Staying Gold The Oral History of The..., Danny Boy OConnor
Staying Gold The Oral History of The..., Danny Boy OConnor
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Staying Gold: The Oral History of The Outsiders

Author: Danny Boy O'Connor, Jimmie Tramel

Narrator: Soleil Moon Frye, Danny Boy O'Connor, Jim Meskimen, Sura Siu

Unabridged: 12 hr 16 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/04/2025


Synopsis

The definitive oral history of the 1967 novel for teens, turned blockbuster film turned Tony-winning musical, and commemorated with a newly opened museum. This groundbreaking story has managed to stay gold for nearly sixty years.

*Includes interviews with Rob Lowe, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell Leif Garrett, David Arquette, Dennis Quaid, and more!

When a story resonates with audiences generation after generation, it reaches “classic” status. Francis Ford Coppola saw that potential in S. E. Hinton’s novel about two rival groups in 1960s Tulsa and knew it was meant for the silver screen. Now, in this definitive oral history, we’re given a rare glimpse into the filmmaking process: How Coppola’s team recruited unknown actors destined to become household names. How a film that could have easily been shot in a Hollywood studio was instead produced on location where the original novel was set. How an author who could have stood in the shadows came to be a major influence on the film, the actors, and the director himself. This oral history explores the legacy of The Outsiders, defining its historic impact since first arriving on bookshelves sixty years ago. Over a series of fascinating interviews with actors, casting directors, and others close to the project, it swiftly becomes clear how The Outsiders has managed to—as the adage goes—stay gold.

About The Author

Jimmie Tramel is a feature writer at the Tulsa World, covering pop culture. A former Oklahoma sports writer of the year, he has written books about former OU coach Barry Switzer and former OSU coach Pat Jones. @JimmieTramelDanny Boy O'Connor is the executive director of The Outsiders House Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and a founding member of the 1990s rap group House of Pain. In 2016, he acquired the house used in the 1983 film adaptation of The Outsiders and turned it into a museum, preserving memorabilia from the book and the Coppola film. @officialdannyboyoconnor


Reviews

Goodreads review by Courtney on November 09, 2025

I adored every second of this. I giggled and cried and it was great. DISCLAIMER, though: if you’re not obsessed with The Outsiders, this is not for you. It’s long and detailed and some of it gets a touch repetitive, BUT, if you love it, you’ll be happy to listen to all the discussions about the book......more

Goodreads review by Pam on November 18, 2025

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Please note - I have never actually read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. It is on my TBR and I will get to it eventually. And my first exposure to learning about it was from Rob Lowe's autobiography Storie......more

Goodreads review by Alexis on December 06, 2025

I bought it as a gift, and the person who is getting it is someone who stole a copy of "The Outsiders" from her school library, read it until the pages fell out of the spine, and still cherishes that copy going on forty years later. I have no doubt she will love it. I also love "The Outsiders" but a......more

Goodreads review by Zak on November 12, 2025

This book was a lot of fun. It provides a great deal of behind-the-scenes information, and it really makes you love the city of Tulsa. It seems like it was almost a perfect combination of director, cast, city, and story. If you are a film fan and enjoy funny anecdotes about stars before they became......more

Goodreads review by Ashley on November 21, 2025

I loved reading about how much The Outsiders meant to other people. It is my comfort book that I re-read, at least, once every year. It was the first book I read in school. It was the book I read after I lost my favorite person (my papaw). I am so glad Francis listened to other people about the movi......more