Elvis's eleventh film was "Girls!
Girls! Girls!" (Paramount, 1962). Elvis reported to the studio on March 26,
1962.
With the huge success of "Blue Hawaii" (Paramount 1961), producer Hal Wallis had
decided to promote Elvis as an entertainer rather than the rebel actor,
reminiscent of James Dean, as Elvis had been seen in "King Creole" (Paramount
1958). Thus another script was set in scenic Hawaii. The working titles for
"Girls! Girls! Girls!" had been "A Girl In Every Port," "Welcome Aboard,"
"Jambalaya," and "Gumbo Ya-Ya,"which is said to be a Creole expression for
"everybody talks at once."
The story was written by Allan Weiss, who also worked on the Elvis films "Blue
Hawaii", "Fun In Acapulco", "Paradise, Hawaiian Style", "Easy Come, Easy Go" and
"Roustabout." For "Roustabout" he received a 1965 nomination from the Writer's
Guild of America for Best Written American Musical. Also working on the script
was Edward Anhalt, who won Academy Awards for his screenplays for "Becket" and
"Panic In the Streets." He received an Academy Award nomination for "The
Sniper."
On March 26, 1962, Elvis began three days of soundtrack recording at Radio
Recorders in Hollywood.
The title song "Girls! Girls! Girls" had been written in 1960 by Leiber and
Stoller for The Coasters. Elvis was not pleased with the direction his career
was headed and wasn't pleased with the prospect of singing to shrimp or any
other sea creatures ("Song of the Shrimp" is a soundtrack song). However, one
great classic Elvis song came from this film's soundtrack. It was the Otis
Blackwell and Winfield Scott composition "Return To Sender." The song had not
been written for this movie, but when Colonel Parker heard it he knew it would
be perfect for Elvis and made sure he heard it as well. And in the scene of the
movie when Elvis sings the song, you can see in his movements the influence of
one of his favorite entertainers, Jackie Wilson.
Three of the songs Elvis recorded in the soundtrack sessions were not used in
the film. It was the group The Amigos' version of "Mama" that was used instead
of Elvis's rendition. The group consisted of Jose Vadiz, Pedro Berrios, Miguel
Alcade and Felix Melendes. Another song cut was "I Don't Wanna Be Tied," which
had been previously titled "Twist Me Loose." "Plantation Rock" was cut as well.
With the music recorded, it was time to go to Hawaii for the location portions
of shooting the film. Elvis wanted to go to Hawaii by ship, however, a strike
forced him to fly. The decision placed the production behind schedule. Later,
when Paramount sent a check for two extra days of Elvis's time, Colonel Parker
refused the payment as it had been Elvis's reluctance to fly that had caused the
filming delay. The check was never cashed.
On April 7, 1962 , Elvis and his entourage arrived in Hawaii on Pan Am flight
#817. Elvis then took a helicopter ride to the Hawaiian Village Hotel where he
would stay. Approximately 8,000 fans were on hand for his arrival and in the
100-yard walk between the helicopter and the hotel he lost his yachting cap, his
jewel-tipped tie clasp and a diamond ring that he especially liked. The next
day, a young girl called the hotel and said that his ring had come off in her
hand and that she wished to return it. She did leave the ring at the front desk
of the hotel.
At this time Elvis was very much into karate and actively practicing - breaking
up to 40 boards a night. Hal Wallis put an end to it for the druation of the
production for fear that Elvis would break his hand and hold up the production
schedule.
Principal photography began on April 9, 1962. Shooting in Hawaii included
locations such as the Bumble Bee Tuna plant near Waikiki Beach and the Ala Wai
Yacht Harbor. On April 26, 1962 location shooting was finished. Elvis and the
production team returned Hollywood where filming resumed on Stage 5 at the
Paramount Studios on May 1, 1962 .
After location shooting in Hawaii was
finished, filming resumed on May 1, 1962 back in Hollywood at the Paramount
Studios. On weekends Elvis and the guys would play football in the local De Neve
Park with friends and other actors such as Ty Hardin, Bob Conrad, Ricky Nelson,
Pat Boone, Gary Crosby and Max Baer, Jr. Also during this time Elvis's name in
connection with the filming of "Girls! Girls! Girls!" was used without
authorization in a Coppertone suntan lotion ad in the June issue of "Ladies Home
Journal" magazine. Colonel Parker had Hal Wallis stop the ad.
One of Elvis's leading ladies in this film was Stella Stevens, born Estelle
Eggleston in Mississippi in 1936. Ms. Stevens attended Memphis State College
where she became interested in acting and modeling. Her film debut was in the
1959 "Say One For Me." It was the voluptuous beauty's role of Appassionata Von
Climax in the film "Li'l Abner" that got her noticed and she was soon the
Playboy Playmate of the Month for January 1960. She shared a Golden Globe win in
1960 with Tuesday Weld, Angie Dickinson and
Janet Munroe as Most Promising Newcomer-Female. In Elvis's movie "Girls! Girls!
Girls!" she played a nightclub singer. However, her three solo songs in the
movie, "Never Let Me Go," "The Nearness of You" and "Baby, Baby, Baby" were all
sung by vocalist Gilda Maiken with Ms. Stevens lip-synching. Ms. Stevens would
go on to play numerous roles in film and on television, working witsuch stars as
Bobby Darin in "Too Late Blues," Glenn Ford in "The Courtship of Eddie's
Father," Jerry Lewis in "The Nutty Professor," and Dean Martin in "The
Silencers." Her son Andrew Stevens is also an actor.
Elvis's other leading lady was played by Laurel Goodwin and this film was her
movie debut. She went on to have roles in the films "Papa's Delicate Condition,"
"Stage To Thunder Rock" and "The Glory Guys." Her roles on TV have included
"Star Trek," "The Virginian," "Get Smart," "Mannix" and "The Beverly
Hillbillies."
Elvis's nemesis Wesley Johnson was played by Jeremy Slate, who had also played
in the Elvis movie "G.I. Blues." Mr. Slate has had roles in films such as "Wives
and Lovers," "The Sons of Katie Elder" and "True Grit," as well as numerous
television roles in such series as "Police Story", "Petrocelli", "The Rookies"
and "Wonder Woman."
Robert Strauss played Sam, the owner of the Pirate's Den. You might recognize
him as Blackie in the Elvis movie "Frankie and Johnny." He also had roles in
"Stage To Thunder Rock" with Laurel Goodwin and in "Li'l Abner" with Stella
Stevens. This gravelly voiced actor was the son of a theatrical costume designer
and started his career on Broadway, where, among other productions, he played in
"Stalag 17." He reprised his Broadway role of Stanislas 'Animal' Kasava in the
1953 film production of "Stalag 17" and earned a 1954 Academy Award nomination
as Best Supporting Actor.
Papa Stavros was played by Frank Puglia. The Sicilian born actor's career
started at age 13 when he began to appear in Italian opera. He moved to the U.S.
in 1907 at age 15 and joined an Italian theater group in New York. In his career
he played character roles in over 200 movies and TV shows. One such role was the
rug merchant in the movie "Casablanca."
Polish born actress Lili Valenty played Mama Stavros. This character actress was
often cast as a gypsy or a grandma in movies and TV series.
Twins Barbara and Betty Beall played the Stavros twins Leona and Linda. Their
career had few roles. They were always cast together as twins.
Elvis's eleventh movie was the story of
Ross Carpenter and his dream to own the sailboat his late father had built. In
this quest to buy the boat, Ross is busy by day working on a fishing boat and by
night as a nightclub singer, leaving little time for the "girls" who are
pursuing him. He does manage a brief trip to visit his adopted family, the Yungs
of Paradise Cove.
Kin Yung, the wise family patriarch, was played by Benson Fong. Mr. Fong, a
native of California may be best remembered for his long running role as Tommy
Chan, son of the famous detective Charlie Chan, in the popular movie series made
in the 1940s. He also had roles in films such as "Flower Drum Song," "Our Man
Flint," and "The Love Bug," as well as in TV series such as "Kung Fu." The son
of a wealthy Sacramento merchant who had lost everything in the Depression, Mr.
Fong had no plans to become an actor. He had planned to open a grocery store.
But, one night while he was out to dinner, a talent scout approached him and his
thirty-year career as an actor soon was underway. He also owned a chain of
popular California restaurants called Ah Fong's.
Beulah Quo played the even wiser Yung matriarch. Ms. Quo's career garnered her
an 1978 Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress for "Meeting of
Minds." She had many roles on TV, including a long-running role on the TV series
"General Hospital." Her movie career included films such as "Love Is a Many
Splendored Thing," "Flower Drum Song," "The Sand Pebbles" and "Chinatown."
Guy Lee played Chen Yung. Mr. Lee also had roles in the films "Gidget Goes
Hawaiian" and "Flower Drum Song," among others. He appeared in guest roles on a
number of TV series, including "Bonanza," "Honey West," "The Wild, Wild West"
and the "The Odd Couple."
The Ling children that Elvis's character sings to in this film were played by
the Tiu siblings. Ginny Tiu played Mai Ling, Elizabeth Tiu played Tai Ling and
their brother Alexander Tiu played the unnamed little brother. Their sister
Vicky Tiu would play a leading role in the next Elvis movie "It Happened at The
World's Fair." Their father William was a teacher from Hong Kong. The children
were musically gifted and appeared on stage and in a number of variety shows on
television.
Mary Treen played Mrs. Figgot and Marjorie Bennet played Mrs. Dicks, the two
women customers in the hat store. Both ladies were long-time character actresses
with hundreds of roles between them. Mary Treen had roles in films like "It's A
Wonderful Life" and "The Errand Boy" as well as roles in the Elvis films "Fun In
Acapulco" and "Paradise Hawaiian Style." Marjorie Bennett's career included
parts on many TV series, as well as in movies such as "What Ever Happened To
Baby Jane?," "Sail A Crooked Ship" and "My Fair Lady." She was also the voice of
Duchess in the original version of the animated film "101 Dalmatians."
Gavin Gordon played the hat shop manager. He was near the end of a three-decade
career in films, having had roles in such movies as "White Christmas," "High
Society," "The Ten Commandments," "The Matchmaker" and "The Nutty Professor,"
among many others.
Linda Rand played a village woman in "Girls! Girls! Girls!" and also can be seen
in the Elvis films "Fun In Acapulco" and "Roustabout".
Kenneth Becker was Mack, the drunk in the Pirate's Den. You can also spot him in
the Elvis films "G.I. Blues" and "Roustabout."
While Frank Atienza (Ito in the Elvis film "Blue Hawaii's") plays an uncredited
role.
Look closely and you'll see Red West from Elvis's entourage as a bongo playing
crewman on the tuna boat. And entourage member Alan Fortas catches a tuna that
Elvis's character throws his way. Elvis's recording session drummer Hal Blaine
is seen as a drummer in the lounge band, Elvis's stand-in Lance LeGault is
playing the bass.
Principal photography wrapped by June 8, 1962 and Elvis was done with looping
and his publicity stills by June 12th. The movie premiered in Honolulu on
October 31st. and opened nationwide on Nov. 21st., peaking at #6 on the Variety
National Box Office Survey. Even though it only came out a few weeks before the
year's end, it was #31 for the year on the list of the 50 Top Grossing Films of
1962. Elvis was voted that year as "Top Box Office Draw" by the movie industry
of America, having three of the top grossing films that year. Besides "Girls!
Girls! Girls!" at #31, "Kid Galahad" was #37 and "Blue Hawaii" was #14.
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