The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh

The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh is a 1979 American sports/fantasy comedy film directed by Gilbert Moses and coproduced by David Dashev and Gary Stromberg. It was produced by Lorimar and distributed by United Artists. The film was shot on location in Pittsburgh and at Pittsburgh's Civic Arena, as well as in suburban Moon Township, Pennsylvania. The film has attracted a cult following, most notably for its disco-inspired setting and soundtrack, as well as the appearances of many NBA stars (including lead actor Julius Erving) and early roles for Debbie Allen, Stockard Channing and Harry Shearer. The film also contains a cameo by longtime Pittsburgh mayor Richard Caliguiri. Plot The Pittsburgh Pythons are a struggling professional basketball team whose continuous losing streak and lack of talent has made them the laughing stock of the city. Several players ask to be traded to other teams because of the bad publicity and the presence of difficult but highly paid star player Moses Guthrie.