Harum Scarum (aka Harem
Holiday) - MGM 1965
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By: For Elvis Fans Only
Source: EPE
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Harum Scarum |
Elvis Presley's nineteenth movie was "Harum
Scarum" (MGM, 1965), also known by one
of the working titles as "Harem
Holiday". It was produced by Sam Katzman,
who was known "king of the quickies" for
making films quickly and cheaply.
Principal photography began on March 15,
1965. Elvis was finished his work on the
movie on April 19, 1965.
Filming took place on the lot in Culver
City, California with sets reused from
Cecil B. DeMille's 1925 silent film
"King of Kings" and with costumes from
the 1944 movie "Kismet" and its 1955
remake.
At first, Elvis was at first very
excited about working again with
director Gene Nelson, with whom he had
worked on the film "Kissin' Cousins",
and about wearing the Rudolph Valentino
type costumes. So enthusiastic was he
that Priscilla says in her memoirs that
Elvis would wear his full makeup and
costume home each night, fully immersed
in his role. His excitement soon waned
when it became apparent that, as she put
it, "the plot was a joke, his character
a fool, and the songs were disastrous."
Even Elvis' manager Colonel Parker
expressed in a letter to MGM that it
would take "a 55th cousin to P.T. Barnum
to sell this picture". He suggested they
add a talking camel as narrator, a la
"Francis the Talking Mule" in the Donald
O'Connor movies, in order to save it and
to make it seem as if the ridiculousness
was intended. His idea was rejected by
the studio.
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Elvis Presley in Harum Scarum. |
Producer Sam Katzman's career started as
a teenager working with movie props and
continued as he learned all the various
phases of movie making. He became a
producer in 1935. He produced over 230
movies, most of which were profitable
due to his penchant for producing with
little budget. He also was the producer
for Elvis' film "Kissin' Cousins" as
well as numerous jungle films, westerns,
and the East Side Kids film series. He
put out such films as the 1949 version
of "Batman and Robin", "Captain Video,
Master of the Stratosphere" and "Brenda
Starr, Reporter" before producing "Your
Cheatin' Heart" and teenage musicals
such as "Rock Around The Clock" and
"Let's Twist Again".
The director, Gene Nelson, had worked
with Elvis on
"Kissin' Cousins". Along
with Gerald Drayson Adams he received a
Writers Guild of America nomination in
1965 for that film as Best Written
American Musical. In 1933, Mr. Nelson
was inspired by Fred Astaire to become a
dancer. He joined the Sonja Henie Ice
Show and toured for three years with her
before joining the US Army in World War
II. After the war he appeared in movies,
receiving a Golden Globe Award in 1951
as Most Promising Newcomer for his work
in "Tea For Two". He might be best
remembered for the role of cowboy Will
Parker in the film"Oklahoma". He also
directed many television series
including "I Dream of Jeannie", "Star
Trek", "Hawaii Five-O", "Starsky and
Hutch" and "Fantasy Island". After
"Harum Scarum" wrapped Elvis gave him an
autographed picture saying "Someday
we'll do it right."
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Elvis Presley sings 'Hey Little
Girl' in Harum Scarum. |
Writer Gerald Drayson Adams was educated
at Oxford University in England. He
worked as a literary agent and business
executive. He specialized in
action-adventure and western movies as
well as TV series. He shared in the
Writers Guild nomination with Gene
Nelson for "Kissin' Cousins", as
mentioned above.
Mary Ann Mobley was Elvis' leading lady
for "Harum Scarum", the second of her
two films with him. Previously, she was
in "Girl Happy" with Elvis and leading
lady Shelley Fabares. Mobley was was
born in Biloxi, Mississippi. She was
crowned Miss Mississippi 1958 and went
on to win the title of Miss America
1959. She sang in the talent segment of
the Miss America pageant, which started
her television career singing on variety
shows. She won a Golden Globe Award in
1965 for Most Promising Newcomer- Female
along with Mia Farrow and Celia Kaye.
She has since had many roles in both
film and television. Ms. Mobley
currently suffers from Crohn's Disease
and is an advocate for related research
funding . She has also been active in
the March of Dimes as well as other
charities that support children around
the world.
Fran Jeffries played the sultry Aishah.
Ms. Jeffries was born in San Jose,
California and became a recording artist
and night club performer while still in
her teens. She performed in many
prestigious hotel venues and clubs and
toured with Sammy Davis Jr. and Bob
Hope. Before becoming a solo act she was
partnered with her first husband,
Argentine-born singer Dick Haymes. Years
later, her second husband,
actor/director Richard Quine, featured
her in films such as "Sex and The Single
Girl" and "Talent for Loving". She also
had a role in the film "The Pink
Panther".
Michael Ansara played Prince Dragna. He
was born in Syria of American parents.
The family moved to the United States
when he was two and eventually settled
in California when he was ten. He
originally planned to pursue a career as
a doctor, but became involved in
studying drama instead. He started
appearing in films in 1944, playing in
such movies as "The Robe", "The Ten
Commandments", "The Greatest Story Ever
Told" and "The Sad Sack" among many
others. It was his role of the Indian
chief Cochise in the 1950's TV series
"Broken Arrow" that first made him
widely known. He was married for some
time to actress Barbara Eden, who, early
in their marriage, worked with Elvis in
the film "Flaming Star" and later became
best known as the star of the "I Dream
of Jeannie" television series Ansara
directed and appeared in episodes of "I
Dream of Jeannie". You might remember
him as the Blue Djinn who placed Jeannie
in the bottle to begin with. In recent
years he has had a role in three of the
Star Trek film series, "Star Trek: The
Next Generation", "Star Trek: Deep Space
Nine", and "Star Trek: Voyager". His is
also the voice of Dr. Victor Fries/ Mr.
Freeze in the animated "Batman" series.
Elvis' character Johnny Tyronne is an
American actor visiting the Middle East
for the premiere of his latest film,
"Sands of the Desert". Tyronne is
kidnapped, which leads to a series of
adventures in the fictitious Arabian
kingdom of Lunarkand. The thin plot and
the economical production with a short
shooting schedule brought Elvis more
disappointment and frustration over the
state of his film career.
The film was released for Thanksgiving
weekend on November 24, 1965 and reached
#11 on the following week's "Variety Box
Office Survey", the fortieth-highest
grossing film for 1965. The soundtrack
album, which contained a souvenir
picture of Elvis in one of his costumes
from the film, had a 23-week stay on the
Billboard LP chart, peaking at #8.
Philip Reed played King Toranshah and
father to Princess Shalimar, played by
lieading lady Mary Ann Mobley. Born in
1908, Mr. Reed began his career as a
handsome leading man on stage. His movie
career began in 1933 and he appeared in
movies such as "Female", "Affairs of a
Gentleman", "The Last of the Mohicans",
"Madame X" and "Girl In the Red Velvet
Swing". "Harum Scarum" was his last film
before retiring.
This was also the last movie for Larry
Chance, who played Captain Heart. He had
numerous TV roles in the 50's and 60's,
as well as roles in such films as
"Against All Flags", "The Rose Tattoo"
and "Al Capone" . In the Elvis film
"Flaming Star" he played an Indian
chief.
Barbara Werle played Leilah, servant to
Princess Shalimar. Ms. Werle had a
number of roles on various TV adventure
series in the 1960's. She also played in
movies such as "Battle of the Bulge",
"The Rare Breed", "Krakatoa, East of
Java" , along with the Elvis films
"Tickle Me" and "Charro!".
Theodore Marcuse played the evil villain
Sinan. He was known for his sinister
presence and often played such roles
both on TV and om films such as "Star
Trek", "The Wild, Wild West"and "The
Glass Bottom Boat".
Jay Novello played Zacha, the leader of
the thieves that Elvis' character
befriends. Mr. Novello had a
distinguished career as a character
actor from the 1930's to the 1970's. His
hundreds of credits can't be listed
here, but some highlights are: his role
of Captain Sam Sabaaya on CBS Radio's
"Rocky Jordan" from 1948 1953, his role
as Juan Greco in the long running TV
series "Zorro", and roles in the films
"Boys Town", "The Great Train Robbery",
"Captain America", "The Robe" and
"Pocketful of Miracles".
The famed "little person" Billy Barty
played the mute pickpocket Baba. Mr.
Barty was a prolific actor beginning his
career at the age of three. A successful
activist for the rights of persons of
small stature, he founded The Little
People Of America Inc. in 1957 and The
Billy Barty Foundation in 1975. He was
quoted as saying, "The general public
thinks all little people are in circuses
or sideshows. We have doctors, nurses,
just about every field covered." Barty's
acting credits are many and include a
role in the Elvis film "Roustabout".
Julna the drummer was played by Jack
Costanza, also known as "Mr. Bongo". He
was a dancer from Chicago who developed
an interest in bongos while visiting
Africa. He worked in the 1950's with
Stan Kenton's jazz band and eventually
played percussion on hundreds of jazz,
big band, and Latin recordings.
The dancing girls were Sapphire,
Amethyst and Emerald were played,
respectively, by Gail Gilmore, Wilda
Taylor and Brenda Benet. Ms. Gilmore did
not continue in movies. Ms. Taylor had
dancing roles the Elvis films
"Roustabout" and "Frankie and Johnny".
Ms. Benet was a dancer and actress
probably best recognized for her role of
Lee DuMonde on the TV show "Days Of Our
Lives". She was married for a time to
actor Paul Petersen and then to actor
Bill Bixby, who co-starred with Elvis in
two films -"Speedway" and "Clambake".
Tragically, Ms. Benet committed suicide
in 1982 due to grief over the sudden
death of her six-year-old son
Christopher Bixby.
Although the production of "Harum
Scarum" had its flaws, one saving grace
was the exceptional sets and set
decoration designed by the award
nominated team of George W. Davis,
McClure Capps, Henry Grace and Don
Greenwood Jr. George W. Davis was
nominated seventeen times for Academy
Awards, winning two. Henry Grace was
nominated thirteen times winning one.
Don Greenwood was nominated once. They
have worked on films such as "How The
West Was Won", The Blackboard Jungle",
"All About Eve", "Gigi", "The Robe",
"Cimarron", "The Diary of Anne Frank",
"Mutiny On The Bounty", "The Wonderful
World of the Brothers Grimm", "Patch of
Blue", "The Unsinkable Molly Brown",
"Mr. Buddwing" and "The Shoes of the
Fisherman" , among
others.
It was while filming "Harum Scarum" that
Elvis began in earnest to pursue his
spiritual studies. When the film
wrapped, Elvis presented the cast and
crew with watches that he had Harry
Levitch, one of his favorite jewelers,
design. It featured both a cross and a
Star of David and symbolized for Elvis
"universal brotherhood".
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Harum Scarum |
Soundtrack
- Harem
Holiday (Andreoli/Poncia Jr./Crane)
- My Desert Serenade (Gelber)
- Go East-Young Man (Giant/Baum/Kaye)
- Mirage (Giant/Baum/Kaye)
- Kismet (Tepper/Bennett)
- Shake That Tambourine
(Giant/Baum/Kaye)
- Hey Little Girl (Joy Byers)
- Golden Coins (Giant/Baum/Kaye)
- So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise)
(Byers)
Recorded at:
RCA
Studios, 17th Avenue South, Nashville.
February 1965
Musicians:
Elvis Presley (vocals), Scotty Moore,
Grady Martin, Charlie McCoy (guitars),
Henry Strzelecki (bass), D.J. Fontana,
Ken Buttrey (drums), Floyd Cramer,
(piano), the Jordinaires (vocals)
Harum Scarum (aka Harem
Holiday) - MGM 1965
Directed: Gene
Nelson
Writing Credits: Gerald Drayson
Adams
Producer: Sam Katzman
Musical Score: Fred Karger
Choreography: Earl Barton
Metrocolor and Panavision
Cast Overview
Elvis Presley .... Johnny Tyronne, Mary
Ann Mobley .... Princess Shalimar, Fran
Jeffries .... Aishah, Michael Ansara
.... Prince Dragna, Jay Novello ....
Zacha, Philip Reed .... King Toranshah,
Theodore Marcuse.... Sinan, Billy Barty
.... Baba, Dirk Harvey .... Makar, Jack
Constanzo .... Julna, Larry Chance ....
Captain Herat, Barbara Werle ....
Leilah, Brenda Benet .... Emerald, Gail
Gilmore .... Sapphire, Wilda Taylor ....
Amethyst.
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