Harry and the Hendersons is a 1987 American fantasy comedy film directed and produced by William Dear and starring John Lithgow, Melinda Dillon, Don Ameche, David Suchet, Margaret Langrick, Joshua Rudoy, Lainie Kazan, and Kevin Peter Hall.

Steven Spielberg served as its uncredited executive producer, while Rick Baker provided the makeup and the creature designs for Harry.

The film tells the story of a Seattle family's encounter with the cryptozoological creature Bigfoot, partially inspired by the numerous claims of sightings in the Pacific Northwest, California, and other parts of both the United States and Canada over three centuries.

[4] In the United Kingdom, the film was originally released as Bigfoot and the Hendersons, though the television series retained the American title.

Following a camping trip in the nearby Cascade mountains, George Henderson drives home to suburban Seattle with his family when he hits a Bigfoot with his station wagon.

Saddened, the family attempt to resume their normal lives, but sightings of Harry become more frequent as media fervor heightens.

George tries to find Harry and visits the "North American Museum of Anthropology" to speak with Dr. Wallace Wrightwood, a supposed expert on Bigfoot.

As the family says goodbye, George tells Harry to take care of himself, to which he replies, "Okay" – revealing he has the ability to learn language.

Bruce Broughton composed the film's original score, and co-wrote "Love Lives On" with Barry Mann (music), Cynthia Weil (lyrics) and Will Jennings (lyrics), performed by Joe Cocker over the end credits (in place of Broughton's planned end title cue); the soundtrack version of "Love Lives On" has a saxophone solo on a single and was later released as a single.

[6] Michael Wilmington of the Los Angeles Times commended Lithgow's performance and the film's "technical triumphs", the latter of which he noted "seem to overpower its weak, juiceless [...] gags".