Francis Ford Coppola certainly had his hands full when he cast dozens of teenage boys – who would later become far more famous – to headline his 1983 mega-hit The outsiders. Unlike most films, it took the entire cast from the luxury of Hollywood and immersed them in small-town life in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where they had to live, work and play together.

In the film, the wealthy teenagers, known as Socs, lived on Tulsa’s west side in the 1960s and were played by Leif Garrett, Randy Anderson and Diane Lane. The greasers, with their slicked-back hair, blue jeans and T-shirts, lived in the poorer east side of the city and were played by Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell and Tom Cruise.

Coppola intentionally separated the cast to help them better immerse themselves in the role, and gave the actors more luxury accommodations and leather-bound scripts. Pranks were commonplace on set and in their living quarters. Rumor has it that Rob Lowe ran out of the hotel in his underwear with a false fire alarm or C. Thomas Howell returned to set to find his entire hotel room turned upside down. There was also a time when the cast re-enacted the drowning scene in the hotel fountain, only to discover weeks later that the hotel removed the fountain – all have been quoted before, but perhaps the funniest story is the staging of the publicity photo.

Fast forward to the day promotional photos for The outsiders were taken. There were only recordings of the Socs and then the recordings of the Greasers started. Originally, no smile was intended by the greasers – just blue steel toughness. While the greasers were being photographed (pictured include Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell and Tom Cruise), the waitress came in with a tray full of sandwiches. The lady announced to the whole group that the sandwiches were only for talent. Then Leif Garrett, who played Soc Bob, came in and went to the table. Macchio called out to him from where he’s pictured, “Hey Leif, this is for the talent.” And according to C. Thomas Howell, they all lost track and then they caught the shot.

Pure gold!