The Defection of Simas Kudirka poster

Movie · 1978

The Defection of Simas Kudirka

Released 23 January 1978 More from 1978 → Letterboxd ↗ · TMDB ↗

Based on the true story of the attempted defection in 1970 by a Lithuanian seaman seeking political asylum in the United States. Kudirka was denied asylum and returned to the Soviets, charged with treason, and sentenced to ten years of hard labor. It was later discovered and verified that his mother had been born in Brooklyn and gone to Lithuania at a young age, which meant she was a U. S. citizen. As a result, Kudirka was declared a U. S. citizen and in 1974 released by the Soviets.

FR·01

How old were they?

Oldest first
John McMartin
as Phillip Chadway
48
Alan Arkin
as Simas Kudirka
43
Shirley Knight
as Genna Kudirka
41
Barton Heyman
as Dr. Paegle
40
Clarence Felder
as Picnic Man
39
George Dzundza
as Gruzauskas
32
Nicholas Guest
as Baltrunar
26
FR·02

The numbers

Computed from the cast above
22years between the oldest and youngest billed
48John McMartin — oldest on the call sheet
26Nicholas Guest — youngest billed
38average age of the credited cast
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