The popularity of the coming-of-age story The Outsiders, based on the novel by S.E. Hinton, continues to grow decades after its release in 1976. Ponyboy Curtis and his journey through his teen years struck a chord with readers that translated into a 1983 movie by Francis Ford Coppola. The film starred a cast that eventually had illustrious careers, including Rob Lowe in his feature film debut and Ralph Macchio, who was 15 at the time of filming. The project helped Macchio gain the role of Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid and the cinematic exposure proved fruitful for actors such as C. Thomas Howell, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze and Diane Lane.