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Ponyboy Curtis

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Ponyboy Michael "Pony" Curtis is a fictional character and the main protagonist of S. E. Hinton's 1967 novel The Outsiders. On screen, he is played by C. Thomas Howell in Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 film adaptation and by Jay R. Ferguson in the 1990 sequel TV series. Brody Grant originated the role on stage in the 2023 stage musical adaptation.[1][2][3][4]

Ponyboy Curtis
The Outsiders character
C. Thomas Howell as Ponyboy in the 1983 film adaptation of the novel.
First appearance
Created byS. E. Hinton
Portrayed byC. Thomas Howell (1983 film)
Jay R. Ferguson (1990 TV series)
Brody Grant (2023 stage musical)
Age14 years
In-universe information
Full namePonyboy Michael Curtis
GenderMale
OccupationHigh school student
AffiliationGreasers
FamilyDarrel Curtis (brother)
Sodapop Curtis (brother)
Unnamed mother (deceased)
Unnamed father (deceased)
NationalityAmerican
ResidenceTulsa, Oklahoma, United States

Character overview

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Ponyboy is a fourteen-year-old boy who belongs to a gang of greasers alongside his elder brothers Darrel Shaynne "Darry" Curtis, Jr. and Sodapop Patrick "Soda" Curtis. Ponyboy, although he is loyal to and loves his gang, he doesn't like how it's in gang nature to be criminal or immoral. He believes that Darry, "can't stand him" and seems "too bossy." Since the brothers' parents died, Darry has had full responsibility for Ponyboy and Sodapop, but they can only stay with Darry as long as they don't get in trouble with the police. He lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma; and participates in the local social-club rivalries.

Ponyboy's best friend is Johnny Cade, a boy who is said to resemble "a little dark puppy that has been kicked too many times and is lost in a crowd of strangers."

Ponyboy runs away with Johnny after an argument with Darry and is involved in the death of a "Soc" (pronounced /soʊʃ/ SOHSH—short for Social) after they pulled up on him in his territory, which is later ruled to have been self-defense on the part of Johnny.

He is eventually reunited with his brothers and participates in the rumble alongside other members of the gang. Though a good fighter, he fights poorly in the rumble due to a blow to the head and is severely injured. Dally takes Ponyboy to the hospital to visit Johnny and see how he is doing. Dally gets stopped by a police officer for speeding. He tells Ponyboy to "act sick," and convinces the officer that Ponyboy fell off his motorcycle. The officer ends up escorting them to the hospital. Ponyboy is present for the deaths of both Johnny and later, Dallas Winston. Having witnessed two deaths in a short period of time, Ponyboy is overwhelmed and passes out.

After the murder of a Soc, running away from home, and the deaths of his two buddies, Ponyboy has to appear in family court in order to convince the judge that living with his brothers is an appropriate environment. In court, the judge doesn't ask him questions about the Soc's murder, but instead asks him about his home life and school. Once the judge announces that he can remain under his brother's custody, he returns home and finds a letter from Johnny which inspires him to start writing the story of his experience being a greaser.[5]

Other appearances

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  • Ponyboy later makes a minor appearance in Hinton's 1971 novel That Was Then, This Is Now.[6] His scene, however, does not appear in the novel's 1985 film adaptation.
  • C. Thomas Howell plays Ponyboy in Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 film adaptation of the novel, in his second feature film role following his appearance in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). His performance would ultimately launch him to stardom and make him, alongside his castmates, one of the early pioneers of the phenomena that would become known as the Brat Pack.[7][8][9]
  • Jay R. Ferguson played Ponyboy in the 1990 television series, which served as a sequel to the 1983 film. The series picks up where the story left off and explores further development in the relationship between him, his brothers and friends. Leonardo DiCaprio was among those who auditioned for the role before Ferguson was cast.[7][10][11]
  • Brody Grant originated the role of Ponyboy in the 2023 stage musical adaptation of both the novel and film. Trevor Wayne and Josh Strobl serve as his understudies.[12] In this version, his and Johnny's murder charges are cleared following the Church fire instead of after Johnny and Dallas' deaths, and the final scene is expanded upon, showing him allowing his brothers to read the beginning of his essay. On his portrayal, Grant saw similarities between himself and the character and implemented some of this into his performance, saying "I also grew up in places where being artistic was not necessarily the norm or the cool thing. I really get Ponyboy in that way."[13] Casey Likes portrayed the character in the musical's 2022 reading before Grant was cast when the show held its premiere production at La Jolla Playhouse before moving to Broadway.[14]

Reception and legacy

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The character of Ponyboy Curtis is and continues to be regarded as one of the most enduring teenage characters in 20th-century American fiction.[4][15][16]

For his performance in the 1983 film, C. Thomas Howell received critical praise, as well as the Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film.[citation needed] Robert Osborne in his 1983 review for The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Howell and Ralph Macchio, who played Johnny, carry the film and do a commendable job with their performances.[17]

Brody Grant's portrayal in the stage musical also received positive reviews, as well as numerous accolades, including a Theatre World Award and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical.[18][19][20][21] Emlyn Travis of Entertainment Weekly wrote: "From the moment that he appears onstage scribbling away in his notebook, it's clear that Grant sees the character for what he truly is: a wide-eyed kid, burdened by familial and societal expectations, who longs for something more. In turn, he plays Ponyboy with a softness and affability that is hard not to root for".[22]

Bibliography

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Hinton, S.E. (1967). The Outsiders. New York: SPEAK. ISBN 9780140385724.

References

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  1. ^ "The Outsiders Musical to Make World Premiere at la Jolla Playhouse | TheaterMania".
  2. ^ Tramel, Jimmie (March 25, 2022). "'The Outsiders' actor Matt Dillon tours Outsiders House Museum". Tulsa World. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  3. ^ Carson, Duncan (September 13, 2021). "Whatever Happened To The Cast Of The Outsiders?". Looper.com.
  4. ^ a b https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/how-the-outsiders-invented-the-ya-novel-6cfcb921
  5. ^ Hinton 1967, p. 180.
  6. ^ Hinton, S.E. (1971). That Was Then, This Is Now. New-York: Penguin Group. pp. 43–64. ISBN 978-0-14-038966-1.
  7. ^ a b Saperstein, Pat (June 13, 2024). "The Brat Pack, Explained: A Guide to the Iconic 1980s Acting Posse".
  8. ^ "'The Outsiders' Cast: Where Are They Now?". Peoplemag.
  9. ^ Farthing, GR (Schiavino) (January 21, 2021). "From Ponyboy to Horseman: C. Thomas Howell". The Team Roping Journal.
  10. ^ "Watch Leonardo DiCaprio fail an audition for 'The Outsiders'". faroutmagazine.co.uk. January 29, 2023.
  11. ^ "David Arquette reveals the role Leo DiCaprio didn't get on his 1990 Fox series The Outsiders". Yahoo Entertainment. March 15, 2018.
  12. ^ Nardino, Meredith (June 14, 2024). "Who Is 'Outsiders' Star Brody Grant? Meet Broadway's Ponyboy Curtis". Us Weekly.
  13. ^ "Interview: Brody Grant Talks About His Love of Writing and His Role as Ponyboy - TheaterMania.com". April 29, 2024.
  14. ^ Soloski, Alexis (November 29, 2023). "Casey Likes, of 'Back to the Future,' Is on a Roll". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  15. ^ Krischer, Hayley (March 12, 2017). "Why 'The Outsiders' Lives On: A Teenage Novel Turns 50". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  16. ^ Tensley, Brandon (June 14, 2017). "The Enduring Fascination of S.E. Hinton's 'The Outsiders'". Pacific Standard.
  17. ^ Osborne, Robert (March 25, 2017). "'The Outsiders': THR's 1983 Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  18. ^ Rosky, Nicole. "2024 Drama Desk Awards Nominations- The Full List!". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  19. ^ "Review: The 2024 Tony Awards Had No Clear Front-Runner. That Made Them More Exciting. - TheaterMania.com". June 17, 2024.
  20. ^ Nordstrom, Leigh (June 7, 2024). "Brody Grant on His Tony-nominated Performance in 'The Outsiders'".
  21. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan. "Cole Escola, Meleah Joi Moon, Rachel McAdams, More Win 2024 Theatre World Awards". Playbill. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  22. ^ "'The Outsiders' transforms from beloved novel to glittering Broadway musical". EW.com.


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