Muscle Beach Party (1964)

Director:

William Asher

Writers:

William Asher (story)
Robert Dillon (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

25 March 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

Hear 8 new swim hits!

Plot:

Local beach-goers find that their beach has been taken over by a businessman training a stable of body builders.

Plot Keywords:

Clothes Torn Off | Skimboard | Station Wagon | Thrown Through Wall | Surfboard

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Frankie Avalon	...	Frankie
Annette Funicello	...	Dee Dee
Luciana Paluzzi	...	Julie
John Ashley	...	Johnny
Don Rickles	...	Jack Fanny
Peter Turgeon	...	Theodore
Jody McCrea	...	Deadhead
Dick Dale	...	Himself
Candy Johnson	...	Candy
Peter Lupus	...	Flex Martian (as Rock Stevens)
Valora Noland	...	Animal
Delores Wells	...	Sniffles
Donna Loren	...	Donna
Morey Amsterdam	...	Cappy
Stevie Wonder	...	Himself (as Little Stevie Wonder)
Buddy Hackett	...	S.Z. Matts
Bob Seven	...	Rock - Muscle Man
Larry Scott	...	Riff - Muscle Man
Steve Merjanian	...	Tug - Muscle Man
Chester Yorton	...	Sulk - Muscle Man
Dan Haggerty	...	Biff - Muscle Man
Gene Shuey	...	Mash - Muscle Man
Gordon Case	...	Clod - Muscle Man
Alberta Nelson	...	Lisa - Muscle Girl
Amadee Chabot	...	Flo - Muscle Girl
Duane Ament	...	Beach Boy
Gary Usher	...	Beach Boy
Guy Hemric	...	Beach Boy
Roger Christian	...	Beach Boy
Laura Lynn	...	Beach Girl
Luree Holmes	...	Beach Girl
Lorrie Summers	...	Beach Girl (as Lorie Summers)
Darlene Lucht	...	Beach Girl
Maureen O'Connor	...	Beach Girl
Mike Diffenderfer	...	Surfer Boy
Michael Nader	...	Surfer Boy (as Mike Nader)
Ed Garner	...	Surfer Boy
Charles Hasley	...	Surfer Boy
Mickey Dora	...	Surfer Boy
Johnny Fain	...	Surfer Boy (as John Fain)
Bill Graham	...	Surfer Boy
Larry Shaw	...	Surfer Boy
Duane King	...	Surfer Boy
Charles Van Artsdalen	...	Surfer Boy
Linda Opie	...	Surfer Girl
Salli Sachse	...	Surfer Girl
Patricia Rane	...	Surfer Girl
Kathy Kessler	...	Surfer Girl
Mary Hughes	...	Surfer Girl
Linda Benson	...	Surfer Girl
Peter Lorre	...	Mr. Strangdour

Directed by
William Asher

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
William Asher		story
Robert Dillon		screenplay
Robert Dillon		story

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

Original Music by
Les Baxter

Cinematography by
Harold E. Wellman		(as Harold Wellman)

Film Editing by
Fred R. Feitshans Jr.		(as Fred Feitshans)
Eve Newman

Art Direction by
Lucius O. Croxton

Set Decoration by
Harry Reif

Costume Design by
Marjorie Corso

Makeup Department
Ted Coodley	....	makeup artist
Betty Pedretti	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Joe Wonder	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anthony Carras	....	second unit director
Clark L. Paylow	....	assistant director (as Clark Paylow)

Art Department
Karl Brainard	....	property master
Ross Hahn	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Kay Rose	....	sound editor
Don Rush	....	sound

Special Effects by
Pat Dinga	....	special effects

Stunts
Linda Benson	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Ronnie Dayton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Dora	....	stunts (uncredited)
Johnny Fain	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Jacobsen	....	electrician (uncredited)

Music Department
Al Simms	....	music coordinator
Lloyd Young	....	music editor

Other crew
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	presenter
Jack W. Cash	....	production assistant (as Jack Cash)
John Monte	....	choreographer
James H. Nicholson	....	presenter
Rose Marie Reid	....	swim suits

Production Companies

• Alta Vista Productions

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-8

Filming Locations:

Paradise Cove - 28128 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California, USA

Company:

Alta Vista Productions

Trivia:

During the climactic fight scene, Frankie Avalon and Peter Lorre stare at each other for a few seconds with Frankie saying that Lorre looks familiar. This is in reference to the fact that the two of them worked together previously in the film Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961).

Goofs:

Continuity: A helicopter is hovering over the beach. It is shown equipped with pontoons but its shadow clearly and repeatedly shows a helicopter with metal rails for landing gear.

Quotes:

Dee Dee: I have just one question. Did you kiss him because he's lovable, or because he's the only man on the beach?
Julie: Because he looked hungry. His last meal obviously didn't satisfy him.
Dee Dee: Oh, it's a good thing you happended along. I'm sure you could cater supper to an entire army.
Frankie: Now that's in bad taste.
Julie: Oh, no. One man at a time. I like to be a devoted chef.
Dee Dee: But right now you're serving a lot of free meals. Sort of a one-woman bread line.
Frankie: Ooo, that's smart!
Julie: [getting angry] I can afford it!
Dee Dee: Then he must be of your charity cases!
Frankie: Hold on, the football here would like to say something.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Drive-in Movie Memories (2001)

Soundtrack:

Surfer's Holiday

A Weak Entry in the Series

This has to be the weakest entry in the entire series. Even though the muscle heads make great adversaries for our favorite beach bums they aren't as interesting as Eric Von Zipper and his gang, the Rats. The main story has been done a thousand times in many other pictures. Also, the music in this film isn't as good as it was. Dick Dale's scenes are a waste and the rest of the songs are just filler. One saving grace for this film is Don Rickles.

He really is the one saving grace of this film. To me the next two films in the series, "Bikini Beach" and "Beach Blanket Bingo", were much better than this one. However, this film isn't as bad as the final Avalon/Funicello film in the series, "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini".