The happiest millionaire 1967 tommy steele as john. His daughter, cordelia drexel biddle, tires of the unusual antics of her fatherespecially since the nice young men around town all fear him. The film was adapted from a shortlived play, which itself was based on cordelias reallife memoirs. The happiest millionaire contains one of richard and robert shermans best scores. This article is within the scope of wikiproject film. The score was by the poppins boys, the milieu was populated by servants and their employees, and the cast included talented, appealing performers, both freshfaced and veteran. Lesley ann warren and joyce bulifant bring happiest. Yup, this is a movie that is real and exists, much to my dismay. It is too much of a smile even for a walt disney movie. Wouldnt you fear a fatherinlaw that keeps alligators for pets and teaches boxing at his daily bible classes. The biddle mansion is the gathering place for a pugilistic boxing class, pet alligators and wouldbe opera singers.
The happiest millionaire 1967 the blonde at the film. Watch the happiest millionaire online stream full movie. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comic con sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. The film, featuring music by the sherman brothers, was nominated for an academy award for best costume design by bill thomas. Very near the end of his life, walt watched a rough cut of the happiest millionaire, and conferred with staff on how to edit into something below three hours in length. It is an attempt to portray real characters and real issues with largerthanlife musical numbers and a. Jun 21, 2014 the happiest millionaire 1967 after having completed mary poppins in 1965, walt disneys enthusiasm for musical films was at an alltime high, and with the recently purchased rights to cordelia drexel biddles bookplay the happiest millionaire in his hands he couldnt resist turning the story into a musical in the vein of poppins. Its an intolerably long movie about a disneylike paterfamilias dealing with family problems. Uk 5 april 1968 london premiere denmark 9 august 1968.
As the last complete film that walt disney was to oversee before his death, its one of his best latterday works. Meet the cast and learn more about the stars of the happiest millionaire with exclusive news, pictures, videos and more at. The happiest millionaire didnt perform as well at the box office as was hoped. Adapted from the book and play of the same name, the happiest millionaire is the mostly true story of eccentric philadelphia millionaire anthony j. Drexel biddle macmurray, is a militant industrialist urging americas mobilization against germany, and noteworthy for an eccentric lifestyle that includes his. The happiest millionaire soundtrack from 1967, composed by richard m. Oct 12, 2017 the stars of the classic 1967 disney film will reprise their roles in a december 3 benefit concert at joes pub. Released in 1967, a watershed year for youth culture and social upheaval, the happiest millionaire romanticizes philadelphias upper crust circa 1916. The happiest millionaire, the last film walt disney oversaw, is a grandscale production in the style of the classic musicals of the day. The happiest millionaire 1967 silver scenes a blog.
But when walt passed away on december 15, 1966, the film was in still very much in flux. Tommy steele has just about the widest, toothiest smile ive ever seen. Here at home, philadelphias fashionable and socially prominent walnut street was involved daily in another kind of turmoil, but of a hilarious nature and caused by one of the most colorful and exciting personalities our nation has ever known. Its easy to see some of the charm in it, but there are bigger reasons on why it was so hard to enjoy. Happiest millionaire, the film in words and music, this is the story of the happiest millionaire, nonconformist anthony j. Along toward the third hour of the happiest millionaire, you begin to suspect its a fully automated smile that pops open and snaps shut in response to a transistor concealed somewhere in greer garsons hair. Greer garson as his cool and understanding wife and lesley ann warren and john davidson as a pair of beautiful and handsome young lovers. The happiest millionaire 1967 directed by norman tokar.
Drexel biddle, and his unusual philadephia family, seen through the eyes of their new to the u. The happiest millionaire premiered on june 23rd, 1967 in hollywood. The happiest millionaire complete title count basie captures walt disneys the happiest millionaire is an album by pianist and bandleader count basie and his orchestra featuring performances of tunes featured in walt disneys motion picture the happiest millionaire recorded in 1967 and released on the coliseum label track listing. Terms of activation by activating, you agree that you want to enable cloud technology to access your xfinity stream subscription on additional supported devices like computers and tablets, as well as the tv connected to your settop dvr via comcasts network. Spain 28 october 1968 madrid finland 22 november 1968. It took her two nights to get through, but she thoroughly enjoyed the film and has now watched it countless times. The biddle mansion is the gathering place for a pugilistic boxing class, pet alligators and wouldbe. One of the last liveaction films personally nurtured by walt disney, this musical romp about an eccentric alligators in the study. Lesley ann warren and joyce bulifant bring happiest millionaire to life onstage news. That may be the real key to the happiest millionaire wound up being such a bore.
The movie starred fred macmurry and the premiere was held at the boyd theater located at 1908 chestnut street on october 20,1967. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. The happiest millionaire is a 1967 musical film starring fred macmurray and based upon the true story of philadelphia millionaire anthony j. Based on a true story fred mcmurray plays the role of an outrageously eccentric millionaire. The happiest millionaire 1967 norman tokar synopsis. Sure,its not up to their splendid mary poppins music,but it is lovely and enjoyable on its own terms.
The stars of the classic 1967 disney film will reprise their roles in a december 3 benefit concert at joes pub. Unfortunately, millionaire onscreen lacks the charm and more importantly the focus. Fred was known to be a sax player and the picture is of him holding my sax. The happiest millionaire is a 1967 musical film starring fred macmurray, based upon the true story of philadelphia millionaire anthony j. The movie starred fred macmurry and the premiere was held at the boyd theater located at 1908 chestnut street on october 20, 1967. The entire film is here with overture, entracte and exit music and comes in at a sorebottom length of just under three hours. The actormodel will join the original star of the classic 1967 disney film in a december 3 benefit concert at joes pub. The best songs are it wont be long till christmas and are we dancing. The film received an academy award nomination for costume design by bill thomas and the musical song score is by the sherman brothers. A happy and unbelievably lucky young irish immigrant, john lawless, lands a job as the butler of an unconventional millionaire, biddle.
Which is why i find the critical drubbing its taken. His daughter, cordelia drexel biddle, tires of the. Brooke shields will help lesley ann warren bring happiest millionaire to. The film shows a title card that states the play is based off a. We are first introduced to this family through john lawless tommy steele, a slick, optimistic irish immigrant seeking the position of butler. Perhaps it was the writing, but macmurray was always better in more loveable, understated roles. Drexel biddle, but walt disney awarded the role to his favorite actor, fred macmurray. I said it was released in 1966, it was 1967 so its 50 years old.
With fred macmurray, tommy steele, greer garson, gladys cooper. If you like the happiest millionaire you are looking for humorous, sentimental and touching movies about with family, romance, school, martial arts, cinderella story, family relations and rich and poor themes of comedy, family and musical genre shot in usa. The setting is the early years of the 20th century, prior to the debut of television and modern day electronics. In fact she rates the happiest millionaire as high as her all time fave calamity jane, hence our 5 rating. This was the full 172 minute cut of the film, which included an overture, intermission, and exit music. The happiest millionaire 1967 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Staring john davidson, greer garson, tommy steele and hermione baddeley. Dec 28, 2011 pet alligators roaming the conservatory, a bibleandboxing school in the stables, and a delightfully eccentric millionaire make for unrestrained pandemonium in this musical extravaganza. The happiest millionaire 1967 a blog for classic film. Shooting was completed on the happiest millionaire when walt disney died in december 1966, but the editing dragged on as you can imagine from all the different versions.
Sep 14, 2016 shooting was completed on the happiest millionaire when walt disney died in december 1966, but the editing dragged on as you can imagine from all the different versions. Mcmurrays character teaches boxing and keeps a gang of alligators as pets. Best movies like the happiest millionaire bestsimilar. I had these pictures from an outing of the band to help kick off the premier showing of the happiest millionaire in philadelphia.
The happiest millionaire complete title count basie captures walt disneys the happiest millionaire is an album by pianist and bandleader count basie and his orchestra featuring performances of tunes featured in walt disneys motion picture the happiest millionaire recorded in 1967 and released on the coliseum label. On paper, the happiest millionaire must have seemed like a surefire musical hit in the profitable mary poppins vein. The year is 1916, and in the busy household on rittenhouse square each of the family members has hopes and dreams. Pet alligators roaming the conservatory, a bibleandboxing school in the stables, and a delightfully eccentric millionaire make for unrestrained pandemonium in this musical extravaganza. Memorable quotes and exchanges from movies, tv series and more.
The happiest millionaire 1967 tommy steele as john lawless. When cordy goes to boarding school and becomes engaged to handsome heir angier duke john davidson, its up to john the butler. Watch the happiest millionaire online 1967 movie yidio. Read the full synopsis of the happiest millionaire, 1967, directed by norman tokar, with fred macmurray, tommy steele, greer garson, at turner classic movies. The last liveaction film that walt disney worked on. I do not own the rights to this film and no infringement is intended. Feb 02, 20 i do not own the rights to this film and no infringement is intended. In the happiest millionaire, on the other hand, you get the definite feeling that the movie was put together with every piece pretested for audience appeal.
The happiest millionaire 1967 approved 2h 21min comedy, family, musical 7 december 1967 australia a happy and unbelievably lucky young irish immigrant, john lawless, lands a job as the butler of an unconventional millionaire, biddle. At the time of his death, the crew had completed principal photography, but postproduction had not begun. This was the last liveaction film to personally supervised by walt disney. The happiest millionaire 1967 after having completed mary poppins in 1965, walt disneys enthusiasm for musical films was at an alltime high, and with the recently purchased rights to cordelia drexel biddles bookplay the happiest millionaire in his hands he couldnt resist turning the story into a musical in the vein of poppins.
The film was finally released in june, 1967, though it hit some major cities in december for christmas. The film, featuring music by the sherman brothers, was nominated for an academy award for best costume design by. It was with this film that the studios trend of subjecting its liveaction musicals wholesale cuts began. Brooke shields will help lesley ann warren bring happiest. Happiest millionaire, the the year was 1916 and the european continent was embroiled in world war i. In an attempt to broaden its appeal, the disney studio shortened the feature from 159 minutes to 144, then trimmed it down even more, to 1 minutes. Happiest millionaire, the on dvd 786936233810 from disney buena vista. Released by walt disney records in 2002 607817 containing music from the happiest millionaire 1967. Fred macmurray presides over a philadelphia mansion where just about anything can happen.
When cordy goes to boarding school and becomes engaged to handsome heir angier duke john davidson, its. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see lists of open tasks and regional and topical task forces. Disneys dvd of the happiest millionaire is a plainwrap affair. Sep 19, 20 the film ends with ending credits and exit music. As a result, unlike mary poppins the success of which inspired this film s creation, the happiest millionaire is not a fantasy musical. Clever yet hapless new butler john lawless tommy steele manages a philadelphia household for quirky and joyful millionaire anthony drexel biddle fred macmurray, his unflappable wife, cordelia greer garson, and their spitfire daughter, cordy lesley ann warren. Its 1916, and the wealthy drexelbiddle family is prominent in philadelphia. The happiest millionaire was released a year after walt disneys death, and it looks like a personal disney production that lacks his finesse and judgment.
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