scene has not diminished. It's a rare glimpse into the birth of a persona--in the sequence, Cruise, but a baby-faced innocent through much of "Risky Business," for the first time reveals the laser intensity that would define his movie-star brand. It's also something else, something basic and elemental.

Says Brickman: "I remember as a kid sliding around in socks all the time."

While socks allowed Cruise to deftly glide into frame on Joel's hardwood floors — a move aided by floor wax — they were just one of the proposed entry vehicles. Brickman recalls Cruise bounding in from an off-camera trampoline and trying to stick the landing "like a gymnast."

[Related: ‘Mission’ Accepted: Tom Cruise Signs For ‘M:I-5′ ]

From the set to theaters to the sweet spot of pop culture, the underwear dance was, in a short time, referenced everywhere: from a cat-food commercial to "Saturday Night Live," where presidential son Ron Reagan danced in his tighty-whities in a famous 1986 bit.

As the years have passed, the appeal of the scene has not diminished. It's a rare glimpse into the birth of a persona. In the sequence, Cruise, but a baby-faced innocent through much of "Risky Business," for the first time reveals the laser intensity that would define his movie-star brand. It's also something else, something basic and elemental.

Recommended Stories

The 'extreme' social security move that actually makes sense.

The election year battle over cherished retirement programs is a microcosm explaining why Washington doesn't solve solvable problems.

Kenny Brooks leaves Virginia Tech for Kentucky job in stunning end of era

Within a couple of weeks, Virginia Tech's Final Four hopes dropped because of Elizabeth Kitley's injury and Brooks exited for the SEC.

J.J. Watt likens NFL's hip-drop tackle ban to flag football as players sound off on controversial rule change

Reactions to the ban were impassioned and varied among NFL players past and present.

2024 Fantasy Baseball: Top MLB prospects who deserve draft day attention

Whether it's due to struggles or lack of promotion, drafting prospects can backfire. But Andy Behrens thinks these incoming rookies are still worth the risk.

Shohei Ohtani interpreter scandal: Major holes poked in Ippei Mizuhara's pre-Ohtani résumé

Ippei Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers earlier this week.

NCAA tournament: Which NBA Draft prospects have boosted their stock heading into the Sweet 16?

With two rounds down, Yahoo Sports takes a look at 10 players who have played above the competition and how it's helped their draft stock.

Texas is refusing to register kei trucks, and owners are fighting back

"The Autopian" reports that owners of kei trucks are running into more problems registering their vehicles, and an organization formed to fight back.

Bad NFLPA grades push Patriots' Robert Kraft, Chiefs' Clark Hunt to make upgrades

In two NFL markets, the players' complaints were heard.

Realtor commission change delivers a boon to homebuilders, a blow to real estate platforms

A landmark settlement changing the real estate commission structure will reshape nearly every aspect of the homebuying process — from homebuyers to brokerages to homebuilders.

Dana White confirms Igor Severino will be cut after biting opponent in UFC debut

He bit him. He really bit him.

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

  • For Parents
  • For Educators
  • Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

  • Get the app
  • Movie Reviews
  • Best Movie Lists
  • Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

  • Best TV Lists
  • Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
  • Common Sense Selections for TV
  • Video Reviews of TV Shows

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

  • Book Reviews
  • Best Book Lists
  • Common Sense Selections for Books

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

  • Game Reviews
  • Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

  • Video Reviews of Games

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

  • Podcast Reviews
  • Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

  • App Reviews
  • Best App Lists

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Social Networking for Teens

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

  • YouTube Channel Reviews
  • YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

  • Preschoolers (2-4)
  • Little Kids (5-7)
  • Big Kids (8-9)
  • Pre-Teens (10-12)
  • Teens (13+)
  • Screen Time
  • Social Media
  • Online Safety
  • Identity and Community

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Explaining the News to Our Kids

  • Family Tech Planners
  • Digital Skills
  • All Articles
  • Latino Culture
  • Black Voices
  • Asian Stories
  • Native Narratives
  • LGBTQ+ Pride
  • Best of Diverse Representation List

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Celebrating Black History Month

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

Risky business, common sense media reviewers.

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

'80s classic is filled with sex, cursing, and smoking.

Risky Business Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Though Joel doesn't get to keep his ill-gotten ear

Teen characters drink, smoke pot, have sex with pr

Reckless driving and car collisions; a gun waved a

Sex and prostitution are key plot ingredients, wit

"F--k" is used repeatedly, including in what would

Lead character drives a Porsche, repeats the sloga

Teen characters get high on marijuana; drink whisk

Parents need to know that Risky Business is a dark 1983 teen sex comedy that launched the career of Tom Cruise. This popular comedy earned its R rating. It has sex (both in comical fantasy scenes and reality), full-frontal female nudity, profanity (including "f--k"), glorified substance abuse, and an…

Positive Messages

Though Joel doesn't get to keep his ill-gotten earnings, he otherwise escapes punishment in the end and wins much greater prizes: a boost in life and an evident discovery of his destiny, which is to become rich and materially successful. He doesn't seem evil or corrupt in the traditional sense, but definitely has no problem with being a pimp. Prostitution looks like a temptingly glamorous (and self-empowering) career choice, and just about all female characters are treacherous tramps or harsh authoritarians. Obviously this was meant as satire of 1980s values, but it comes across as close to an endorsement.

Positive Role Models

Teen characters drink, smoke pot, have sex with prostitutes. Lead character becomes a quasi-pimp as a way to raise a lot of money in a short amount of time.

Violence & Scariness

Reckless driving and car collisions; a gun waved around.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Sex and prostitution are key plot ingredients, with brief full-frontal female nudity, and girls in skimpy, provocative clothes. Simulated sex, in dream sequences and even in public places, and talk of masturbation. One sex worker is a cross-dressing man. Lead character shown having sex with a girl who is initially a prostitute, but later becomes his girlfriend. Lead character begins to masturbate in bed. He allows a friend of his and his girlfriend to use his bedroom for sex; they are heard having sex as the lead character and his friend try to study. Reference made to various sexual acts and practices as a character reads the most X-rated classified ads to his friend.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

"F--k" is used repeatedly, including in what would be the script's catchphrase: "Sometimes you just have to say 'What the f--k.'" Plus "s--t," "a--hole," and "damn." Euphemisms for sex and masturbation.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Lead character drives a Porsche, repeats the slogan of the car's advertising campaign of the time.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Teen characters get high on marijuana; drink whisky, beer; smoke cigarettes and pipes. Lead character smokes, cultivates a "cool" image with sunglasses and a cigarette. Underage drinking, among other things, at wild party.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Risky Business is a dark 1983 teen sex comedy that launched the career of Tom Cruise . This popular comedy earned its R rating. It has sex (both in comical fantasy scenes and reality), full-frontal female nudity, profanity (including "f--k"), glorified substance abuse, and an especially jaundiced outlook: A teen embarks on the road to manhood by becoming a part-time pimp, and the message is that in modern America, that's a wise move, financially and socially. Because the young hero is played by good-guy star Tom Cruise, and because his character escapes punishment in the end, young viewers might interpret this as an endorsement, not a subversive satire. This movie is from a time when cigarette smoking was still widely viewed as part of a cultivated "cool guy" image, and that look is embraced right from the opening scene. Teen characters get high on marijuana and drink alcohol as well. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Community Reviews

  • Parents say (5)
  • Kids say (12)

Based on 5 parent reviews

A seething satire on capitalism and the long con

What's the story.

High school senior Joel Goodson ( Tom Cruise ) is a fairly bright, fairly typical teen only-child in a wealthy Chicago suburb, preoccupied with sex, exam scores, and whether he can ever get accepted into an Ivy League university like Princeton. When his materialistic, controlling parents leave him in charge of the household during their vacation, Joel (partially but not entirely egged on by buddies) breaks one rule after another, like driving dad's treasured Porsche or letting schoolmates borrow an upstairs bedroom for their sex tryst. When Joel himself summons a young prostitute named Lana (Rebecca De Mornay) from the sleazy end of town for a night of pleasure, he's drawn into the after-dark world of the sex business. With the assistance of wrong-side-of-the-tracks Lana, he discovers pimping could be the solution to a lot of his mushrooming woes about money and advantages.

Is It Any Good?

This dated but appealing comedy is so much more than just a bunch of dirty jokes in the locker room. Though RISKY BUSINESS arrived with a busload of D-grade teen-sex comedies inspired by Porky's (and a young Tom Cruise had even starred in one of them, the little-remembered Losin' It ), critics immediately recognized that this was a much smarter, sharper dark comedy about American values in the 1980s. Joel (who also belongs to a school-age business group called Future Enterprises) is like the nice, well-bred kid next door who attains personal and professional rewards not through the traditional paperboy route, but through vice. The lesson at the end is that, yes, this is the way the game is played, even if the "respectable" adult world pretends otherwise.

The question for parents is whether kids watching this perverted Horatio Alger story will comprehend that it was meant to be a commentary on Reagan-era greed and upper-class criminality.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the character of Joel and the message beneath the movie's comedy. What has Joel gained by the end? Has it made him a better person?

How does this movie seem to both celebrate and satirize the greed and materialism commonly associated with the 1980s?

This movie has a universally recognizable scene in which Tom Cruise's character slides on his socks across the hardwood floor into view dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and his underwear, then proceeds to jump around and lip-sync to "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger. What are some other examples of movies with unforgettable scenes and catchphrases?

Movie Details

  • In theaters : August 5, 1983
  • On DVD or streaming : September 16, 2008
  • Cast : Rebecca DeMornay , Richard Masur , Tom Cruise
  • Director : Paul Brickman
  • Studio : Warner Home Video
  • Genre : Comedy
  • Run time : 98 minutes
  • MPAA rating : R
  • Last updated : January 23, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Home Alone Poster Image

Adventures in Babysitting

Ferris Bueller's Day Off Poster Image

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Best '80s movies.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Tom Cruise Reveals Big Secret Behind Famous ‘Risky Business’ Dance

During a press interview for The Mummy, Tom Cruise revealed how he perfected his famous dance in [...]

By John Connor Coulston - May 23, 2017 05:07 pm EDT

During a press interview for The Mummy , Tom Cruise revealed how he perfected his famous dance in Risky Business . The 54-year-old-actor dished on filming the 1983 scene with Australian talk show The Project .

"I just ad-libbed that," he said. "I tried to go across [the floor] at one point and it was too sticky. What I did was I dusted the floor and then put sticky [tape] on the other side so I would get center frame on that and wore the socks.

In the beloved scene, Cruise is seen sliding across his living room floor dressed in only socks, a button-up shirt and his underwear. As he dances, he lip-syncs to Bob Segar's "Old Time Rock and Roll."

"And that's how I finally did it — to figure out how to get that smooth, right on the beat kind of flow that got me there."

When it comes to the rest of bit past the slide, Cruise says the ad-libbing continued.

"And then I went around the room and was dancing," he said. "That's something that I did as a kid at home."

Up Next: 17 Mummies Discovered In Egypt, Tom Cruise Hilariously Weighs In With One Tweet

When asked if he knew how memorable that scene and other like that in his career would end up being, Cruise answered humbly.

"No, I'm not thinking about that," Tom said. "When you're finding those moments, it is so much fun doing that scene."

Watch the full interview below.

More: Tom Cruise Spotted Mid Make Out While Filming Mission Impossible 6

Cruise will star as protagonist Nick Morton in The Mummy , which comes to theaters on June 9. That film will also launch Universal's "Dark Universe" series of films.

He's also attached to another Mission Impossible film , reprising his role as Ethan Hunt.

[h/t Daily Mail]

Tom Cruise Says He Still Dances in His Underwear 40 Years After Risky Business

It's been four decades, but Tom Cruise hasn't changed much since filming that iconic dance scene in Risky Business.

Some things never change. Four decades ago, Tom Cruise starred in Risky Business , a film that still stands as one of the veteran actor's most popular movies. The film follows Cruise as a high school senior looking to have some fun while his wealthy parents are away on vacation. One particularly memorable scene features Cruise sliding across the floor and dancing in his underpants to the tune of Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll."

Ahead of the 40th anniversary of Risky Business this August, Cruise reflected on the film in a new interview with Access Hollywood . He recalled how he was just 19 years old when shooting the movie in 1982, though it would be released in theaters the following year. Given how iconic the dance scene from the film still is with fans, Cruise also spoke about his memories of when he was shooting it on the set four decades ago.

"I'll never forget that night, that day that I shot that scene," Cruise said. "Just, you know, he gave me the opening frame of that shot... [director] Paul Brickman, great filmmaker. He and I talked about it, [and] he said, 'Here's the choreography.' Look, I grew up dancing in my underwear in my house, who didn't?"

When directly asked if he still dances around in his underwear these days, Cruise replied with a smile, "Yeah, I still!"

Related: Why Tom Cruise is the World’s Most Enduring Film Star

The Dance Scene Taught Tom Cruise About Filmmaking

Cruise went on to explain how he had to figure out pulling off the famous slide that he does on the hardwood floor in his socks. The actor knew where he wanted to end up, and from there, he worked backwards to figure out just the right way to make it work. Getting there was just a bit of a challenge according to the actor.

"I saw the opening frame [and] I want to hit center frame," Cruise explained. "So, I tried to slide in my socks, it didn't work. So, I said, 'Well, let's just put [slippery] stuff down on the floor,' and I slid all the way across. I was like, 'That didn't work.'"

Cruise says that the solution was to put sticky spray on the spot where he needed to stop, and that's when the scene clicked into place, which taught Cruise a lesson about filmmaking that he still remembers so many years later.

"It was a learning experience for me, not just as an actor going through it, but then I spent a lot of time in the editing room... and I saw the shots, and looked at how, editorially, they're putting it together," Cruise remembered. "That was a formative experience. I feel very lucky to have had that opportunity to be able to have that kind of script, and that kind of material, at that age."

Risky Business was written and directed by Paul Brickman. Along with Cruise, the film starred Rebecca De Mornay, Joe Pantoliano, Nicholas Pryor, Janet Carroll, and Richard Masur.

  • The Long Strange Trips of Wojciech Jerzy Has (Through Sunday!)
  • Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus
  • The Taste of Things
  • La Chimera (Opens Friday!)
  • New Directors/New Films (April 3-14 w. Q&As)
  • The Beast (Opens April 5 w. Q&A)
  • A Brighter Summer Day + Yi Yi (April 17–25)
  • Film Comment Live: Tribute to Navroze Contractor (April 22 w. Q&A)
  • The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed (Opens April 26)
  • Hamaguchi I & II (April 26-30)
  • 49th Chaplin Award Gala Honoring Jeff Bridges (April 29)
  • Evil Does Not Exist (Opens May 3 w. Q&A)
  • Time of the Heathen (Opens May 10)
  • GIFT : A Film by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi X Live Score by Eiko Ishibashi (May 1 & 2)
  • The Met: Live in HD 2023-2024 (Through May 13)
  • Become a Member
  • Join the New Wave
  • Become a Patron
  • FLC 25 & Under
  • Member Corner
  • Gift Certificates
  • Partnerships & Advertising
  • Film Comment
  • Announcements
  • Film at Lincoln Center Podcast
  • Photo Galleries
  • Chaplin Award Gala
  • FLC Academies

All the Right Moves: The Films of Tom Cruise

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

See two films and save!  

From his iconic slide across the floor of a suburban Chicago living room in Risky Business to his considerably riskier footwork atop a Dubai skyscraper in Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol , Tom Cruise has spent a remarkable three decades as the world’s most popular movie star, and one of its most adventurous and unpredictable actors. An instant pop culture sensation for his role as the fighter pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun , Cruise quickly cemented his serious dramatic credentials opposite Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man and in Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July , while breaking box-office records in blockbusters like Minority Report , The Last Samurai , War of the Worlds and the Mission:Impossible series. As he takes on his latest, sure to be iconic role in the Paramount action drama Jack Reacher , we salute Cruise with a special in-person event followed by a seven-film sampler of his extraordinary career. Series programmed by Scott Foundas.

KinoshitaBanner.jpg

An Evening with Tom Cruise

An Evening with Tom Cruise

  • Christopher McQuarrie

Out of respect for the families who lost loved ones in Newtown, CT, we are postponing tonight's fundraising event with Tom Cruise to benefit the 50th anniversary fund which supports K-12 education and new artist programs. We extend our love and condolences to our neighbors. Our community grieves with yours.  Information about ticket refunds will be provided shortly.

Fresh from his biggest worldwide success to date with Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol , we are pleased to welcome three-time Academy Award nominee Tom Cruise for a career-spanning conversation and a special advance screening of the hotly anticipated Jack Reacher .

Born on the Fourth of July

Born on the Fourth of July

  • 145 minutes

Cruise earned the first of three Oscar nominations for his transformative portrayal of disillusioned Vietnam vet Ron Kovic in Oliver Stone’s shattering portrait of the loss of American innocence.

Jerry Maguire

Jerry Maguire

  • Cameron Crowe
  • 139 minutes

Cruise earned his second Best Actor Oscar nomination as the eponymous high-powered sports agent whose existential epiphany loses him all but one client (Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding, Jr.) in Cameron Crowe’s wry American success story.

The Last Samurai

The Last Samurai

  • 154 minutes

Ed Zwick’s visually majestic, old-fashioned Hollywood epic stars Cruise as a disillusioned Civil War vet hired to train conscript in Japan’s first modern army, caught between the past and present of a rapidly changing nation.

Mission: Impossible

Mission: Impossible

  • Brian De Palma
  • 110 minutes

Finding himself the only survivor of a mission gone awry, secret agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) must unravel the conspiracy in the film that launched the successful franchise, directed by master of suspense Brian De Palma.

Rain Man

  • 133 minutes

As a slick yuppie unexpectedly reunited with his autistic older brother (Dustin Hoffman), Cruise more than holds his own in Barry Levinson’s beloved 1988 Oscar-winner.

Risky Business

Risky Business

  • Paul Brickman

Tom Cruise’s breakout role was in this epochal paean to yuppie self-actualization as a high school student who has his parents’ house all to himself and soon finds himself running something resembling an underground brothel out of his suburban abode.

Top Gun

Cruise flew into the danger zone (and sent sales of Ray-Bans and leather jackets soaring) as a hotshot Navy pilot romancing his civilian instructor (Kelly McGillis) in producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Tony Scott’s prototypical ‘80s blockbuster.

We Recommend

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Get Free Popcorn and Enter to Win NYFF62 6-Film Pass with 2024 National Arthouse Survey!

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Stephan Komandarev on Blaga’s Lessons | Meet the Filmmakers of New Directors/New Films 2024

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Listen: Annette Insdorf on Wojciech Jerzy Has + Alice Rohrwacher, Josh O’Connor & Isabella Rossellini on La Chimera

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Prepare for Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist with Our Retrospective “Hamaguchi I & II”, April 26–30

Tom Cruise's Career Nearly Ended Before It Began Thanks To Audience Backlash

After harsh audience backlash, the role that was supposed to make Tom Cruise a star almost caused his career to be dead in the water.

  • Tom Cruise's breakout film, Risky Business, almost had a different ending, but studio executives listened to test audiences and changed it.
  • The iconic scene of Cruise sliding across the floor in his underwear was a memorable moment not just for audiences but for Cruise himself.
  • The success of Risky Business launched Cruise's career as a leading man and paved the way for his future success in action films like Mission: Impossible.

Whatever Tom Cruise touches turns to gold. This was almost not the case, however. One of Cruise's most successful films which essentially put him on the map, was, once upon a time, on the verge of being shelved after the entire film was shot. While it is possible that Cruise would have found box office success with a subsequent movie, there is no telling if or when this would have happened. As a result, the catalog of work that bears Cruise's name would be non-existent.

RELATED: Rebecca Ferguson Reveals The One Thing Tom Cruise Doesn't Get Enough Credit For Beyond His 'Mission: Impossible' Stunts

When it comes to action films like the Mission: Impossible franchise, which Cruise has no intention of giving up any time soon , the Jack Reacher films, or Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick , not to mention dramas like A Few Good Men and The Firm or even the occasional rom-com like Jerry Maguire and Knight and Day , it is impossible to imagine anyone other than Cruise as the leading man.

Not only was it talent but a bit of luck that got Cruise to the point in his career where he became synonymous with particular movies and genres that have grossed over $100 million at the box office . But had it not been for his big break four decades ago, another actor may have stepped into these roles. This is why it is fortunate for Cruise that studio executives listened to test audiences 40 years ago. Otherwise, instead of moviegoers today being thrilled to see a film The Mummy star is involved with, they would simply wonder, "Tom Cruise who?" when his credits rolled at the end of a movie.

'Risky Business' Launched Tom Cruise's Career

In the early 1980s, Cruise was trying to make a name for himself. While the start of the decade looked to be promising with several roles being landed, nothing was memorable enough to make executives or directors believe that Cruise could carry a film.

That was until the Magnolia star was cast in Risky Business . When this happened, Cruise went from supporting actor to leading man status. And while there have been some stumbles along the way when a career comeback was necessary , he has not looked back ever since.

While Risky Business is a film with a cult following, it is memorable to most audiences for one iconic scene. That scene is where Cruise slides across the floor in his boxers and button-up shirt, a scene that Cruise looks back on fondly decades after he originally filmed it .

Tom Cruise headed to the red carpet

"I made it in ’82, I was 19 when I made it," Cruise explained. "I'll never forget that night, that day that I shot that scene."

Cruise went on to say, "I had to figure out how I slide across the floor in my socks. So I saw the opening frame and I go, 'I want to hit center frame.' And it didn't work. And then I said, 'Well, let's just put [slick] stuff on the floor' — and I slid all the way across."

"I feel very lucky to have that opportunity, to be able to have that kind of script and that kind of material at that age," Cruise concluded about the experience that "helped start him down the path to action stardom."

RELATED: Tom Cruise Has Angered Numerous Celebrities, Here's Everyone Who's Spoken Out Against Him

However, the ending of Risky Business that fans are familiar with today almost did not happen. The only reason it is not something different was because of the backlash received by test audiences who viewed the film before it was released to theaters nationwide.

Audiences Did Not Like The Unhappy Ending In 'Risky Business'

When the original version of Risky Business was shown to test audiences, there was not a happy ending for the protagonist, Joel Goodsen. Instead, the college-bound senior does not get into his dream school, Princeton, he does not get the girl, and he breaks his mother's precious tchotchke.

Audiences did not like what they saw and they made their voices known to the point where an alternate ending was shot. It was the alternate ending that eventually won out, making Risky Business the box office smash it was back in 1983.

"Shooting was quite good until post, when I had a difference of opinion on the ending," director Paul Brickman explained.

Rebecca De Mornay and Tom Cruise in 'Risky Business'

As much as he did not want to shoot a "happy ending" to the film, eventually, Brickman gave in and did so. However, he wanted both his original ending and the new ending to go in front of test audiences to see which one performed better.

"The happy ending tested a couple of points higher," Brickman explained.

But, if movie executive, David Geffen is to be believed, there was unequivocally a better reaction to the alternative and happy ending than there was with the original.

RELATED: An Author Complained About Having Tom Cruise In Her Film Adaptation, But Later Realized She Was Very Wrong

"It was wildly higher for my ending of the movie," Geffen stated.

It was as a result of the fan reaction that the ending was permanently changed to be more positive than it was originally written to be. And in doing so, Brickman almost walked away from Risky Business in its entirety.

The Director Of 'Risky Business' Almost Walked Away From The Film

After fighting tooth and nail to keep the original ending he had written for the movie, only to have it shelved, Brickman almost walked off the film entirely . While he would eventually stay on the project until Risky Business was completed, the process spoiled writing and directing for Brickman.

As a result, Brickman became a recluse rather than the successful writer/director he was set up to be after Risky Business was released.

"I felt the whole film was compromised by this cheesy happy ending. I came very close to walking off the film," Brickman explained.

Paul Brickman on the Walk of Fame

While he stayed until the film's completion, the difference of opinion between Brickman and Geffen caused so much friction that a premiere was never scheduled for Risky Business . While the film would go on to make nearly $64 million , it left such a bad taste in Brickman's mouth that he did nothing with the entertainment industry until 1990.

After Men Don't Leave , Brickman all but disappeared from Hollywood. While he would make one resurgence by writing True Crime , the industry had soured Brickman and his creative talents.

As a result, a writer and director who could have had as much fame as Cruise, consciously made the decision to live out of the spotlight, a place where Brickman continues to live today.

  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews

Risky Business

Connections

Risky business, featured in.

"At the Movies" Movies That Changed the Movies (TV Episode 1984)

Between the Darkness and the Dawn (TV Movie 1985)

Precious Images (Short 1986)

"Siskel & Ebert" Tom Cruise: The Star Next Door (TV Episode 1990)

"Siskel & Ebert" They'll Do It Every Time: Part Two (TV Episode 1991)

Workout (Video 1982)

Referenced in

"Saturday Night Live" Danny DeVito & Rhea Pearlman/Eddy Grant (TV Episode 1983)

"At the Movies" Top 10 Best Selling Video Cassettes (TV Episode 1983)

The Brother from Another Planet (1984)

"The Glory Boys" Episode #1.2 (TV Episode 1984)

Trinity Brown (1984)

Metropolis (1927)

Annie (1982)

Rocky III (1982)

Electric Dreams (1984)

Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

Kinky Business (1984)

Frisky Business (1984)

"Saturday Night Live" Ron Reagan/The Nelsons (TV Episode 1986)

Contribute to this page

Tom Cruise in Risky Business (1983)

  • See more gaps
  • Learn more about contributing

More from this title

More to explore.

Production art

Recently viewed

  • Triumph Won't Make Rock Hall
  • Daltrey, Plant, Vedder Cover Who
  • Bon Jovi's Secret Weapon
  • Yes' 'Talk' Anniversary Box Set
  • Pattie Boyd Sells 'Layla' Painting
  • When Albums Shared a Name

Ultimate Classic Rock

Bob Seger in ‘Risky Business’ – Classic Rock at the Movies

Tom Cruise has come a long way since his star-making role in 1983's 'Risky Business' -- but to many movie-goers, he'll always be that guy who boogied in his tighty-whities to Bob Seger 's 'Old Time Rock and Roll.'

In the film, Cruise's Joel Goodson is a suburban Chicago high school student whose parents go on vacation, leaving him alone in the house. On their first night away, Joel revels in his new-found freedom, raiding the liquor cabinet and cranking up the stereo.

And then, dressed only in his underwear, socks and a pink button-down shirt, he slides across the floor as 'Old Time Rock and Roll' begins to play, lip-syncing into a candlestick and dancing around in a scene that's since been both honored and spoofed at least eleventymillion times.

The rest of the movie of course involves Rebecca De Mornay's hot call girl Lana, a Porsche that goes swimming in Lake Michigan, Joel turning his parents' home into a makeshift brothel, a perilous brush with "Guido the killer pimp," and a sex scene on one of Chicago's L trains -- but even with all that, it was the few minutes Tom Cruise spent gyrating to Bob Seger that everyone remembers most.

When it was released in 1979, 'Old Time Rock and Roll' reached No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. It reentered the charts after being featured in 'Risky Business,' and has been a staple on album rock stations ever since.

Watch the ‘Risky Business’ Scene Featuring Bob Seger’s ‘Old Time Rock and Roll’

Next: The Beatles in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off'

More From Ultimate Classic Rock

Bob Seger Surprises Patty Loveless With Hall of Fame Performance

  • Contender Portfolios
  • For Your Consideration
  • Nominations
  • Above the Line Newsflash
  • Accidental Turitz
  • Director Series
  • End of Week Production Notes
  • Facility in Focus
  • Hump Day News Update
  • Making the Scene
  • Over the Weekend
  • Film Trailers
  • Help Wanted
  • Prime Time Softball League
  • Art Direction
  • Choreography
  • Costume Design
  • Postproduction
  • Crafts Spotlight
  • Industry Master Calendar
  • Commercials

Logo

Voice Of The Crew - Since 2002

Los angeles, california, risky business casting director nancy klopper reminisces about casting the classic film for its 40th anniversary.

Robin Milling

Watching Tom Cruise slide across the floor in his tightie whities lip synching “Old Time Rock & Roll” in Risky Business will be forever etched in our collective celluloid memories. Now imagine Kevin Bacon— well, maybe he’s not too much of a stretch— Sean  Penn or Tom Hanks —all actors who auditioned for the role of Joel Goodsen, performing that scene. It was a moment among many that some say was Cruise’s breakout role in the 1983 “teen sex comedy,” celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The woman who might be responsible for giving Cruise that next shot at stardom is casting director Nancy Klopper .  

Revisiting the plot of Risky Business, written and directed by Paul Brickman , making his directorial debut, we find Joel, a promising candidate for Princeton University , egged on (pun intended) by his buddies to have the “time of his life” while his parents are on vacation. It was released on August 5, 1983, and 40 years later, the quick-witted one-liners and palpable chemistry between Cruise and Rebecca De Morney as call girl Lana, who becomes his girlfriend for a couple of days, “no charge,” have stood the test of time.

Rounding out the cast were the ensemble players: Curtis Armstrong as said buddy Miles Dalby, Bronson Pinchot as brainiac Barry, and Joe Pantoliano, aka Joey Pants, as Guido, Lana’s industrious pimp. With a line-up of talent such as this, Klopper had her work cut out for her.  

Nancy Klopper was born in Ohio and set her sights on Los Angeles right out of high school to get into the entertainment business. She began her career with the famed casting director Lynn Stalmaster as his receptionist—a job she got from a temp agency—and learned the ropes for the next six years. Venturing out on her own under the banner of Nancy Klopper Casting , she got the opportunity to cast The Onion Field, Eddie & The Cruisers , Office Space, Ray, and  The Devil’s Advocate , to name a few of her credits from the 70s through the aughts. But it was back in the early 80s, with Mommie Dearest, An Officer and a Gentleman , and Risky Business, that her career really catapulted.

Below the Line spoke with Nancy via Zoom video, where she regaled stories of casting Cruise and De Morney in their career-making roles, a shocking turndown by a famous actress for the role of Lana, and other actors who auditioned but didn’t make the cut. Klopper also recalled other casting moments from classic films she worked on throughout her illustrious career.  

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Below The Line: Nancy, let’s go back 40 years, shall we?   Where were you in your career when Risky Business came to you?  

Nancy Klopper:   That is so funny. That’s exactly where we should begin because I’ve been thinking about this in preparation for our talk, but also by coincidence, I had lunch with a friend the other day, and she said, “You know, I grew up with (producers) Jon (Avnet) and Steve (Tisch) in Great Neck (New York).” She had known them since they were kids. Now, I came here from Ohio immediately out of high school, and I didn’t go to college. I just thought it would be really fun to do something in entertainment.

So I went to an employment agency that no longer exists. It was called Good People, and they called me and said, “Do you want to go on a one-day temp job answering phones for (casting director) Lynn Stalmaster ?” I had just seen this television movie called Hustling that Jill Clayburgh starred in, and I remember she and the film were fantastic. I had a TV in my room that was this big (gestured a small box), and I remember watching the credit casting by Lynn Stalmaster, and I thought, “Wow, I’d love to meet her . She would be a fun person to work for.” And so, when I got this call for a one-day temp answering phones, I was like, I am there!

BTL: What do you remember most about working there?

Klopper: The offices were dumpy and had awful shag carpeting with a lot of dust [laughs]. I started at the front desk and tried typing the contracts. In those days, you had an electric typewriter, and there were like five pages of the contract, and all I did was make mistakes. I spent my whole day doing white-outs, and they moved me away from there and in the back, and that was where I learned everything!

Toni Howard was my boss. She’s now an agent at CAA. Funny, I didn’t know that Lynn was a man and that he worked a lot from home. So, people would call and ask, “Is Lynn there?” and I would say, “No, she isn’t. Can I take a message?” And it was so embarrassing. But finally, he came in one day, and I met him, and he was the nicest man. He was a real gentleman, but he was also a real artist. He had great artistry, and he was one of the great eyes of our business.  

BTL: What do you feel that you learned there that you have taken with you throughout your career?

Klopper: You learned by observation. You learned by osmosis; you learned by absorption.  I was very, very lucky because I found something that really clicked for me. It was something I felt instinctively: this is for me; I could be good at this. I think that was a lucky moment in my life.  

BTL: You set your sights for entertainment and there you are.   What was the first big thing that you cast for them?

Klopper : It was a one-day thing, and it turned into six years! Oh goodness. I worked on The Rose . I worked on The Onion Field, and that was a thrill for me. I loved that Joseph Wambaugh book about a murder that took place in the onion fields. I love murder stories, and those were probably my two favorites. I was probably 20 at the time, and then I worked on An Officer And A Gentleman.

Working for Lynn, it was a really, really busy office, so it was phenomenal training. We would be working on half a dozen movies where we’re going through all different phases of production or casting, or we might have two or three TV series that are regulars. We might have movies-of-the-week. I’m telling you, there could have been 15 things going on at once, and so it was almost like speed work and also constantly meeting actors.  

BTL: By the way, I’ve always had a soft spot for Richard Gere. How was your experience casting him? 

Klopper: He’s a lovely, lovely man. I remember flying to New York, and he was on my flight, and it was the days of 747s where they had a staircase that went up to another floor of the plane. I remember sitting up there with him for the whole flight and talking, and he was just a nice man. We originally offered it to John Travolta , who turned it down. He was very interested in flying at the time, and I think he was in flight school. We flew Eric Roberts out to L.A., and he came with his manager, and we put them up at a hotel, and they came in, and we met with them, and (director) Taylor (Hackford) said to them, “Tomorrow you come back and let’s read some scenes together.” They went to their hotel, checked out, and flew home! I have no idea why, but that happened. It was a big search, and then Richard was already on the ascent in his career. They flew him to L.A., and they wined and dined him. I remember they took him to Ma Maison for dinner, and they wooed him, and he said yes.  

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

BTL: I could talk to you forever about that film. We might have to do a part two but we’re here for Risky Business .   How did you get the job to cast it? 

Klopper: If I could backtrack for one second, when I worked for Lynn, Steve Tisch and I knew someone in common, and she said, “You know, you should call Nancy Klopper to cast one of your shows.” And they did, and it was a movie-of-the-week, and we connected and clicked very much. When I decided I was ready to leave Lynn and go on my own, I told Taylor Hackford, and he said, “Well, you can have my next movie,” so that gave me a sense of security. Then Steve Tish introduced me to his friend, Marty Davidson, who was a director and a friend of Steve and Jon (Avnet), and he was making a movie called Eddie and The Cruisers. It was all in New York, and so that was my first job on my own.

I cast Eddie and The Cruisers  with Michael Pare, and I had a ball. Living in New York was so much fun. One day I had maybe a month left, and I got a call from Jon saying, “We have a movie, but you have to meet the director, and he’s in LA.” I took the red eye, and I met (writer/director) Paul Brickman. I got that job. I went back to New York. I was finishing up on Eddie and the Cruisers, and then we started Risky Business in New York because I was already there. So, we started casting, and I immediately found the supporting cast.

BTL: Who did you cast from New York? 

Klopper: You know, they were so interesting. Curtis Armstrong (Miles) was there, and Bronson Pinchot (Barry) I saw in a play called The Yale Woof and Poofs, with him and Kevin Bacon.  We were finding these fabulous New York actors, character people, that were in the theater. I don’t think any of them had any movie credits. I met many, many, many people for the lead role.  

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

BTL: Speaking of Kevin Bacon, he went out for the role along with Sean Penn and John Cusack. Is that true?  

Klopper : He came in for it.  Sean Penn came in, that’s true.  John Cusack  came in, too. They were all great. We brought people from New York, we had people from L.A., and we even brought an actor from Chicago, Kevin Anderson , a really wonderful actor. We did these screen tests at the end of the day, and we looked at each other and said, “We don’t have him.” Kevin, Sean, or John—they were fabulous actors—but we didn’t end up testing them because, if I had to give you an example of what we were looking for, it was Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate . When I read the script, I thought that’s what we needed. I remember saying that to Paul, so it was a combination of a very good-looking and sexy, really cute leading man who was young but who also had a great sense of humor. It was a very painful four or five months into it. I was maybe 24 years old, and I felt enormous pressure.  

BTL: What did Tom have that won him the role? Did he have you at “hello” with that smile?! 

Klopper:  [laughs] I would say Tom had done some things, but he wasn’t on the ascent the way that we described these other people. I think Richard had Looking for Mr. Goodbar under his belt, so much more than on the ascent. Tom had played a very small role in Endless Love. He was doing The Outsiders when we met him, and that was a big ensemble piece. So he came in; he had a gold tooth because the character in Outsiders had a gold tooth, and the hair was kind of greased back. And so, even though that look was not what we needed, when he walked into the room, he had major charisma.

He had real star quality. He auditioned with the opening monologue that you hear in the movie. “The dream is always the same.” That’s how it begins. He was great at it, and we looked at each other, and we sort of knew; it was like an enormous sense of relief. He then had to fly right back to his location; I think they were in New Mexico, and we were continuing our search for the female lead.  

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

BTL: What was the process in casting the call girl Lana? 

Klopper: That was also tough, even though there were good people. She had to be young; she had to be 20, but she had to really have the sensuality and sexuality of a woman.  

BTL: Is it true that Michelle Pfeiffer turned down the role?  

Klopper:   She did. Boy, you’ve really done your homework. You know, when someone turns down a role and I know them, I will call them to find out why and to see if I can change their mind. So I did call her, and I said, “This script was phenomenal. What don’t you like?” And she said, “I don’t like that it glamorizes prostitution.” I didn’t really know quite how to argue with that. Obviously, I didn’t really agree, but you have to respect their opinion.  

BTL: Obviously, Rebecca de Mornay had no problems playing a call girl.

Klopper: Not at all. But the story of how she came to be in it is pretty interesting. I called Harry Dean Stanton . He was a phenomenal actor, besides the fact that he was the kindest and most gentle human being. I said, You’re always with these beautiful girls, Harry, whenever I see you. Do you know anyone who’s right for this?” And they were together at the time. They had met on One from the Heart. She was an extra in it. So she was very much an unknown.

Rebecca came in, and I worked with her for a long time to prepare her for her audition. She was very, very raw, and then she came into the audition, and everybody thought, “Well, she’s a real possibility.” So that weekend we flew Tom in again from New Mexico, and he arrived at 5:30 in the morning and went to Steve Tisch’s house in the Hollywood Hills. Rebecca came, and the screen test was a little handheld Sony cam.

They read a few scenes together, and we knew we had it, but it had to go to David Geffen . He was the executive producer of it at Warner Brothers , and he said to us when we began, “You don’t have a green light until you have two stars.” He looked at Tom and Rebecca and immediately said, “Go make your movie. You have it.”  

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

BTL: Do you often work with actors to prepare them for their audition?

Klopper:   I did it when it was necessary to do so. Sometimes I knew ahead of time what the director was looking for, and so I would guide them, just give them tips if the director saw it like this, and that was very helpful to them when they came in to read for the director. Some casting directors work with actors a lot, coaching them. I was not that person. I could give them tips here and there, saying, “This is how he sees it or whatever,” but I wasn’t a coach like many are now.  

BTL: When I watched it again recently I couldn’t help but notice the chemistry between Tom and Rebecca was so   palpable. 

Klopper: Actually, it didn’t happen in the beginning. Jon Avnet got a hold of Tom and said, “You know what? You have to really make her feel desired.” And he did, and she did, and they became a couple. They were very much together for quite a while after.

BTL: One surprise casting in the film is Megan Mullally.

Klopper: Yes. Oh, my gosh, Megan Mullally . In fact, she played a tiny role in the movie. She played a call girl. We tested her because she was so good with comedy timing. She was gifted. She was living in Chicago, and we brought her to L.A. and tested her, and we loved her. So we cast her in a small role. I would imagine she got her SAG card.

Not long after that, a friend of mine was Ellen Burstyn’ s agent, and Ellen was doing a comedy series ( The Ellen Burstyn Show),  and they couldn’t find their lead girl, whether it was her daughter or what, but they were looking for a young girl for the lead. I got on the phone with Ellen and said, “Megan Mullally, go lock her up.” And she did. So we have a great bond to this day. We both have the smallest hands on earth, so whenever we see each other, we touch hands.

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

BTL: So now what are you doing these days? How’s life? 

Klopper: I retired from casting, which I’m very happy about. It just wasn’t fun anymore for me. If something’s not fun, you have to do something that fills your soul. So not to say if something unbelievable came my way and knocked me off my feet, maybe I would consider it, but I am enjoying what I’m doing. We formed a homeless task force in my neighborhood in Pacific Palisades, and I’ve been on it since 2014. I literally go out and engage the homeless seven days a week, and I love them. I could fill up another interview with that! It’s frustrating and painful, but really rewarding.

The other thing is that I’m on the board of The Friends of the Semel Institute at UCLA, which is all mental health-based. I’ve only been on that for a couple of years, but I am loving it. Every year, The Friends of the Semel , along with the board of the Resnick Hospital at UCLA, which is a mental health hospital, get together and have an event called WOW, Wisdom of Wellness. This past year, Oprah Winfrey moderated it for us, John Batiste  performed, and the Surgeon General spoke. I was lucky enough to get Selena Gomez to give us a grant, which was very generous and specifically to be used for young people. And so we formed a Gen Z group that now wants to have its own event. So I’m working on their event.  

BTL: You’re keeping busy, but do you miss casting?  

Klopper:   I love the creative process. Over time, that creative freedom went away, and the studios took over a lot and said, “This is who we were going to cast.” It was so much fun to have someone come in and give a great reading, and the director looks at you and says, “You did it.” That creative process is the only thing that I miss, but I was lucky enough to be in it when it was really fun, when there was a lot of creative freedom.  

  • Morning Email
  • Morning News
  • Risky Business

Robin Milling

RELATED ARTICLES

A tough day at below the line, poor things cinematographer robbie ryan wants you to see the movie twice, el conde is the film film to use ed lachman asc’s el zone, oppenheimer costume designer ellen mirojnick shows the man and the myth, godzilla minus one director takashi yamazaki on the massive success of his latest film, winners announced for the 26th costume designers guild awards, beowulf and 3-d, poor things cinematographer robbie ryan wants you to see the movie..., over the weekend 8/9/21: night court‘s markie post dies, the suicide..., sisu cinema robotics announces sisu battery box for robotic camera equipment, popular category.

  • Awards 2683
  • Television 2369
  • Postproduction 1995
  • Camera 1844
  • Visual FX 1646

Copyright Policy:

All photos and/or videos on this website are owned by Below The Line or are posted with the permission of the copyright owner or otherwise are proper. Concerns? Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 Below The Line . All Rights Reserved.

  • Industry Sector
  • Entertainment
  • TV & Radio

The secret behind Tom Cruise’s iconic Risky Business dance scene

IT’S one of Hollywood’s most iconic movie scenes. And Tom Cruise has revealed the secret behind that classic dance in Risky Business.

Ex-child star, producer’s ‘odd’ hot tub scene

Ex-child star, producer’s ‘odd’ hot tub scene

TV star completely unrecognisable in new pic

TV star completely unrecognisable in new pic

What Neighbours bombshell looks like at 50

What Neighbours bombshell looks like at 50

TOM Cruise has revealed the secret behind his iconic dance scene in Risky Business.

Appearing on The Project to promote his latest flick The Mummy , Cruise was asked about the classic scene from the 1983 movie where he had to strip down to his jocks and dance to Old Time Rock and Roll .

While it’s become an infamous movie moment, the actor said he didn’t realise at the time that it would be so memorable.

“I just adlibbed that,” he admitted.

“I tried to go across (the floor) at one point and it was too sticky. What I did was I dusted the floor and then put stick (tape) on the other side so I would get centre frame on that and wore the socks. And that’s how I finally did it — to figure out how to get that smooth, right on the beat kind of flow that got me there.”

After that, he made the rest of the routine up.

“And then I went around the room and was dancing,” he added. “That’s something that I did as a kid at home.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Cruise was asked about another one of his classic films, Jerry Maguire . The movie is responsible for some of pop culture’s most quotable lines, with catchphrases “Show me the money!” and “You had me at hello” all coming from the 1996 release.

“When you’re finding those moments, it is so much fun doing that scene,” he said about the lines.

He added: “I’ve been lucky. I had a few films and some great, great writing.”

A then-teenage Amanda Bynes’ bizarre sketch with her former producer, Nickelodeon boss Dan Schneider, has resurfaced.

David Gallagher – better known as Simon Camden in 7th Heaven – has resurfaced on social media looked absolutely nothing like his younger self.

A former Neighbours actress, who played a resident bombshell on the soap back in the ’90s, is staging a career comeback at 50.

  • Show Spoilers
  • Night Vision
  • Sticky Header
  • Highlight Links

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Follow TV Tropes

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RiskyBusinessDance

"Risky Business" Dance

Edit locked.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/riskydance_6.png

A character who is home alone dances around like a fool, singing into a hairbrush and dressed in only his underwear or, if the writers are directly parodying the Signature Scene from Risky Business , then it will be the button-down dress shirt, "tighty-whitey" briefs, and socks . (Note that parodies often include the character wearing sunglasses, but while Cruise's character wore sunglasses elsewhere in the film and on the poster, the actual dancing scene does NOT feature sunglasses.) Bob Seger 's "Old Time Rock and Roll" (or a parody/soundalike of it) can be used, but not always. Usually a celebration or declaration of freedom, but sometimes just a way of showing that a character is having goofy fun. Very common right after a character has scored a date with their longtime crush. Named for the famous scene of Tom Cruise dancing in his underwear in Risky Business . A frequent addition for comedy is for someone to walk in on the person re-enacting the scene or for the character to slip and fall while trying to slide into frame.

  • A 2020 Domino's ad features a man ( Jordan Fisher ) doing the dance set to "Old Time Rock and Roll" while he waits for the pizza he ordered to arrive (getting dressed again just in time for the pizza to arrive at his front door).
  • The trailer for the first Garfield movie has Garfield wearing a pair of sunglasses and doing this in the living room.
  • In the climax of Johnny English , the eponymous character tries to show the DVD featuring the Big Bad explaining his Evil Plan , but he apparently mixed up that DVD with one featuring him doing this.
  • Love Actually : UK Prime Minister David ( Hugh Grant ) dances around to the Pointer Sisters' "Jump (For My Love)" at 10 Downing Street as he gets ready to finish up with his work. He is caught by a staff member but doesn't react in embarrassment.
  • Mrs. Doubtfire : Robin Williams ' titular character does a fully-clothed version with a vacuum cleaner.
  • Later, viewing the scene in Avengers: Endgame , Rhodey and Nebula watch him dancing towards the Orb's hiding place, but without the music. Rhodey: So he's an idiot? Nebula: [hanging her head down] Yes.
  • At the 2000 MTV Movie Awards, Ben Stiller , as Tom Cruise 's stunt double "Tom Crooze", recreates the opening slide, sliding hard against the wall.
  • The ALF episode "Looking for Lucky" features ALF dancing around the house in a parody of this scene.
  • Arrested Development , "Development Arrested", Ted is dressed like Tom Cruise (sunglasses, collar up, no pants) under the "Risky Business" banner. He can be heard saying "I couldn't see through the glasses and I slid into the ladder", implying he (unsuccessfully) attempted to re-create the famous "sliding in front of the stairs" scene from the movie, in front of the ladder.
  • In a sketch on The Ben Stiller Show Stiller plays Cruise doing a one man show highlighting many of his most beloved film characters, obviously including the dance from Risky Business . This time Cruise is wearing a black leotard under his shirt & underwear.
  • The opening scene of The Flash (2014) episode "Mixed Signals" has Barry sliding into the kitchen to "That Old Time Rock'n'Roll", except because he's the Flash, he does it faster and with lightning effects.
  • The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air In one episode, Geoffrey throws a house party with his fellow butlers and maids all singing and dancing to this trope.
  • In Living Color! did a Black Comedy version, where the Menendez brothers do the dance while wielding rifles.
  • In an episode of Friends Rachel celebrates having the apartment to herself for one night by dancing around, unaware that Ross can see her from his own apartment across the street. To add to the embarrassment, rather than dancing around in her underwear...she chose to dance around completely naked.
  • Done on Glee by Sam, Ryder, and Jake during a mash-up of "Old Time Rock and Roll" and "Danger Zone" , during the movie-themed episode.
  • Al Bundy tries to do this in the Married... with Children episode, "Breaking up is Easy to Do, Part 2" after he and Peg go through a trial separation, only to crash into the wall when he attempts to slide across the floor.
  • The Nanny : At the end of "Canasta Masta", Niles does it (lip-synching to a tape and using a feather duster as a makeshift microphone) until C.C. walks in on him. Niles: You realize of course now I have to kill you.
  • On Newsradio , Jimmy James does it at Dave's parent's house where he is hiding from the police.
  • The Office : Michael Scott, making reference to Risky Business, instructs an employee to "take your pants off, run around."
  • In Riverdale , Betty is elated to make the cheerleading squad and dances and sings in her room, posing in front of the mirror-its played completely straight and works as a scene of pure joy for her. Until her mother is standing in her doorway and promptly forbids her from the squad.
  • Recreated pretty much shot-for-shot on a 1986 episode when Ronald and Nancy Reagan go out and leave Ron Jr. (that week's host) alone in the White House.
  • During Nicole Kidman 's host monologue she gets one too many questions about being married to Tom Cruise , which she finally cuts off by doing this dance.
  • In the Saved by the Bell episode "House Party," Screech's parents go out of town for their anniversary. Zack, Slater, and Screech take advantage of the empty house and plan a guys' night. The girls are curious about their plans, so they sneak in and find the boys dancing in their shorts to The Beach Boys ' "Barbara Ann." All three do the slide-into-the-frame move, but no one falls. (Well, until Zack spots the girls and falls off the couch).
  • Ray attempts it in the Speechless episode "B-I-Bikini U-N-University", but gets a splinter on his foot from sliding on the floor.
  • Tracker (2001) : Nestov, dancing around in his underwear to 'Old Time Rock And Roll' after tying up Mel and Cole. He gets interrupted by an annoyed Zin and his mooks .
  • Lucifer (2016) : When Lucifer rushes off to Las Vegas on the same day as Chloe Decker's birthday, Chloe and Linda go to his apartment to find out where he is. When they realise he left and, annoyed he did so on her birthday, Chloe elects to just get drunk and have fun, then realises that she has access to Lucifer's very fancy penthouse. Cue her sliding in, wearing only one of Lucifer's shirts and some panties, dancing while Linda plays on Lucifer's piano. By this point, she's also gotten incredibly drunk, so she does indeed fall.

Zero-Context Examples     Music Videos   --> Zero-Context Example * The video for Marianas Trench's "Desperate Measures".--> Zero-Context Examples -->

  • Another of those parodies was played during the NCAA Basketball tournament in March-April 2009. It included coaches Mike Krzyzewski, Rick Pitino, Roy Williams, and Bob Knight as the lead singer - all dressed in the standard pink shirt and underpants.
  • Used again for the ad for Band Hero nonetheless.
  • While the ad campaigns for Guitar Hero World Tour had the song featured, it didn't come out as DLC until well after the game was released. Needless to say, many shouts of joy were heard when players saw the lead singer slide across the stage to the microphone when playing the song.
  • On Dexter's Laboratory , Dexter's Dad does this while the rest of the family aren't at home.
  • The Simpsons : In " Homer The Heretic ", Homer does this when he stays at home from church, but instead of "Old Time Rock 'n Roll," he sings "Short Shorts" by the Royal Teens.
  • In one episode of Dilbert , the titular character dreams of dancing in nothing but his underwear and shoes if he ever got his own office. It does come true when the main office has to move to another one due to a mutagenic virus going around and Dilbert becomes the head designer of the building in exchange for his own office. However, once he gets it, his Pointy-Haired Boss informs him they can't afford the building's rent and will have to move back soon. Dilbert is crestfallen that he won't keep the office, but decide to fulfill his dream while he has the opportunity.
  • Spoofed in King of the Hill : Bobby slides in in his underwear just as Luanne is watching the scene on TV. Turns out he hasn't seen the movie.
  • Boba Fett does this in the stinger to the third Robot Chicken Star Wars special, with the Weequay on piano(-thing).
  • Kyle of South Park does this when his parents are arrested for child molestation, leaving him to take care of himself.
  • In the Ultimate Spider-Man (2012) episode "Me Time," Peter does this after getting the house to himself, even dancing on the ceiling at one point.
  • In the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episode "Three's A Crowd," Discord briefly does this in jubilation after successfully getting Twilight to go to the ends of Equestria to find a cure for his fake illness (even wearing the same shirt and shorts from the movie).
  • Doug does this in one episode when he gets the house to himself for the evening after his parents go out to chaperon Judy's dance, but with royalty-free friendly music.
  • The Loud House : In "No Such Luck", Lincoln does this when he spreads a rumor among his sisters that he's a bad luck charm, making them ban him from their activities and giving him all the free time he wants. The scene is repeated the next day, only now, Lincoln is bored because he realized his plan worked too well and misses spending time with his family.
  • In the episode "Lost Louse", Jacob Two-Two imagined doing this when he learned he would be alone at home for the first time in his life. The ending of the episode implies he carried it out.
  • In Justice League Action , Booster Gold ends up doing this while wearing Batman's outfit when he thinks everyone is gone (he ends up crashing into the wall when he slides across the floor), then in Superman's outfit... and then in Wonder Woman's.
  • In The Fairly Oddparents episode "Freaks and Greeks", Timmy starts to do this when he has the house to himself while his parents are at a party. He only has time to slide into the hallway before realizing his parents hadn't left yet.

Video Example(s):

Dance Party of One

Milo dances and flexes in front of a mirror as he gets dressed.

Example of: Shirtless Scene

Twistin' the Ni...

Jump (For My Love)

  • Riding the Bomb
  • Shout-Outs Index
  • Rooftop Concert
  • Rei Ayanami Expy
  • Stock Shout-Outs
  • The Real Spoofbusters
  • Dancing Tropes
  • Shaking the Rump
  • Right Way/Wrong Way Pair
  • Stock Parodies
  • Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue...
  • UsefulNotes/North America
  • Road Runner vs. Coyote
  • Risky Business
  • ImageSource/Live-Action Films (M to Z)
  • "Reborn as Villainess" Story
  • The Newest Ones in the Book

Important Links

  • Action Adventure
  • Commercials
  • Crime & Punishment
  • Professional Wrestling
  • Speculative Fiction
  • Sports Story
  • Animation (Western)
  • Music And Sound Effects
  • Print Media
  • Sequential Art
  • Tabletop Games
  • Applied Phlebotinum
  • Characterization
  • Characters As Device
  • Narrative Devices
  • British Telly
  • The Contributors
  • Creator Speak
  • Derivative Works
  • Laws And Formulas
  • Show Business
  • Split Personality
  • Truth And Lies
  • Truth In Television
  • Fate And Prophecy
  • Edit Reasons
  • Isolated Pages
  • Images List
  • Recent Videos
  • Crowner Activity
  • Un-typed Pages
  • Recent Page Type Changes
  • Trope Entry
  • Character Sheet
  • Playing With
  • Creating New Redirects
  • Cross Wicking
  • Tips for Editing
  • Text Formatting Rules
  • Handling Spoilers
  • Administrivia
  • Trope Repair Shop
  • Image Pickin'

Advertisement:

How well does it match the trope?

Example of:

Media sources:

11,241--> Report

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

Tom Cruise: From Risky Business to Top Gun Maverick, a Look at His Iconic Roles and Achievements

C ruise’s journey into the world of acting began in high school, leading to his film debut in “Endless Love” (1981). He had supporting roles in movies like “Taps” (1981) and “The Outsiders” (1983) before starring as a high-school senior who turns his parents’ home into a brothel in “Risky Business” (1983). The movie was a major success, earning Cruise widespread recognition. He also showcased his dancing skills in the famous scene where he slides across the floor in his underwear and a shirt.

His star status was cemented with “Top Gun” (1986), the highest-grossing film of that year, where he played a navy jet pilot. The movie also featured his signature smile, his charismatic charm, and his love for motorcycles. He also sang “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” to woo his co-star Kelly McGillis in a memorable scene. The movie spawned a cult following and a sequel, “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022), which became his highest-grossing film.

In 1986, Cruise appeared opposite Paul Newman in “The Color of Money,” directed by Martin Scorsese, and two years later starred as an autistic man’s selfish brother in “Rain Man”. Both movies were critically acclaimed and showcased Cruise’s dramatic range. For his portrayal of a Vietnam War veteran turned activist in “Born on the Fourth of July” (1989), Cruise received his first Academy Award nomination. He also won a Golden Globe for his performance.

His performance as a sports agent in “Jerry Maguire” (1996) earned Cruise a second Oscar nomination. He also delivered one of the most iconic lines in movie history: “Show me the money!” He also showed his romantic side, saying “You complete me” to his co-star Renee Zellweger. The movie was a huge hit, both commercially and critically.

In 1999, he starred with his then-wife, Nicole Kidman, in the highly anticipated final film of director Stanley Kubrick, “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999), an examination of marital fidelity. The movie was controversial, due to its explicit scenes and its delayed release. It was also Kubrick’s last film, as he died shortly before its completion.

Cruise went on to exhibit a broad depth and range of characters in his films during the 1990s, playing such diverse roles as a navy lawyer in “A Few Good Men” (1992), a vampire in “Interview with the Vampire” (1994), and a secret agent in “Mission: Impossible” (1996). The immense popularity of the latter film led to sequels in 2000, 2006, 2011, 2015, 2018, and 2023. The franchise is known for its thrilling action scenes, often performed by Cruise himself, who is famous for doing his stunts. He has scaled the Burj Khalifa, hung from a helicopter, and jumped from a plane, among other feats.

As a leading Hollywood star in the 1990s, he starred in commercially successful films, including the courtroom drama “A Few Good Men” (1992), the legal thriller “The Firm” (1993), the horror film “Interview with the Vampire” (1994), and the psychological thriller “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999). Since then, Cruise established himself as an action star acting in science fiction and action films, such as “Vanilla Sky” (2001), “Minority Report” (2002), “The Last Samurai” (2003), “Collateral” (2004), “War of the Worlds” (2005), “Knight and Day” (2010), “Jack Reacher” (2012), “Oblivion” (2013), “Edge of Tomorrow” (2014), “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” (2016), and “The Mummy” (2017).

Cruise was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1990, and received the top honor of “Most Beautiful People” in 1997. He has been married to actresses Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman, and Katie Holmes. He adopted two children during his marriage to Kidman and has a biological daughter with Holmes. He has been an outspoken advocate for the Church of Scientology, which he credits with helping him overcome dyslexia. He has also been involved in several controversies, such as his couch-jumping incident on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 2005, his criticism of psychiatry and antidepressants, and his divorce from Holmes in 2012.

Tom Cruise is one of the most influential and successful actors of all time, with a career spanning over four decades. He has shown his versatility and talent in various genres and roles and has entertained millions of fans around the world. He is also one of the most dedicated and daring performers, who is always willing to push the boundaries and challenge himself. He is a true Hollywood legend and a force to be reckoned with.

Relevant articles:

– Tom Cruise | Biography, Movies, & Facts | Britannica

– Tom Cruise – Wikipedia

– 38 Facts about Tom Cruise – Facts.net

Cruise’s journey into the world of acting began i […]

  • Search Please fill out this field.
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Newsletters
  • Sweepstakes
  • Entertainment

Tom Cruise Jokes He ‘Still’ Dances in His Underwear 40 Years After Iconic ‘Risky Business’ Scene

The ‘Mission: Impossible’ star is remembering how dancing in briefs helped launch a decades-long movie career

Shannon Finney/Getty ;  Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock (

Tom Cruise is looking back fondly on his breakout role. 

Of his iconic scene in 1983’s Risky Business — in which he danced in only a shirt, briefs, and socks — Cruise, 60, joked with Access Hollywood : “Look, I grew up dancing in my underwear in my house. Who didn’t?”

When asked if such dancing continues 40 years later, he responded with a smile: “Yeah, I still [do].”

Cruise, who is currently promoting his new film, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One , revealed that Risky Business is what helped start him down the path to action stardom.

The scene in which his teenaged character Joel Goodsen — celebrating a house to himself — struts and dances to Bob Seger’s rendition of “Old Time Rock & Roll” has been recreated and parodied repeatedly since the box office success of the movie.

Cruise expressed awe that the film turns 40 this year. “That’s amazing,” he told Access Hollywood. “I made it in ’82, I was 19 when I made it. I'll never forget that night, that day that I shot that scene.”

 Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock (

Risky Business writer and director Paul Brickman, Cruise added, worked with the actor on its famous opening shot of Cruise sliding into the center of the frame.

“I had to figure out how I slide across the floor in my socks,” remembered the Oscar nominee. “So I saw the opening frame and I go, ‘I want to hit center frame.’ And it didn't work. And then I said, 'Well, let's just put [slick] stuff on the floor — and I slid all the way across.”

A sticky spray placed in the center of the frame eventually did the trick, Cruise said, revealing how “it was a learning experience for me… I went in the editing room and I saw the shots and looked at how editorially they were putting it together. So I started really understanding that cinematic process right from the very beginning.”

He continued, “I feel very lucky to have that opportunity, to be able to have that kind of script and that kind of material at that age.”

Scott Gries/Getty Images For TFF

Fresh off the box office-smash success of last year’s Top Gun: Maverick , Cruise recently called moviemaking “a privilege that I have never taken for granted.” According to Variety , the actor addressed a crowd in Rome, saying, “It’s my passion to entertain you, and I will always fight for big theaters and that kind of experience for everyone.”

He also weighed in on Scarlett Johansson’s comments that he’s a dream costar, telling Entertainment Tonight on Monday, “I'd love to make a movie with her!" 

"She is enormously talented," he said. "So charismatic, versatile. She has great physical ability obviously."

As for other movies on his radar, Cruise told Access Hollywood he “can’t wait” for Harrison Ford ’s upcoming movie, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny . 

“I can’t wait to see it," he said, "And I will keep going to [Ford’s] movies. That guy, he’s so charismatic, he’s such a great actor and movie star. And a great guy.”

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One premieres in U.S. theaters July 12.

Related Articles

IMAGES

  1. Tom Cruise: Secrets to 'Mission: Impossible' car stunts

    movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

  2. Bob Seger in ‘Risky Business’

    movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

  3. Footloose 1984 movie: Kevin Bacon nearly wasn’t cast in film

    movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

  4. Mission Impossible 4: How Tom Cruise Did The Burj Khalifa Stunt

    movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

  5. Tom Cruise Floor Slide

    movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

  6. Top 5 Tom Cruise Action Movies and Where to Stream Them

    movie where tom cruise slides across the floor

COMMENTS

  1. Risky Business Dance Scene

    Tom Cruise dances to Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seger! Enjoy!

  2. Risky Business

    Tom Cruise's breakthrough role started with him sliding across the floor in his underwear. ... I too slide across my floor in my underwear. Hire me Hollywood . 8. 1y. View all 2 replies. Heather Myers. I think the only true proof we would be able to find of whether or not sunglasses were worn is if someone has this on VHS.

  3. 'Risky Business' Underwear Scene Explained 30 Years Later

    Tom Cruise in 'Risky Business'. Before moviegoers caught Tom Cruise dancing in his underwear on screen in "Risky Business," Paul Brickman had it all in his head. "It was pretty much what you saw ...

  4. Tom Cruise recalls the iconic dance scene from Risky Business

    Four decades - and countless death-defying stunts - on and the moment where Tom Cruise slides across the floor in his skivvies still remains one of the most memorable scenes in his entire career.

  5. Risky Business Movie Review

    Parents need to know that Risky Business is a dark 1983 teen sex comedy that launched the career of Tom Cruise. This popular comedy earned its R rating. ... This movie has a universally recognizable scene in which Tom Cruise's character slides on his socks across the hardwood floor into view dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and his underwear ...

  6. Risky Business (1983) Official Trailer

    Subscribe to CLASSIC TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u43jDeSubscribe to TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/sxaw6hSubscribe to COMING SOON: http://bit.ly/H2vZUnLike us on FACEB...

  7. Tom Cruise Reveals Big Secret Behind Famous 'Risky Business' Dance

    0. During a press interview for The Mummy, Tom Cruise revealed how he perfected his famous dance in Risky Business. The 54-year-old-actor dished on filming the 1983 scene with Australian talk show The Project. "I just ad-libbed that," he said. "I tried to go across [the floor] at one point and it was too sticky.

  8. Risky Business (1983)

    Risky Business: Directed by Paul Brickman. With Tom Cruise, Rebecca De Mornay, Joe Pantoliano, Richard Masur. A Chicago teenager is looking for fun at home while his parents are away, but the situation quickly gets out of hand.

  9. Tom Cruise Says He Still Dances in His Underwear 40 Years ...

    One particularly memorable scene features Cruise sliding across the floor and dancing in his underpants to the tune of Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll." Ahead of the 40th anniversary of Risky ...

  10. Risky Business

    Risky Business is a 1983 American coming-of-age comedy film written and directed by Paul Brickman (in his directorial debut) and starring Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay.It follows the sexual exploits of a high school senior during his parents' vacation trip. The film is considered to be Cruise's breakout role.. Risky Business was released in the United States on August 5, 1983.

  11. All the Right Moves: The Films of Tom Cruise

    See two films and save! From his iconic slide across the floor of a suburban Chicago living room in Risky Business to his considerably riskier footwork atop a Dubai skyscraper in Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol, Tom Cruise has spent a remarkable three decades as the world's most popular movie star, and one of its most adventurous and unpredictable actors.

  12. Tom Cruise's Career Nearly Ended Before It Began Thanks To Audience

    That scene is where Cruise slides across the floor in his boxers and button-up shirt, a scene that Cruise looks back on fondly decades after he originally filmed it. via Instar "I made it in '82, I was 19 when I made it," Cruise explained. ... Tom Cruise Has Tons Of Movies On Netflix, But They Aren't His Best Work Tom Cruise is taking over ...

  13. Risky Business -- (Movie Clip) Old Time Rock'n'Roll

    Risky Business - (Original Trailer) A high school student (Tom Cruise) practices his business skills by turning his suburban home into a bordello in Risky Business (1983). Risky Business -- (Movie Clip) You Like Excitement? Joel (Tom Cruise) and Miles (Curtis Armstrong) are at Chicago's Drake Hotel tracking hooker Lana (Rebecca De Mornay) who's ...

  14. Risky Business (1983)

    Electric Dreams (1984) Musical montage: guy with technology slides in on floorboards wearing socks - to a hip tune. Revenge of the Nerds (1984) Kinky Business (1984) Film is a takeoff on the mainstream film from a year earlier. Frisky Business (1984) Video's title is a takeoff on the mainstream film's title. "Saturday Night Live" Ron Reagan/The ...

  15. Tom Cruise recalls the iconic dance scene from Risky Business

    At the premiere of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, Tom Cruise remembered where so much of his fame began, calling working on 1983's Risky Business a "formative" experience. "He gave me the opening frame of that shot and he goes, 'I want to start here, I want to move here,' and he and I - Paul Brickman, great filmmaker - he and I talked about it, he said ...

  16. Bob Seger in 'Risky Business'

    Tom Cruise has come a long way since his star-making role in 1983's 'Risky Business' -- but to many movie-goers, ... he slides across the floor as 'Old Time Rock and Roll' begins to play, lip ...

  17. Risky Business Casting Director Nancy Klopper Reminisces About Casting

    RISKY BUSINESS: CASTING SESSION - TOM CRUISE - Courtesy of Producer Jon Avnet & Director Paul Brickman. Watching Tom Cruise slide across the floor in his tightie whities lip synching "Old Time Rock & Roll" in Risky Business will be forever etched in our collective celluloid memories. Now imagine Kevin Bacon—well, maybe he's not too much of a stretch—Sean Penn or Tom Hanks—all ...

  18. "Cocktail" movie clip-- Tom Cruise sliding lit match across bar

    "Cocktail" movie clip-- Tom Cruise sliding lit match across bar

  19. The secret behind Tom Cruise's iconic Risky Business dance scene

    Appearing on The Project to promote his latest flick The Mummy, Cruise was asked about the classic scene from the 1983 movie where he had to strip down to his jocks and dance to Old Time Rock and ...

  20. Tom Cruise reminisces about his iconic 'Risky Business' dance scene

    The Playback API request failed for an unknown reason. During an Access Hollywood interview, Cruise joked about his famous underwear dance scene in Risky Business, saying he "still" dances in his ...

  21. "Risky Business" Dance

    Named for the famous scene of Tom Cruise dancing in his underwear in Risky Business. A frequent addition for comedy is for someone to walk in on the person re-enacting the scene or for the character to slip and fall while trying to slide into frame. See also Dancing with Myself, and Happy Dance (and contrast Angry Dance, which is more likely to ...

  22. Tom Cruise: From Risky Business to Top Gun Maverick, a Look at ...

    The movie was a major success, earning Cruise widespread recognition. He also showcased his dancing skills in the famous scene where he slides across the floor in his underwear and a shirt.

  23. Tom Cruise Jokes He 'Still' Dances in His Underwear 40 Years After

    Updated on June 21, 2023 11:24AM EDT. Photo: Shannon Finney/Getty ; Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock (. Tom Cruise is looking back fondly on his breakout role. Of his iconic scene in 1983's Risky ...