River Phoenix (l.) shows no fear as he confronts town tough Kiefer Sutherland (r.) in Columbia Pictures' "STAND BY ME." Based on the novella, "The Body," by Stephen King, the film was directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay by Raynold Gideon and Bruce A. Evans, and produced by Andrew Scheinman, along with Evans and Gideon.

KIEFER SUTHERLAND, most recently seen in "At Close Range," makes an important contribution to "Stand By Me" in the role of Ace Merrill, a no-nonsense leader of a gang of town toughs.

Coming from a show business family, Sutherland had a clear idea at an early age that he wanted to pursue an acting career. His first major role came to him at age 9 with the Los Angeles Odyssey Theater production of "Throne of Straw," in which he played a young boy in a concentration camp.

Moving to Toronto, Canada, at the age of 10, he worked for several years in local theater workshops before landing a starring role in "The Bay Boy," a Canadian feature directed by Dan Petrie. Receiving critical acclaim for his performance, he went on to make several television appearances, including a featured role in "Amazing Stories." More recently, he was before the cameras in the television movies of the week, "Brotherhood of Justice" and "Trapped in Silence." He is currently starring in "Lost Boys," a feature for director Joel Schumacher.

RICHARD DREYFUSS, who narrates the journey, also makes a special appearance as the grown-up Gordie, who has matured into a highly successful author for whom the past is a forever vivid memory. The actor starred in the recent box-office hit comedy, "Down and Out in Beverly Hills."

Since his 1973 film debut in "American Graffiti," Los Angeles-native Dreyfuss has had starring roles in "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz," "Jaws," "Inserts," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "The Competition," "The Big Fix," "Whose Life Is It Anyway?," as well as receiving an Academy Award for his performance in "The Goodbye Girl."

Dreyfuss also has numerous stage credits, including recent Los Angeles productions of "Hands of Its Enemy" and "The Normal Heart."

Upcoming for the actor are starring roles in the feature films "Tinmen" with Danny De Vito for director Barry Levinson, and "Nuts," opposite Barbra Streisand for veteran director Martin Ritt.

JOHN CUSACK, who starred in Reiner's "The Sure Thing," makes a special cameo appearance as Gordie's brother, Denny Lachance, whose life was tragically cut short by an accident. Beginning with a Chicago theater workshop at the age of 8, the young actor made his motion picture debut in "Class." He was soon selected for important roles in "Sixteen Candles" and "Grandview, U.S.A."

His romantic leading role in "The Sure Thing" led to starring roles in "The Adventures of Natty Gann" and "Better Off Dead." He can also be seen starring in the summer 1986 release, "One Crazy Summer."

CASEY SIEMASZKO, BRADLEY GREGG, GARY RILEY and JASON OLIVER convey realism and humor as Ace's sidekicks. ANDY LINDBERG provides a bizarre touch of comedy as a revengeful pie-eating contestant. WILLIAM BRONDER threatens as a scruffy junkyard man. Veteran actor MARSHALL BELL plays Gordie's father.

Casey Siemaszko (l.) and Gary Riley (r.) have revealed their discovery of the body of a missing youth to town tough Kiefer Sutherland (center). Columbia Pictures' "STAND BY ME" is based on the novella, "The Body," by Stephen King, directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay by Raynold Gideon and Bruce A. Evans, and produced by Andrew Scheinman, along with Evans and Gideon.

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