How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

David Swift

Writers:

Abe Burrows (book) and
Jack Weinstock (book) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 March 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

Nothing Succeeds Like "Succeed" ! !

Plot:

Armed with a "How to..." manual, an ambitious window washer seeks to climb the corporate ladder.

Plot Keywords:

How To | Business | Book | Secretary | Advertising

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Robert Morse	...	Finch
Michele Lee	...	Rosemary
Rudy Vallee	...	J.B. Biggley
Anthony 'Scooter' Teague	...	Bud Frump (as Anthony Teague)
Maureen Arthur	...	Hedy
John Myhers	...	Bratt
Carol Worthington	...	Lucille Krumholtz
Kay Reynolds	...	Smitty
Ruth Kobart	...	Miss Jones
Sammy Smith	...	Twimble Womper / Wally Womper
Jeff DeBenning	...	Gatch (as Jeff Debenning)
Janice Carroll	...	Brenda
Robert Q. Lewis	...	Tackaberry
Paul Hartman	...	Toynbee
Dan Tobin	...	Johnson
John Holland	...	Matthews
Justin Smith	...	Jenkins
Murray Matheson	...	Ovington
Patrick O'Moore	...	Media Man No. 1
Lory Patrick	...	Receptionist
Wally Strauss	...	Media Man No. 2
Hy Averback	...	2nd Junior Executive
George Fenneman	...	TV Announcer
Carl Princi	...	1st Junior Executive
Sheila Rogers	...	1st Girl
Robert Sweeney	...	3rd Junior Executive
Ivan Volkman	...	The President
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Bradley	...	TV board member / Junior Executive / Dancer (uncredited)
Ron Charles	...	Broker (uncredited)
Joey Faye	...	Taxi driver (uncredited)
Don Koll	...	Executive (uncredited)
Al Nesor	...	Newseller (uncredited)
Erin O'Brien-Moore	...	Mrs. Frump (uncredited)
Barry O'Hara	...	Executive (uncredited)
Virginia Sale	...	Cleaning woman (uncredited)
Anne Seymour	...	Gertrude Biggley (uncredited)
Tucker Smith	...	Passerby / dancing executive (uncredited)
David Swift	...	Elevator operator (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Minister with large bible (uncredited)
Helen Verbit	...	Mrs. Needlebaum - Finch's landlady (uncredited)

Directed by
David Swift

Writing credits
Abe Burrows		(book) and
Jack Weinstock		(book) and
Willie Gilbert		(book)
Shepherd Mead		(novel)
David Swift		(written by)

Produced by
David Swift	....	producer
Irving Temaner	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Nelson Riddle		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Burnett Guffey

Film Editing by
Allan Jacobs
Ralph E. Winters

Casting by
Shirley Mellner

Art Direction by
Robert F. Boyle		(as Robert Boyle)

Set Decoration by
Edward G. Boyle

Costume Design by
Micheline

Makeup Department
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist
Fae M. Smith	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Nate H. Edwards	....	unit manager
Allen K. Wood	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John D. Bloss	....	assistant director
Michael J. Dmytryk	....	assistant director

Art Department
Mary Blair	....	color designer
Sam Gordon	....	property master
William Maldonado	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Robert Martin	....	sound
Clem Portman	....	sound re-recordist
James Richard	....	sound editor
James D. Young	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Virgil Partch	....	visual gags

Camera and Electrical Department
Don Stott	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Leslie Hall	....	costumer: women
Ed Ware	....	costumer: men

Music Department
Richard Carruth	....	music editor
Bob Fosse	....	original musical stager
Jimmy Joyce	....	vocal supervisor
Nelson Riddle	....	conductor
Nelson Riddle	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Abe Burrows	....	director: stage play
Cy Feuer	....	stage producer
Marie Kenney	....	script supervisor
Ernest H. Martin	....	stage producer
Dale Moreda	....	choreographer
Charles Mulvehill	....	production associate
Norman Stuart	....	dialogue supervisor
Edward Folger	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mirisch Corporation, The (presents)

Distributors

• United Artists (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1972) (USA) (TV)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Frank Productions  produced on the stage in association with
• Professional Film Services  background titles
• Pacific Title  titles
• 3M Company  office copying equipment

Also Known As:

How to Succeed in Business... (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:14A (video rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (certificate #21357) | Australia:G | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

270 Park Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Mirisch Corporation, The

Trivia:

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1962. Only six musicals have won the Pulitzer Prize in drama - one per decade from the 1930s to the 1990s. They are as follows: Of Thee I Sing (1972) (TV) from the 1930s, South Pacific (1958) from the 1940s, Fiorello from the 1950s, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967) from the 1960s, A Chorus Line (1985) from the 1970s, Sunday in the Park with George (1986) (TV) from the 1980s, and Rent (2005) from the 1990s.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the musical number at the end when the men are singing about being members of the human race, the clapping of the businessmen is on the downbeat but the audio claps are on the upbeat.

Quotes:

J. Pierpont Finch: Just remember, Wally, we're all brothers.
J. B. Biggley: Some of us are uncles.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man: How to Suck in Business Without Really Trying (#4.23)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

I Believe in You

What Style, what punch......

One of the great satirical, musical comedies of the 60s. Robert Morse in the lead role is not unlike a sophisticated version of one of the Jerry Lewis characters of the same era - with the exception that he sings. And, he sings some wonderfully witty songs that must be very close to the bone in companies that take themselves too seriously. Sammy Smith is superb in his dual roles as the quarter of a century mail room head who "plays it the company way" and then later as Chairman Wally, the ex window washer. The lyrics will never date, along with the hammy caricatures of the self serving executives and staff. Not all stage musicals have translated well to the screen but How to Succeed is a noteworthy exception - highly recommended.