Surf music duo Jan & Dean were promised their song "Ride The Wild Surf" would open the film with the opening credits and be played full length in the film. They were really disappointed when their theme song was placed at the end credits and cut down in editing. Their wonderful theme song appears to be an afterthought instead of opening the film and the action.
Dejael
Anyone who bought the album was disappointed, too. :( I wonder if they were trying to make a "serious" surf movie and distance themselves from Frankie and Annette fluff.
shareI have since discovered that originally, Jan & Dean were signed to star in this movie, but when Dean Torrence was linked to one of the criminals who kidnapped Frank Sinatra Jr. in Dec. 1963, even though they themselves were completely innocent of any wrongdoing, because of the bad press, Columbia Pictures dropped their contract, and their parts were replaced by Tab Hunter and Peter Brown. That's the real reason why they dyed Peter Brown's hair blond in this movie, because he was playing Jan Berry's part. Also, the studio shifted the theme song from the opening titles to the end titles because of that, while thankfully not dropping their song from being on the soundtrack. That would have been way too much backlash from the studio!
Dejael
Thanks for the info, Dejael...but why did Peter have to bleach his hair because he was playing Jan's part? Jan had brown hair...or did you mean Dean ?
shareIn the early 1960s, BOTH Jan & Dean had blond hair, and I suspect that Jan's came from a bottle in a hair salon. Dean was a natural blond. I don't know why the filmmakers insisted on Peter Brown dying his hair blond, just because Jan did. I don't think there were any long shots of Jan Berry in this film, which they had to match action with, so who knows? It may have been the "bleach-blond surfer" trend popular at the time.
Dejael
Thanks again, Dejael...I have met Peter Brown several times, mostly at an annual Western Festival in Memhis which he usually attends....if he attends again next year, I shall ask him !
shareAs I understand it, a blond stuntman had already been hired, and a few surfing long shots already done and it was cheaper to have Peter Dye his hair than to reshoot the scenes.
Watching it right now in TCM.
I didn't realize that Jan & Dean were supposed to appear in this movie!
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Jim Hutton: talented gorgeous hot hunk; adorable as ElleryQueen; SEXIEST ACTOR EVER
I bought the 45 rpm single of "Ride the Wild Surf" , a mild hit for the duo. (The flip side also got some airplay on Philly's WIBG.) Listen!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5IzD4HrHhM
Thanks!
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JimHutton (1934-79) & ElleryQueen
Thanks again.
Yes, I am familiar with their music...some of it, at least.
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JimHutton (1934-79) & ElleryQueen