Beach Party (1963)

Director:

William Asher

Writer:

Lou Rusoff (written by)

Release Date:

7 August 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

When 10,000 kids meet on 5,000 Beach Blankets ... something's bound to happen!

Plot:

The first of the five official American-International "Beach Party" movies. Anthropology Professor Robert...

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Beach Party | Teenager | Surfing | Motorcycle

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Robert Cummings	...	Professor Sutwell (as Bob Cummings)
Dorothy Malone	...	Marianne
Frankie Avalon	...	Frankie
Annette Funicello	...	Dolores
Morey Amsterdam	...	Cappy
Harvey Lembeck	...	Eric Von Zipper
Eva Six	...	Ava
John Ashley	...	Ken
Jody McCrea	...	Deadhead
Dick Dale and the Del Tones	...	Musicians
Andy Romano	...	J.D.
Jerry Brutsche	...	The Ratz
Bob Harvey	...	The Ratz
John Macchia	...	The Ratz
Alberta Nelson	...	The Mice
Linda Rogers	...	The Mice
David Landfield	...	Ed
Valora Noland	...	Rhonda
Bob Payne	...	Tom (as Bobby Payne)
Pam Colbert	...	Surfer
Delores Wells	...	Sue
Johnny Fain	...	Surfer (as John Fain)
Meredith MacRae	...	Beach Girl
John Beach	...	Beach Boy
Lorrie Summers		(as Lorie Summers)
Roger Bacon	...	Tour Guide
Luree Holmes		(as Luree Nicholson)
Michael Nader	...	Beach Boy (as Mike Nader)
Laura Nicholson	...	Beach Girl
Mickey Dora	...	Beach Boy
Donna Russell	...	Surfer
Ed Garner	...	Surfer (as Eddie Garner)
Candy Johnson	...	Perpetual Motion Dancer
Vincent Price	...	Big Daddy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Duane Ament	...	Big Boy (uncredited)
Marlo Baers	...	Beach Girl (uncredited)
Brent Battin	...	Beach Boy (uncredited)
Roger Christian	...	Beach Boy (uncredited)
Sharon Garrett	...	Brunette Yoga Girl (uncredited)
Ashlyn Martin	...	Surfer (uncredited)
Bill Parker	...	Beach Boy (uncredited)
Bill Slosky	...	Beach Boy (uncredited)
Gary Usher	...	Beach Boy (uncredited)
Yvette Vickers	...	Blonde Yoga Girl (uncredited)
Susan Yardley	...	Surfer (uncredited)

Directed by
William Asher

Writing credits
Lou Rusoff		(written by)

Produced by
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	executive producer
Robert Dillon	....	associate producer
James H. Nicholson	....	producer
Lou Rusoff	....	producer

Original Music by
Les Baxter		(music score by)

Cinematography by
Kay Norton		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Homer Powell

Art Direction by
Daniel Haller

Set Decoration by
Harry Reif

Costume Design by
Marjorie Corso

Makeup Department
Scotty Rackin	....	hairdresser
Carlie Taylor	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Robert Agnew	....	unit manager
Bartlett A. Carre	....	production supervisor (as Bartlett A. Carré)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Clark L. Paylow	....	assistant director (as Clark Paylow)
Lew Borzage	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Karl Brainard	....	properties
Ross Hahn	....	construction coordinator
John Ceniga	....	props (uncredited)
Richard M. Rubin	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Alfred R. Bird	....	sound editor (as Al Bird)
Don Rush	....	sound
Carl Daniels	....	sound assistant (uncredited)
James Nelson	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)
Elmer Norman	....	sound assistant (uncredited)
Roger White	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Stunts
Ronnie Dayton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Dora	....	stunts (uncredited)
Johnny Fain	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Al Berkson	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Bill Craemer	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Chet Fowler	....	best boy (uncredited)
Clifford Hutchison	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Richard A. Kelley	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Joe Michelski	....	grip (uncredited)
Larry Milton	....	grip (uncredited)
Bob Simpson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marjorie Corso	....	costume supervisor (uncredited)
Thomas Welsh	....	costume supervisor (uncredited)

Music Department
Eve Newman	....	music editor
Al Simms	....	music coordinator

Other crew
Jack W. Cash	....	production assistant (as Jack Cash)
Lois O'Connor	....	assistant to director
Jean Lippman	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• American International Pictures (AIP)
• Alta Vista Productions

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1963) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• Globo Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (Canada) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)

Special Effects

• Butler-Glouner (photographic special effects)

Other Companies

• Butler-Glouner  titles

Also Known As:

Runtime:

101 min | Germany:94 min (TV)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S

Filming Locations:

Malibu, California, USA

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

Was intended as a low-budget imitation of Elvis Presley's musical movies, with added teen appeal, but the series took on a life of its own.

Goofs:

Continuity: Early in the film, when Frankie and Delores are driving down the paved highway, a shot from a distance shows a somewhat narrow (two-lane) road with the opposite lane a dark asphalt. Seconds later, a more close-up cab scene shows a much wider highway with no dark asphalt on the opposite side.

Quotes:

Cappy:Just one thing, Professor, will you level with me? What's with the feather duster? The beard? You think it moves the chicks?
Prof. Robert O. Sutwell:No, it usually works the other way.
Cappy:I don't dig. You don't want to level with me?
Prof. Robert O. Sutwell:All right, I'll level with you. When I first started out at Harvard, I was the youngest professor at the university. I was so young that it was sickening. No one took me seriously. Every time when I opened my mouth to speak, my students laughed, the other professors laughed...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Indie Sex: Teens (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Secret Surfin' Spot

The granddaddy of all those surfing flicks that catered to kids at the drive-ins

Bob Cummings (offensive in nearly every movie I've seen him in) acquits himself quite nicely here as nerdy professor studying the mating habits of today's teenagers, eventually finding himself sort-of attracted to busty-but-innocent Annette Funicello. Frankie Avalon and Annette get co-starring parts here, later carrying the torch onward to many other beach sequels; they fight a lot (as usual) and try to make each other jealous. The only thing that really separates this initial sand-&-sex romp from the others is a bit more attention to plot and dialogue, less silliness (it's surprisingly low-keyed). Annette, her hair tinted a pretty cinnamon-brown, sings a great solo number, "Treat Him Nicely"--actually, it's her mirrored reflection who gives the advice. A pleasant, colorful outing, with Harvey Lembeck very funny as Eric Von Zipper, who gets "the finger" from Cummings ("You stupids!"). A little singing, a little loving, lots of arguing, and a pie fight finale. *** from ****