20+ Hidden Facts From the Making of ‘The Goonies'”

By the time Corey Feldman took on the role of Clark ‘Mouth’ Devereaux, a character famous for speaking Spanish and sporting a Purple Rain T-shirt, he had already made his mark in the entertainment industry. Before becoming a heartthrob for teenagers in the ’80s, he lent his voice to “Cooper” in Disney’s celebrated movie, The Fox and the Hound, and was seen in the hit film, Gremlins.

As he grew older, his roles in movies became less notable, prompting a switch to music. He put out five albums, some on his own and others with the band Truth Movement. In 2016, he wed his third wife, Courtney Mitchell. These days, he’s shifted gears again and operates as an activist, bringing attention to the difficulties child actors face in the Hollywood industry.

Remember the unforgettable character who loved to play practical phone jokes and always stole the show, Chunk? Well, he was brought to life by an actor named Jeff B. Cohen. Who wouldn’t remember his eye-catching Truffle Shuffle? In his acting career, following that, he bagged the main role in a show called “Ask Max”. He even shared his unique voice for a character in the ’80s cartoon “Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School”. However, he chose to bid adieu to the world of acting after that.

He got his degree from the law school at UCLA and went on to become a lawyer in the entertainment industry. He also was a part of starting a law office in Beverly Hills. Even though he’s not in the limelight as a film star anymore, he made a big name for himself in the legal world in 2008 when he was named in “Hollywood’s Top 35 Executives 35 and Under” list.

Sean Astin made his big-screen debut as the leading character, Mikey, in the film Goonies. His journey towards cinematic success spanned across the ’80s and ‘90s, making great strides in those decades. He didn’t just act, but also got involved in film-making. Alongside his wife, they directed and co-produced a short film named Kangaroo Court. Their hard work was acknowledged and they were honored with an Academy Award nomination for their creative venture.

He’s known for his performance as Samwise Gamgee in the famous The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and made guest appearances in the well-known series 24. Astin lent his voice talents to projects for both Disney and Nickelodeon. In 2017, he revisited the realm of fantasy and became a part of the highly popular Stranger Things show, taking on the role of Bob.

Andy, who used to be a cheerleader and then became an adventurer, was deeply admired by both Brand and Mikey. This character marked Kerri Green’s big entrance into the world of Hollywood and remains her most notable role to date. After this, she was featured in the popular teen movie titled ‘Summer Rental’, and she also had the opportunity to work with Charlie Sheen in the movie called ‘Lucas’.

Green paused her acting career to study art at the reputable Vassar College. She then went on to co-establish a film production company which aimed to promote independent female artists. Utilizing this platform, she directed a movie adaptation of the stage play, Bellyfruit. Not limiting herself to behind the scenes, she also showcased her acting skills in popular TV shows like ER and Law & Order: SVU. However, after her 2012 film, Complacent, she hasn’t been seen on the screen.

Jonathan Ke Quan gained fame as the partner of Harrison Ford in the movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and next year, he appeared in The Goonies playing the role of Data who loved to tinker with gadgets. After these roles, Quan had minor appearances in a few other movies. However, finding consistent acting roles was a challenge, which led him to give up his acting career. He chose to focus on learning about film and enrolled himself at the University of Southern California, commonly known as USC.

After being away from the acting scene for 18 years, the magestic return was made when he starred in the film called Everything Everywhere All At Once. This was influenced by a highlight in the increase of roles for Asian actors. Before this acting comeback, he took on the role of being the stunt choreographer, setting up the fight scenes in the exciting X-Men movie series.

Martha Plimpton began her journey in the spotlight as a model in the ’80s. However, it was her standout role as Stef, the bestie of Andy in the movie The Goonies, adorned with signature cool earrings, that got everyone’s attention. As she moved into the ’90s, she became a regular face in movies about the trials and tribulations of growing up. She took leading roles in films like The Mosquito Coast and Running on Empty, cementing her place in the industry.

She’s tasted victory on television and the stage as well, bagging a Primetime Emmy Award for her hilarious role in the TV sitcom called Raising Hope. Her talent has also led to her being nominated for the prestigious Tony Award not just once, but three times! If you are a fan of newer shows, chances are you might spot her in The Real O’Neals. And for those who are glued to legal dramas, you would definitely remember her as the sharp lawyer Patti Nyholm from the hit show The Good Wife.

Brandon ‘Brand’ Walsh is the character that marks the beginning of Josh Brolin’s acting career. He played the role of Mikey’s cool, sporty, yet very protective and kind-hearted older brother. Beyond this, he made it big in numerous other movies. He’s acclaimed for his phenomenal performances in ‘No Country For Old Men’ and ‘Hail Caesar!’, two movies that truly highlighted his acting prowess.

His career in Hollywood continued to rise remarkably. Initially, he was in the running for the character of Bruce Wayne in the DC universe. However, he made a notable entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, embracing the role of the notorious villain, Thanos. Not confining himself to a single villainous role, he further extended his repertoire of bad guys by starring as Cable in the film, Deadpool 2.

Beneath heaps of makeup that transformed him into Sloth, the 6-foot-8 former football player John Matuszak was hidden. Chosen as the top pick in the 1973 NFL Draft, Matuszak had an impressive football career that crowned with two Super Bowl victories before he decided to hang his boots.

He began his career in acting, taking on roles often as football players or big kind-hearted characters. The first role he landed was in North Dallas Forty, this was then followed by a part in Caveman and afterwards in The Goonies. In addition to these films, this versatile talent made several guest appearances on TV. Unfortunately, he left us all too soon, passing away in 1989 when he was only 38 years old.

The movie, set in the imaginary town of “GoonDocks” in Oregon, was primarily filmed in the real-life locale of Astoria. It’s pretty unusual to film movies in a sequence due to the complexities of planning and budget for production, but the filming of The Goonies was unique. This movie was made almost entirely following the chronological order of events, spanning over a five-month period.

Certain parts of the movie, like the tunnels and the cave that held One-Eyed Willy’s pirate ship, were shot in giant movie studios in Burbank, California. Additionally, the Goonies House, a standout landmark in Astoria, had to be shut down in 2015 because it attracted too many visitors. But now, it has reopened and is welcoming the public once again.

The gang known as The Goonies just wouldn’t have felt complete without Mikey’s older brother, Brand, a role that marked Josh Brolin’s first on screen appearance. Once the film became a mega hit, Brolin’s name was in the mix for the character Tom in the television show TV series, 21 Jump Street. However, the role eventually landed in Johnny Depp’s lap, leaving Brolin a mere finalist.

Despite not landing the role, Brolin didn’t let this stop him from pushing onward with his career. It’s not hard to spot him on our television screens today since he continues to be a well-known actor in the present time. Regardless of the setback, Brolin remained active and widely recognized in the industry.

It’s quite rare for a mistake to slip through the editing process and actually make it into the final version of a movie. Yet, there’s one such blunder that found its way into the final cut— and it happened not just once, but on two separate occasions! If you were really watching the film closely, you may have noticed a goof during the attic scene. It happens again in the scene when the group is battling it out in the basement of the restaurant. In both these instances, two of the actors mistakenly refer to the character Brand using his real-life name.

In the film, you can hear both Data and Mikey referring to Josh Brolin by his real name, Josh, rather than his character name, Brand. This little mishap was actually confirmed by Sean Astin during the DVD commentary for the movie. This implies they made a small mistake by not sticking to the character’s name in the script.

Handling a group of mostly young actors can’t be a piece of cake. Richard Donner, the director, leaned on several unique techniques to extract genuine performances from his young stars. We all hold memories of Mikey’s numerous inspiring talks to the team in our hearts, but have you ever realized that they were not entirely part of the script?

In order for Mikey’s tale about the legend of One-Eyed Willy to come across as true in the Goonies, Donner used a simple tactic. Just before they began shooting the scene, he narrated the entire story to Astin right behind the camera. Then, Astin had the task of retelling the same story in his own words for the ultimate scene. Donner’s approach made sure that the legend seemed genuine and believable.

Although “The Goonies” is fundamentally a movie for the entire family, there’s no denying that it includes some rather scary portions. One could definitely argue that the movie’s creators poured their heart and soul into it, with an unexpected inclusion of grim realities. A tad too real at times, perhaps!

J. Michael Riva, the film’s production and set designer, wasn’t pleased with the look of the treasure map the group used in the movie. He felt it seemed too fresh, too new, and this led him to take matters into his own hands. “We actually had to cut our fingers and edge the sides of it with blood,” is what Riva shared in his interview with NPR. The action was extremely necessary for him to achieve that authentic, aged look he desired for the prop.

Although his looks are unusual, Sloth turns out to be a dependable buddy to Chunk and is responsible for some of the film’s most memorable quotes. He comes to the aid of the Goonies in a decisive way, and in a classic moment, he tears off his vest to show off a Superman t-shirt underneath. It’s a scene that’s perfectly suited to his character.

The shirts he wore often contained clever hidden messages. For instance, his Raiders shirt is a reference to the NFL team that signed actor Matuszak. His Superman shirt served as a subtle tribute to director Richard Donner. Donner became well-known for directing Superman: The Movie.

Chester Copperpot, a well-known treasure seeker, who vanished while chasing after the gold of One-Eyed Willy, stirred up plenty of intrigue amongst followers. Interestingly, the gentleman in Chester’s image has never been officially recognized, keeping everyone in suspense about his true identity.

People say the picture is of Keenan Wynn, the actor who was supposed to star in Donner’s previous film, Superman, but had to back out before they started shooting. It’s not a sure thing, but if true, it would be a neat way for Donner to still give Wynn some recognition, even though he never appeared in his earlier movie.

In their exploits, the crew stood behind several potent slogans that spurred them on. They even had a Goonie Pledge, although, in the final copy of the film, the scene where they vowed this oath didn’t make the cut.

“I promise never to turn my back on my friends from Goon Dock; Our friendship will remain strong till the world comes to an end; We’ll stay together through paradise and hell, and even when faced with nuclear war; Good friends like us, that’s us Goonies, will stick together just like tar; Whether we are in the city, or out in the country, lost in the forest, or far out in the boonies; I am proud to say that I am a Goonie, through and through.”

At first glance, The Goonies and Gremlins, two of the most loved films from the ’80s, seem like they stand in completely separate categories. However, there’s more that links them than may meet the eye. Interestingly enough, The Goonies provides some proof, suggesting that both movies are part of the same larger shared movie world.

The notorious joker Chunk was regularly in the habit of making prank calls to the cops. The Sheriff connected these antics to a peculiar story about “little creatures that multiply when you pour water on them.” This seemingly strange reference points towards the creature Mogwais in the iconic film, Gremlins. Interestingly, both of these movies were produced by none other than Steven Spielberg, adding a playful hint of interconnectedness between them.

We owe a lot to Steven Spielberg for the original concept of the Goonies group. The film was shaped from a script by Chris Columbus and guided by director Richard Donner, yet Spielberg kept his hand in the making process of the movie, staying involved throughout the entire production.

Despite his roles of Executive Producer and Story contributor for the film, Spielberg also snuck in to direct. Notably, he was behind the camera for a couple of pivotal scenes. These include the moment when the team taps on the subterranean pipes and the memorable instance at the wishing well.

Do you recall the fun slide that the Goonies took to get to the cavern where One-Eyed Willy’s ship was hidden? If you believe it appeared entertaining, the cast members would likely feel the same way.

The end credits reveal that the waterslide shown was no movie magic; it was a genuine, fully-operational creation of the Langford Surf Coaster Corporation. A whopping 900,000 gallons of water were necessary to facilitate its construction, making it an indispensable part of the epic adventure film. Word has it that when the day’s shooting ended, Donner and his co-stars would sometimes sneak in to enjoy a thrilling ride on the slide.

Just as it wowed viewers on film, One-Eyed Willy’s pirate vessel known as “The Inferno” was equally astonishing in reality. The grand structure took two and a half months to come to life. The director, Donner, was keen on capturing the first reactions of the group to this vast set, aiming for it to be as authentic as possible.

He didn’t allow the crew to enter the studio where it was constructed until he could capture their initial genuine reactions on film. They were so taken aback that Josh Brolin blurted out “holy sh-t!”, causing the scene to need to be filmed again as a result.

The unique aliases in the movie, ‘The Goonies,’ are part of what makes the film so unforgettable. The character Clark “Mouth” Devereaux was named such for his sassy attitude and quick-witted personality. But the reason behind his nickname isn’t just tied to his talkative nature—he was also the only member in the gang that had a grasp on Spanish, which came in handy when they needed to decipher the map.

When Mama Fratelli uncovers the jewels from his mouth, he impressively accomplishes it in a single attempt. Perhaps this is the third clue to why he acquired his unique nickname.

For the audience members with a keen eye, Data’s comment to the press about “the octopus was very scary” may have left them scratching their heads. Seeing as there was no octopus in the film, it might have you wondering, what was he referring to?

For years, fans of the Goonies have been puzzled by a particular mystery, which can actually be understood through a scene that got cut from the final version of the film. That’s right, Stef and Mouth were supposed to have an encounter with an angry octopus after escaping from the feared ship of One-Eyed Willy. The film’s creators, however, were not satisfied with how the octopus scene turned out visually, so it wasn’t included in the ultimate cut of the movie.

The film has certainly attracted a devoted fanbase since it first hit the screens over 35 years ago. June 7 has noteworthy importance, as fans mark this as the Anniversary of its debut. Interestingly, the Mayor of Astoria, Oregon, even declared this date as a special holiday, endearingly referred to as “Goonies Day”.

Every year, Goonies’ aficionados descend upon Astoria to indulge in all activities related to their favorite movie. The heart of these celebrations even included an attempt to set a new record during the 30th anniversary in 2015. The objective was to assemble the largest group ever for a synchronised ‘Truffle Shuffle’. It was indeed a delight for every Goonies fan who participated.

In today’s world, the intricate looks of movie villains may rely heavily on CGI to expedite the process. But back in 1985, that simply wasn’t an option. Everything had to be truly authentic. One character that stands out from that era is Sloth, who became one of the most cherished characters of the 1980s. It wasn’t a piece of cake for the actor, John Matuszak, to undergo this strenuous transformation on a daily basis. Each day was a test of his dedication and commitment to his craft.

The method of applying makeup astonishingly took five hours every single day to get done. This even involved adding a remote-controlled eye to Matuszak, meaning for the entire duration of filming, one of his eyes was of no use to him, he simply couldn’t see out of it!

Jeff Cohen was just a 10-year-old boy when he snagged his big break in acting in the role of “Chunk”. However, before the shooting of the film even started, Cohen was hit with a bout of chickenpox. Despite this, he was so scared they might find someone else for his part that he decided to go to the set anyway! If you have an eagle eye, you might have noticed signs of the chickenpox on his chest during the memorable “Truffle Shuffle” scene.

These days, he’s taken a step back from fame and has changed so much that he’s hardly recognizable. Post-puberty led to struggles in his career, making it difficult for him to get roles. As he said to The Sun, “I was transforming from Chunk to hunk and I couldn’t get roles anymore.”

Our main heroes, renowned for tracking down One-Eyed Willy’s treasure by faithfully analyzing his map. This map was meticulously crafted by the prop department and was stained with coffee to give it a worn-out, antique look. The map was then scrunched up to accomplish a weathered appearance.

Sean Astin, the actor recognized for playing the role of Mikey, actually safeguarded the original prop after they were done filming, tucking it away safely in his bedroom. An unfortunate incident occurred where his keepsake wasn’t so lucky. With a surprise turn of events, his mommistakenly tossed it in the garbage, under the false impression that it was merely a wrinkled piece of paper she found in his room. Quite a mishap, right?

Director Richard Donner told the story of a peculiar thing that happened in the final week of filming. This unusual twist came from the creative brain of none other than legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg. Under Spielberg’s careful instructions, the group of young actors acted differently in a way you wouldn’t expect. They treated Donner in a cold and unsympathetic manner, which left the amiable director puzzled. The reason behind all this was a surprise Spielberg had planned.

Upon jetting back to his abode in Hawaii, Donner found himself greeted by the total cast. Spielberg had quietly arranged to fly them all out to Donner’s place for a bash in honor of the film. They all enjoyed a cheerful backyard barbeque party together!

Even though it’s marketed as a film suitable for the whole family, it’s notable for its rather vibrant language use. Despite having a PG rating, suitable for a family audience, the word “sh-t” is notably spoken 19 times, along with other strong language, adding a surprising edge to something otherwise presented as wholesome entertainment.

The use of bad language in the movie isn’t random. It’s actually a very planned out choice. In The Goonies, most of the cursing occurs during the loudest scenes. This is clever because it allows TV stations to turn up the volume on their background noise to cover up the curse words. The result is a movie that seems a lot more family-friendly and is more suitable for daytime television. This strategic placement of swear words is used to maintain a wider audience appeal.

In 1985, the gaming company, Datasoft, took the adventure of a cinema and transformed it into a video game on their platform. The game consists of stages, all of which are inspired by real scenes straight out of the movie. In this exciting game, you step into the shoes of Mikey, your mission is to battle it out against the notorious Fratelli Brothers.

Good news for fans of The Goonies who want to experience the adventure again. In 2017, LEGO launched an exciting PS4 video game named LEGO Dimensions—The Goonies Level Pack. In the game, players can take on the roles of Chunk and Sloth. Their mission? To locate the other Goonies and the famous One-Eyed Willy’s ship. So, get ready for a thrilling adventure filled with mystery and fun.

Before embarking on their treasure hunt adventure, our gang is seen engrossed in a music video playing on MTV. It wasn’t just any random music video, but one that was performed by a celebrity from the 80s, created specifically for this film.

The theme song for the movie “Goonies,” titled “Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough,” was co-penned and performed by Cyndi Lauper. Not only did she make a musical contribution, but she also starred in the music video that included the original Goonies crew and featured a special appearance by the film’s producer, Steven Spielberg. As the musical director for the film’s music, Lauper played a substantial role in shaping the soundtrack. This particular song made such an impact that it has even found its way into “Goonies” video games and Cyndi Lauper’s live performances.