Harry and Tonto is a 1974 film directed by Paul Mazursky and starring Art Carney as Harry Coombes, an elderly widower who is forced from his condemned New York City apartment against his will. He initially stays with his son’s family on Long Island, but eventually chooses to travel cross country with his pet cat Tonto in tow. During his episodic journey, he befriends a hitchhiker, visits his daughter in Chicago and finally meets his youngest son in Los Angeles. The supporting cast includes Ellen Burstyn, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Larry Hagman, Chief Dan George, Melanie Mayron (in her debut role), Josh Mostel, Arthur Hunnicutt and Cliff De Young. Also appearing toward the end of the film is Sally Marr, mother of Lenny Bruce.
The screenplay was written by Josh Greenfeld and Paul Mazursky.
Art Carney won the Academy Award for Best Actor while the film was nominated for Best Writing, Original Screenplay. Carney won the Golden Globe for Best Actor Musical/Comedy and the film was nominated for Best Picture Musical/Comedy. The screenplay by Greenfeld and Mazursky was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award as Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen.
According to Art Carney: A Biography, by Michael Seth Starr (Fromm International, 1997), Carney actually disliked cats. A contemporary Time article. confirms that he “never liked cats,” but that he got along with the cat in this film.
