The AbsentMinded Professor (1961)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

Bill Walsh (screenplay)
Samuel W. Taylor (story)

Release Date:

16 March 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi | Sport

Tagline:

The funniest discovery since laughter!! [1976 re-release UK]

Plot:

A college professor invents an anti-gravity substance which a corrupt businessman wants for himself.

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Invention | Shoes | Tennis Shoes | Unlikely Hero

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Fred MacMurray	...	Prof. Ned Brainard
Nancy Olson	...	Betsy Carlisle
Keenan Wynn	...	Alonzo P. Hawk
Tommy Kirk	...	Biff Hawk
Leon Ames	...	President Rufus Daggett
Elliott Reid	...	Prof. Shelby Ashton
Edward Andrews	...	Defense Secretary
David Lewis	...	Gen. Singer
Jack Mullaney	...	Air Force Captain
Belle Montrose	...	Mrs. Chatsworth
Wally Brown	...	Coach Elkins
Wally Boag	...	TV Newsman
Don Ross	...	Lenny
Forrest Lewis	...	Officer Kelley
James Westerfield	...	Officer Hanson
Alan Carney	...	First Referee
Charlie Briggs	...	Sig
Gage Clarke	...	Rev. Bosworth
Alan Hewitt	...	Gen. Hotchkiss
Raymond Bailey	...	Adm. Olmstead
Wendell Holmes	...	General Poynter
Leon Tyler	...	Basketball Player (#18)
Ed Wynn	...	Fire Chief
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carroll Adams	...	Basketball Player (uncredited)
Bill Baldwin	...	News Reporter (uncredited)
Paul E. Burns	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Robert Burton	...	Sam Wheeler (uncredited)
Ralph Clanton	...	O.J. Turnbull (uncredited)
Gary Clarke	...	Boy at dance (uncredited)
Don Dillaway	...	Defense Department Secretary (uncredited)
Sam Edwards	...	Military Radio Dispatcher (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Paul Frees	...	Loudspeaker Voice / Air Force Dispatcher (voice) (uncredited)
Mike Fryer	...	Basketball Player (uncredited)
Gordon Jones	...	Rutland Basketball Coach (uncredited)
Gordon Martin	...	Basketball Player (uncredited)
Marlin McKeever	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Mike McKeever	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Henry Norell	...	Assistant Fire Chief (uncredited)
Gregg Palmer	...	Communications Man (uncredited)
Hank Patterson	...	Fisherman Spectator (uncredited)
Maudie Prickett	...	Woman in Street Interviewee (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Man Throwing Rice at Wedding (uncredited)
Ray Teal	...	Man in Street Interviewee (uncredited)
Carole Wells	...	Girl (uncredited)
Tom Wilson	...	Fisherman Spectator (uncredited)
Ned Wynn	...	Boy (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Stevenson

Writing credits
Bill Walsh		(screenplay)
Samuel W. Taylor		(story)

Produced by
Bill Walsh	....	associate producer
Walt Disney	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
George Bruns

Cinematography by
Edward Colman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Cotton Warburton

Art Direction by
Carroll Clark

Set Decoration by
Hal Gausman
Emile Kuri

Makeup Department
Pat McNalley	....	makeup artist
Ruth Sandifer	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert G. Shannon	....	assistant director
Arthur J. Vitarelli	....	second unit director

Sound Department
Robert O. Cook	....	sound supervisor
Dean Thomas	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Peter Ellenshaw	....	special effects
Eustace Lycett	....	special effects
Robert A. Mattey	....	special effects
Joshua Meador	....	special effects

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gertrude Casey	....	costumer
Chuck Keehne	....	costumer

Music Department
Evelyn Kennedy	....	music editor
Franklyn Marks	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Don DaGradi	....	sequence consultant
Walt Disney	....	presenter

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions

Distributors

• Buena Vista Distribution Company (1961) (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO (1961) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Productions (1962) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1975) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Walt Disney Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen) (colorized)
• Walt Disney Home Video (2003) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

The Absent-Minded Professor (Australia)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #19680) (original rating) | Canada:G (video rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1974) | Australia:G | Finland:K-8 | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Renwick Gym, Pomona College - 333 N. College Way, Claremont, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

Three generations of the Wynn family act in this film: Ed Wynn; his son Keenan Wynn; and Keenan Wynn's son, Ned Wynn.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Alonzo Hawk is talking to Ned and Betsy about 'merging together', Betsy is putting on his flubberized shoes. Right before Alonzo gets up you clearly see that the soles of the shoes do not have Flubber applied, although he jumps as if he did. He never changes shoes.

Quotes:

[the fire crew has arrived to rescue Alonzo Hawk, who is now bouncing out of control]
Fire Chief: [shouting through megaphone] Mr. Hawk! This is the Fire Chief speaking! We'll have everything under control in just a moment. Now Mr. Hawk, try to relax.
Alonzo P. Hawk: Relax? How can I relax, you fat-head?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Disneyland: Disney Goes to the Oscars (#30.8)" (1986)

Soundtrack:

Medfield Fight Song

Better than "Flubber," that's for sure...

The Absent Minded Professor

Classic family from from Walt Disney that stars Fred MacMurray in the title role as a rather forgetful and absent minded professor who invents a strange putty substance that drives him and his close contacts bonkers. The movie is much more inspired, likable and family-friendly (not to mention funnier and more charming) than the remake starring Robin Williams, which was written by John Hughes long after his career had fallen downwards. This version is the definitive version--don't let the kiddies convince you to rent the other one before you see this one!

**** / *****