Tootsie
A temperamental actor desperate for work disguises himself as a woman to land a coveted soap‑opera role, but must keep his secret while navigating backstage politics and personal ambitions that could make or break his career.
“What do you get when you cross a hopelessly straight starving actor with a dynamite red sequined dress? You get America's hottest new actress.”
Synopsis
Out-of-work actor Michael Dorsey adopts a female alter ego, Dorothy Michaels, to audition for a role in a daytime drama. His deception leads to unexpected success, as Dorothy becomes a feminist icon, while Michael finds himself entangled in a complicated romantic situation.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 169+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by Fredric SteinkampShot by Owen RoizmanScored by Dave GrusinDesigned by Peter S LarkinSound by Dick Alexander Nm1219804Costumes by Ruth Morley
Box Office
1982 · Box office
💰 Box-office hit — grossed 8.4× its budget
Why 2.5×?
Cinemas keep roughly half of every ticket sold, and a wide release’s marketing often costs about as much again as the film — so a movie needs to gross around 2.5× its production budget just to break even theatrically. It’s a rule of thumb, not the studio’s ledger (home video and streaming come later).
Worldwide gross
$177.2M
Opening weekend: $5.5M — 3% of its US run. It had legs — it kept earning long after opening weekend.
Opening week (7-day): $10.6M — 6% of its US & Canada run.
Peak 943 theaters
Full synopsis
Release dates around the world3 countries · showhide
- United StatesDec 1, 1982
- CanadaDec 17, 1982
- GermanyFeb 18, 1983
Companies
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Cast & Crew
169 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Dustin Hoffman
as Michael Dorsey, Dorothy Michaels
Jessica Lange
as Julie Nichols
Teri Garr
as Sandy Lester
Dabney Coleman
as Ron Carlisle
Charles Durning
as Les Nichols
Bill Murray
as Jeff Slater
Sydney Pollack
as George Fields
George Gaynes
as John Van Horn
Geena Davis
as April Page
Doris Belack
as Rita Marshall
Ellen Foley
as Jacqui
Peter Gatto
as Rick
Supporting cast
57Lynne Thigpen
as Jo
Ronald L Schwary
as Phil Weintraub
Debra Mooney
as Mrs. Mallory
Amy Lawrence
as Amy
Kenny Sinclair
as Boy
Susan Merson
as Page
Michael Ryan
as Middle-Aged Man
Robert D Wilson
as Stage Hand
James Carruthers
as Middle-Aged Man
Estelle Getty
as Middle-Aged Woman
Christine Ebersole
as Linda
Bernie Pollack
as Actor #1
Sam Stoneburner
as Actor #2
Marjorie Lovett
as Salesgirl
Willy Switkes
as Man at Cab
Gregory Camillucci
as Maitre d
Barbara Spiegel
as Billie
Tony Craig
as Joel Spector
Walter Cline
as Bartender
Suzanne Von Schaack
as Party Girl
Anne Shropshire
as Mrs. Crawley
Pamela Lincoln
as Secretary
Mary Donnet
as Receptionist
Bernie Passeltiner
as Mac
Mallory Millett
as Girl #1
Patti Cohane
as Girl #2
Murray Schisgal
as Party Guest
Greg Gorman
as Photographer
Anne Prager
as Acting Student
John Carpenter
as First Actor
Bob Levine
as Second Actor
Richard Whiting
as Priest
Jim Jansen
as Stage Manager #2
Susan Egbert
as Diane
Kas Self
as Acting Student
Tom Mardirosian
as Stage Manager
Richard Wirth
as Mel - Technical Director
Gavin Reed
as Director
Annie Korzen
as Autograph Hound
Ibbits Warriner
as Autograph Hound
Lois De Banzie
as Autograph Hound
Stephen Prutting
as Autograph Hound
Carole Holland
as Autograph Hound
Tobin Bell
as Waiter
Phillip Borsos
as Film Director at Party
Catherine Carlen
as Acting Student
Cassandra Danz
as Hoffman Look-Alike at TV Audition
Jim Dratfield
as Acting Student
Paul E Guskin
as Pavel - Waiter in Russian Tea Room
John Kapelos
as Actor at Party
Dave Moskin
as Acting Student
Marty Napoleon
as (Band)
Michael Newman
as Pedestrian
Gene Shalit
as Gene Shalit
Andy Warhol
as Andy Warhol
Joyce Worsley
as Shocked Bystander as Dorothy Grabs a Cab
Dawn Young
as Student in Acting Class
Directors
1Writers
9Barry Levinson
Writers (uncredited)
Charles Evans
early screenplay adaptation (uncredited)
Dick Richards Nm0724059
early screenplay adaptation (uncredited)
Don Mcguire
Writer, Writers, story by and
Elaine May
Writers (uncredited)
Larry Gelbart
Writer, Writers, story by, screenplay by and
Murray Schisgal
Writer, Writers, screenplay by
Robert Garland
Writers (uncredited)
Robert Kaufman Nm0442099
Writers (uncredited)
Producers
7Charles Evans
executive producer
Dick Richards
Producer
Dick Richards Nm0724059
Producer
Jack Waltzer
the producers would like to thank: who have helped make this picture possible (as Jack Waltzer and his Acting Class)
Marvin Belsky
the producers would like to thank: who have helped make this picture possible
Ronald L Schwary
producer (uncredited)
Sydney Pollack
Producer
Other crew
91Thomas C Tonery
as Tom Tonery
Peter Lombardi
assistant auditor (as Pete Lombardi)
David Mcgiffert
assistant director
Don Brochu
assistant editor
Jill Savitt
assistant editor
Nancy Weizer
assistant editor
Harriette Kanew
assistant production office coordinator
Lee Gottsegen
assistant: to Dustin Hoffman
Crin Connolly
assistant: to Sydney Pollack
Ken Ryan
auditor
Lillian Glass
body language expert / voice and speech coach (uncredited)
Tod A Maitland
boom man (as Tod Maitland)
Parents Guide
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