10 Things You Didn't Know About Stand By Me

Today is the 25th anniversary of Rob Reiner's classic adaptation of Stephen King's short story "The Body," or as the world remembers it "Stand By Me." Here are 10 things you didn't know about Gordie, Chris, and company

• 1. Corey Feldman And Rob Reiner Tried Out 30 Different Laughs Before Settling On The One Corey Would Use For Teddy

  Thus his annoying trill was born.

• 2. To Help The Kids Stay In Character Kiefer Sutherland Would Pick On Them Around The Set

  Either that or Kiefer is just an ass.

• 3. Rob Reiner, An Outspoken Anti-Smoking Advocate, Insisted That The Kids' Cigarettes Be Made Of Cabbage

  

  Which apparently isn't bad for you? I thought the smoke was a big part of the problem.

• 4. David Dukes And Michael McKean Were Both Cast As "The Writer" Before Reiner Eventually Settled on Richard Dreyfuss

  

  And as much as I like both Dukes and McKean, thank God Reiner changed his mind.

• 5. Rob Reiner Had To Berate Wil Wheaton And Jerry O'Connell To Get A Terrified Enough Reaction

  Neither kid was convincingly scared during the initial filming of the scene on the train tracks.

• 6. The Setting Of The Movie Would Become The Name Of Rob Reiner's Production Company

  

• 7. River Phoenix Originally Auditioned For The Role Of Gordie

  

  Reiner (correctly) saw he'd make a better Chris.

• 8. The Four Boys Were Troublemakers At Their Hotel

  

  Wil Wheaton fixed the video games in the lobby so that they could play for free, the boys threw all of the pool furniture into the pool, and River Phoenix covered Kiefer Sutherland's car in mud. (Phoenix unfortunately didn't know it was Sutherland's car until an Angry Kiefer confronted him. This may explain number 2.)

• 9. Jerry O'Connell Accidentally Got Very High

  

  According to Kiefer Sutherland, there was a Renaissance Fair near one of their shooting locations. One day everyone went to the fair and bought cookies. Unfortunately people didn't realize they were pot cookies. They discovered Jerry O'Connell hours later high and crying.

• 10. The First Adaptation That Stephen King Really Liked

  

  King was famously disappointed in almost every single film adaptation of his work (most notably Kubrick's take on The Shining), but he loved Reiner's take on Stand By Me so much that Castle Rock has had the first crack at adapting all of King's work. (And did handle the adaptations of Shawshank Redemption and Misery).