Ever wonder why some movies just stick? You know the ones. They aren’t flashy, they don’t have massive CGI explosions, and yet, decades later, you still remember how they made you feel. Oh, God! is exactly that kind of movie. Released in 1977, it’s a weird, sweet, and surprisingly deep comedy that basically asks: "What if God was just a regular guy in a windbreaker?"
Honestly, the cast of the movie Oh God is what makes the whole thing work. Without this specific group of people, the movie would have probably been a disaster. It’s a delicate balance. If you lean too hard into the religious stuff, it’s preachy. If you go too far with the jokes, it’s offensive. But director Carl Reiner found a sweet spot, mostly by casting a legendary vaudevillian and a folk singer who had never acted in a movie before.
George Burns: The God Nobody Expected
When you think of the Almighty, you usually think of Charlton Heston in a robe or a booming voice from a cloud. You don't usually think of an 81-year-old man with a cigar and a bucket hat. But George Burns was perfect.
He hadn't really been a "movie star" for years before this. He was mostly known for his comedy duo with his wife, Gracie Allen. By 1977, he was enjoying a massive career resurgence after winning an Oscar for The Sunshine Boys. In Oh, God!, he plays the Creator with this dry, understated wit that’s just... cool. He’s not here to judge; he’s here because he’s worried about us.
Burns’ performance is basically a masterclass in "less is more." He doesn't do "god-like" things. He cracks jokes about how he made a few mistakes—like avocados having seeds that are too big or the 1969 Mets being a bit of a stretch. It’s disarming. It makes you realize that the cast of the movie Oh God wasn't just hired for talent, but for a specific kind of warmth.
John Denver’s Surprisingly Great Debut
Now, let's talk about Jerry Landers. Jerry is an assistant manager at a grocery store. He’s the "everyman" of everymen. To play him, they picked John Denver.
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At the time, John Denver was one of the biggest music stars on the planet. "Rocky Mountain High," "Take Me Home, Country Roads"—the guy was everywhere. But he wasn't an actor. This was his first real film role. There’s a rumor that Carl Reiner originally wanted Woody Allen for the part, which would have made for a totally different movie. A more neurotic movie.
Denver brings a level of "gosh-darn" sincerity that is almost painful to watch but totally necessary. You believe he’s confused. You believe he’s scared of being called a "nut case." Because he wasn't a seasoned Hollywood pro, he didn't have those "acting" tics. He just felt like a guy who was actually talking to God in a rainy car.
Teri Garr and the Support System
You can't talk about the cast of the movie Oh God without mentioning Teri Garr. She plays Bobbie Landers, Jerry’s wife. In most movies like this, the wife role is thankless. She’s usually just there to say, "You’re crazy, Jerry!"
But Garr is a comedic genius. She adds a layer of genuine concern and frustration that keeps the movie grounded. If she didn't seem like she really loved Jerry, the whole plot would feel hollow. She treats his "meetings with God" like a mental health crisis, which—let's be real—is exactly how any of us would react.
The supporting cast is also stacked with "hey, I know that guy!" faces:
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- Donald Pleasence plays Dr. Harmon, a skeptic who wants to debunk Jerry. It’s a fun, slightly prickly performance from a guy usually known for horror movies like Halloween.
- Paul Sorvino is Reverend Willie Williams, a flamboyant TV preacher. He’s the perfect foil to George Burns’ low-key God. While Burns is in a hat and sneakers, Sorvino is in expensive suits, making the point about "religion" vs. "faith" pretty clear without saying it out loud.
- Ralph Bellamy shows up as Sam Raven, adding some old Hollywood gravitas to the legal drama parts of the story.
Why the Casting Worked (When It Shouldn't Have)
If you look at the screenplay by Larry Gelbart (the genius behind MASH*), it’s incredibly sharp. But the tone is tricky. It’s a fantasy-comedy-drama-legal thriller. That’s a lot of hats for one movie to wear.
The cast of the movie Oh God succeeds because they play it straight. There’s no winking at the camera. When Jerry is on a talk show (shout out to Dinah Shore playing herself), the tension feels real. The movie treats the premise—God appearing to a grocery store manager—as a bureaucratic nightmare for the protagonist.
It’s also worth noting how the movie handles the "God" character. George Burns isn't playing a Christian God or a Jewish God. He’s just God. By casting a Jewish comedian to play a universal deity and a "wholesome" folk singer to be his messenger, Reiner managed to make a movie that didn't alienate anyone. It was a massive hit, making over $50 million in 1977 money. That’s roughly $250 million today. People loved this cast.
The Legacy of the Crew
Looking back, it’s wild that John Denver never really pursued a huge acting career after this. He did some TV and a few other things, but Oh, God! remains his definitive screen moment.
George Burns, on the other hand, became synonymous with the role. He played God twice more in Oh, God! Book II and Oh, God! You Devil. But honestly? The original is the only one that really captures that lightning in a bottle. The chemistry between the elderly, cynical-but-kind Burns and the youthful, wide-eyed Denver is something you just can't manufacture.
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The film serves as a reminder that sometimes the best casting choices are the ones that seem the most "out there" on paper. A singer, a vaudevillian, and a character actress walk into a grocery store... it sounds like a joke, but it turned into one of the most enduring comedies of the 70s.
If you’re looking to revisit this classic or share it with someone who’s never seen it, keep an eye on the chemistry in the courtroom scene. It’s where the cast of the movie Oh God really shines, proving that you don't need special effects to show a miracle—you just need the right actors.
How to Re-Experience the Magic
If this trip down memory lane has you wanting to see the film again, here are a few things to look out for:
- The "Miracle" in the car: Check out John Denver’s reaction to the rain inside the car. It’s one of his best acting moments.
- The bathroom scene: It’s one of the most intimate scenes in the movie, where God and Jerry just talk. No music, no distractions.
- The Dinah Shore cameo: It’s a perfect time capsule of 70s daytime television.
The movie is currently available on most digital rental platforms and occasionally pops up on TCM. It’s well worth the 98 minutes of your time.