Mad Mad Mad Mad World

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If anyone has any questions or wants to contribute to this page, please contact me here.

This is a personal fan site I made for the movie Its A Mad Mad Mad Mad World (Wikipedia page), one of my all-time favorite movies. I made this page with the understanding that it's covered under fair use (17 U.S.C. § 107), but that's just for CYA. On the other hand if anyone at United Artists takes issue with this page, feel free to contact me. I am, first and foremost, a fan. I want more people to see and enjoy the movie, so I've included links to the Amazon pages for the blu-ray version and the Criterion blu-ray version (dual format, with all the extras). None of the Amazon links go to anything sold by me or anyone I know. The links just go the general 'ships from and sold by Amazon' pages.

As a kid I used to quiz my father about what all of those weird jobs (what the heck is a grip?, a best boy?, a gaffer?) in the credits at the end of movies, so I included references to all of the jobs mentioned in the credits below.

The main images below are all 1280x??? resolution, so you might want to make sure your viewing resolution is at least 1280 pixels wide.

Mad Mad Mad Mad World on TV Tropes, Wikipedia.

Notes

Billing was a huge problem with such a large cast of famous names. Stanley Kramer finally decided to give Spencer Tracy top billing, since he was the biggest film name in the cast. He then billed the leading comedians in alphabetical order, followed by supporting players billed the same way. The only name which didn't conform to this credit ranking besides Tracy's was Jimmy Durante's. Kramer wanted to give him special mention to compensate for the brevity of his role. 1

The one great clown Stanley Kramer didn't even approach was Charles Chaplin. The producer-director thought it would be impossible, since Chaplin was living in self-imposed exile in Switzerland and was so wealthy no amount of money could have lured him back to the screen. 1

Bud Abbott, Edward Brophy, Wally Brown, and George Burns were all offered roles, but declined. 1

Note By John- This movie was filmed in 1962. Lou Costello died in 1959. 1

With $10 million in grosses in 1964, this was the second highest-grossing film of that year, just behind The Carpetbaggers (1964). As of 1970, it had made $60 million worldwide. 1

Harold Lloyd was offered a role in the film but declined, as he was happily retired. It is believed by some that he was to have played the Santa Rosita mayor. 1

The film was originally titled "Where, But In America?", then later changed to "One Damn Thing After Another", and then finally became "It's a Mad World". Writer William Rose and director Stanley Kramer added additional "Mad"s to the title as time progressed. Kramer had considered adding a fifth "Mad" to the title before deciding that it would be too much, but later regretted not doing so. 1

Premiered at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, CA, 11/7/63. It was the first film ever shown there. 1

The movie's musical beginning over the black screen causes some viewers today to think there is a defect in the video. 1

The first version of the screenplay was set in Scotland. William and Tania Rose originally envisaged it as a fairly small-scale British comedy akin to the many that Rose wrote during his years in Great Britain. Certain elements of the story are derived from Rose's famous script for "Genevieve". 1

The actual on-screen title of this movie is: "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World", with "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" being the poster title. 1

Big screen ensemble extravaganzas like this film, "Around the World in 80 Days" (1956) and others were an attempt to lure audiences back to the cinema. Television had become quite a competitive force in the mid century years and studios were feeling the loss of revenue. 1

For the launching of the film, the studio organized the most expensive press reception in the history of cinema at that time. Two hundred and fifty reporters from 26 countries were invited for four days of festivities, at a cost of $250,000. 1

An article about lost scenes.

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Crew

Aerial Supervisors

I did not find a description of aerial supervision as far as filming, but I did find this page about aerial direction/coordination, which seems to be very close.

The aerial director is responsible for all functions of airplanes and helicopters as they pertain to motion pictures, television, and commercials, including determining which planes are needed, putting together a budget, and filming from a chase plane.

Frank Tallman

Paul Mantz

Notes

While being uncredited for animating the titles with Saul Bass, this was the first major work for Bill Melendez Productions, which would latter become more famous by animating Peanuts media by Charles M. Schulz who contacted Bill Melendez and his studio after seeing this movie. 1

William Rose's original story outline indicated that the five principals who visit Smiler Grogan's crash site were intended for Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Phil Silvers, Jackie Gleason, and Red Skelton. Skelton was unable to take much time off from his television series The Red Skelton Hour (1951), and thus agreed to only make a cameo appearance in the film. However, his demands for a high salary led to Stanley Kramer turning him down. 1

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Crew

Animation Checker

From this job posting, the Animation Checker ensures consistent and complete delivery of production material to vendor studios and controls quality to reduce post-production costs.

Character Animator

A character animator brings animated characters to life, essentially an actor with a pencil. 8

Ink And Paint

In ink and paint, a drawing is copied onto a sheet of clear cellulose, the outline on one side and the painted/colored figure on the other. 8

Storyboards

Storyboards are a series of pre-production drawings, a blueprint/roadmap of what's going to happen. 8

Notes

In the opening title animation, a figure blows up the world and the actors' names scatter on the screen. For a very brief moment--only three frames, in fact--the letters form the names of the animators, including Bill Melendez, Bernard Gruver, and other animators. 1

In the animated sequence where a bicycle pump blows up the Earth there are a bunch of names flying around for a few frames, mostly people from the animation department. I found varying levels of attribution for these people. Some have a distinct, identifiable history like Jesse White (the radio operator in the air traffic control tower), and some have no attribution other than web pages listing names from this credit sequence. I've tried to keep the people below in descending certainty, from "this is definitely that person" to "I have no idea who this is or if I've even got the name right."

Actor, Airport Tower Radio Operator:

Jesse White

Animation Checker

Irene Wyman

Ink And Paint

Elenor Faith

Character Animation

Bill Melendez

Bror Lansing

Producion Manager: Animation

Adrian Woolery

Storyboards

Bernie Gruver

Bob Carlson

Ed Levitt

Animation:

Art Goodman

Charles Smith

Mary Cain

Mary Matthews

The animated credits show a "DNA Smith," who might be Danny Smith.

The animated creds show a Hugh Childs, who I could not find definite mention of online. I found three references to the Hugh Childs Award, people who won the award, having something to do with art, but I could not find anything about the award itself.

Other sites with lists of names from the credits mention an Oscar Dufau. In the animated credits I see Oscar H, R Hanssons, and To Oscar Hanssons. I wonder if this is an error on my part or the people making these other sites, or if there is a real person Oscar Dufau and a separate real person Oscar Hanssons.

Other sites also mention a Peder Lester, who may or may not be the Carl Pederson and/or A O Carlperson from the animated credits.

The art director was Gordon Gurnee, who may or may not be the Mad Mad Dog Gees from the animated credits.

I have not found anything about Bernard Halderson, Hellen Wells or Mary Kids.

Colonal Rhe

This one feels a bit iffy- does it refer to Robert Rheault? He served the US in the Korean War, joined the US Army Special Forces in 1961, later to have his career fall apart after the Green Beret Affair, a 1969 trial stemming from the killing of a suspected North Vietnamese double agent. Rheault was certainly active in 1962, but the trial was 7 years after the filming of Mad Mad Mad Mad World, so the animators couldn't have been reacting to the trial.

Or RHE could just be a reference to Rolling Hills Estates, a California city incorporated in 1959.

Federal Internal Revenue

Now the IRS, the Internal Revenue Service. Later in the movie, Jonathan Winters' character speaks quite strongly about whoever finds the 350 G's having to pay taxes on it.

Mau Mau

Mau Mau was a phrase, now considered offensive, defined by the Merriam Webster Dictionary as "to intimidate (someone, such as an official) through hostile confrontation or threats usually for social or political gain." The Mau Mau were an anti-European secret society in colonial Kenya.

Porfumo

Porfumo may be a reference to the Profumo Affair, a political scandal about John Profumo, British Secretary of War, having an affair with 19 year old Christine Keeler in 1961. 8

Yorty

Yorty may be a reference to Sam Yorty, mayor of Los Angeles from 1961 to 1973. Mad Mad Mad Mad World was filmed in 1962, so the timing fits this as a possibility. 8

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Crew

Art Director

An art director is responsible for the visual style of animation. 6

Director Of Photography

The director of photography reads the screenplay and work closely with the director to discuss the look and feel of a film. They then research how to create the look through lighting, framing and camera movement and what they will need in terms of kit and crew to achieve this. 6

Production Design

Production designers create the way a film or TV drama looks. Films can be set in any number of places; a Victorian orphanage, a Caribbean cruise ship, or another planet, for example. They work with all the other visual departments, costume, lighting, visual and special effects, and graphic design. They help create the visual world in which the story is set. 6

Technicolor

Technicolor is a series of color motion picture processes. 8

Ernest Laszlo

Gordon Gurnee

Rudolph Sternad

Notes

Bob Hope was to have a cameo in the film. During the production, Hope was arguing with the studio about the future projects that he was due in his contract, and they ultimately refused to allow him to appear. 1

Possibly as a reflection of the battle over billing, after the leading players' names are listed alphabetically, hands appear to shift various names to the top. 1

The next-to-last film for production designer Rudolph Sternad. He died eight months before it was released. 1

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Crew

Assisant Cameraman

Assuming an assistant cameraman is same/similar to a trainee camerman... 6

Camera trainees work with all members of the camera crew, but they usually work most closely with the second assistant camera (second AC) or clapper loader. They help prepare the kit at the beginning of the job and may be involved with camera and lens tests. They might mark actors’ positions during rehearsals and keep records, camera logs and other paperwork ready for the edit.

Assistant Director

The first assistant director (AD) is the director’s right hand. First ADs plan the filming schedule, working with the director, director of photography and other heads of department to ensure an efficient shoot. 6

Assistant Producer

As an assistant producer, you provide administrative and creative support to the producer of a film or TV production. Your job duties include organizing production activities, assisting with the management of the production budget, and participating in the post-production process.

Camera Operator

Camera operators are responsible for capturing the action. They shoot what’s happening, whether that’s on location for a news programme or documentary or a large multi-camera studio show or a major outside broadcast. They know which cameras to use in which conditions and consider the composition, framing and movement of a shot. 6

Film Editor

The editor puts together (cuts) the pictures (rushes) as they come in from the set (or lab, if the drama is being shot in celluloid). Films tend not to be shot in the order in which the story unfolds, so editors might be working on scenes from the end of the film before the beginning. Their job is to take scenes in non-story order and edit them bit-by-bit into a whole. 6

Production Coordinator

Production coordinators run the production office. When the line producer and production manager are on set, production coordinators are in charge of what goes on with the phones, photocopier and paperwork. 6

Production Manager

A production manager is the manager of below-the-line personnel on film productions. They are responsible for day-to-day tasks such as budgeting, transportation/facilitation, and scheduling. The Directors Guild of America refers to production managers as “unit production managers.” 9

Set Direction

A Set Decorator is similar to an interior designer, but for a movie set. This person focuses on adding small details; things like paintings, lamps, and rugs – to convincingly set the scene.

Sound Editor

The sound editor is the creative genius behind a video production’s selected sound. The final sound assortments play an artful role in calibrating the sound to the visual production. Depending on the scope of the production, some sounds are real-life captured on location. Other sounds are prerecorded and re-reenacted in the studio. Like the past, today some sounds are synthesized to create the desired sound effect. Sounds help to tie the viewer’s consciousness to what’s happening on the screen. The job entails knowing how to integrate the sound and control the volume to get the desired results. Mastering sounds is a remarkable task that’s recognized and awarded in the industry.

Sound Engineer

A sound engineer is responsible for the technical side of a recording or live performance. The sound engineer designs and manages sound levels and outputs, and is responsible for maintaining the physical sound equipment, like amps and microphones. When a sound engineer is working on a recording, the responsibility doesn't end with the act of recording the performance. The sound engineer is then responsible for editing, mixing and mastering the tracks so they present the best performance consistent with the artist's vision. 7

Casey Productions Inc

Casey Productions Inc is a production company that appears to have done only the one movie, Mad Mad Mad Mad World. 8

MPAA 8

Westrex Recording System 8

Notes

Walter Elliott (1903-1984) won an Academy Award for this film in the Sound Effects department at the 36th Academy Awards in 1964. His acceptance speech was very short: "From all of us in the mad, mad, mad world... Thank you very, very much". 1

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Crew

Assistant Company Grip

Trainee grips start the day by helping to unload the truck with the gear that supports the cameras. Under supervision from the qualified grips, they move the equipment to the right place on location. Trainee grips are on set throughout the day. At the end of each shot, they help put equipment away that’s no longer needed and set up the kit for the next shot. They do this until the end of filming and then they help put all the equipment away. The main role of trainee grips is to learn the trade. Grips’ equipment, cranes, jibs and dollies (the wheeled platform that carries a camera and a camera operator), can be used in different ways. Trainee grips watch everything that’s happening; learn how the gear is used and how to operate it. 6

Casting

In the performing arts industry such as theatre, film, or television, a casting (or casting call) is a pre-production process for selecting a certain type of actor, dancer, singer, or extra for a particular role or part in a script, screenplay, or teleplay. This process is typically utilized for a motion picture,[1] television program, documentary, music video, play, or television advertisement, etc. This involvement in a dramatic production, advertisement, and or industrial video is intended for an audience, or studio audience.

Chief Gaffer

Gaffers work closely with the director of photography (DoP) to bring to life the overall look of a film by creating and controlling light. They work with the DoP to understand the desired light effects and figure out how to achieve them. They go on recces too see how the lighting will work on location and draw up a list of the kit that will be needed to achieve the artistic vision. Then they pitch for the kit. They put in a request to the line producer for the equipment they need and appoint a best boy to hire the crew and order the gear. During filming, they work out the positioning of the lights and fastest way to change the lighting setups between shots. Gaffers mediate between the DoP and the rest of the lighting crew. They’re also responsible for safety and need to comply with the law on electricity, driving and employment. 6

Company Grip

Grips make sure that what the director and director of photography (DoP) want to achieve on a shoot is possible. While directors think of the artistry of the shots, grips work out how they are going to move the cameras to make that happen. Before filming starts, grips break down the script and work out with the DoP what equipment will be needed to support the cameras for each scene. They go on recces to check out the location. If filming’s in an extreme place, like the Sahara desert or the top of Everest, they might need to adapt the equipment for the camera manoeuvres. They hire the equipment, recruit the crew and manage the budget. On shooting days, grips get to set early to set up the equipment. As soon as the camera starts to roll, they anticipate all the camera moves and deal with the unexpected or directors changing their minds. Working closely with the DoP, they find solutions on the hoof while thinking about the preparations required for the next camera setup. At the end of each day's shooting, grips oversee the packing up of all camera-support equipment. When filming in public spaces key grips will play a major role keeping the shoot safe. They will often liaise directly with hire companies, event managers and the police to ensure the public and the cameras aren’t harmed. 6

Costume Designer

Costume is at the core of a film or TV drama. As well as contributing to the look, it helps actors feel emotionally connected to the character they are playing through wearing the character’s clothes. Costume designers design, create and hire the costumes for the cast. They start by working with directors, producers, writers, the production designer and hair and makeup designer to contribute to the look and storytelling of the production. They research, sketch and draw mood boards of characters and clothes to communicate the style. They then break down the script, working out what they need to create or hire. Working within tight budgets and deadlines, they recruit a team, organise a schedule of purchases and ensure the costumes are created on time for fittings. With the help of the team they schedule fittings and take photographs. These are then discussed with the producer and director and signed off. Once shooting starts, they are always on set whenever there are new actors or new looks. 6

Costume Supervisor

Costume supervisors keep everything shipshape in the 'wardrobe department' and thrive on being organised. They work mainly on very big multi-camera shows that require multiple outfits, such as talent competitions and game shows. Working to the costume designer’s plans, they coordinate the work of the department, work out what clothes and accessories need to be made, hired or bought, what staff are needed and where. They also organise storage and supervise the tasks that need doing to ensure all work is done to schedule and budget. Costume supervisors work with the costume designer to ensure costumes or outfits are of the standard they require, ready and prepared in time for fittings, rehearsals, recordings or live shows. During filming, they supervise continuity of outfits, the cleaning, maintenance and any repairs or adjustments. When filming is over, they supervise any cleaning, repairing and returns. Costume supervisors are usually freelance, unless attached to large in-house art departments. 6

Hairdresser

A hairdresser is a person whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair coloring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques. 8

Make Up

Cosmetics (makeup) are constituted mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either natural sources, or synthetically created ones. Cosmetics have various purposes. Those designed for personal care and skin care can be used to cleanse or protect the body or skin. Cosmetics designed to enhance or alter one's appearance (makeup) can be used to conceal blemishes, enhance one's natural features (such as the eyebrows and eyelashes), add color to a person's face, or change the appearance of the face entirely to resemble a different person, creature or object. Cosmetics can also be designed to add fragrance to the body. 8

Music Editor

Music editors are responsible for all the music in a film or TV production, including the soundtrack and any music created by the composer. The extent of their role varies considerably depending on the type of production concerned. On a medium-budget film, they usually start work while the film is being edited. They work with the director to decide on the purpose of the music, find a style to suit the story and mark the points in the film where music is required (spotting). Then they develop the temp (temporary) score. Music editors then work closely with a composer, who is usually appointed by the director, and who composes the music using the temp score as a template. The temp score is also used by the film editors to achieve the right tempo with the cut. Music editors often act as a bridge between the sound and picture teams. They attend all recording sessions, helping with any revisions and design a 'click track' which is used to help the musicians achieve synchronisation with the movie. Working with a specialist music mixer, they create different mixes, lay down the tracks and fit them exactly to the picture, ready for the final mix or dub. One of the final tasks for music editors on films is preparing the cue sheet - a detailed breakdown of all the music featured on soundtracks. This is sent to the Performing Rights Society and all exhibitors so that royalties can be paid every time the film is screened. 6

Property Master

A prop, or property, is any moveable item that can be seen on a film. It could be a hat, gun, cushion, wine glass, lightsaber, carpet, kitchen unit, tree or aircraft. Prop masters run the property department which makes, stores and transports the props as well as preps the props for each day’s shoot. Prop masters usually start work a few weeks before shooting begins. They work with production designers, set decorators and art directors to work out what props are needed. They do research and then draw up properties lists, deciding which are to be hired and which are to be made. They create a ‘set and strike’ schedule to share with location and construction departments Where props are to be made, prop masters recruit the carpenters, artists and prop makers and manage the schedule for production. Where they are hired, they work with the production buyers to source them. When shooting is finished, they return of all hired props and organise the sale or safe disposal of everything else. 6

Re-recording

Re-recording is the process by which the audio track of a film or video production is created. An Audio re-recording is often called a re-recording of music. As sound elements are mixed and combined the process necessitates "re-recording" all of the audio elements, such as dialogue, music, sound effects, by the sound re-recording mixer(s) to achieve the desired result, which is the final soundtrack that the audience hears when the finished film is played. 8

Script Supervisor

Film and TV dramas are usually shot entirely out of sequence. Shooting is organised according to the practicalities of location and availability of cast rather than the unfolding of the story. It’s the job of the script supervisor to check each filmed scene can be edited so it will make sense in the end. During pre-production script supervisors prepare a continuity breakdown; this is a document which analyses the script in terms of cast, actions, wardrobe and props in scenes and story days. Then they time the script, which is quite a skill in itself. Once filming starts, they closely monitor what’s happening to check no dialogue is overlooked and the actions and eye-lines of the actors match. They keep detailed written and photographic records of dialogue, action, costumes and props. All camera and lens details are noted along with the slate and scene number information. They keep a progress report of each day’s filming which goes to production and the visual effects (VFX) supervisor in the case of VFX shots. These records are invaluable. They mean directors and editors can find what’s been shot and what the options are for each scene. They mean that when different takes are edited together, the film is consistent and makes sense. 6

Art Cole

Art Dunham

Bill Thomas

Clem Portman

Connie Nichols CHS

George Lane SMA

Vinton Vernon

Stalmaster-Lister CO

Casting company owned by Lynn Stalmaster.

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Crew

Photographic Effects And Special Effects

I think, but I am not sure, that "photographic effects" in the context of early 1960's movie making might be what we now call "visual effects," as distinct from special effects. Here are 3 articles about various types of effects:

Difference Between Special Effects And Visual Effects

In-Camera Effects

Special Effects In Film

Process Photography

Rear projection (background projection, process photography, etc.) is one of many in-camera effects cinematic techniques in film production for combining foreground performances with pre-filmed backgrounds. It was widely used for many years in driving scenes, or to show other forms of "distant" background motion. 8

Sound Recording

Sound recording and reproduction is the electrical, mechanical, electronic, or digital inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording. 8

Stunt Supervision

The Stunt Coordinator is the head of the stunt team for a film shoot. Many Stunt Coordinators have a dedicated team of stunt performers that they bring with them from project to project. Stunt Coordinators plan out each stunt in a film and ensure that it is done safely. They also help in securing well-fit Stunt Doubles and train Stunt Performers as well as talent if they are doing any of their own stunts. 9

Carey Loftin

Danny Lee

Farciot Edouart ASC

Hal McAlpin

Irmin Roberts ASC

James B Gordon ASC

Linwood G Dunn ASC

Saul Bass

Film Effects Of Hollywood

Samuel Goldwyn Studio 8

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Crew

Ernest Gold

Mack David

Four Mads are apparently just the music department as a group.

Shirelles

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Ultra-Panavision 8

Notes

The film was shot in Ultra-Panavision, which was a wide-screen process that made it possible to shoot a film in Cinerama but with only one camera. 1

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Notes

Agoura

Kernville

Long Beach

Malibu

Oxnard

Palm Desert

Palm Springs

Palos Verdes Estates

San Pedro

Santa Ana

Santa Barbara

Santa Monica

Twentynine Palms

Universal City

Yucca Valley

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Crew

Ernest Gold

Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

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Crew

Tania Rose

William Rose

Screenplay

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Crew

Stanley Kramer as producer and director.

Director

Directors are the creative leads of the film. They hold the creative vision throughout the whole process, from pre-production through to the final edit. They are employed by the executive producer or producer, who is ultimately in charge of a production. Directors start with a script, and work with a screenwriter and sometimes a script editing team. It’s not uncommon for the director to be the screenwriter as well. 6

Producer

Producers are at the financial, practical and creative heart of a film or TV drama. They are often the first to get involved, spotting the creative opportunity and commercial viability of a production. They continue as the driving force right through to distribution. 6

Notes

The film's original title was "Something a Little Less Serious," a reference to Stanley Kramer's reputation as a producer and director of message films. 1

When the cast first assembled for a meeting with director Stanley Kramer, they were shown the stunts and second unit footage that had already been shot. Buddy Hackett was so impressed that he went to Kramer and asked, "What do you need US for?" 1

It became well known that Stanley Kramer was casting nearly every comedy performer he could think of. Some famous stars actually contacted Kramer to volunteer for the project or to inquire why they had not been contacted. 1

Stanley Kramer would later claim that this was the most difficult film he ever made. 1

Stanley Kramer, who was known for doing serious films like Inherit the Wind (1960) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), set out to make this the ultimate comedy film. 1

Stanley Kramer said that he allowed gambling on the set because it kept actors close by and thus let him use anyone on the spur of the moment. 1

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Establishing shot, Smiler headed downhill.

Locations

I was going to do a whole bit about filming locations, but here's a video made by some people that put way more work into finding the locations. Whatever location stuff I put in below, consider this video to be more accurate/overrule that.

Here's Cinemassacre's video about filming locations.

Here's The Movie District's page about filming locations.

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Locations

Bit too much space between spots on the left.

Notes

In the opening scene, when Smiler is passing all of the cars, a blue 1962 Plymouth sedan can be shown among the cars being passed. this was not one of the cars driven by the people who stop to help Smiler after the crash. 1

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Locations

Looks like the approach, with the (now removed) ramp just after the spot on the right.

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Locations

Smiler goes over the cliff.

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Locations

The ridge shape in the upper right looks right.

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Locations

The car appears to land around the lower left corner of this image. Gully on the left, clockwise turn on the right.

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Locations

Hard to locate, camera isn't on road.

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Notes

Film debut of Jonathan Winters. 1

Who's Driving What Car 1

Crumps - 1962 Plymouth Fury Station Wagon
Ding Bell - 1954 Volkswagen Convertible
Finches - 1962 Chrysler Imperial convertible
Hawthorne - 1955 Willys Jeep Station Wagon, later rented a 1961 Chevrolet Impala
Meyer - 1947 Ford Convertible, later stole a 1956 Ford Sunliner convertible
Pike - 1953 Ford C-600 Cabover
Smiler - 1957 Ford Fairlaine 500
Sylvester - 1962 Dodge Dart 440 Convertible

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Notes

After adjusting for inflation, the $350,000 treasure in 1963 would be equivalent to $3.1 million in 2021. 1

Jimmy Durante's cameo as "Smiler Grogan," complete with a closeup in Ultra Panavision, would be his final theatrical feature film. 1

When Smiler is lying in the rocks, there is a can of Brew 102 next to his head. Brew 102 was a notoriously low-quality beer brewed in Los Angeles that no longer exists. 1

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Actors

Buddy Hackett as Benji Benjamin

Rifleman, as Clarence Bibs.

Jimmy Durante as Smiler Grogan

Alice: Through The Looking Glass, as Humpty Dumpty.

Frosty The Snowman, as the narrator.

You're In The Army Now, as Jeeper Smith.

Jonathan Winters as Lennie Pike

Aah Real Monsters, as the Wodget.

Alice Through The Looking Glass, as Tweedle Dumb.

Animaniacs, as Stinkbomb D Bassett.

Captain Planet, as Eco The Clown.

Fish Police, as Mayor Cod.

Johnny Bravo, as Old Clown (red pants).

Pound Puppies, as Sidney Bigelow.

Smurfs (movie), as Papa Smurf.

Smurfs (TV show), as Grandpa Smurf.

Tiny Toons, as Sappy Stanley.

Tiny Toons, as Wade Pig.

Twilight Zone, as Fats Brown.

Mickey Rooney as Dingy Bell

American Dad, as Short Producer

Andy Hardy series, as Andy Hardy.

Babes In Arms, as Mickey Moran.

Breakfast At Tiffany's, as Mr. Yunioshi.

Care Bears, as Nicholas Cherrywood.

Fox And Hound, as Todd the hound.

Kleo The Misfit Unicorn, as Talbut.

Mickey McGuire series, as Mickey McGuire.

Night At The Museum, as Gus.

Oswald The Lucky Rabbit series, as Oswald the rabbit.

Private Lives Of Adam And Eve, as the devil.

Milton Berle as J Russell Finch

Batman (1960's TV), as Louie The Lilac

Journey Back To Oz, as the Cowardly Lion

Muppet Movie, as Mad Man Mooney

Sid Caesar as Melville Crump

Alice In Wonderland, as the gryphon.

History Of The World Part 1, as a caveman.

Intergalactic Thanksgiving, as King Goochi.

Sesame Street, as The Professor.

Notes

Stanley Kramer cast Jimmy Durante as the crook who dies in the first scene because he felt the actor's face could be both funny and tragic at the same time. 1

The 1.37:1 pan/scan version--first telecast in 1972 and released on VHS in the 1980s and 1990s--cropped off approximately 50% of the original 2.76:1 wide-screen image, mutilating the composition of almost every scene. It also constantly eliminated--completely or partially--key characters prominently featured in the original shots. 1

"Benjy Benjamin" (Buddy Hackett) is the only male in the main cast who doesn't drive a car at any point in the movie. 1

Although Jimmy Durante's character literally kicks the bucket early in this film, the veteran comedian would continue to do acting and voiceover work for almost another decade, until he retired due to health issues in 1972. 1

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Notes

When Smiler Grogan kicks the bucket, the closeup is actually stunt supervisor Carey Loftin giving the bucket the send-off. 1

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Locations

There's no way the car was that close to the ramp...no, Smiler fell out of the car before the car landed.

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Actors

Nicholas Georgiade as a detective.

Norman Fell as a detective.

Three's Company, as Mr. Roper.

Notes

According to Nicholas Georgiade, he was to have another scene in which his character had a police radio conversation with Capt Culpeper. The scene was ultimately not filmed. 1

This film features both the original landlord (Norman Fell) and his replacement (Don Knotts) from Three's Company (1976). 1

Paul Picerni was originally cast as the second detective at Smiler Grogan's crash site. Picerni was unable to appear in the film, but he recommended fellow The Untouchables (1959) castmate Nicholas Georgiade for the role. 1

The detectives who show up at the site where Smiler Grogan (Jimmy Durante) crashed had both played plainclothes cops in early 1960s television crime shows. Norman Fell portrayed Det. Meyer Meyer in 87th Precinct (1961) and Nicholas Georgiade was Agent Enrico Rossi in The Untouchables (1959). 1

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Actors

Dorothy Provine as Emiline Finch.

Ethyl Merman as Mrs. Marcus.

Airplane, as Lt. Hurwitz.

Bataman (1960s TV), as Lola Lasagne.

Journey Back To Oz, as Mombi.

Notes

The roles of Melville and Monica Crump were originally larger roles written for Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. When production of The Judy Garland Show (1963) ran into trouble, Garland had to turn down the part. Rooney eventually got the role of Ding "Dingy" Bell. Edie Adams, who was originally cast as Emeline, got the role of Monica. Ernie Kovacs--who was Adams' husband--was cast as Melville, but was killed in a car crash before shooting began. Sid Caesar replaced him. 1

The film's producers struck a deal with Chrysler to supply the bulk of the automobiles in the film. Among the vehicles supplied by Chrysler are Milton Berle's Imperial convertible, Sid Caesar's Dodge station wagon, at least two 1957 Plymouth Belvederes appearing as taxi cabs and countless, generic-looking black Dodge and Plymouth sedans, playing cop cars. 1

According to an article in the 27 January 1962 edition of the Los Angeles Times, Carol Channing was cast in the role that eventually went to Edie Adams. 1

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Actors

Edie Adams as Monica Crump.

Edie Adams almost didn't accept the role of Monica because her husband Ernie Kovacs had been killed in an auto accident a few months earlier. However, she did accept because Kovacs had died deeply in debt and she had vowed to pay off all of her husband's creditors--a pledge she fulfilled by accepting this and all other roles she was offered after his death. 1

Notes

Sid Caesar got into a screaming battle with writer William Rose about re-writing his lines. Stanley Kramer defused the situation by bringing out Spencer Tracy and introducing him to the comic. 1

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Actors

Zasu Pitts, as police operator.

Destry Rides Again, as temperance worker.

Notes

Final film of Zasu Pitts, who died of cancer four months before its release. 1

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Actors

Alan Carney, as police sergeant

Charles McGraw, as Lt. Matthews

Spartacus, as Marcellus.

Spencer Tracy, as Captain T G Culpepper

Bad Day At Black Rock, as John MacReady

Boys Town, as Father Flannagan

Guess Whos Coming To Dinner, as Matt Drayton

Notes

Spencer Tracy says the illicit money comes from a tuna cannery robbery, presumably in Santa Rosita. The actual location shots of the fictional town include the port cities of Long Beach and San Pedro, both hubs for the fishing and fish canning industries at the time. 1

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Actors

Andy Devine, as Crockett County sheriff.

Batman (1960s TV), as Santa.

How The West Was Won, as Corporal Peterson.

The Mouse and His Child, as the frog.

Robin Hood, as Friar Tuck.

Stan Freberg, as deputy sheriff.

Duck Dogers, as the gopher king.

Freakazoid, as Moron.

Lady And The Tramp, as Mr. Busy.

Little Go Beep, as Cage E Coyote (father to Wile E Coyote).

Robin Hood, as the rhino guards.

Time For Beany, as Cecil The Seasick Sea Serpent.

Notes

Aside from his parody songs and skits, Stan Freberg was known chiefly for his voice, providing voice-overs on numerous commercials during his career. His character in the movie sat in the background and never uttered a word. 1

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Actors

Madlyn Rhue as Secretary Schwartz.

Star Trek, as Lt. Marla McGivers (who falls in love with Khan).

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Locations

The Santa Rosita Police Department is at 600 Long Beach Blvd, Long Beach, CA.

Notes

Many of the locations for "Santa Rosita" were filmed in Long Beach, CA. The "Santa Rosita" Police Department was in real life the main branch of the YMCA at 6th and Long Beach Blvd. The hardware store the Crumps were locked in was at 5th and Locust. 1

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Actors

Jerry Lewis, as driver who runs over hat.

The Day The Clown Cried, as the clown.

Lil Abner, as Itchy McRabbit.

Simpsons, as John Frink Sr.

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Actors

Harp McGuire, as a policeman.

Robert Karnes, as a policeman.

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Actors

William Demarest, as police chief Aloysius.

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Notes

Jonathan Winters reminds us that even businessmen who rob, and cheat, and steal every day, even they have to pay taxes.

Yes, buried treasure does appear to be taxable.

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Locations

These two are pulled over right about here. There's at least one other place with a turnout on the right, just before a right hand turn, but this is the only one with a ridge line (just left of straight ahead) similar to the screenshot.

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Actors

Jean Sewell as the farmer who did want to move to California.

Nick Stewart (also here) as the farmer who didn't want to move to California.

Song Of The South, as Brer Bear.

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Locations

Should be here.

Notes

Much of the film was shot on location in Palm Springs, CA, during a very hot summer. Stanley Kramer set up an air-conditioned truck filled with benches, stools, and chairs where the cast could cool off between shots. 1

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Notes

Buddy Hackett's character begins the film as a passenger in Mickey Rooney's character's car, an early 1960s Volkswagen Beetle. Hackett would later co-star in a film with a much more famous 1960s Volkswagen Beetle, The Love Bug (1968). In both films he never drives the Beetle, and is a passenger. Also, the Volkswagen Beetle featured in both films are early 1960s models, though in this film, it's a red convertible and in the other, a pearl white hardtop with a cloth sunroof. 1

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Notes

Most of the desert "chase" scenes were filmed near what is now Palm Desert, CA. If you look closely, you will see a road sign for Hwy 74, which runs south from the heart of the city of Palm Desert. The vast open spaces are now largely residential country clubs with golf courses. The chase scenes not set in the desert were mostly filmed along Hwy 101 between Woodland Hills and Agoura Hills, with a few scenes filmed in Malibu and Port Hueneme. The Mobil gas station where Don Knotts loses his car is now Wood Ranch Grill in Agoura Hills. The red Dodge and the blue Chevy overturn into a creek at Agoura Road and Vejar Drive in Agoura Hills. 1

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Actors

Ben Blue, as a pilot.

Bobo Lewis, as the pilot's wife.

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Actors

Terry-Thomas, as J Algernon Hawthorne.

Abominable Dr. Phibes, as Longstreet.

Inspector Gadget, as the archaeologist.

Notes

The role of Col. Algernon Hawthorne was originally written for Peter Sellers, but he asked for too much money and the role went to Terry-Thomas. 1

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Notes

Of all the accidents that happen throughout the film, blood only occurs twice. The first time is when Russell punches Hawthorne in the nose. The second time is when Mrs. Marcus crashes in the tow truck. Both times the blood isn't even seen. 1

Terry Thomas mentions he is doing laision work at Vandenberg Air Force Base, which is located near Lompoc, CA on the state's central coast. He states his rank is Lt. Colonel, presumably in the RAF. Such military coalition arrangements were quite common, and still occur today (2022). 1

Although Ethel Merman derides Milton Berle for investing in a company that produces edible seaweed, the concept of consuming sea vegetables (as kelp and seaweed came to be called) would become part of a healthy alternative diet a few decades later. 1

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Notes

Milton Berle always made sure he was the last person left on camera any time he was in a group scene. He even invented bits of business that kept him on screen longer than the others. 1

Milton Berle's character is six months younger than his mother-in-law played by Ethel Merman. 1

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Actors

Phil Silvers, as Otto Meyer.

Notes

Phil Silvers held regular crap games on the set. Stanley Kramer once said that Silvers was the biggest gambler he had ever seen in or out of Las Vegas. Milton Berle said in an interview that Silvers lost the most money during the crap games. 1

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Notes

Ray And Irwin's Garage on Instagram.

Ray And Irwin's Garage t-shirts. I don't know these people, nor do I profit from these sales.

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Actors

Charles Lane, as the airport manager.

Aristocats, as George Hartecourt.

It's A Wonderful Life, as the real estate salesman.

Notes

Eve Bruce filmed a scene as a showgirl who asks Benjy Benjamin and Ding Bell to help her put on suntan lotion. The scene was eventually cut and she is uncredited. 1

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Actors

Ben Lessy as Tyler Fitzgerald's valet.

Jim Backus as Tyler Fitzgerald.

Bugs Bunny cartoons, as Smokey the Genie.

Mr. Magoo cartoons, as Mr. Magoo.

Notes

At one point Jim Backus, playing the inebriated pilot Tyler Fitzgerald, says, "It's the only way to fly." This was also the slogan for Western Airlines, which Backus voiced the company's commercials. 1

Jim Backus also played a Korean War Pilot vet turned TWA supervisor at JFK in the 1963 film, Sunday in New York (1963). 1

When Jim Backus claims not to be able to see, it's likely a broad wink at the cartoon character he voiced, the nearsighted Mr. Magoo. 1

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Notes

When this film was made, there were about 100 stunt performers in the United States. About 80 of them worked on this film. 1

The slapstick stunts were conceived on such a grand scale that they required 39 stunt men at a cost of $252,000. 1

Note By John- Well, was it 39 or 80?

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Actors

Arnold Stang as Ray.

Catfish cartoons, as Catfish.

Courage The Cowardly Dog, as the duck.

Courage The Cowardly Dog, as the rat.

Garfield And Friends, as Irwin Mouse.

Hercules In New York, as Pretzie.

Harman cartoons, as Herman the mouse.

Raggedy Ann And Andy, as Queasy the parrot.

Tales From The Dark Side, as Tapok the mummy.

Topcat cartoons, as Topcat.

Marvin Kaplan as Irwin.

Topcat cartoons, as Choo Choo.

Notes

In the scene where Pike is attacking Meyer at Irwin and Ray's Garage, Jonathan Winters actually injured Phil Silvers at least twice, as can be seen by Silvers' reactions to getting hit: once when Pike rams the back of Meyer's head into a gas pump a little too hard, and again at least once when he is hitting Meyer with a pair of new tires. 1

During filming of the infamous "gas station" destruction, Jonathan Winters was accidentally left on stage and completely bound in thick tape. Hours later, when the cast returned from lunch, they found that he had not even been able to free his arms from the chair. In retaliation, Winters gave a three-hour lecture to Arnold Stang and Marvin Kaplan on forced potty training. 1

When Jonathan Winters backed the truck into the water tower, it actually fell too soon, before the truck actually hit it. To compensate, special effects split the screen and slowed down the side with the water tower so that the fall would coincide with the hit. 1

Arnold Stang broke his left forearm just days before his scenes were shot. In all shots he wears a garage workman's gloves on both hands and his left arm is always crooked, and held in place by a cast concealed under his garage uniform. 1

Arnold Stang said in an interview that Stanley Kramer had offered to replace him in the cast at full pay since Stang's arm had been broken. Stang said that he told Kramer he would have taken the role even if he had lost his arm. 1

The role of Irwin the garage mechanic, played by Marvin Kaplan, was originally offered to Joe Besser. Besser was unable to participate when Sheldon Leonard and Danny Thomas could not give him time off from his co-starring role in the TV sitcom The Joey Bishop Show (1961). The role was then offered to Jackie Mason and finally to Stang's fellow voice artist Marvin Kaplan. Had Besser been able to accept the role, this film would have featured four of the six actors who played The Three Stooges. 1

Allen Jenkins, Arnold Stang and Marvin Kaplan, who have minor roles in this film, had starred in the animated cartoon Top Cat (1961), which was majorly inspired by Phil Silvers's show The Phil Silvers Show (1955). 1

Marvin Kaplan said that he and Arnold Stang were given the job of "entertaining" Jonathan Winters during the periods in between his scenes. 1

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Notes

The role of Ray (one of the gas station attendants) was intended for Jackie Mason. Mason withdrew due to his nightclub commitments and Arnold Stang replaced him at late notice. 1

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Locations

Good shot looking out of Ray and Irwin's garage. Hard to tell, but I could see it matching this image.

Notes

The tow truck that Pike takes from the gas station is a 1951 Dodge M-37. 1

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Locations

The hills in MMMMWGE009 might fit with this one, but not sure.

Notes

The final gas station collapse did not go quite as planned. The water tower crashed into the small building behind the station, which was rigged to collapse but was accidentally triggered before the water tower actually hit it. Special-effects technician Linwood G. Dunn was called in to optically fix the scene. Dunn took the scene and split-screened the small building, first freeze-framing it then catching the collapsing action up to the water tower strike. All this took place on the right side of the frame. 1

One scene that is in some versions but not in others occurs when Pike drives off after trashing the gas station. Some police officers, (who had been watching the entire time) go up to the wreckage and find Ray and Irwin underneath the rubble. They ask the police officers why they were not there when they needed them. 1

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Notes

Though never identified in the film, the name of Barrie Chase's character (according to the official souvenir booklet) is Mrs. Halliburton. 1

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Actors

Barrie Chase as Sylvester's girlfriend.

Dick Shawn as Sylvester.

Notes

Barrie Chase is (as of August 2022) the last surviving member of the cast. Here's a bit where Chase talks about her character and a lost scene (which you can watch on the Criterion bluray). 2

https://www.newsfromme.com/2021/12/28/ask-me-barrie-chase/

With the death of Mickey Rooney on 4/6/2014, no surviving members of the main cast are left. Since the passing of Nicholas Georgiade on 19 Dec. 2021, Barrie Chase is the only surviving member of the complete cast. 1

During Sylvester's dance scene he shakes and dips several times in shorts, which expose him a little more than the censors apparently noticed. 1

A musical number by the The Shirelles titled "You Satisfy My Soul" was featured on the soundtrack album but not in the film. The expanded cut shows a brief sequence of Dick Shawn and Barrie Chase dancing to this song while they ignore the telephone for the second time. 1

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Notes

The Joshua Trees viewed in the background of the scene where Jack Benny appears are native to the Mojave Desert of Southern California. 1

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Actors

Jack Benny as man in car in desert.

Notes

Jack Benny's cameo role was originally offered to Stan Laurel, but Laurel turned it down. When his best friend and partner Oliver Hardy died in 1957, he pledged never to perform again. He kept that promise for the rest of his life. By the time this happened, a long shot of the character had already been filmed with a stand-in wearing Laurel's trademark bowler hat. This is why Benny is seen wearing a bowler hat despite never having worn one as part of his regular work. 1

When Jack Benny shot his cameo appearance, Stanley Kramer let him hold his comic pause signature line "Well . . . " as long as he wanted. The entire crew was holding back laughter before he finally said the line. In the editing room, however, Kramer shortened the pause a bit. 1

Features several pairs of actors known for working together who curiously share no scenes. Among them are: Jack Benny and Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, Phil Silvers and Paul Ford, Sid Caesar and Carl Reiner, Alan Carney and Wally Brown, Leo Gorcey and Stanley Clements, and Buster Keaton and Jimmy Durante. 1

Contrary to popular belief, the car that Jack Benny drives in his cameo is not a Maxwell, the defunct brand of automobile famed as his "jalopy" on his radio show. The car he is driving is a 1931 or 1932 Cadillac. It is either a Series 355-0A (which came with a V-8 engine) or a Series 370-A (which came with a V-12 engine). 1

William Rose wanted Jack Benny to play Capt. T.G. Culpeper. 1

The Joshua Trees viewed in the background of the scene where Jack Benny appears are native to the Mojave Desert of Southern California. 1

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Notes

Milton Berle said in an interview that in the scene where Ethel Merman hit him with her purse, it left him with a bump that lasted six months. 1

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Actors

Mike Mazurki as sick woman's husband.

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Notes

The Standard J-1 airplane was dressed for the part. Purchased by a Tennessee aviation enthusiast as army surplus in 1920 by in Knoxville, TN and sold it in 1955 to veteran stunt pilot Paul Mantz, who brought it to Hollywood for use in movies, this is the resilient World War I plane that would appear in Robert Redford’s “The Great Waldo Pepper,” and repainted to be Charles Lindberg’s barnstormer in “The Spirit of St. Lewis.” 5

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Actors

Leo Gorcey as the cab driver.

Notes

His cameo as a cab driver is the first feature film appearance of Leo Gorcey since leaving the Bowery Boys series in 1956. His replacement in that series, Stanley Clements, also makes a cameo appearance in this film. 1

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Actors

Doodles Weaver as hardware store clerk.

Locations

The hardware store was here, but the area has since been re-developed, so the building is gone.

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Actors

Edward Everett Horton as Mr. Dinckler, hardware store owner.

Rocky And Bullwinkle Fractured Fairy Tales, as the narrator.

Notes

Two famous voice actors (who also acted onscreen) appear in brief cameos here. And neither famous voice is truly heard. Edward Everett Horton, who played many characters on the Rocky and Bullwinkle show, says nothing as he locks the hapless Crumps into the hardware store basement. Sterling Holloway, who brought the cartoon Winnie the Pooh to life on-screen (as well as providing the menacing hiss of Kaa the python in Disney's The Jungle Book) as fire chief can barely be heard over the cacophony on the fire rescue ladder. 1

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Notes

Besides supervising all stunts, Carey Loftin was the stunt double for Terry-Thomas. As a joke, he showed up on set with one of his teeth painted black to simulate the gap in Thomas' bridge. 1

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Actors

Harry Lauter as police dispatcher.

Ken Peters as police dispatcher.

Stanley Clements as reporter.

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Actors

Don C Harvey as policeman in helicopter.

John Clarke as helicopter pilot.

Notes

IMDB (here) has John Clarke as helicopter pilot, but threestooges.net (here) has John Clarke as 2nd detective with Mr. Dinkler. One of these is wrong, one is right, I don't know which.

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Locations

The tunnel is at 11540 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA, here.

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Locations

The spot where they fight by the crashed Jeep reminds me of Val and Earl getting stuck when the graboid attacks their pickup truck.

Notes

When Hawthorne and Finch roll the Jeep and it comes to rest on its side, the upper half of the rear hatch (window) is seen mounted off-center. It projects well beyond the right side of the truck and could never be closed properly. This was likely to facilitate Finch's punching his fist through the window by raising the glass to a suitable height. 1

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Locations

I've driven on this road. I remember the incline. I just don't remember where it is.

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Notes

While filming the scene where he drives his car into the river, Phil Silvers nearly drowned because he couldn't swim. 1

Phil Silvers injured himself in one of the later scenes of the movie and was replaced by a stunt double. In those later scenes, his face is always away from the camera. 1

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Actors

Eddie Rosson as Eddie.

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Notes

The billboard that the twin-engine Beechcraft flies through was made of thin balsa wood, except for a thicker, heavier frame needed for support. Stunt pilot Frank Tallman had to fly the aircraft directly through the center of the billboard so that the thicker frame would not shear off a wing. The billboard was located in Irvine, at what is now the intersection of Interstate 405 and Hwy 133 (Laguna Canyon) near Lion Country Safari, just east of John Wayne Airport. The stunt was practiced with the billboard made of paper. When the actual stunt was performed, the balsa wood stopped one engine and left the other sputtering. The plane barely made it back to John Wayne Airport. 1

Because Fitzgerald's Twin Beech was pretty much trashed during the making of the movie, soon after filming ended the plane was flown to nearby Ontario Airport to be displayed outside of the Planes of Fame Air Museum. Sadly, the Beech 18 would never fly again. She remained at the air museum until 1973, after which time it was transported, the few miles, up to Chaffey College's Aeronautics' Dept. There, this most unlikely of stunt planes stood proud, looking just as sleek and powerful as when she was a big star on the silver screen. 1

As tribute to this comedic touchstone, in a similar out of control scene in Fred Claus (2007), while Fred and Willie are careening around the world on Christmas Eve, delivering presents, Director David Dobkin inserted a quick cutaway shot of them flying their sleigh through a Pepsi billboard sign. 1

The plane flying through the hangar scene is paid homage to in the James Bond film Octopussy (1983). Roger Moore pilots a sleek little Bede BD-5J through a hangar, though in much more spectacular fashion. And some of that plane adorns the wall of Q's lab in the Pierce Brosnan Bond Film Die Another Day (2002). 1

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Notes

For the intermission of the premiere engagement at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, the filmmakers recorded messages supposedly sent over police radios describing what was happening to various characters. These messages were played not only in the auditorium during the intermission but at the concession stand and even in the bathrooms. 1

Don Rickles reportedly wanted to be in the movie but was never asked. He never let Stanley Kramer live it down, either, even heckling him about it from the stage whenever Kramer came to see Rickles' show. 1

The main part of the film was shot during the summer of 1962 because many cast members were on hiatus from television series they were working on. 1

In addition to Cinerama showings, the film was also released in a 35mm version for regular movie theaters. The 35mm version was actually shorter than the 70mm Cinerama version, which included a prelude, an intermission, and special news inserts reporting the characters' progress in searching for the buried loot. 1

Despite being released by Cinerama, this film was not shot in the three-strip Cinerama process. It was shot in Ultra Panavision 70, a one-strip process, and it was projected on the deeply curved original Cinerama screens (exclusive to Cinerama theaters) upon original release (the Cinerama release was followed by release to "regular" theaters). When projected on a huge curved screen, the Panavision 70 film somewhat mimics the Cinerama effect. The souvenir booklet for the film, sold during the picture's roadshow run, falsely boasted that the Cinerama image--which normally required the use of three strips of film on three projectors running simultaneously--had been "miraculously blended into one" when in fact the film was not being projected in Cinerama at all. 1

Howard Morris was booked but he didn't appear in the film. However, he was paid for two days' work. 1

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Notes

The scene where Melville accidentally knocks the blowtorch into the stairs with the sledgehammer took 86 takes to get just right. 1

Edie Adams said that she did not find out until afterward that they were using real dynamite in the scene in the store cellar. 1

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Notes

Cliff Norton is listed in the opening credits, but is nowhere to be found in the film. Norton had a role as a detective who appears at the Rancho Conejo airport. King Donovan, playing an airport official, also appeared at Rancho Conejo. Though both actors' scenes were cut, they were credited. 1

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Actors

George Bruggeman as airport spectator. I'm not sure I've got the right guy, but this looks right.

Notes

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Actors

Minta Durfee as airport spectator.

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Actors

Joe DeRita as fireman.

Larry Fine as fireman.

Moe Howard as fireman.

Notes

The film contained many cameo appearances by various stars associated with comedy. According to some exhibitors--from both the original roadshow version shown in Cinerama venues and the 35mm general release version--the biggest audience reaction occurred during the airport sequence when the camera would come down to reveal Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Joe DeRita (aka The Three Stooges). Although they had no dialog or action, the image of the trio--dressed as firemen, complete with fire axes, waiting for the plane to land--not only resulted in laughter but often in applause from audiences. 1

The Three Stooges play firemen in this movie, this is a call back to their first screen performance ever: Soup to Nuts (1930) released in 1930 where they also played firemen. 1

As the Three Stooges make their short cameo, the first three notes of the song "Three Blind Mice" can be heard. That music was also used to introduce their many comedy films over the years. 1

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Notes

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Actors

Carl Reiner as air traffic controller.

Eddie Ryder as air traffic controller.

High Anxiety, as doctor at convention.

Twilight Zone: Dingle The Strong, as Joseph Callahan (moustache).

Jesse White as the radio operator.

Paul Ford as Colonel Wilberforce.

Notes

The segue to Paul Ford's character is the line, "He's a colonel." Ford played Col. Jon T. Hall in The Phil Silvers Show (1955), which starred Phil Silvers, also in this film. 1

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Actors

Don Knotts as nervous driver.

Cats Don't Dance, as the turtle.

Chicken Little, as mayor Turkey Lurkey.

Fish Police, as Mr. Lichen.

Hermie And Friends, as Wormie.

Three's Company, as the landlord Mr. Furley.

Notes

Don Knotts re-enacted his Nervous Man character from The Steve Allen Plymouth Show (1951) in the scene with Phil Silvers. 1

Buddy Hackett played Jim Douglas' sidekick in The Love Bug (1968). Don Knotts played an analogous role in Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977). 1

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Notes

In a scene with Don Knotts and Phil Silvers, Knotts' character stops his car to pick up Silvers, who is hitchhiking after his car sunk in a river. There is no obvious background noise during this scene, but as soon as Knotts' car pulls away, a police helicopter suddenly appears from behind a small hill less than 50 meters away from where Knotts' car was stopped. The sounds of helicopter engines and rotors can be heard from a great distance, regardless of small hills, but not in this scene. A few scenes later, the helicopter is shown following closely (about 50 meters, again) behind Knotts' car, and this time it is heard and then seen by Knotts and Silvers, who begin to panic. 1

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Locations

It's a rear-projection scene, so the actors are in a studio somewhere, but the background looks a bit like here, 4.8 mi from my old house in Whitewater, CA.

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Actors

Paul Birch, as a policeman.

Roy Engel, as a policeman.

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Notes

When Spencer Tracy says he wants a hot fudge sundae with whipped cream and a cherry, he's hinting that he'd like to have it all...as in the money, and an easy life south of the border. 1

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Notes

Further telephone conversations in Capt. Culpeper's office were scripted and filmed but ultimately removed before the film's premiere. Culpeper was to be disturbed by a "Dr. Chadwick" and an "Uncle Mike", in addition to his wife and daughter. The roles were respectively played by Elliott Reid and Morey Amsterdam. 1

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Notes

The Joker in the deck Culpepper refers to is, of course, himself. 1

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Notes

All the aerial sequences were performed by Talmantz Aviation, a partnership between ace pilots Frank Tallman and Paul Mantz. Sadly, both would die in separate airplane crashes. Mantz (in a gangly "Phoenix" prototype) while filming a scene for the movie The Flight of the Phoenix (1965). Tallman (Coca Cola billboard) in '78, while on a routine flight to Arizona, continued to fly blindly into deteriorating weather conditions and tragically struck the side of a So. Calif. mountain. 1

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Locations

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.5077854,-122.8002485,3a,75y,277.31h,92.4t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sSUVrWF-stk6ii8DpqK9Z8A!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DSUVrWF-stk6ii8DpqK9Z8A%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D33.04907%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Notes

The hangar that the aircraft flies through is located at Charles Schulz Sonoma County Airport just north of Santa Rosa, CA. As of 2014, it's still there. 1

The Butler Hanger that Frank Tallman flew the Beech 18 through at the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport is still in use in 2022. He had only 23 feet of horizontal and 15 feet of vertical clearance going through the structure, then had to pull up sharply to avoid hitting trees after exiting the hanger. 1

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Notes

The Beechcraft-Model-18-aircraft-crashing-through-the-airport-lounge-window was revisited in "Airplane!" (1980) with a ground controller who directs a Boeing 747 the wrong way. 1

Note by John- My father and I wondered about this scene for years. Was it rear-projected? Was the debris really in the same space as the actors? Was the debris in the same space as the plane but not the actors? It couldn't be CGI in that era. Was the debris green screened into the same space as the actors? I know this movie is 60 years old now and filmmaking has changed a great deal, but... There's no sign of charges. Some of the debris is way too small to be green screened (invented in the 1930's). The debris had to be in the same space as the plane. I followed one piece of debris that knocked over a ketchup bottle that had been handled by one of the actors, so the plane, the debris, and the actors had to all be in the same space. In the commentary on the Criterion Bluray someone said the plane is in fact in the same space as the actors, with an arrestor cable to stop the plane at the right spot.

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Notes

The Rancho Conejo Airport, where Dingy and Benjy land, was an actual airport in Newbury Park, CA, a part of Thousand Oaks, from 1960-65. In 2013 the property was converted into a gated housing community named Rancho Conejo Village. It is just north of the 101 Freeway at the Ventu Park exit. The Rancho Conejo Airport never had a tower, though; the one in the movie was built just for the film. 1

Here is a page on the history of N63158.

Here is a page about the stunt.

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Actors

Eddie Anderson as cab driver.

Harlem Globetrotters, as Bobby Joe Mason.

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Actors

Sammee Tong as laundryman, I think. I am aware of the epithet "you all look alike." I am caucasian and I hardly ever meet any Chinese or other Asian people, so I am not as used to the differences in appearance between Asian males vs. caucasian males. I think I have the right laundryman as Sammee Tong, but if I pointed to the wrong actor, I apologize.

Notes

In his 1991 autobiography, "Life Is Too Short", Mickey Rooney wrote that Tong was devastated by the cancellation of the TV show Mickey (1964) in which he was featured. According to Rooney, Tong was a compulsive gambler and owed money to the Mafia. Facing the fact that he now couldn't pay off his debts, Tong committed suicide, leaving a note stating, "I have taken my own life. No one is to blame". 4

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Actors

John Clarke as 2nd detective with Mr. Dinkler.

Stacy Harris as detective restraining Mr. Dinkler.

Notes

IMDB (here) has John Clarke as helicopter pilot, but threestooges.net (here) has John Clarke as 2nd detective with Mr. Dinkler. One of these is wrong, one is right, I don't know which.

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Actors

Peter Falk as third cab driver.

Columbo series, as Columbo.

The Great Muppet Caper, as Tramp.

The Great Race, as Maximillian Mean.

Princess Bride, as grandfather.

Sharktale, as Don Feinberg.

Notes

Peter Falk improvised much of his dialog in the cab scene. 1

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Notes

The cars that the cabbies (Peter Falk, Eddie Anderson) drive are twin 1959 Plymouth Belvederes. 1

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Notes

The fictional Santa Rosita State Park was located at Portuguese Bend in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. It was landscaped for the movie. It is off limits to the general public. 1

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Notes

In guitar legend Jeff Beck's 1999 album Who Else?, the first track is titled "What Mama Said". The song contains a repeated sound sample of Dick Shawn (as Sylvester) saying, "Y'all hear what Mama said?" This line occurs in the scene where the men are all digging up the money under "The Big W". Beck did this as an homage to this film, one of his favorite movies due in great part to its many crazy car stunts. 1

In-N-Out Burger restaurants feature a pair of palm trees forming a "Big X" as an homage to this movie, the favorite movie of founder Harry Snyder. 1

Only one of the four palm trees that made up the "Big W" survived into the 21st century. However, sometime between 2000 and 2010, that remaining tree (the very far-right of the Big W) was lost during a storm, leaving a stump. None of the trees have been replaced as of July 2010. 1

MadMadMadMadWorld.com: In Search Of The Big W

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Notes

Spencer Tracy shares no screen time with any of the other top-billed actors until over two hours into the running time. 1

The "Big W" is visible almost the moment the cast arrives at the park. In a wide shot showing the first ones to arrive (Edie Adams, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, and Mickey Rooney), the viewer can see three of the four palms to the extreme left of the screen, albeit obscured by bushes. 1

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Notes

The cast was in awe of Spencer Tracy and spent much of their time between scenes keeping him amused. Mickey Rooney and Buddy Hackett delighted him with off-color take-offs on Boys Town (1938), in which Rooney had co-starred with Tracy. Jonathan Winters would improvise entire movies while impersonating Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. 1

The bulk of the main characters, as well as the director, are from New York--the state and the city. In many cases their accents are a dead giveaway. Stanley Kramer, Arnold Stang, and Milton Berle are from Manhattan; Buddy Hackett, Mickey Rooney, Marvin Kaplan, and Phil Silvers are from Brooklyn; and Ethel Merman is from Queens. Sid Caesar is from Yonkers, and Dick Shawn is from Buffalo. 1

Milton Berle, Ethel Merman, Jonathan Winters and Don Knotts all guest starred on The Muppet Show (1976). 1

Mickey Rooney and Jim Backus also starred together in Pete's Dragon (1977) and The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (1970). 1

Jim Backus, Terry-Thomas and Buddy Hackett all appeared in The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962); Jim Backus as The King (The Dancing Princess), Terry-Thomas as Ludwig (The Singing Bone), and Buddy Hackett as Hans (The Singing Bone). 1

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Locations

Solstice Canyon/Corral Canyon and Pacific Coast Highway,
Long Beach, CA.

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Actors

Buster Keaton as Jimmy the Crook.

Notes

Stanley Kramer asked Buster Keaton to perform one of his signature bits, moving two steps forward then one back before racing away from whatever was threatening him. Even in his 60s the comedian was as spry as he had been in his prime. 1

The famously stone-faced Buster Keaton was originally set to play "Smiler Grogan." After the part was re-assigned to Jimmy Durante, Keaton was given another role as "Jimmy," a former smuggler who Capt. Culpepper forces to help him in his plan to run away with the money. 1

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Notes

Long Beach Naval Shipyard in the background, with two Essex-class aircraft carriers, one in profile on the left, above the trash bags, and one on the right, more or less head-on, above and to the left of the nearest cab.

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Actors

Lloyd Corrigan as the mayor.

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Notes

In the days before container ships, Long Beach was home to a large number of merchant mariners The buildings seen in the final climactic scene were old residence hotels used by sailors during their time between trips. The buildings have long since been replaced by a modern waterfront, but the splendid old main post office still has scores of mailboxes, a reminder of those who called the city their home port. 1

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Notes

During the final car chase, Culpepper's car and the two cabs pass a theatre marquee advertising "Cape Fear", a 1962 movie in which "Mad World" cast member Barrie Chase appears. 1

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Locations

This is the Cyclone Racer roller coaster, operated at The Pike amusement park in Long Beach, CA until 1968. 3

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Notes

In 1962, when this picture was made, Pacific Coast Highway was US Hwy. 101A (Alternate), as it had been since 7/20/1935. On 7/1/1964, the highway became California Highway 1, because laws were enacted giving the responsibility for maintenance of many federal highways in California back to the state. This included US 99 (Golden State Highway) and US 466 (where James Dean was killed), which became State Highway 41. 1

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Notes

At several points during the climactic chase through Santa Rosita, the same cars keep showing up, either parked on the street, stopped at red lights, passing or being passed by the two cabs and Capt. Culpeper's Dodge They include a black '56 Ford convertible with a white top, a blue '60 Chevy Impala convertible, a silver '53 or '54 Corvette, a white '57 Ford two-door station wagon, a blue-and-white '56 Chevy Bel Air, a '55 or '56 Ford Thunderbird convertible, a white or cream-colored '58 Cadillac four-door hardtop. 1

The Finch's car is a 1962 Imperial Crown convertible, one of only 554 made. Less than 50 are known to exist as of 2020. New, its base price was $5,939 (about $55,500 in 2022). An example in excellent condition could be worth $100,000 or more in 2022. 1

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Actors

Tom Kennedy as traffic cop.

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Notes

The design of several tall palm trees planted in a linear group was a common feature in mid century Southern California landscaping. Two fine examples still exist at the entrance to Inglewood High School, and at a filling station near Randy's Donuts, on Manchester and LA Cienega, near the 405 freeway. There are many, many other plantings scattered throughout the area. The trees were usually Mexican fan palms or Washingtonian varieties. 1

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Notes

Les Rutledge Used Cars, in operation from 1950 to 1988. Lester O Rutledge was an ardent supporter of the American Cancer Society.

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Notes

Daigh's Garage, run by Harold Daigh who, along with his sons, were avid hotrodders.

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Notes

During the final car chase, two signs from the 1962 California gubernatorial campaign of Richard Nixon can be seen as well as one sign from the re-election campaign of Stanley Mosk for California state attorney general. Mosk now has a courthouse named after him in downtown Los Angeles. 1

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Notes

Spencer Tracy worked on the film for a total of nine days. Aware of Tracy's poor health, director Stanley Kramer allowed him to work for only three to four hours a day and did not let him appear in any of the desert exterior scenes. A stunt double was used in a few action scenes, including the chase scene where he runs up the building stairs. 1

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Notes

The scene where Capt. Culpeper (Spencer Tracy) runs out onto the roof was filmed atop the building at 201 East Broadway, Long Beach, CA. The Edison apartment building can be seen, to the southeast, in the background of the shot. As of this writing, both buildings are still standing. 1

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Actors

Joe E Brown as rally speaker.

Paul Sorenson as rally spectator.

Smokey And The Bandit, as DOT captain.

Star Trek III, as mercenary captain.

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Notes

The film was so crammed with action that each leading actor was given two scripts: one for the dialogue and one for physical comedy. 1

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Actors

Harvey Parry as onlooker pummeled by Mrs. Marcus.

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Notes

The plot device of ill-gotten bank notes being lost to the four winds occurred earlier in Stanley Kubrick's film The Killing (1956). 1

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Notes

The fire escape and ladder miniature used in the final chase sequence is on display at the Hollywood Museum in Hollywood. 1

Final film of Willis H. O'Brien. NOTE: He helped do the effects for the famous ladder scene. He was not credited, and his involvement was brief because he died during its production. 1

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Actors

Sterling Holloway as fireman.

Alakazam The Great, as the narrator.

Alice In Wonderland, as the Cheshire Cat.

Aristocats, as Roquefort.

Bambi, as adult Flower (skunk).

Dumbo, as the stork.

Junglebook, as Kaa.

Mickey and the Beanstalk, as the narrator.

Susie The Little Blue Coop, as the narrator.

Twilight Zone What's In The Box, as the TV repairman.

Winnie The Pooh (many but not all), as Winnie The Pooh.

Notes

Usually a very disciplined performer who liked to know exactly what was going to happen in each scene before he shot it, Spencer Tracy quickly warmed up to the more improvisatory approach of the various comics cast in the film. 1

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Notes

Ed Wynn was to have played the fire chief that appears towards the end of the film, having starred in the ''Texaco Fire Chief'' radio program in the early 1930s. 1

The climax with the out-of-control ladder re-teamed King Kong (1933)-alumni special effects animator Willis H. O'Brien and model maker Marcel Delgado. O'Brien would die during production, and Delgado would make one more film before retiring. 1

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Notes

The statue of Abraham Lincoln that the cab driver lands in the arms of was made entirely out of foam rubber. It became an outdoor display as part of the Universal Studios tour until it deteriorated from the weather late in 1966. 1

For the stunt where the cab driver is thrown onto the statue the stuntman is a caucasian man in blackface. Eddie Smith, an extra, asked Stanley Kramer why the stunt wasn't done by a black stuntman. Kramer said he would be happy to use a black stuntman, but Smith wasn't able to find any. Smith went on to found the Black Stuntmen's Association in 1967. 10

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Notes

Groucho Marx was originally written in as a doctor who would have appeared at the end of the film to deliver the final punchline. The role was written out, but Groucho was offered a cameo role. He ultimately never appeared in the film. In a letter to a fan, he jokingly said that he was to have played Mrs. Marcus. 1

Lucille Ball, Imogene Coca, Joan Davis, and Martha Raye were suggested as the men's female companions. 1

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Actors

Lovyss Bradley as hospital matron.

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Notes

Probably owing to the difficulty of hiding stunt doubles faces in the huge Cinerama format, Dick Smith made face masks of the actors for stunt doubles. 1

In the final scene at the hospital, all the participants had various injuries. Peter Falk's character has a patch over his right eye. Falk lost his right eye as a child due to a tumor and had a glass eye for the rest of his life. 1

In the final scene when Mrs. Marcus slips on a banana peel and takes a fall, her son Sylvester, who is shown to be a big mama's boy, is the only character not laughing...at first sight. However, if watched closely enough for a few seconds, just as he throws his hands over his head, he laughs along with the rest of the men. 1