The Pajama Game (1957)

Directors:

George Abbott
Stanley Donen

Writers:

George Abbott (screenplay) and
Richard Bissell (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 January 1958 (Sweden)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

Based on the hit Broadway musical, featuring the choreography of Bob Fosse.

Plot:

Employees of the Sleeptite Pajama Factory are looking for a whopping seven-and-a-half cent an hour increase and they won't take no for an answer...

Plot Keywords:

Pajamas | Job | Factory | Union | Management

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Doris Day	...	Katherine 'Babe' Williams
John Raitt	...	Sid Sorokin
Carol Haney	...	Gladys Hotchkiss
Eddie Foy Jr.	...	Vernon 'Hinesie' Hines
Reta Shaw	...	Mabel
Barbara Nichols	...	Poopsie
Thelma Pelish	...	Mae
Jack Straw	...	Prez
Ralph Dunn	...	Myron Hasler
Owen Martin	...	Max
Jackie Kelk	...	First Helper
Ralph W. Chambers	...	Charlie (as Ralph Chambers)
Mary Stanton	...	Brenda
Buzz Miller	...	Dancer
Kenneth LeRoy	...	Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Florine Carlan	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Drusilla Davis	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Harvey Evans	...	Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
George Abbott
Stanley Donen

Writing credits
George Abbott		(screenplay) and
Richard Bissell		(screenplay)
George Abbott		(book) and
Richard Bissell		(book)
Richard Bissell		(novel "7½ Cents")

Produced by
George Abbott	....	producer
Frederick Brisson	....	associate producer
Stanley Donen	....	producer
Robert E. Griffith	....	associate producer
Harold Prince	....	associate producer (as Harold S. Prince)

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Sr.		(as Harry Stradling)

Film Editing by
William H. Ziegler		(as William Ziegler)

Art Direction by
Malcolm C. Bert		(as Malcolm Bert)

Set Decoration by
William L. Kuehl		(as William Kuehl)

Costume Design by
Jean Eckart
William Eckart

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Russell Llewellyn	....	assistant director (as Russ Llewellyn)

Sound Department
M.A. Merrick	....	sound
Dolph Thomas	....	sound
Glenn E. Anderson	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Frank L. Thompson	....	assistant costume designer (as Frank Thompson)

Music Department
Buddy Bregman	....	orchestral arranger
Charles Henderson	....	vocal arranger
Nelson Riddle	....	orchestral arranger
Ray Heindorf	....	musical director (uncredited)

Other crew
George Abbott	....	stage director
Frederick Brisson	....	stage producer (as Brisson)
Bob Fosse	....	choreographer
Robert E. Griffith	....	stage producer (as Griffith)
Harold Prince	....	stage producer (as Prince)
Jerome Robbins	....	stage director

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (as Warner Bros.-First National Pictures)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• ClassicLine (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1975) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (video)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Weldon Pajama Co.  technical advice

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Warnercolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:U | Australia:G | USA:Approved (PCA #18393) | Canada:G (video rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

A song written specifically for Doris Day, "The Man Who Invented Love" (music and lyrics by Richard Adler), wound up on the cutting-room floor. Currently, the recording can be listened to on the soundtrack CD from Collectables, and the footage can be watched on the DVD from Warner Home Video.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the Annual Picnic is announced on the banner outside the Sleeptite Pajama Factory, it shows it as Thursday, 12th July. If you look carefully at the calendar in Sid Sorokin's office, you will see that the 12th is a Monday.

Quotes:

Katie 'Babe' Williams, Grievance Committee: Married life is lots of fun / Two can sleep as cheap as one

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: Mind Over Murder (#1.4)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

7 1/2 Cents

Makes you feel you're watching the Broadway show!! Fabulous!

With all of the original cast members intact (John Raitt, Reta Shaw, Gwen Verdon, Eddie Foy, Jr.) except for the exceptionally talented Doris Day filling in for Janis Paige, 'The Pajama Game' is rollicking good fun and a smash hit once again with all of Bob Fosse's show-stopping choreography given top-rate exposure.

Who would think a story about a labor dispute in a pajama factory could be turned into such a joyous musical? Carol Haney is priceless doing 'Steam Heat' and 'Hernando's Hideaway' with great finesse. Day sings her heart out on 'Hey There' and other tunes, while Raitt reprises his Broadway role as the factory foreman who comes up against the stubborn and feisty Babe, head of the grievance committee. Day and Raitt can do no wrong, whether they're singing a ballad or a jump tune, whether singing or dancing, whether sparring or smooching. It's all great fun done up in gaudy technicolor and undoubtedly one of the great film musicals of the '50s, the kind that we sorely miss today. One great song-and-dance routine follows another with no shortage of imagination as to staging and concept. A treasure!

See it and enjoy!!