Wonder Boys

Wonder Boys

Wonder Boys

Wonder Boys

Prof. Grady Tripp

Dean Sara Gaskell

Quentin 'Q' Morewood

Vernon Hardapple

Oola

Miss Antonia 'Tony' Sloviak

Walter Gaskell

Sam Traxler

Emily's Father

Fred Leer

Amanda Leer

Officer Pupcik

Carrie

Howard

Emily's Mother

Emily (photo)

Hi-Hat Bouncer

Poe

Wordfest Party Guest

Wordfest Party Guest

Wordfest Party Guest

Wordfest Party Guest

Wordfest Party Guest

Wordfest Party Guest

Wordfest Party Guest

Wordfest Party Guest

Student

Student

Student

Student (uncredited)

Businessman in Restaurant (uncredited)

Father at Hospital (uncredited)

Student (uncredited)

Student (uncredited)

Extra (uncredited)

Student (uncredited)

Night Club Dancer (uncredited)

Woman in Forum (uncredited)

Background extra (uncredited)

In between shots at the house in Beaver, PA, Michael Douglas could be seen hitting golf balls into the Ohio River.

The term 'Wonder Boys', a derivative of the German 'wunderkind', refers to someone who has greatly succeeded in their profession or art at an early age. In the movie, Grady applies the term "Wonder Boy" to James specifically. During the DVD extras, director Curtis Hanson also applies it to Grady, though not in an entirely flattering way, since in Grady's case, the term refers to his early literary promise on which he has failed to deliver. In Michael Chabon's novel "Wonder Boys" (upon which this movie is based), the term also doubles as the title of Grady's giant unfinished manuscript, and "Wonder" is the last name of the brothers who are the main characters in that book.

Although in the film, Grady allows Oola to keep the jacket, in the Michael Chabon novel upon which this movie is based, Grady returns it to Walter, and then when Grady and Sara get married, she wears the jacket (just as Marilyn Monroe did for her marriage to Joe DiMaggio).

The story takes place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - yet there are no inspection stickers on the windshields nor emissions stickers.

The front license plate of the Renault disappears and then appears again as Crabtree chases Vernon.

During Grady's drive away from campus early in the film, and the drive back with James following the chancellor's party, the campus scenes visible through the car windows indicate Grady is driving on several roads simultaneously.

Grady Tripp: [Narrating] So there it was. Somewhere in the night, a Manhattan book editor was prowling the streets of Pittsburgh; best-selling author at his side, dead dog in his trunk.

Hannah Green: James will know about George Sanders.

Antonia "Tony" Sloviak: Oh, that's such a beautiful Greenhouse.