Overview
New Yorkers Skip Donahue and Harry Monroe have no jobs and no prospects, so they decide to flee the city and find work elsewhere, landing jobs wearing woodpecker costumes to promote the opening of a bank. When their feathery costumes are stolen and used in a bank robbery, they no longer have to worry about employment — they're sent to prison.
Trailer
Crew
DirectorSidney Poitier
WriterBruce Jay Friedman
Cast
Gene Wilder
Skip Donahue
Richard Pryor
Harry Monroe
Georg Stanford Brown
Rory Schultebrand
JoBeth Williams
Meredith
Miguel Ángel Suárez
Jesus Ramirez
Craig T. Nelson
Deputy Ward Wilson
Barry Corbin
Warden Walter Beatty
Charles Weldon
Blade
Nicolas Coster
Warden Henry Sampson
Joel Brooks
Len Garber
Jonathan Banks
Jack Graham
Erland van Lidth
Grossberger
Lewis van Bergen
Guard #1
Karmin Murcelo
Teresa Ramirez
Franklyn Ajaye
Young Man in Hospital
Estelle Omens
Mrs. R.H. Broache
Peter Looney
Kicker #1
Cedrick Hardman
Big Mean
Doug Johnson
Guard #2
Henry Kingi
Ramon
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Keywords
mistaken identityprison escapefish out of waterwrongful imprisonmentbuddy
Details
Budget
$10M
Revenue
$101M
TMDb Votes
482
Added May 14, 2026Updated Jun 3, 2026