Speedway (1968)

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writer:

Phillip Shuken (written by)

Release Date:

12 June 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Musical

Tagline:

Smooth, fast and in high gear!

Plot:

Poor bookkeeping saddles stock car driver Steve Grayson with a huge bill for back taxes which hampers his ability to continue racing competitively.

Plot Keywords:

Tax | Stock Car | Speedway | Tax Return | Bridal Boquet

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Jan. 8

2:45 PM

TCM

Cast

Elvis Presley	...	Steve Grayson
Nancy Sinatra	...	Susan Jacks
Bill Bixby	...	Kenny Donford
Gale Gordon	...	R.W. Hepworth
William Schallert	...	Abel Esterlake
Victoria Paige Meyerink	...	Ellie Esterlake (as Victoria Meyerink)
Ross Hagen	...	Paul Dado
Carl Ballantine	...	Birdie Kebner
Poncie Ponce	...	Juan Medala
Harry Hickox	...	The Cook
Christopher West	...	Billie Jo
Beverly Powers	...	Mary Ann (as Miss Beverly Hills)
Richard Petty	...	Himself
Buddy Baker	...	Himself
Cale Yarborough	...	Himself
Dick Hutcherson	...	Himself
Tiny Lund	...	Himself
G.C. Spencer	...	Himself
Roy Mayne	...	Himself
Harper Carter	...	Ted Simmons
Bob Harris	...	Lloyd Meadows
Michele Newman	...	Debbie
Courtney Brown	...	Carrie
Dana Brown	...	Billie
Patti Jean Keith	...	Annie
Carl Reindel	...	Mike
Gari Hardy	...	Dumb Blonde
Charlotte Stewart	...	Lori (as Charlotte Considine)
Sandy Reed	...	Race Announcer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ralph Adano	...	Dado's Crew (uncredited)
Dee Carroll	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Arlene Charles	...	1st Guitarist's Girlfriend (uncredited)
George Cisar	...	Portly Bald-Headed Man (uncredited)
Eddie Garrett	...	Passenger in elevator (uncredited)
Sharon Garrett	...	Go-Go Dancer (uncredited)
Karen Hamilton	...	Willa (uncredited)
Barbro Hedström	...	2nd Waitress (uncredited)
Morgan Hill	...	2nd Assistant (uncredited)
Charlie Hodge	...	Guitarist (uncredited)
Robert James	...	Dado's Crew (uncredited)
Marilyn Jones	...	3rd Guitarist's Girlfriend (uncredited)
William Keene	...	Taxpayer (uncredited)
S. John Launer	...	Mayor Fiergol (uncredited)
Gary Littlejohn	...	Dado's Crew (uncredited)
Tom McCauley	...	Dado's Crew (uncredited)
John McDonnell	...	Lori's Bridegroom (uncredited)
Jamie Michaels	...	5th Waitress (uncredited)
Sally Mills	...	1st Waitress (uncredited)
Burt Mustin	...	Janitor at Coffee Shop (uncredited)
Kathy Nelson	...	4th Waitress (uncredited)
Ward Ramsey	...	Dado's Crew (uncredited)
Hal Riddle	...	1st Assistant (uncredited)
Rita Rogers	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Dianne Stanley	...	3rd Waitress (uncredited)
Robert Stevenson	...	Mr. Tillman (uncredited)
Claude Stroud	...	Drunk (uncredited)
Sheryl Ullman	...	6th Waitress (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Taurog

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Phillip Shuken		written by

Produced by
Douglas Laurence	....	producer

Original Music by
Jeff Alexander

Cinematography by
Joseph Ruttenberg

Film Editing by
Richard W. Farrell		(as Richard Farrell)

Art Direction by
Leroy Coleman
George W. Davis

Set Decoration by
Henry Grace
Don Greenwood Jr.

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Rex Bailey	....	unit production manager (as G. Rex Bailey)
Lindsley Parsons Jr.	....	assistant production manager: MGM (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dale Hutchinson	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Franklin Milton	....	recording supervisor
Larry Jost	....	sound (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Carroll L. Shepphird	....	special visual effects

Stunts
Max Balchowsky	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carol Daniels	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bud Ekins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Shaw	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Music Department
The Jordanaires	....	vocal accompaniment

Other crew
Michael A. Hoey	....	dialogue coach
Stanley Brossette	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Alex Romero	....	choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1971) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | UK:U | USA:G | West Germany:o.Al.

Filming Locations:

Lowe's Motor Speedway - Speedway Parkway, Concord, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Petula Clark was the first choice for the female lead but she turned it down. Annette Funicello was also briefly considered.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Elvis first parks his red car near the trailer, the car is only up to the grass line and you can't even see it in the next scene when he opens the trailer door and enters. However upon leaving the trailer, you see the red car as he exits and it is now completely on the grass, right next to the trailer.

Quotes:

Mary Ann: [Referring to Kenny] You mean you let him take care of your money?
Steve Grayson: Why not? I like to live dangerously.
Mary Ann: Does that go for girls too?
Steve Grayson: That goes for everything?
Mary Ann: Honey, I'm going to leave the driving to you.
[They kiss]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Pulp Fiction (1994)

Soundtrack:

Let Yourself Go

Bring your groovy selves on home and let yourselves go!

Everything about "Speedway" is as groovy as Elvis always performs. I just love the way Nancy Sinatra performed the song "Your Groovy Self" and the way she moved around as she sang. Nancy's really hot! Bill Bixby was quite hilarious. Elvis' song "Let Yourself Go" is super cool. The scene where Elvis sang "Your Time Hasn't Come Yet, Baby" to the little girl was kind of cute. And the sounds of those roaring engines in the race were very much electrifying. Some of the plots really did show off Elvis' real-life self as the generous and giving person he was. He buys for a friend and his 5 little girls a brand new station wagon, also helps out a troubled waitress with her upcoming wedding. Unfortunately Bixby's character messes everything up for Steve Grayson (Elvis), by betting Steve's money on the horses, instead of paying for those things Elvis bought for his friends, and besides makes an outrageous tax claim form for Steve, with deductions such as perfumed record albums and $4000 for air? Oh yes! Lucille Ball's "Mr. Mooney" was kinda funny too and was excellent for the role of the head IRS agent R.W. Hepworth. When I first saw this movie in the theater I cracked up at the "He's Your Uncle, Not Your Dad!" sequence. It was funny it was cool. Just everything about "Speedway" is superbly exciting. But what else could you expect out of a movie that stars the king of rock and roll! And lets not forget Nancy Sinatra who is more than just the icing on that cake. It's not everyday you see such a gorgeous tax collector. I give this film a perfect A+. It's just loaded with the stuff! "Speedway" is an honest to goodness must see.