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Expresso Bongo (1959)
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Overview
User Rating:
Your Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
18 May 1960 (Sweden)
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Tagline:
Laurence Harvey in an outstanding and different motion picture that takes you into a world of burlesque houses .. jazz dens ... and flesh-and-blood people!
Plot:
Johnny Jackson, a sleazy talent agent, discovers teenager Bert Rudge singing in a coffee house. Despite...
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| Add synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
Singer
|
Strip Club
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Talent Agent
|
Singing
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Agent
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Awards:
Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards.
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NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
London Film Memorabilia Convention 12 May
(From CinemaRetro. 26 April 2012, 7:54 AM, PDT)
Mark Kermode's DVD round-up
(From The Guardian - Film News. 5 February 2011, 4:05 PM, PST)
To Russia with love: Wolf Mankowitz suspected of bonding with enemy
(From The Guardian - Film News. 25 August 2010, 4:02 PM, PDT)
(From CinemaRetro. 26 April 2012, 7:54 AM, PDT)
Mark Kermode's DVD round-up
(From The Guardian - Film News. 5 February 2011, 4:05 PM, PST)
To Russia with love: Wolf Mankowitz suspected of bonding with enemy
(From The Guardian - Film News. 25 August 2010, 4:02 PM, PDT)
User Reviews:
Espresso Bongo is a cult classic!
See more (10 total) »
Cast
(in credits order) (complete, awaiting verification) | Laurence Harvey | ... | Johnny Jackson |
 | Sylvia Syms | ... | Maisie King |
 | Yolande Donlan | ... | Dixie Collins |
 | Cliff Richard | ... | Bert Rudge / Bongo Herbert |
| Meier Tzelniker | ... | Mayer |
| Ambrosine Phillpotts | ... | Lady Rosemary |
 | Eric Pohlmann | ... | Leon |
| Gilbert Harding | ... | Himself |
 | Hermione Baddeley | ... | Penelope |
| Reginald Beckwith | ... | Reverend Tobias Craven |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Paula Barry | ... | Intime Girl - Dancer (uncredited) |
| Avis Bunnage | ... | Mrs. Rudge (uncredited) |
| Rita Burke | ... | Intime Girl - Dancer (uncredited) |
| Susan Burnet | ... | Edna Rudge (uncredited) |
| Esma Cannon | ... | Night Club Cleaner (uncredited) |
| Jill Carson | ... | Teenager (uncredited) |
| Patty Dalton | ... | Intime Girl (uncredited) |
| Roy Everson | ... | Miss Collins' chauffeur (uncredited) |
| Kenneth Griffith | ... | Charlie (uncredited) |
| Susan Hampshire | ... | Cynthia (uncredited) |
| Jet Harris | ... | Bass Guitarist in Beat Group (uncredited) |
| Katherine Keeton | ... | Alma (uncredited) |
| Burt Kwouk | ... | Soho Youth (uncredited) |
| Copeland Lawrence | ... | Toastmaster (uncredited) |
| Wilfrid Lawson | ... | Mr. Rudge (uncredited) |
| Patricia Lewis | ... | Woman Columnist (uncredited) |
| Barry Lowe | ... | Beast Burns (uncredited) |
| Wolf Mankowitz | ... | Sandwich Man (uncredited) |
| Hank B. Marvin | ... | Lead Guitarist in Beat Group (uncredited) |
| Tony Meehan | ... | Drummer in Beat Group (uncredited) |
| Martin Miller | ... | Kakky (uncredited) |
| Pamela Morris | ... | Intime Girl (uncredited) |
| Peter Myers | ... | Cynthia's Boyfriend (uncredited) |
| Maureen O'Connor | ... | Intime Girl - Dancer (uncredited) |
| Norma Parnell | ... | Secretary (uncredited) |
| Lisa Peake | ... | Chinese Rose (uncredited) |
| Christine Phillips | ... | Drusilla (uncredited) |
| Sylvia Steele | ... | Intime Girl - Dancer (uncredited) |
| Bruce Welch | ... | Rhythm Guitarist in Beat Group (uncredited) |
Directed by | |||
| Val Guest | |||
Writing credits(in alphabetical order) | ||
| Wolf Mankowitz | play | |
| Wolf Mankowitz | screenplay | |
| Julian More | play | |
Produced by | |||
| Val Guest | .... | producer | |
| Jon Penington | .... | associate producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| Robert Farnon | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| John Wilcox | |||
Film Editing by | |||
| Bill Lenny | |||
Art Direction by | |||
| Anthony Masters | (as Tony Masters) | ||
Costume Design by | |||
| Beatrice Dawson | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Ernest Gasser | .... | makeup artist | |
| Barbara Ritchie | .... | hair stylist | |
Production Management | |||
| Pat Marsden | .... | production manager | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Philip Shipway | .... | assistant director | |
Sound Department | |||
| Chris Greenham | .... | sound (uncredited) | |
| Bert Ross | .... | sound recordist (uncredited) | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Moray Grant | .... | camera operator | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Pierre Balmain | .... | dresses: Yolande Donlan | |
Music Department | |||
| Robert Farnon | .... | musical director | |
| Norrie Paramor | .... | composer: additional music | |
| Norrie Paramor | .... | music associate | |
Other crew | |||
| Pamela Davies | .... | continuity | |
| Kenneth MacMillan | .... | choreographer | |
Production Companies
- Val Guest Productions (as Conquest)
- Britannia Films (in association with)
- British Lion Film Corporation (1960) (UK) (theatrical)
- Continental Distributing (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
- Kino Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
- Kino Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
- Prism Leisure Corporation (2005) (UK) (DVD)
- Video Beat (????) (USA) (DVD)
- Video Beat (????) (USA) (VHS)
Additional Details
Also Known As:
"A Singing Idol" - Canada (English title) (imdb display title)
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Parents Guide:
Runtime:
111 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Filming Locations:
Company:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
Marty Wilde was first considered for the role of Bert Rudge but was dismissed when it was believed his height (6ft 3ins) would make his character less sympathetic.See more »
Movie Connections:
Version of Expresso Bongo (1958) (TV)See more »
Soundtrack:
A Voice in the WildernessSee more »
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.See more (10 total) »
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Expresso Bongo (1959)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| tits and arse (ass) | jwb-4 |
| and 'Bye Bye, Birdie' | jbart39-1 |
| Is new DVD complete? | rayshaw44 |
| Laurence Harvey sings? | rockolaray-1 |
| Espresso Bongo | hsiegel-1 |
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Ignore anything or anybody that denigrates Espresso Bongo. It is loaded with period detail and attitude, is singularly risqué for it's time and sports great music and one of the best scripts about England's Tin Pan Alley, wisecracking and inside, besides an unprecedented performance by Laurence Harvey as you've never seen him, a hustler who recalls Sidney Falco in the "Sweet Smell of Success". Maier Tzelnicker is tremendous as the record company executive who calls it "rock dreck". Yolanda Donlan, Val Guest's wife, plays a "Sweet Bird of Youth" like aging diva Alexandra Del Lago who seduces Cliff Richard, whom many called the Pat Boone of England. See the opening strip number when the girls perform a burlesque version of the "Bonnie, Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond". It sets the tone for an overlooked gem. A "B" Movie Classic. Enjoy.