IMDb > Operation Petticoat (1959)
Operation Petticoat
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany credits
Awards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guidemessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsmemorable quotes
Did You Know?
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
box office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Operation Petticoat (1959) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (See all 14 | slideshow)

Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   6,449 votes »
Your Rating:
Saving vote...
Deleting vote...
/10   (delete | history)
Sorry, there was a problem
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 14% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Blake Edwards
Writers:
Stanley Shapiro (screenplay) and
Maurice Richlin (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Operation Petticoat on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 December 1959 (Japan) See more »
Genre:
Comedy | Romance | War See more »
Tagline:
20,000 Laughs Under The Sea! See more »
Plot:
World War 2 comedy about a submarine commander who finds himself stuck with a decrepit (and pink) sub, a con-man executive officer and a group of army nurses. Full summary » | Add synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations See more »
NewsDesk:
(31 articles)
Pop culture retrospective: Women in the military
 (From EW.com - PopWatch. 23 January 2013, 5:59 PM, PST)
Review: "High Time" (1960) Starring Bing Crosby On Blu-ray
 (From CinemaRetro. 21 November 2012, 3:41 PM, PST)
Ingmar Bergman vs. the Oscar
 (From Alt Film Guide. 27 February 2012, 2:28 PM, PST)
User Reviews:
Good Laughs, Interesting Cast See more (50 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Cary Grant ... Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman

Tony Curtis ... Lt. JG Nicholas Holden
Joan O'Brien ... Lt. Dolores Crandall RN

Dina Merrill ... Lt. Barbara Duran RN
Gene Evans ... Chief Molumphry

Dick Sargent ... Ens. Stovall (as Richard Sargent)

Virginia Gregg ... Maj. Edna Heywood RN
Robert F. Simon ... Capt. J.B. Henderson
Robert Gist ... Lt. Watson

Gavin MacLeod ... Ernest Hunkle
George Dunn ... The Prophet
Dick Crockett ... Harmon
Madlyn Rhue ... Lt. Reid RN

Marion Ross ... Lt. Colfax RN
Clarence Lung ... Sgt. Ramon Gillardo (as Clarence E. Lung)

Frankie Darro ... Pharmacist Mate Dooley
Tony Pastor Jr. ... Fox
Robert F. Hoy ... Reiner (as Robert Hoy)
Nicky Blair ... Seaman Kraus
John W. Morley ... Williams

Arthur O'Connell ... Chief Mechinist's Mate Sam Tostin
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hal Baylor ... MP Sergeant (uncredited)
William Bryant ... Crewman (uncredited)
Bert Byers ... Bowman (uncredited)
Dick Callinan ... Lt. Morrison (uncredited)
Gordon Casell ... Col. Higginson (uncredited)
Malcolm Cassell ... Sailor (uncredited)
H. Haile Chace ... Soldier (uncredited)
Tony Corrado ... Fireman Lye (uncredited)
Dale Cummings ... MP (uncredited)
Francis De Sales ... Capt. Kress (uncredited)
Vince Deadrick Sr. ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Alan Dexter ... Navy Chief (uncredited)
Tusi Faiivae ... Witch Doctor (uncredited)
Paul Frees ... Un-named Colonel in Jeep on Cebu (uncredited)
Bob Gibson ... Seaman (uncredited)
Larry Gilliland ... Sailor (uncredited)
Preston Hanson ... Lt. Col. Simpson (uncredited)
Fred Harflinger II ... Sailor (uncredited)
Harry Harvey Jr. ... Soldier (uncredited)
Vi Ingraham ... Pregnant Filipino Woman (uncredited)
Glenn Jacobson ... Control Tower Staff (uncredited)
Robert Keys ... MP (uncredited)
Joseph Kim ... Filipino (uncredited)
William Kinney ... Bit Part (uncredited)
James Lanphier ... Lt. Cmdr. Daly (uncredited)

Nelson Leigh ... Adm. Koenig (uncredited)
Leon Lontoc ... Filipino Farmer (uncredited)
John James Russell ... Sailor (uncredited)
Alan Scott ... Chief of Demolition (uncredited)
Bob Stratton ... Marine Lieutenant (uncredited)
Nino Tempo ... Crewman (uncredited)
Howard Venezia ... Soldier (uncredited)
Francis L. Ward ... Petty Officer (uncredited)
Robert C. Youmans ... Lieutenant (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
Blake Edwards 
 
Writing credits
Stanley Shapiro (screenplay) and
Maurice Richlin (screenplay)

Paul King (suggested by a story by) and
Joseph Stone (suggested by a story by)

Produced by
Robert Arthur .... producer
 
Original Music by
David Rose 
Henry Mancini (uncredited)
 
Cinematography by
Russell Harlan (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Frank Gross 
Ted J. Kent 
 
Art Direction by
Alexander Golitzen 
Robert Emmet Smith  (as Robert E. Smith)
 
Set Decoration by
Oliver Emert (set decorations)
Russell A. Gausman 
 
Costume Design by
Bill Thomas (gowns)
 
Makeup Department
Larry Germain .... hair stylist
Bud Westmore .... makeup artist
 
Production Management
Edward Muhl .... in charge of production
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Shaw .... assistant director
 
Sound Department
Leslie I. Carey .... sound
Vernon W. Kramer .... sound (as Vernon W. Cramer)
 
Special Effects by
Don Wolz .... special effects (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Ray Austin .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Clifford Stine .... special photography
 
Editorial Department
Henri Jaffa .... color consultant
 
Music Department
Joseph Gershenson .... music supervisor
 
Other crew
Lucius H. Chappell .... technical advisor (as Rear Adm. Lucius H. Chappell U S N Ret.)
Wayne Fitzgerald .... title designer (uncredited)
Paul Frees .... looping voices (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
  • Department of Defense, The  we wish to thank: for their assistance in the production of this motion picture (as The Department of Defense)
  • United States Navy, The  we wish to thank: for their assistance in the production of this motion picture (as The United States Navy)
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
124 min | Germany:100 min | Canada:120 min (Ontario) | Portugal:117 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
Finland:K-12 | UK:U | West Germany:6 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | USA:Approved (PCA #19345) | Portugal:17
Filming Locations:
Key West, Florida Keys, Florida, USASee more »
Company:
Universal International Pictures (UI)See more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Jeff Chandler was originally offered the role that went to Cary Grant. Grant himself was at first reluctant to take it, knowing he was much too old to play a wartime captain.See more »
Goofs:
Miscellaneous: Off and on throughout the film, Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman wears what appears to be a signet ring on the third finger of his left hand.See more »
Quotes:
Lt. Nicholas Holden:Let me go shopping, sir, and see what's left at the market.
Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman:You, Mr. Holden? You'd ruin your manicure.
Lt. Nicholas Holden:Don't let the manicure fool you, sir. I grew up in a neighborhood called 'Noah's Ark'; If you didn't travel in pairs, you just didn't travel.
See more »
Movie Connections:
Edited into Father Goose (1964)See more »

FAQ

Cary Grant---How Much Was He Paid for "Operation Petticoat"?
Chicago Opening Happened When?
Key West---Is that where "Petticoat" was filmed?
See more »

User Reviews

   (Review this title)
28 out of 30 people found the following review useful.
Good Laughs, Interesting Cast, 1 July 2006
Author: ccthemovieman-1 from United States

As with most movies from a different era, the attitudes are quite different. Feminists would hate this movie, if they saw it today. Hollywood would never make it now in first place, unless roles were reversed and men were made to look like sex objects. That would meet PC double standards.

Nonetheless, agendas aside, there is a lot of good humor in here; the story is interesting, and you get a well-known cast with Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Dina Merrill, Arthur O'Connell, Gavin MacLeod and Marian Ross. The latter went on to be big names on television more than movies, MacLeod on "Mary Tyler Moore" and Ross on "Happy Days."

This was Happy Days on a ship, at least when some attractive women board the vessel. Grant has the best lines in the film - speaking lines, that is. Good entertainment. Lots of laughs before the PC made it impossible to laugh at anything, including ourselves.

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (50 total) »

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Operation Petticoat (1959)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Help. Is there ok or clear and crispy coulor DVD out there? Nilgiris
Not the best Cary Grant. sherm50
Gallant Lady phantomht
Submarine question curlew-2
The families in the end littlemann001
A Ferengi Rule of Acquisition? Sean1956
See more »

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Crimson Tide Pearl Harbor The Hunt for Red October Tora! Tora! Tora! Australia
IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Comedy section IMDb USA section

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Edit page' button will take you through a step-by-step process.