The Summary for this unviewed film was based on reviews from the 4 Jun 1979 Box, and the 23 Apr 1979 HR, as well as a 19 Sep 1978 LAT article. Therefore, the credits are incomplete and do not reflect what is stated onscreen.
       LAT stated that Dreamer marked the debut feature film for producer Michael Lobell, who was involved in the garment business before venturing into entertainment. The project appealed to him as an opportunity to portray a story about competitive bowling for the first time on screen. Lobell and production company, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp., based the film’s box-office potential on the high ratings for televised bowling tournaments and on the fifty million Americans, according to statistics at the time, who participated in the game.
       LAT also mentioned that William Wittliff, who does not receive a credit onscreen, was hired for script rewrites.
       Hall of Fame bowling champion, Dick Weber, played the role of “Dreamer’s” opponent, “Johnny Watkin,” while Weber’s oldest son, Richard Weber, Jr., acted as the film’s technical advisor, coaching actor Tim Matheson for two weeks prior to filming. Production notes in AMPAS library files listed the following well-known St. Louis-area bowling professionals featured in the film’s Grand Championship tournament: Roy Bluth, Wally Bush, Dave Edwards, Norm Friedmeyer, Dave Juric, Gus Marsala, Don McClaren, Ray Orf, Rick Thornberg, Mike Tietjens, John Weber, Richard Weber, Jr., Willie Wells, and Don Zeman.
       On 31 Jul 1978, a HR news item announced that principal photography began that day in Alton, IL. According to production notes, cast and crew spent four weeks in Alton, followed by two weeks in St. Louis, MO. Both cities were known as centers for bowling enthusiasts. In Alton, locations included a houseboat along the Mississippi River, the city’s downtown, Bowl Haven Lanes, and Acme Bowl. In St. Louis, the production filmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church and the bowling alley, Dick Weber Lanes, where scenes for the Grand Championship were shot. As stated in a studio press release, filming completed 12 Sep 1978 in St. Louis.
       According to an 18 Oct 1978 HR article, the picture’s production budget was $2.9 million while marketing costs were $3.54 million.
       A 13 Apr 1979 HR news item reported that the world premiere took place 26 Apr 1979 at the Newhall Plaza Theater in Newhall, CA, a city outside Los Angeles, CA. A local bowling alley approached Twentieth Century-Fox and requested to host the event as a benefit to raise medical funds for Tim Roderick, a Newhall bowling talent in need of an eye operation.