Curtain call

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A curtain call (walkdown, bow) occurs at the end of a performance when individuals return to the stage to be recognized by the audience for their performance.^[1][2] In musical theater, the performers typically recognize the orchestra and its conductor at the end of the curtain call. Luciano Pavarotti holds the record for receiving 165 curtain calls, more than any other artist^{[citation needed]}.

Curtain calls are not solely limited to actors in theaters. Athletes who also perform well may return to the field of play after a big play or at the conclusion of the game for recognition. Professional baseball players usually take their helmet by the rim and hold it in the air.^[3]

In film, the term "curtain call" is used when the film's end credits show clips, stills, or outtakes of each character with the actor's name written underneath. This sequence results in the same individual audience-recognition as a stage curtain calls. This is usually done in films that are light-hearted and have many characters or perhaps a long list of cameos.

Contents 1 Films that use curtain calls during their end credits 2 TV series that used a curtain call 3 Sports curtain calls 4 References

[edit] Films that use curtain calls during their end credits

• Citizen Kane (the first film to ever use a curtain call).
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (drawings of the actors' faces are presented with their names; this was only done in the third film to further suggest that it was the real end of the story).
• Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (this curtain call contains almost every single memorable character from both films in the order they were last seen, once again to suggest that this was the real end of the story)
• The Blues Brothers (film)
• The Bad Seed (The curtain call for this film was specifically added at the request of the then film censor board, to assure the audience that it was "just a movie" after the intense film)^[4][5]
• The Princess Bride
• Predator
• The Rocky Horror Picture Show
• Little Shop of Horrors (1986 film)
• All three films of the Scream Trilogy
• Dogma
• Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
• Not Another Teen Movie
• The Deer Hunter (a rare occurrence for a serious film, which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture).
• 12 Angry Men (a curtain call was necessary since the characters' names are never revealed in the film)
• Nixon (film)
• Zatoichi (2003 film) curtain call in the form of a tap dance number at the end of the film.
• Many of Mel Brooks's films, including both versions of The Producers, Spaceballs, and Dracula: Dead and Loving It (Robin Hood: Men In Tights only contains a curtain call for the cameos in the film, and not for the main actors)
• Chicago (2002 film)
• Top Gun

[edit] TV series that used a curtain call

In 1977, the popular Australian prime time soap opera, Number 96, paid homage to both its cast and loyal audience by devoting a significant part of its final episode (#1218) to a curtain call of many of the series' regular stars, past and present.

[edit] Sports curtain calls

The 1986 New York Mets are accredited to have received the first curtain calls from their fans for athletes^{[citation needed]}, After a significant home run or hit, the Shea Stadium fans would chant the name of the player or continue to clap until the player came out from the dugout to acknowledge the fans.

[edit] References

1. ^ Theater Terminology Biography.ms. URL Accessed July 20, 2006.
2. ^ Glossary of Theatre Terms Schoolshows.demon.co.uk. URL Accessed July 20, 2006.
3. ^ Detroit Free Press Freep.com. URL Accessed July 20, 2006.
4. ^ The Bad Seed (1956)
5. ^ The Bad Seed (1956)

1977 World Series, reggie jackson received curtain call after third homer.