March 25th, 1983- Francis Ford Coppola's The Outsiders was released to theaters.  The film, an adaption S.E. Hinton's novel of the same name, is about two weeks in the life of a 14-year-old boy. It tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with right and wrong in a society in which he believes that he is an outsider.  The movie details a town split between the wealthy South side gang called 'The Socs' and the poor North side gang called 'The Greasers'.
Coppola was inspired to make the film by a letter he received from Jo Ellen Misakian, a school librarian (Lone Star Elementary School) in Fresno, California.  The following year, he filmed Rumble Fish, adapting Hinton's other novel.  Both movies were filmed in Tulsa, Oklahoma and used many of the same locations, actors and crew.

The Outsiders was responsible for launching a number of all-star movie careers.  The break out cast included the likes of:

C. Thomas Howell
Matt Dillon
Ralph Macchio
Patrick Swayze
Rob Lowe
Emilio Estevez
Tom Cruise
Diane Lane
Leif Garrett