Beach Party (1963)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

William Asher

Writer:

Lou Rusoff (writer)

Release Date:

7 August 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

When 10,000 kids meet on 5,000 Beach Blankets ... something's bound to happen!

Plot:

The first of the five official American-International "Beach Party" movies. Anthropology Professor Robert...

Plot Keywords:

Teen | Beach | Beach Party | Surfing | Singing

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Robert Cummings	...	Prof. Robert 'Bob' Orwell Sutwell (as Bob Cummings)
Dorothy Malone	...	Marianne
Frankie Avalon	...	Frankie
Annette Funicello	...	Dolores / DeeDee
Morey Amsterdam	...	Cappy
Harvey Lembeck	...	Eric Von Zipper
Eva Six	...	Ava
John Ashley	...	Ken
Jody McCrea	...	Deadhead
Dick Dale	...	Himself (as Dick Dale and The Del Tones)
Andy Romano	...	J.D. (Rat Pack member)
Jerry Brutsche	...	Rat Pack member
Bob Harvey	...	Rat Pack member
John Macchia	...	Rat Pack member
Alberta Nelson	...	Rat Pack member
Linda Rogers	...	Rat Pack member
David Landfield	...	Ed
Bob Payne	...	Tom (as Bobby Payne)
Pam Colbert	...	Surfer
Delores Wells	...	Sue
Johnny Fain	...	Surfer (as John Fain)
Valora Noland	...	Rhonda
Meredith MacRae	...	Beach girl
John Beach	...	Beach boy
Lorrie Summers		(as Lorie Summers)
Roger Bacon	...	Tour guide
Luree Holmes		(as Luree Nicholson)
Michael Nader	...	Beach boy (as Mike Nader)
Laura Nicholson	...	Beach girl
Mickey Dora	...	Beach boy
Donna Russell	...	Surfer
Ed Garner	...	Surfer (as Eddie Garner)
Candy Johnson	...	Perpetual motion dancer
Vincent Price	...	Big Daddy (special thanks)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Duane Ament	...	Big Boy
Marlo Baers	...	Beach girl
Brent Battin	...	Beach boy
Roger Christian	...	Beach boy
Sharon Garrett	...	Brunette yoga girl
Laura Lynn	...	Surfer
Bill Parker	...	Beach boy
Bill Slosky	...	Beach boy
Gary Usher	...	Beach boy
Yvette Vickers	...	Blonde yoga girl
Brian Wilson	...	Surfer
Susan Yardley	...	Surfer

Directed by
William Asher

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lou Rusoff		writer

Produced by
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	executive producer
Robert Dillon	....	associate producer
James H. Nicholson	....	producer
Lou Rusoff	....	producer

Original Music by
Les Baxter

Cinematography by
Kay Norton

Film Editing by
Homer Powell

Art Direction by
Daniel Haller

Set Decoration by
Harry Reif

Costume Design by
Marjorie Corso

Makeup Department
Scotty Rackin	....	hair stylist
Carlie Taylor	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Robert Agnew	....	unit manager
Bartlett A. Carre	....	production manager (as Bartlett A. Carré)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lew Borzage	....	second assistant director
Clark L. Paylow	....	assistant director (as Clark Paylow)

Art Department
Karl Brainard	....	props
Richard M. Rubin	....	props (as Dick Rubin)

Sound Department
Alfred R. Bird	....	sound editor (as Al Bird)
Don Rush	....	sound mixer
Roger White	....	sound recordist

Stunts
Ronnie Dayton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Dora	....	stunts (uncredited)
Johnny Fain	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard A. Kelley	....	camera operator (as Dick Kelly)
Bob Simpson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marjorie Corso	....	costume supervisor (as Marge Corso)

Music Department
Eve Newman	....	music editor
Al Simms	....	music coordinator

Other crew
Jack W. Cash	....	production assistant (as Jack Cash)

Production Companies

• Alta Vista Productions

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1963) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• Globo Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Butler-Glouner (photographic special effects)

Other Companies

• Butler-Glouner  titles

Runtime:

101 min | Germany:94 min (TV)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S

Filming Locations:

Malibu, California, USA

Company:

Alta Vista Productions

Trivia:

Although "old fogey" Professor Sutwell knew nothing about beach life, actor Robert Cummings was a competent surfer himself, as documented in personal home movies shot in Hawaii by Hollywood's television host and author Ken Murray.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sutwell succeeds in surfing, the long shots show him with his cap still on. In close-ups he is bareheaded.

Quotes:

Eric Von Zipper: Look, nobody tells Eric Von Zipper nothin'!
J.D.: That's right, nobody tells Eric Von Zipper nothin'!
Prof. Robert O. Sutwell: Who are you?
J.D.: J.D.
Eric Von Zipper: That's short for "Juvenile Delinquent."

Movie Connections:

References The Haunted Palace (1963)

Soundtrack:

Secret Surfing Spot

Frankie and Annette Catch a Wave

It's a colorful southern California summer of 1963.

Swinging surfer Frankie Avalon (as Frankie) takes beautiful girlfriend Annette Funicello (as Dolores) to a beach shack for some house playing; but, the couple's teenage friends have already crashed the place. Soon, the fit young vacationers are in their tight swimsuits - singing, dancing, and romancing in the sand. They don't know it (yet), but anthropologist Robert Cummings (as Professor Sutwell) is peeping through his binoculars at the teenagers' "mating habits"; he and secretary Dorothy Malone (as Marianne) have arrived to study the sex lives of the younger set. The characters meet at Morey Amsterdam (as Cappy)'s beer joint, where Ms. Funicello develops interest in Mr. Cummings, after Mr. Avalon gets lewd with waitress Eva Six (as Ava). Harvey Lembeck (as Eric Von Zipper) and his motorcycle gang are around to cause even more friction, until Cummings gives "Zipper" the finger.

Director William Asher's first "Beach Party" is, while it doesn't contain the best writing of the series, a cut above the other films. The performances, led by Avalon and Funicello, are fresh and natural. Subsequent films, while they boast some individually entertaining elements, lack the spontaneity herein. There are also, you'll notice, details "toned down" over the course of the series. In this "Beach Party", bathing suits and camera angles seem tighter, and sexier, than usual. The music is perfect; appropriately, they chose Dick Dale and his Del-Tones to perform songs written by Gary Usher and Roger Christian. Funicello's double-tracked "Treat Him Nicely" (by Hemric-Styner) and Avalon's lascivious "Don't Stop Now" (by Marcucci-Faith) were great single songs, and should have been bigger hits.

Where else are you going to find Annette Funicello, in a hot pink two-piece, exclaim "Isn't it a hooting day!"

****** Beach Party (7/14/63) William Asher ~ Robert Cummings, Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello