Movie based on life of Don Meyer set for campus premiere Oct. 3
UCM |
Collins Alumni Auditorium will go “Hollywood” Oct. 3 as it hosts a red carpet premiere for “My Many Sons,” a film based on the life of legendary Lipscomb basketball coach Don Meyer.
“My Many Sons” is a biopic that follows the story of Meyer, who, despite becoming wheelchair-bound after a nearly fatal car wreck, passed coaching legend Bobby Knight to become the most winning basketball coach in NCAA history.
The movie stars Judge Reinhold as Meyer, Amy Kay Raymond as Meyer’s wife Carmen, Pfeifer Brown as daughter Brittney, Taylor Bugos as daughter Brooke, and Casey Bond as son Jerry. Bond (“Moneyball,” “I Saw the Light”), a Lipscomb alumnus and former Bison baseball player, produced the film with Brad Wilson “(A Family Thing,” “Becoming Jesse Tate,” “Set Apart”). The film was directed by Ralph E. Portillo (“The Last Great Ride,” “Big Brother Trouble”).
The premiere will take place on the Lipscomb campus, which was featured throughout the film. Guests will have an opportunity to enjoy pre-game festivities in Bison Square, walk the red carpet and view the film on the eve of its DVD release in Walmart stores, on Amazon and other platforms across the country.
The red carpet opens at 6:30 p.m. for guests to walk, and the movie screening begins in Lipscomb’s Collins Alumni Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.
The screening is free and open to the public, but reservations are requested. To reserve tickets click here.
Bond says “My Many Sons” is an inspirational motion picture that is a story of character, relationships and turning young boys into men.
“This story is not about wins or records, but rather about Coach’s relationships with players and their families,” said Casey Bond, whose company, Higher Purpose Entertainment, produced the film. “It’s about how one man took the time to build character in young people, which is something we desperately need in our world today. Coach Meyer made the most of a very difficult situation in his life and ran with it. He took what he learned in life and as a result of the accident. He used every ounce of energy he had to communicate with anyone he came in contact in a remarkable way. There was no sitting on the bench for him.”
As head coach from 1975-1999, Meyer led the Bisons to a 665-179 record. During this time, he led the Lipscomb program to an NAIA national championship in 1986 and 13 national tournament appearances. He produced the top two scorers in the history of college basketball, three national players of the year and 22 All-Americans. He also produced all-time career leaders in 3-point shooting, steals and assists.
He took the helm of the Northern State University men’s basketball program in August 1999. He retired at the end of the 2009-10 season with a record of 923 wins and 324 losses, making him the winningest coach in basketball history. Meyer won a number of national awards, including the 2009 ESPY for the Jimmy V (Jim Valvano) Award For Perseverance. Meyer, also a nationally known motivational speaker, is the subject of an award-winning book by ESPN’s Buster Olney.
After graduating from Lipscomb in 2007, Bond was drafted by the San Francisco Giants as a center fielder. He played in the minor leagues for two seasons before moving on to pursue a career in acting and the film industry.
As an actor, Bond has played a variety of roles in commercials, television shows and movies. He is best known for his roles as Chad Bradford, who from 2001 to 2004 was a specialty reliever for the Oakland As known for his submarine-style pitching, in “Moneyball,” which also starred Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip-Seymour Hoffman and Robin Wright; and as Jerry Rivers in the Hank Williams biopic, “I Saw the Light,” released nationwide this past spring and starring Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen. Other roles include Danny Cook in the SONY Provident film, “Ring the Bell,” and Tommy Dorehty in “Undrafted” among other roles. He recently completed production on a new film, “The Meanest Man in Texas,” a true story based on the life of murderer Clyde Thompson based on a book written by Lipscomb alumnus Don Umphrey. The film is set for release next year.