Artists and Models (1955)

Rick Todd uses the dreams of his roommate Eugene as the basis for a successful comic book.

Director:

Frank Tashlin

Writers:

Herbert Baker (screenplay), Michael Davidson (play)

Stars:

Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Shirley MacLaine

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Dean Martin	...	Rick Todd
Jerry Lewis	...	Eugene Fullstack
Shirley MacLaine	...	Bessie Sparrowbrush
Dorothy Malone	...	Abigail 'Abby' Parker
Eddie Mayehoff	...	Mr. Murdock
Eva Gabor	...	Sonia / Mrs. Curtis
Anita Ekberg	...	Anita
George Winslow	...	Richard Stilton (as George 'Foghorn' Winslow')
Jack Elam	...	Ivan
Herbert Rudley	...	Secret Service Chief Samuels
Richard Shannon	...	Secret Service Agent Rogers
Richard Webb	...	Secret Service Agent Peters
Alan Lee	...	Otto
Otto Waldis	...	Kurt

Storyline

Rick Todd and Eugene Fullstack share an apartment and have dreams for the future. Rick is an aspiring artist looking for a break. Eugene loves comic books, especially The Bat Lady series. He is so engrossed with her stories that he has nightmares and dreams of his own comic book characters. Their luck begins to change when Abby Parker is fired as the artist for the Bat Lady. Rick pitches his own comic book series and Eugene gets to meet Bessie Sparrowbrush, who, unbeknown to him, is the artist's model the Bat Lady. Rivalry and romance ensues for all four of them, with several song and dance numbers along the way.

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Plot Keywords:

new york city | comic book | dream | roommate | nightmare | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shirley MacLaine and Dean Martin appeared in Some Came Running (1958), Ocean's 11 (1960), Career (1959), All in a Night's Work (1961), What a Way to Go! (1964), and finally in Cannonball Run II (1984), which also included their co-star in this movie, Jack Elam.

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Goofs

When Rick is in the bathtub, there is a water pipe that is in the shot and then disappears and then reappears.

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Quotes

Mr. Murdock: You see that little window back there, boy?
Eugene Fullstack: Yes, sir.
Mr. Murdock: Open it a little, then jump.

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Connections

Referenced in Happy Days: A.K.A. the Fonz (1976)

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Soundtracks

Artists and Models
Lyrics by Jack Brooks
Music by Harry Warren
Sung over the credits by Dean Martin
Reprised during the finale by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis

User Reviews

Did Anne Bancroft have a cameo role?

A crazy film for devotees of the super-hero comic book. Shirley MacLaine was both wacky and alluring as Bessie, who is the inspiration of the Bat-Lady, a character of the comic book which Dorothy Malone draws(?) Jerry is his usual self, while Dean Martin turns up a one-note performance as the typecast Lothario who tries to romance Dorothy who at first would have nothing to do with him. Eva Gabor(before Green Acres), cast as the seductress who tries to worm spy secrets out of Jerry is excellent.

I remember seeing the movie years ago and there was a scene where Jerry paints faces and puts little dresses on the knees of a young blonde actress in one scene. The actress bared a slight resemblance to Anne Bancroft. Is this correct?

Brian T

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 November 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

Artists and Models

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wallis-Hazen

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1