Beach Ball: Difference between revisions

Beach Ball
Beach Ball
Directed by	Lennie Weinrib
Written by	Sam Locke as "David Malcolm"
Produced by	Bart Patton; Gene Corman
Starring	Edd Byrnes
Cinematography	Floyd Crosby
Edited by	Karl Ward
Production; companies	La Honda Service Productions, The Patton Co.
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	September 29, 1965;
Running time	83 mins
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$125,000 or $137,000
Box office	$1 million

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Beach Ball is a 1965 American beach party movie starring Edd Byrnes and partly financed by Roger Corman.^[3]

It features appearances by The Supremes, The Walker Brothers, and The Righteous Brothers.^[4]

Tom Lisanti called it "arguably the breeziest and most enjoyable Beach Party clones. It is also the most blatant rip off."^[5]

Plot

Dick Martin manages a rock and roll group, The Wigglers (Bango, Jack and Bob). They are told by music store owner Mr Wolf that the group owes him $1,000 for their instruments and have to raise money. Martin tries to convince Susan, the credit union manager for a local college,

Cast

Edd Byrnes as Dick Martin
Chris Noel as Susan
Robert Logan as Bango
Gail Gilmore as Deborah
Aron Kincaid as Jack
Mikki Jamison as Augusta
Don Edmonds as Bob
Brenda Benet as Samantha
Anna Lavelle as Polly
James Wellman as Mr. Wolf
The Supremes (Florence Ballard, Diana Ross and Mary Wilson)
The Four Seasons
The Righteous Brothers
The Hondells
The Walker Brothers
Dick Miller as a cop
Sid Haig as Drummer for Righteous Brothers (Uncredited role)

Production

The film was produced by Bart Patton, an actor who did some production work for Roger Corman. Corman gave him $100,000 to make a beach party movie, of which $22,000 (or $25,000, accounts differ) was already earmarked to Edd Byrnes. Patton wanted to direct but Corman did not let him having already hired comic Lennie Weinrib to make his debut as director. (Patton and Weinrib would later form a production company.) ^[6]^[7]

According to Filmink "Roger Corman was never a great one for making musicals – he disliked the genre on the whole, and there are few on his CV. However, the profits made in the mid-‘60s by beach party movies were too alluring for him to ignore and he kicked in a few bucks for some of those."^[8]

Stephanie Rothman worked on the movie as a production assistant, shooting second unit for the car chase scene with Aaron Kincaid.^[9] Gary Kurtz was assistant director. Patton thought Corman hired Weinrib to direct "because he was a comic and it was a comedy. That was Roger's thinking."^[10]

In November 1964 Tommy Kirk was originally announced as male star along with Noel Edmonds.^[11] In December 1964 Chris Noel signed and Kirk was still attached.^[12] Kirk eventually dropped out of the film and was replaced by Edd Byrnes.^[13]

Byrnes called it "a typical mindless beach movie in the spirit of Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello" and said he was "continually offered this type of film after I was released from my contract at Warner Brothers. However, the producers of Beach Ball were going to give me so much money, it would have been ridiculous to turn down Paramount’s generous offer." Byrnes enjoyed making the film calling it a "romp" but he refused to make any more beach moves.^[14]

Noel says Byrnes was "a jerk" during the making of the film although the two of them later became friends.^[15]

The Supremes were paid $2,500 to appear in the film. The Righteous Brothers got $500 and the Hondells $400.^[16]

Reception

Corman pre-sold the film to Paramount for $350,000 and it made $1 million at the box office.^[1] (Another account says the film was made for $137,000 and sold to Paramount for $225,000.^[2]) Patton claimed "Beach Ball was the last of the struggling attempts to compete with AIP. After that, nobody gave a crap about beach films or ski films or spy spoofs."^[17]

The quality of the film impressed Lew Wasserman at Universal, who signed Patton to a two-picture deal: Wild Wild Winter and Out of Sight.^[18]

Critical

Variety wrote "A bouillabaisse of all the tried and true surfing ingredients, this loud, lively pic should prove a winner with the adolescent set. An innocuous plot, lots of bikini scenery, and endless rock 'n’ roll featuring top selling recording personalities, assure boxoffice success. "^[19]

Filmink wrote "it’s hard to tell the characters apart at times – this was a lesson the AIP knock-offs never learned from AIP beach party movies, which generally had distinctive characters. However, it’s a lot of fun."^[20]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Tom Lisanti, Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959-1969, McFarland 2005, p. 167
^ ^a ^b Beach Ball at AFI
^ Ed. J. Philip di Franco, The Movie World of Roger Corman, Chelsea House Publishers, 1979, p. 145
^ Tom Lisant, 'Reliving the Guilty Pleasure of Beach Ball', Cinema Retro March 4, 2008
^ Lisanti, Tom (2012). Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959-1969. McFarland. p. 158. ISBN 9780786472970.
^ Lisanti, p. 161
^ Albright p 177
^ Vagg, Stephen (18 May 2024). "Top Ten Corman – Part Five, Gene Corman". Filmink.
^ "Interview of Stephanie Rothman" (PDF). UCLA Library Center for Oral History Research.
^ Albright p 177
^ 'Featured Roles', Los Angeles Times 30 Nov 1964: C21.
^ ilmland Events: Henry King to Film Story of Guadalupe Los Angeles Times 3 Dec 1964: D9.
^ Vagg, Stephen (9 September 2019). "The Cinema of Tommy Kirk". Diabolique Magazine.
^ Byrnes, Ed (1996). Kookie No More. pp. 116–117. ISBN 978-1-56980-092-8.
^ Lisanti, p. 164
^ Lisanti, p. 166
^ Albright p 178
^ Albright pp 177-178
^ "Beach Ball". Variety Film Reviews 1964-1967. 1983. p. 253.
^ Vagg, Stephen (13 December 2024). "Beach Party Movies Part Three: Over exposure". Filmink. Retrieved 13 December 2024.

Notes

Albright, Brian (2008). Wild beyond belief! : interviews with exploitation filmmakers of the 1960s and 1970s. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3689-7.

External links

Beach Ball at IMDb
Beach Ball at BFI
Beach Ball at TCMDB
Beach Ball press kit at Internet Archive

[tom-1] Tom Lisanti, Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959-1969, McFarland 2005, p. 167

[afi-2] Beach Ball at AFI

[franco-3] Ed. J. Philip di Franco, The Movie World of Roger Corman, Chelsea House Publishers, 1979, p. 145

[4] Tom Lisant, 'Reliving the Guilty Pleasure of Beach Ball', Cinema Retro March 4, 2008

[5] Lisanti, Tom (2012). Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959-1969. McFarland. p. 158. ISBN 9780786472970.

[6] Lisanti, p. 161

[7] Albright p 177

[8] Vagg, Stephen (18 May 2024). "Top Ten Corman – Part Five, Gene Corman". Filmink.

[oral-9] "Interview of Stephanie Rothman" (PDF). UCLA Library Center for Oral History Research.

[10] Albright p 177

[11] 'Featured Roles', Los Angeles Times 30 Nov 1964: C21.

[12] Events: Henry King to Film Story of Guadalupe Los Angeles Times 3 Dec 1964: D9.

[vagg-13] Vagg, Stephen (9 September 2019). "The Cinema of Tommy Kirk". Diabolique Magazine.

[14] Byrnes, Ed (1996). Kookie No More. pp. 116–117. ISBN 978-1-56980-092-8.

[15] Lisanti, p. 164

[16] Lisanti, p. 166

[17] Albright p 178

[18] Albright pp 177-178

[19] "Beach Ball". Variety Film Reviews 1964-1967. 1983. p. 253.

[20] Vagg, Stephen (13 December 2024). "Beach Party Movies Part Three: Over exposure". Filmink. Retrieved 13 December 2024.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|1965 film by Lennie Weinrib}}
+{{For|the inflatable toy|beach ball}}
 {{Infobox film
 | name           = Beach Ball
-| image          =
+| image          = File:Beach Ball 1965 film poster.jpg
-| image_size     =
 | caption        =
 | director       = [[Lennie Weinrib]]
 | producer       = [[Bart Patton]]<br>[[Gene Corman]]
-| writer         = David Malcolm
+| writer         = Sam Locke as "David Malcolm"
 | starring       = [[Edd Byrnes]]
 | music          =
 | cinematography = [[Floyd Crosby]]
 | editing        = Karl Ward
+| studio         = La Honda Service Productions, The Patton Co.
 | distributor    = [[Paramount Pictures]]
-| released       = {{Film date|1965}}
+| released       = {{Film date|1965|09|29}}
 | runtime        = 83 mins
-| country        = USA
+| country        = United States
 | language       = [[English language|English]]
-| budget         = $100,000<ref name="tom">Tom Lisanti, ''Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959-1969'', McFarland 2005, p161</ref>
+| budget         = $125,000<ref name="tom">Tom Lisanti, ''Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959-1969'', McFarland 2005, p. 167</ref> or $137,000<ref name="afi">[https://catalog.afi.com/Film/19564-BEACH-BALL?cxt=filmography Beach Ball] at AFI</ref>
-| gross          =
+| gross          = $1 million<ref name="tom"/>
 }}
-'''''Beach Ball''''' is a 1965 American [[beach party]] movie starring [[Edd Byrnes]] and partly financed by [[Roger Corman]].<ref name="franco">Ed. J. Philip di Franco, ''The Movie World of Roger Corman'', Chelsea House Publishers, 1979 p 145</ref>
+'''''Beach Ball''''' is a 1965 American [[beach party]] movie starring [[Edd Byrnes]] and partly financed by [[Roger Corman]].<ref name="franco">Ed. J. Philip di Franco, ''The Movie World of Roger Corman'', Chelsea House Publishers, 1979, p. 145</ref>
-It features appearances by [[The Supremes]] and [[The Righteous Brothers]].<ref>[http://www.cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/1596-TOM-LISANTI-RELIVING-THE-GUILTY-PLEASURE-OF-BEACH-BALL.html Tom Lisant, 'Reliving the Guilty Pleasure of Beach Ball', ''Cinema Retro'' March 4, 2008]</ref>
+It features appearances by [[The Supremes]], [[The Walker Brothers]], and [[The Righteous Brothers]].<ref>[http://www.cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/1596-TOM-LISANTI-RELIVING-THE-GUILTY-PLEASURE-OF-BEACH-BALL.html Tom Lisant, 'Reliving the Guilty Pleasure of Beach Ball', ''Cinema Retro'' March 4, 2008]</ref>
+Tom Lisanti called it "arguably the breeziest and most enjoyable ''[[Beach Party]]'' clones. It is also the most blatant rip off."<ref>{{cite book|first=Tom|last=Lisanti|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iCMkCQAAQBAJ&q=beach+ball+1965&pg=PA158|page=158|title=Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959-1969|publisher=McFarland|year=2012|isbn=9780786472970}}</ref>
+==Plot==
+Dick Martin manages a rock and roll group, The Wigglers (Bango, Jack and Bob). They are told by music store owner Mr Wolf that the group owes him $1,000 for their instruments and have to raise money. Martin tries to convince Susan, the credit union manager for a local college,
 ==Cast==
 *[[Edd Byrnes]] as Dick Martin
 *[[Chris Noel]] as Susan
-*[[Robert Logan]] as Bango
+*[[Robert Logan Jr.|Robert Logan]] as Bango
 *[[Gail Gilmore]] as Deborah
 *[[Aron Kincaid]] as Jack
-*[[Mikki Jamison]] as Augusta
+*Mikki Jamison as Augusta
-*[[Don Edmonds]] as Bob
+*Don Edmonds as Bob
 *[[Brenda Benet]] as Samantha
-*[[Anna Lavelle]] as Polly
+*Anna Lavelle as Polly
-*[[James Wellman]] as Mr. Wolf
+*James Wellman as Mr. Wolf
 *[[The Supremes]] ([[Florence Ballard]], [[Diana Ross]] and [[Mary Wilson (singer)|Mary Wilson]])
 *[[The Four Seasons (band)|The Four Seasons]]
@@ Line 39: / Line 47: @@
 *[[The Hondells]]
 *[[The Walker Brothers]]
-*[[Dick Miller]]
+*[[Dick Miller]] as a cop
+* [[Sid Haig]] as Drummer for Righteous Brothers ([[Cameo appearance|Uncredited role]])
 ==Production==
+The film was produced by Bart Patton, an actor who did some production work for Roger Corman. Corman  gave him $100,000 to make a beach party movie, of which $22,000 (or $25,000, accounts differ) was already earmarked to Edd Byrnes. Patton wanted to direct but Corman did not let him having already hired comic Lennie Weinrib to make his debut as director. (Patton and Weinrib would later form a production company.) <ref>Lisanti, p. 161</ref><ref>Albright p 177</ref>
-[[Stephanie Rothman]] worked on the movie as a production assistant.
+According to ''Filmink'' "Roger Corman was never a great one for making musicals – he disliked the genre on the whole, and there are few on his CV. However, the profits made in the mid-‘60s by beach party movies were too alluring for him to ignore and he kicked in a few bucks for some of those."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|date=18 May 2024|title=Top Ten Corman – Part Five, Gene Corman|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/top-ten-corman-part-five-gene-corman/}}</ref>
-[[Tommy Kirk]] was originally announced as male star.<ref>'Featured Roles', ''Los Angeles Times'' (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 30 Nov 1964: C21.</ref>
+[[Stephanie Rothman]] worked on the movie as a production assistant, shooting second unit for the car chase scene with Aaron Kincaid.<ref name="oral">{{cite web|url=https://static.library.ucla.edu/oralhistory/pdf/submasters/21198-zz00097r4w-1-submaster.pdf|website=UCLA Library Center for Oral History Research|title=Interview of Stephanie Rothman}}</ref> [[Gary Kurtz]] was assistant director. Patton thought Corman hired Weinrib to direct "because he was a comic and it was a comedy. That was Roger's thinking."<ref>Albright p 177</ref>
+In November 1964 [[Tommy Kirk]] was originally announced as male star along with Noel Edmonds.<ref>'Featured Roles', ''Los Angeles Times'' 30 Nov 1964: C21.</ref> In December 1964 Chris Noel signed and Kirk was still attached.<ref>ilmland Events: Henry King to Film Story of Guadalupe ''Los Angeles Times'' 3 Dec 1964: D9.</ref> Kirk eventually dropped out of the film and was replaced by Edd Byrnes.<ref name="vagg">{{cite magazine|magazine=Diabolique Magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=The Cinema of Tommy Kirk|url=https://diaboliquemagazine.com/the-cinema-of-tommy-kirk/|date=9 September 2019}}</ref>
+Byrnes called it "a typical mindless beach movie in the spirit of Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello" and said he was "continually offered this type of film after I was released from my contract at Warner Brothers. However, the producers of ''Beach Ball'' were going to give me so much money, it would have been ridiculous to turn down Paramount’s generous offer." Byrnes enjoyed making the film calling it a "romp" but he refused to make any more beach moves.<ref>{{cite book|pages=116–117|first=Ed|last=Byrnes|url=https://archive.org/details/eddbyrneskookien0000byrn/page/117/mode/1up?|title=Kookie No More|year=1996|isbn=978-1-56980-092-8 }}</ref>
+Noel says Byrnes was "a jerk" during the making of the film although the two of them later became friends.<ref>Lisanti, p. 164</ref>
+[[The Supremes]] were paid $2,500 to appear in the film. [[The Righteous Brothers]] got $500 and the [[Hondells]] $400.<ref>Lisanti, p. 166</ref>
+==Reception==
+Corman pre-sold the film to Paramount for $350,000 and it made $1 million at the box office.<ref name="tom"/> (Another account says the film was made for $137,000 and sold to Paramount for $225,000.<ref name="afi"/>) Patton claimed "''Beach Ball'' was the last of the struggling attempts to compete with AIP. After that, nobody gave a crap about beach films or ski films or spy spoofs."<ref>Albright p 178</ref>
+The quality of the film impressed Lew Wasserman at Universal, who signed Patton to a two-picture deal: ''[[Wild Wild Winter]]'' and ''[[Out of Sight (1966 film)|Out of Sight]]''.<ref>Albright pp 177-178</ref>
+===Critical===
+''Variety'' wrote "A bouillabaisse of all the tried and true surfing ingredients, this loud, lively pic should prove a winner with the adolescent set. An innocuous plot, lots of bikini scenery, and endless rock 'n’ roll featuring top selling recording personalities, assure boxoffice success. "<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Beach Ball|page=253|url=https://archive.org/details/varietyfilmrevie0011unse/page/n253/mode/1up?|title=Variety Film Reviews 1964-1967|year=1983}}</ref>
+''Filmink'' wrote "it’s hard to tell the characters apart at times – this was a lesson the AIP knock-offs never learned from AIP beach party movies, which generally had distinctive characters. However, it’s a lot of fun."<ref>{{cite magazine|date=13 December 2024|access-date=13 December 2024|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/beach-party-movies-part-three-over-exposure/|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=Beach Party Movies Part Three: Over exposure}}</ref>
 ==See also==
@@ Line 51: / Line 79: @@
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
+==Notes==
+*{{cite book|title= Wild beyond belief! : interviews with exploitation filmmakers of the 1960s and 1970s|last=Albright|first= Brian|year=2008|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-3689-7 |url=https://archive.org/details/wildbeyondbelief0000albr/page/177/mode/1up}}
 ==External links==
 *{{IMDb title|0058952}}
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20190330121340/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6f29474c Beach Ball] at BFI
+*[http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/68235/Beach-Ball/ Beach Ball] at [[TCMDB]]
+*[https://archive.org/details/pressbook-paramount-beach-ball/mode/2up? Beach Ball press kit] at [[Internet Archive]]
 {{Stephanie Rothman}}
 [[Category:1965 films]]
-[[Category:American films]]
+[[Category:Beach party films]]
-[[Category:Beach party films]]
+[[Category:1960s English-language films]]
-[[Category:English-language films]]
+[[Category:1965 musical comedy films]]
-[[Category:1960s musical comedy films]]
 [[Category:American musical comedy films]]
 [[Category:Films produced by Gene Corman]]
+[[Category:Teensploitation]]
+[[Category:1960s American films]]
-{{musical-comedy-film-stub}}
+[[Category:English-language musical comedy films]]