How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967)

Director:

David Swift

Writers:

Abe Burrows (book) and
Jack Weinstock (book) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 March 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

Nothing Succeeds Like "Succeed" ! !

Plot:

Armed with a "How to..." manual, an ambitious window washer seeks to climb the corporate ladder.

Plot Keywords:

Book | Business | How To | Secretary | Advertising

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Robert Morse	...	J. Pierpont Finch
Michele Lee	...	Rosemary Pilkington
Rudy Vallee	...	Jasper B. Biggley
Anthony 'Scooter' Teague	...	Bud Frump (as Anthony Teague)
Maureen Arthur	...	Hedy LaRue
John Myhers	...	Bert O. Bratt
Carol Worthington	...	Lucille Krumholtz
Kay Reynolds	...	Miss Smith aka Smitty
Ruth Kobart	...	Miss Jones
Sammy Smith	...	Twimble - Wally Womper
Jeff DeBenning	...	Gatch (as Jeff Debenning)
Janice Carroll	...	Brenda
Robert Q. Lewis	...	Tackaberry
Paul Hartman	...	Toynbee
Dan Tobin	...	Johnson
John Holland	...	Matthews
Justin Smith	...	Jenkins
Murray Matheson	...	Benjamin Ovington
Patrick O'Moore	...	Media Man No. 1
Lory Patrick	...	Receptionist
Wally Strauss	...	Media Man No. 2
Hy Averback	...	2nd Junior Executive
George Fenneman	...	Himself / TV Announcer
Carl Princi	...	1st Junior Executive
Sheila Rogers	...	1st Girl
Robert Sweeney	...	3rd Junior Executive
Ivan Volkman	...	The President
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Bradley	...	TV Board Member / Junior Executive / Dancer (uncredited)
Ron Charles	...	Broker (uncredited)
Joey Faye	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Don Koll	...	Executive (uncredited)
Al Nesor	...	Newseller (uncredited)
Erin O'Brien-Moore	...	Mrs. Frump (uncredited)
Barry O'Hara	...	Executive (uncredited)
Howard Parker	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Virginia Sale	...	Cleaning Woman (uncredited)
Anne Seymour	...	Gertrude Biggley (uncredited)
Tucker Smith	...	Passerby / Dancing Executive (uncredited)
David Swift	...	Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Minister with Large Bible (uncredited)
Helen Verbit	...	Mrs. Needlebaum - Finch's Landlady (uncredited)

Directed by
David Swift

Writing credits
Abe Burrows		(book) and
Jack Weinstock		(book) and
Willie Gilbert		(book)
Shepherd Mead		(novel)
David Swift		(written by)

Produced by
David Swift	....	producer
Irving Temaner	....	associate producer
Walter Mirisch	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Nelson Riddle		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Burnett Guffey

Film Editing by
Allan Jacobs
Ralph E. Winters

Casting by
Shirley Mellner

Art Direction by
Robert F. Boyle		(as Robert Boyle)

Set Decoration by
Edward G. Boyle

Costume Design by
Micheline

Makeup Department
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist
Fae M. Smith	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Nate H. Edwards	....	unit manager
Allen K. Wood	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John D. Bloss	....	assistant director
Michael J. Dmytryk	....	assistant director

Art Department
Mary Blair	....	color designer
Sam Gordon	....	property master
William Maldonado	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Robert Martin	....	sound
Clem Portman	....	sound re-recordist
James Richard	....	sound editor
James D. Young	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Virgil Partch	....	visual gags

Camera and Electrical Department
Don Stott	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Leslie Hall	....	costumer: women
Ed Ware	....	costumer: men

Music Department
Richard Carruth	....	music editor
Bob Fosse	....	original musical stager
Jimmy Joyce	....	vocal supervisor
Frank Loesser	....	music and lyrics by
Nelson Riddle	....	conductor
Nelson Riddle	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Abe Burrows	....	director: stage play
Cy Feuer	....	stage producer
Marie Kenney	....	script supervisor
Ernest H. Martin	....	stage producer
Dale Moreda	....	choreographer
Charles Mulvehill	....	production associate
Norman Stuart	....	dialogue supervisor
Edward Folger	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mirisch Corporation, The (presents)

Distributors

• United Artists (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1972) (USA) (TV) (pan/scan)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Nova Film (1968) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1967) (West Germany) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Frank Productions  produced on the stage in association with
• Professional Film Services  background titles
• Pacific Title  titles
• 3M Company  office copying equipment

Also Known As:

"How to Succeed in Business..." - USA (short title)

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (certificate #21357) | Australia:G | Singapore:PG | Canada:14A (video rating) | Netherlands:AL (orginal rating)

Filming Locations:

270 Park Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Mirisch Corporation, The

Trivia:

Michele Lee's movie debut.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the musical number at the end when the men are singing about being members of the human race, the clapping of the businessmen is on the downbeat but the audio claps are on the upbeat.

Quotes:

Rosemary:Lunch.
J. Pierpont Finch:Huh?
Rosemary:I said, "Lunch."
J. Pierpont Finch:What about "lunch"?
Rosemary:I'd love to!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Family Guy: Excellence in Broadcasting (#9.2)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

How To

Much better then I remembered

I saw this movie on a local PBS station for the first time since it originally came out in the movies. I was only 10 at the time so I didn't get it and I remember not being crazy about it. ALthough the song "I believe in you" was a favorite of mine. I actually looked at the TV schedule to see what else was on. And I vowed to change the channel at 12, the coming hour. But a funny thing happened, I forgot about the other movie and I remained glued to the screen and saw it to the end. The movie is about a window washer who pledges to become a CEO within a short time by reading a "How To Book", hence the title. How delightful to see Michelle Lee singing..what a voice. I didn't remember her singing I Believe in You. Then we have Robert Morse. I was never a big fan of the slap stick comedy ala Jim Carrey Chevy Chase and Robin Wiliams. Robert Morse could give them all a few lessons on playing broad comedy without going over board. Rudy Vallee and the man who played Big Deal in West Side Story (one of my favorite musicals) were hilarious. He was the nephew of the CEO Vallee so we all know what type of character he was playing. We also have the CEO's bimbo girlfriend who wants to get out of the Secretary pool. She actually is not as dumb as we are suppose to think she is. It was a very upbeat funny movie. And for some reason I believe a lot of people in the business world probably know even less then the Robert Morse character, a window washer Maybe they should read the same type of book he was reading. This musical actually would be good if it was just the story. The book could stand on its own. I felt the same way about Carousel. Which deals with very serious issues. The music adds to the story which IMO separates a OK musicals from a great musical. This is a great musical. Oh beware a few songs were cut for the film. The Broadway musical was almost 3 hours, as a lot are. They have intermissions on Broadway. So they cut musical numbers from movie musicals. They did that with Guys and Dolls, one of the great songs at that. HTSIBWRT they cut the Coffee break scene, a great scene. So just as a caution to people who look at movie versions of Broadway musicals. Don't expect to see/hear all of the songs. It's a dumb practice because there are movies made now which are running 3 hours which have a whole lot less going for them then a Broadway musical.