Yellowbeard (1983)

Director:

Mel Damski

Writers:

Graham Chapman (writer)
Peter Cook (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

24 June 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy

Tagline:

The greatest comedy cast ever assembled for a movie! Everyone who's ever been funny!!! [Australia Theatrical]

Plot:

Yellowbeard, a pirate's pirate, is allowed to escape from prison to lead the authorities to his treasure...

Plot Keywords:

Pirate | Treasure | Box Office Flop | Piracy | Tattooed Map

Cast

Graham Chapman	...	Captain Yellowbeard / de: Dotterbart
Peter Boyle	...	Moon
Cheech Marin	...	El Segundo (as Richard 'Cheech' Marin)
Tommy Chong	...	El Nebuloso
Peter Cook	...	Lord Percy Lambourn
Marty Feldman	...	Gilbert
Martin Hewitt	...	Dan
Michael Hordern	...	Dr. Gilpin
Eric Idle	...	Commander Clement
Madeline Kahn	...	Betty
James Mason	...	Captain Hughes
John Cleese	...	Harvey 'Blind' Pew
Kenneth Mars	...	Mr. Crisp and Verdugo
Spike Milligan	...	Flunkie
Stacey Nelkin	...	Triola (as Stacey Nelkin)
Nigel Planer	...	Mansell
Susannah York	...	Lady Churchill
Beryl Reid	...	Lady Lambourn
Ferdy Mayne	...	Mr. Beamish (as Ferdinand Mayne)
John Francis	...	Chaplain
Peter Bull	...	Queen Anne
Bernard Fox	...	Tarbuck
Ronald Lacey	...	Man with Parrot
Greta Blackburn	...	Mister Prostitute
Nigel Stock	...	Admiral
Kenneth Danziger	...	Mr. Martin
Monte Landis	...	Prison Guard
Richard Wren	...	Pirate
Gillian Eaton	...	Rosie
Bernard McKenna	...	Askey
John Dair	...	Big John
Carlos Romano	...	Priest
Álvaro Carcaño	...	Beggar
Leopoldo Francés	...	Helmsman (as Leopoldo Frances)
Ava Harela	...	Flower Girl
Garry O'Neill	...	Sergeant of the Marines
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Lane Cooper
David Bowie	...	The Shark (uncredited)
Carlos East	...	Swashbuckler (uncredited)
Michael Mileham	...	The Coxan (uncredited)

Directed by
Mel Damski

Writing credits
David Sherlock		uncredited
Graham Chapman		writer
Peter Cook		writer
Bernard McKenna		writer

Produced by
John Daly	....	executive producer
Carter DeHaven	....	producer (as Carter De Haven)

Original Music by
John Morris

Cinematography by
Gerry Fisher

Film Editing by
William Reynolds

Casting by
Michael McLean

Production Design by
Joseph R. Jennings

Costume Design by
Stephen Miles		(as T. Stephen Miles)

Makeup Department
Ramon Gow	....	chief hairdresser: English crew
Lilia Palomino	....	makeup artist: Mexico
Neville Smallwood	....	chief makeup artist: English crew

Production Management
Brad H. Aronson	....	production manager: American crew
David Ball	....	production manager: English crew
Denis Holt	....	production manager: UK
Dennis Holt	....	production manager: English crew
Miguel Lima	....	production manager: Mexican crew
Antonio Rubio	....	production manager: Mexican crew (as Tony Rubio)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mario Cisneros	....	first assistant director: Mexican crew
Sam Epstein	....	second assistant director: American crew (as Samuel M. Epstein)
Richard Espinoza	....	second assistant director: American crew (as Richard L. Espinoza)
Ted Morley	....	first assistant director: English crew
Clive Reed	....	first assistant director: English crew

Art Department
Tim Hutchinson	....	set decorator: English crew
Peter James	....	set decorator: English crew
Teresa Pecanins	....	set decorator: Mexican crew
Moises Pineda	....	production buyer assistant
Jack Shampan	....	art director: English crew
Arthur Wicks	....	property master: English crew

Sound Department
Kevin F. Cleary	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Kevin Cleary)
Jeremy Hoenack	....	sound effects: American crew
Brian Simmons	....	sound mixer: English crew
Robert Thirlwell	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Bob Thirlwell)
Manuel Topete	....	sound mixer: Mexican crew
John Wilkinson	....	sound re-recording mixer (as John 'Doc' Wilkinson)

Special Effects by
Arthur Beavis	....	special effects: English crew
Andy Evans	....	special effects: American crew
Raul Falomir	....	special effects: Mexican crew

Stunts
Michael Cassidy	....	stunts (as Mike Cassidy)
Loren Janes	....	stunts
Walter Robles	....	stunts (as Walt Robles)
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunt coordinator: American crew
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunts
Terry Walsh	....	stunts
Chuck Waters	....	stunts
George P. Wilbur	....	stunts (as George Wilbur)

Camera and Electrical Department
Kevin Brookner	....	video assist
Bernard Ford	....	camera operator: UK (as Bernie Ford)
Carlos Montaño	....	camera operator: Mexico
León Sánchez	....	camera operator: Mexico (as Leon Sanchez)

Casting Department
Celestia Fox	....	additional casting: English crew
Nancy Foy	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gilly Hebden	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Mellissa Bretherton	....	second assistant editor: America
Carter DeHaven	....	second assistant editor: America (as Carter De Haven IV)
Raja Gosnell	....	assistant editor: America

Music Department
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Dan Wallin	....	scoring engineer: US crew
James D. Young	....	music editor
Tommy Tedesco	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Arturo Curiel	....	driver
Alfonso Paredes	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Hugh Boyd	....	captain of the "Bounty"
Humberto Gurza	....	animal wrangler
Miguel Gurza	....	animal wrangler
Terry Lens	....	location manager
Manuel Louis	....	boat master
Edward Ruscha	....	main title creator (as Ed Ruscha)
Marilyn Tasso	....	assistant accountant
Carol Westphall	....	script supervisor: USA (as Carole Westphall)
Boyd Kelly	....	adr voice (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hemdale
• Iron Pics
• Seagoat Films
• Yellowbeard Associates

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Avid Home Video (1995) (USA) (video)
• Globo Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Roadshow Home Video
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• VCL Communications (198?) (Germany) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• High Times  thanks
• MGM's 'Bounty'  producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation from its exhibit at St. Petersburg, Florida
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  titles
• Michael McLean & Associates  casting
• Pacific Title  opticals

Also Known As:

Runtime:

96 min | Argentina:101 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | Argentina:13 | Iceland:12 | Australia:PG | Canada:14A | Norway:16 (1983) | UK:12 (re-rating) | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Company:

Hemdale

Trivia:

The film was inspired by Keith Moon, drummer of the Brit rock band "The Who" who was a personal friend of Graham Chapman. Moon wanted to play the Yellowbeard role but could not due to ailing health, Moon passing away in 1978 about five years before this picture was made and released. Chapman once recalled that Moon lived like a pirate with his wild ways. The character in the movie called Moon played by Peter Boyle was named after him as a tribute.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dan embraces Yellowbeard and accidentally stabs him, the hilt of the dagger changes between shots.

Quotes:

Mansell:That wasn't strictly true, was it sir?
Commander Clement:No, Mansell, it was what we in the British Navy call... a lie.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Return to Waterloo (1984)

Yellow beard is worth a look.

I watched this as a kid and it made an impression on me. So much so that I just had to watch it again last week. I was not as disappointed as I was with other movie repeats from my childhood(Popeye comes to mind). Sure things were a bit sketchy and straight up silly at times but it was a fun movie. And of course if you are a Cheech and Chong fan they have a small part too.It ranks up there in the top of my favorite swashbuckling pirate flicks (behind Pirates of the Caribbean) I think it is a classic. "Stagger, Stagger, Crawl,Crawl" will be forever ingrained in the movie quote cache of my brain!(right up there with "Charlie don't surf!")