The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953)

Director:

Roy Rowland

Writers:

Dr. Seuss (screenplay) &
Allan Scott (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 July 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Fantasy | Music | Romance

Tagline:

The Wonder Musical of the Future!

Plot:

Bart has only one enemy in the world: his piano teacher Dr. Terwilliker. Dr. T has a mad plan to force...

Plot Keywords:

Piano | Dr Seuss | Fishing | Metronome | Theremin

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Peter Lind Hayes	...	August Zabladowski
Mary Healy	...	Heloise Collins
Hans Conried	...	Dr. Terwilliker
Tommy Rettig	...	Bartholomew Collins
Jack Heasley	...	Uncle Whitney (as John Heasley)
John Heasley	...	Uncle Whitney
Robert Heasley	...	Uncle Judson
Noel Cravat	...	Sgt. Lunk
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Chakiris	...	Dancer (as George Kerris)
Tony Butala	...	Boy pianist (uncredited)
Kim Charney	...	Boy in line (uncredited)
Henry Kulky	...	Stroogo (uncredited)
Diki Lerner	...	Dancer in dungeon ballet (uncredited)

Directed by
Roy Rowland

Writing credits
Dr. Seuss		(screenplay) &
Allan Scott		(screenplay)
Dr. Seuss		(story and conception)

Produced by
Stanley Kramer	....	producer

Original Music by
Friedrich Hollaender		(as Frederick Hollander)
Heinz Roemheld		(uncredited)
Hans J. Salter		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Franz Planer		(as Frank Planer)

Film Editing by
Al Clark

Production Design by
Rudolph Sternad

Art Direction by
Cary Odell

Set Decoration by
William Kiernan

Makeup Department
Clay Campbell	....	makeup artist
Helen Hunt	....	hair styles
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Clem Beauchamp	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frederick Briskin	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Russell Malmgren	....	sound engineer

Stunts
Waldo	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jean Louis	....	gowns: Miss Healy

Editorial Department
Harry W. Gerstad	....	editorial supervisor (as Harry Gerstad)

Music Department
Morris Stoloff	....	musical director
Gil Grau	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Samuel Hoffman	....	musician: theremin (uncredited)
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Nelson Riddle	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Robert Van Eps	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Francis Cugat	....	technicolor color consultant
Eugene Loring	....	choreographer

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)
• Stanley Kramer Productions (producer) (as Stanley Kramer Company)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1953) (USA) (theatrical) (as Columbia Pictures Corporation)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (laserdisc)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (video)
• Turner Classic Movies (TCM) (2009) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)

Also Known As:

Crazy Music (reissue title)
Dr. Seuss' 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (video title)
The Five-Thousand Fingers of Dr. T. (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (Certificate No. 15928) | Australia:G | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Finland:K-8

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

According the Theodor Geisel/Dr. Seuss, the film's director, one of the 150 boys vomited on the piano while filming. This caused a chain reaction and they were left with 150 vomiting boys. Geisel said that the film's reviews were similar.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Bart climbs the huge ladder to escape the guards, when he jumps off of the ladder, you can clearly see a thick wire holding him.

Quotes:

Dr. Terwilliker: Is it atomic?
Bart Collins: Yes sir, VERY atomic!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Superjail!: Dream Machine (#1.8)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Because We're Kids

A little boy battles an evil piano teacher out to rule the world.

An alienated boy misunderstood by his parents at home rebels against an exacting piano teacher whom he finds out has a sinister plot to rule the world.

I remember it best for its plaintive song "You Have No Right to Push Us Kids Around" later revived by Jerry Lewis in his TV appearances. The song is a cry about the angst of childhood. Part of the lyrics goes something like this: "Just because you have hair on your chest doesn't mean you're the best. Just because you have stayed longer on this planet doesn't mean you own it. You have no right to push us kids around just because we're closer to the ground." Under the megalomaniac piano teacher's plan, all children would be condemned to an eternity of piano practice trying to catch up with the ever increasing beat of a metronome. Spectacular "blow up" endings such as in James Bond movies satirized by Don Adams (Maxwell Smart) or even Mike Myers (Austin Powers) must have taken inspiration from this very early attempt at such.

Much belatedly did I find out that this story is by the revered "Dr." Seuss (he is not a real doctor you know) famous for witty, whimsical stories written in cute rhyming verses about outlandish animals (Green Eggs and Ham, Cat in a Hat)but praised by educators for their effectiveness in getting children to read. Seuss deserves Ph.Ds in education, psychology and literature even posthumously.