Spinout (1966)

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writers:

Theodore J. Flicker (written by) and
George Kirgo (written by)

Release Date:

14 December 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

ELVIS SINGS NINE GREAT NEW TOE-TAPPING TUNES!

Plot:

Band singer/race driver Mike McCoy must choose between marrying a beautiful rich girl and driving her father's car in a prestigious race.

Plot Keywords:

Band | Driver | Female Drummer | Rich Girl | Heiress

Cast

Elvis Presley	...	Mike McCoy
Shelley Fabares	...	Cynthia Foxhugh
Diane McBain	...	Diana St. Clair
Dodie Marshall	...	Susan
Deborah Walley	...	Les
Jack Mullaney	...	Curly
Will Hutchins	...	Lt. Tracy Richards
Warren Berlinger	...	Philip Short
Jimmy Hawkins	...	Larry
Carl Betz	...	Howard Foxhugh
Cecil Kellaway	...	Bernard Ranley
Una Merkel	...	Violet Ranley
Frederick Worlock	...	Blodgett (as Frederic Worlock)
Dave Barry	...	Harry
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Thordis Brandt	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Victoria Carroll	...	Award Beauty (uncredited)
Arlene Charles	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Nancy Czar	...	Platinum Beauty (uncredited)
Phyllis Davis	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Judy Durell	...	Girl (uncredited)
Joe Esposito	...	Shorty's Pit Crew (uncredited)
Gay Gordon	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Josh Harding	...	Bit Man (uncredited)
Jean Marie Ingels	...	Go-Go Dancer (uncredited)
Inge Jaklyn	...	Brunette Beauty (uncredited)
Jay Jasin	...	Race Announcer (uncredited)
Jeanmarie	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Fredda Lee	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Deanna Lund	...	Redhead Beauty (uncredited)
James McHale	...	Shorty Bloomquist (uncredited)
Joanne Medley	...	Blond Beauty (uncredited)
Christopher Riordan	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Hank Robinson	...	Judge in Black Shirt During Race (uncredited)
Sheryl Ullman	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Red West	...	Shorty's Pit Crew (uncredited)
Rita Wilson	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Virginia Wood	...	Blond Beauty #2 (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Taurog

Writing credits
Theodore J. Flicker		(written by) and
George Kirgo		(written by)

Produced by
Hank Moonjean	....	associate producer
Joe Pasternak	....	producer

Original Music by
George Stoll
Robert Van Eps		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Daniel L. Fapp		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Rita Roland
Frank J. Urioste		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Edward C. Carfagno		(as Edward Carfagno)
George W. Davis

Set Decoration by
Henry Grace
Hugh Hunt

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup artist
Josephine Ardigo	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Larry Geller	....	hair designer: Elvis Presley (uncredited)
Roy Stork	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Adele Taylor	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Al Shenberg	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Claude Binyon Jr.	....	assistant director
Donald Verk	....	assistant director (uncredited)
James A. Westman	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Robert Schultz	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Franklin Milton	....	recording supervisor
Frank Antunez	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Terrance Emerson	....	sound cable (uncredited)
Larry Jost	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Barry Thomas	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
J. McMillan Johnson	....	special visual effects
Carroll L. Shepphird	....	special visual effects

Stunts
Jerry Brutsche	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Bob Harris	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Virgil Apger	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Howard Bradner	....	key grip (uncredited)
Hugh Crawford	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
James V. King	....	camera operator (uncredited)
George Lasher	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lambert Marks	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Margo Weintz	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Jack Baker	....	stager: musical numbers
The Jordanaires	....	vocal backgrounds
Robert Van Eps	....	music associate
Mike Deasy	....	musician (uncredited)
Robert Van Eps	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Michael A. Hoey	....	dialogue supervisor (as Michael Hoey)
Tom Parker	....	technical advisor (as Colonel Tom Parker)
Cleo Anton	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Stanley Brossette	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents)
• Euterpe

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1970) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1967) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Canada) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Euterpe  copyright 1966 by
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  copyright 1966 by
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  presents

Also Known As:

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Not Rated | Australia:PG (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Ascot Park Speedway - 18601 S. Vermont Avenue, Gardena, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Una Merkel's final movie.

Quotes:

Les:[as Lt. Richards enters her kitchen through the back door] What? Is this a raid?
Lt. Tracy Richards:Yeah, reach for the ceiling! Now turn around.
[When she complies, he slaps her derriere]
Lt. Tracy Richards:I just wanted to see if you packed a gun.

Movie Connections:

References La Dolce Vita (1960)

Soundtrack:

All That I Am

Matrimony On Their Minds

Spinout is somewhere in the middle of the pack of the Elvis Presley cinema output. It's an amiable comedy with the King about a singer with a group who is a celebrity racer. Along the lines of Paul Newman before and Tom Cruise afterwards. I don't include Steve McQueen because that man was serious about the sport and had he entered it earlier might have had that as a career.

Anyway Elvis is the target of three women with matrimony on their minds. Rich girl Shelley Fabares, Jacqueline Susann like author Diane McBain, and the drummer in the King's own group, Deborah Walley who is a gourmet cook on the side.

As usual Colonel Tom Parker got quality help for his boy behind and in front of the camera. Norman Taurog ended his career directing a series of Presley pictures and this is one of them. Such movie veterans as Frederic Worlock and Cecil Kellaway have small roles and this is the farewell big screen appearance of Una Merkel. Also in the cast is Carl Betz once again playing Shelley Fabares father as he did on the Donna Reed Show. Will Hutchins, television's Sugarfoot is also around as a policeman who appreciates good cooking and Jack Mullaney and Jimmy Hawkins are the other members of Elvis's group. Note that they play electric guitars or simulate playing them while Elvis sticks with a regular model.

Of course Spinout ends with the Big Race and I don't think I have to tell you who wins, but the race itself is 3/4 of the fun. No big songs came out of the score for Elvis, but he acquits himself in the vocal and comedy department. Spinout should please his fans.