Muscle Beach Party is the second of seven beach party films produced by American International Pictures. It was made in 1964 and was directed by William Asher, who also directed four other films in this series. Dick Dale and the Del-Tones and Stevie Wonder appear in musical numbers, the latter aged thirteen and making his film debut, billed as "Little Stevie Wonder."

Synopsis[link]

Frankie, Dee Dee, and the beach party gang hit Malibu Beach for another summer of surfing and no jobs only to find their secret surfing spot threatened by a gang of bodybuilders, led by the dim-witted coach Jack Fanny (Don Rickles). All the while, a bored Italian Countess (Luciana Paluzzi) is trying to steal Frankie from Dee Dee and, much to everyone's surprise, he seems more than happy to go along with it. She's going to turn him into a teen idol, not unlike Frankie Avalon's real-life persona. Fortunately, due to some razzing from his former surfing buddies and sage advice from Buddy Hackett, Frankie sees the error of his ways and goes back to his American beach bunny, Dee Dee.

Music[link]

The original score for this film, like Beach Party before it, was composed by Les Baxter.

Roger Christian, Gary Usher and Brian Wilson (of The Beach Boys) wrote six songs for the film: "Surfer's Holiday" performed by Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello and the cast; "Runnin' Wild" performed by Frankie Avalon; "My First Love" and "Muscle Beach Party", both performed by Dick Dale and His Del-Tones; "Muscle Bustle" performed by Donna Loren with Dick Dale and His Del-Tones; and "Surfin' Woodie" performed a cappella by Dick Dale with the cast.

Guy Hemric and Jerry Styner wrote two songs for the film: "Happy Street" performed by Little Stevie Wonder; and "A Girl Needs a Boy" first performed by Annette Funicello, then reprised by Frankie Avalon as "A Boy Needs a Girl".

Cast[link]

• Frankie Avalon .... Frankie
• Annette Funicello .... Dee Dee
• Luciana Paluzzi .... Contessa Juliana ("Julie") Giotto-Borgini
• John Ashley .... Johnny
• Don Rickles .... Jack Fanny
• Peter Turgeon .... Theodore
• Jody McCrea .... Deadhead
• Dick Dale .... Himself
• Candy Johnson .... Candy
• Rock Stevens .... Flex Martian
• Valora Noland .... Animal
• Delores Wells .... Sniffles
• Donna Loren .... Donna
• Morey Amsterdam .... Cappy
• Little Stevie Wonder .... Himself
• Buddy Hackett .... S.Z. Matts (rich business manager)
• Dan Haggerty .... Biff
• Larry Scott .... Rock
• Gordon Case .... Tug
• Gene Shuey .... Riff
• Chester Yorton .... Hulk
• Bob Seven .... Sulk
• Steve Merjanian .... Clod
• Alberta Nelson .... Lisa, Jack Fanny's assistant
• Amadee Chabot .... Flo, Jack Fanny's assistant
• Peter Lorre .... Mr. Strangdour

Cast notes[link]

Funicello reprises her character from Beach Party, although in this film (and three others that follow) she is referred to as "Dee Dee," as opposed to "Dolores." John Ashley's character, previously called "Ken," is now known as "Johnny." Harvey Lembeck's Eric von Zipper character and his Rats gang from Beach Party are absent in this film, although they appear in Bikini Beach, Pajama Party, Beach Blanket Bingo, How to Stuff a Wild Bikini, and The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini. Lembeck as von Zipper (but sans Rats gang) also appears in a cameo in Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine.

Production notes[link]

Novelization[link]

A 141-page paperback adaptation of the screenplay, written by Elsie Lee, was published prior to the release of the film by Lancer Books.

Jack Fanny's bodybuilders[link]

In the above-cited paperback adaptation, the Jack Fanny character introduces his bodybuilders as 'Biff, Rock, Tug, Riff, Sulk, Mash and Clod,' whereas in the film he calls them Biff, Rock, Tug, Riff, Hulk, Sulk, and Clod. In two separate sequences, the latter version of these names is seen printed on their shirts.

Larry Scott, who played Rock, was well known in the bodybuilding world at the time and became the first Mr. Olympia. A piece of gym equipment he frequently used, which is now standard in commercial gyms today, is known as the Scott Curl Bench.^[1] Gene Shuey who played Riff, and Chester Yorton who played Hulk, were also well known in the bodybuilding circuit. Peter Lupus (aka "Rock Stevens") was also a champion bodybuilder himself, holding the titles of Mr. Indianapolis, Mr. Indiana, Mr. Hercules, and Mr. International Health Physique.

Costumes and Props[link]

The swimsuits were designed by Rose Marie Reid; Buddy Hackett's clothes were from Mr. Guy of Los Angeles; and the hat that Deadhead wears was designed by Ed "Big Daddy" Roth.

The surfboards used in the film were by Phil of Downey, California - aka Phil Sauers, the maker of "Surfboards of the Stars."^[2] Sauers was also the stunt coordinator for another beach party film that used his surfboards, Columbia Pictures' Ride the Wild Surf, which was released later the same year. Sauers was even portrayed in that film as a character by Mark LaBuse.

The "globe" telephone cover on Mr. Strangdour's desk is the same one in Norma Desmond's home in the film Sunset Blvd.

Opening title art[link]

The colorful, hand-painted mural that is shown in full and in detail as background during the opening credits is by California artist Michael Dormer, whose surfer cartoon character, "Hot Curl" can also be glimpsed throughout the film.^[3]

Deleted scene[link]

Although the end titles provide a credit reading, "Muscle Mao Mao Dance Sequence Choreographed by John Monte, National Dance Director, Fred Astaire Studios", no such sequence is found in the film's release prints.

Reception[link]

The Golden Laurel, which had no ceremony but published its award results in the trade magazine Motion Picture Exhibitor from 1958 to 1971, nominated Annette Funicello for “Best Female Musical Performance” for this film in 1965.

Cultural references[link]

• Don Rickles' character name "Jack Fanny" is based on then-popular bodybuilder and gym entrepreneur (and usually sharp-dressed) Vic Tanny. The forename "Jack" might also be a reference to another popular fitness instructor, bodybuilder, and gym-entrepreneur, Jack LaLanne.

• Julie's remark to an angry Dee Dee, "Have you tried Miltown?" is in reference to the drug Miltown by Wallace Laboratories, a carbamate derivative used as an anxiolytic drug - it was the best-selling minor tranquilizer at the time.

• Cappy's Place in this film (and Big Daddy's club in the preceding Beach Party) is a reference to Southern California beach coffeehouses in general and Cafe Frankenstein in particular.

• This is the second and last time Avalon or any other "teenager" in the cast smokes cigarettes onscreen in the series - the Surgeon General's report on smoking was released on January 11, 1964, while Muscle Beach Party was being filmed.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Muscle Beach Party at the Internet Movie Database
• Muscle Beach Party at AllRovi