Cast and Characters (Blow Out) Blow Out

Principal Cast

Jack Terry — John Travolta

A movie sound-effects technician who accidentally records a political assassination. Travolta plays Jack as a competent, obsessive craftsman who believes that if you can capture the truth on tape, the truth should matter. The performance is widely considered Travolta's finest dramatic work.

"Travolta finally has a role that allows him to discard his teenage strutting and his slobby accents." — Pauline Kael, The New Yorker (1981)

Sally Bedina — Nancy Allen

A makeup artist and part-time escort caught up in a political dirty trick that intersects with an assassination. Allen plays Sally as guileless and well-intentioned, a woman who keeps her childlike quality because growing up hasn't been an option.

"Nancy Allen gives the film its soul." — Pauline Kael, The New Yorker (1981)

Allen channeled specific influences for the performance: "I tried to channel things like Giulietta Masina's performance in La Strada for Sally's childlike voice, someone who was 'not so bright, well-intentioned.' People who are really resistant to growing up, keep their childlike quality. It works for them to a point." (money-into-light)

Burke — John Lithgow

The assassin, posing as a political operative, who shot out the governor's tire and then methodically murders young women to bury the evidence. Lithgow plays Burke as methodical and frictionless — a professional who treats murder as problem-solving.

Manny Karp — Dennis Franz (Blow Out)

A sleazy photographer hired to set up Governor McRyan in a compromising photo with Sally. Franz plays Karp as the amoral opportunist he is — a man who stumbled into a murder scene while running a blackmail scheme and sees no contradiction in trying to profit from both.

Supporting Cast

Actor	Role
Peter Boyden	Sam
Curt May	Frank Donahue
John Aquino	Detective Mackey
John McMartin	Lawrence Henry