Palm Springs Weekend (1963)

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writer:

Earl Hamner Jr. (writer)

Release Date:

5 November 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

IT'S WHERE THE BOYS ARE AND THE GIRLS ARE...that swingin' vacation weekend when American youth descends on America's swankiest playground!

Plot:

Set in Palm Springs during a long, fun-filled weekend where several Los Angeles college students flock to spring break...

Plot Keywords:

College | Palms | Spring Break | Basketball | Police

Cast

Troy Donahue	...	Jim Munroe
Connie Stevens	...	Gayle Lewis - Jane Hoover
Ty Hardin	...	Doug 'Stretch' Fortune
Stefanie Powers	...	Bunny Dixon
Robert Conrad	...	Eric Dean
Andrew Duggan	...	Police Chief Dixon
Jack Weston	...	Coach Fred Campbell
Carole Cook	...	Naomi Yates
Jerry Van Dyke	...	Biff Roberts
Zeme North	...	Amanda North
Bill Mumy	...	'Boom Boom' Yates
Dorothy Green	...	Cora Dixon
Robert Gothie	...	Gabby
Greg Benedict	...	Hap
Gary Kincaid	...	Fred

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Finland:S | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Palm Springs, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Linda Gray's film debut.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Eric Dean (Robert Conrad) picks up "Gayle" (Connie Stevens) at the rest stop, she asks about leaving her luggage on the bus. He tells here that she can pick it up at the station. When they get to the hotel, her bags are in his trunk.

Quotes:

[Eric dials his home phone number from a payphone rest stop]
Henry Blanchard: [into the phone] Hello?
Eric Dean: [into the phone] Oh, hello Mr. Blanchard. Is my father in?
Henry Blanchard: He's not here. Your father and the "new" Mrs. Dean, number six, left from Reno two days ago on their sunny honeymoon to Acapulco, Mexico.
Eric Dean: [groans] He went and did it again, huh? He didn't say if he was planning to stop in Palm Springs for a couple of days?
Henry Blanchard: No, he didn't mention it.
Eric Dean: He does know that I'm staying here and where to locate me?
Henry Blanchard: Yes, yes, I told him twice as you requested.
Eric Dean: Well, if he calls give him a message. Just tell him that, "Eric sends his regards".
Henry Blanchard: Sure, I'll give him the message.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in True Romance (1993)

Soundtrack:

Live Young

First saw this movie in a theater in 1964

Nothing to do on a Saturday afternoon so me and some friends went to the movies. It was the old Kabar Theater on Anaheim Boulevard in Long Beach, California. I think it was either a quarter or a half dollar to get in for a double feature. Popcorn was ten cents.

After the film started, the first thing that caught my attention was this guy, (Robert Conrad) driving a beautiful, 1963 Ford Thunderbird Roadster. It had a tonneau cover over the backseat with Kelsey Hayes wire wheels, which together gave it a sportier look than the standard convertible. With a 5 foot tall Bugs Bunny in the passenger seat, at the age of 12, I thought, that's how you get the girls.

I've owned five old T-Birds since 1969 and even an old Mercury convertible with bull horns on the hood like Ty Hardin drove. Now I'm into old police cars like Andrew Duggan drove.

After this movie, Jerry Van Dyke was one of my favorite funny guys and I envied Billy Mumy. He was a busy child actor in those days. He even appeared twice in one of TV's greatest shows, "The Twilight Zone." I was also in love with Connie Stevens for years. Wasn't she a cu-tie? Still is! This movie has it all. Suave, sophisticated leading men like Troy Donahue. Beautiful leading ladies. Comedy, drama, a hint of sex, live music, violence and a car chase in the desert.

Haven't seen this film in years so naturally I'd like to pick up a copy on DVD but none are available. I guess I'll have to stay up every night and try and catch it on the Late, Late Show.