The Trouble With Girls (And How
To Get Into It) - MGM 1969
Elvis Presley's thirtieth movie was shot
in 1968 and was called "The Trouble With
Girls (And How To Get Into It)". It was
the only Elvis movie to have a subtitle
in its name.
"The Trouble With Girls" is set in
the travelling show known as Chautauqua.
And like the eclectic offerings of the
Chautauqua, the movie has its share of
colorful characters matched with the
equally colourful actors playing them.
Elvis played Walter Hale,
manager of the travelling show.
The story for the film was based on the
Chautauqua, which was founded in 1874 by
Lewis Miller, an Akron, Ohio inventor
and the father-in-law of inventor Thomas
Edison; and John H. Vincent, a Methodist
minister and eventual bishop. Their
original goal was to provide adult
education in the summer for Sunday
school teachers. With the success of the
program it evolved to include academic
subjects, music, art and physical
education. From the very start it
included many religious denominations.
The home base for Chautauqua is the
southwest corner of New York State near
Lake Chautauqua, where the institute
still thrives today. In the early 1900's
the Chautauqua program travelled by train
across the country bringing its lectures
to the people. (This is the era of
Chatauqua depicted in "The Trouble with
Girls". ) With the advent of film and
radio programs the travelling stopped.
Today the Chautauqua Institution is a
750-acre educational centre with an
average visitorship of 150,000 each
summer. It has been visited by nine U.S.
Presidents, including Franklin D.
Roosevelt, who delivered his "I Hate
War" speech from there in 1936, and
Ronald Reagan, who addressed a
conference on U.S.-Soviet relations
there via satellite in 1987. And George
Gershwin composed his "Concerto in F"
while visiting in 1925. The Athenaeum
Hotel on the grounds was one of the
first hotels to have electric lights.
The story had a long road to production
as a movie. As early as December 1960,
Glenn Ford was set to star in the film.
By February 1961, Elvis was to join as
Ford's co-star along with Hope Lange and
Arthur O'Connell. Screenwriters changed
over and over and, by July 1961, Glenn
Ford was out and Elvis was in as the
star. In August 1964, Elvis was out and
Dick Van Dyke was chosen to star. After
more screenwriter changes MGM sold its
rights to Columbia Pictures. In April
1968 MGM bought back the rights to the
film and Elvis was back in as the star.
Production finally began in October 1968
and was finished by December 18, 1968.
Filming took place at the MGM studios.
Among the film's working titles had been
"Big America" (during the Columbia
possession) and "Chautauqa" (including
the time of production with Elvis).
Ultimately, it was released as "The
Trouble with Girls (And How to Get Into
It)".
Marlyn Mason & Elvis Presley in
The Trouble With Girls (And How
To Get Into It).
Maryln Mason played
Charlene, the performers' union
representative. Ms. Mason has worked in
such films as "Brigadoon" and "Carousel"
as well as in TV shows such as "Charles
In Charge".
Sheree North played Nita Bix. Ms. North
has had roles in such films as
"Madigan", "Charley Varrick" and "The
Shootist" and has guest performed on
such TV series as "The Mary Tyler Moore
Show" and "The Golden Girls". She is
also be remembered for playing Kramer's
mother on the "Seinfeld" TV series, a
character who reveals to the other
characters that Kramer's first name is
Cosmo. She was nominated twice for an
Emmy Award, one for her role on "Archie
Bunker's Place" and one for "Marcus
Welby, M.D.".
The innkeeper's daughter Betty was
played by Nicole Jaffe, who also worked
in the Disney movie "The Love Bug". She
might be best known for her voice. From
1969 to 1973, she was the voice of Velma
in the "Scooby-Doo" cartoon series.
Since 1974, she has been an agent for
the William Morris Agency.
John Carradine played Mr. Drewcolt and
is well known for his deep voice. He
acted in over 70 TV shows and in over
260 films, such as "Bluebeard", "The
Grapes of Wrath" and "Captains
Courageous". His roles varied from the
numerous times he played Dracula in
horror films to his portrayal of Aaron,
brother of Moses, in the movie "The Ten
Commandments".
Vincent Price was Mr. Morality in the
"Trouble With Girls". He played many
types of roles in movies, including
playing Baka in "The Ten Commandments".
Eventually, Price became best known for
his work in the horror genre - his
character Dr. Phibes being one of the
most memorable. His inimitable voice can
be heard as the macabre narrator in
Michael Jackson's music video
"Thriller". Shortly before his death in
1993, he said that one of his favourite
roles was the voice of Professor Ratigan
in the Disney cartoon "The Great Mouse
Detective". A gourmet cook, Price
concentrated a big part the 1970's on
cooking programs for television and he
and his wife, the actress Coral Brown,
wrote a cookbook. His last film role was
in the 1990 film "Edward Scissorhands".
Dabney Coleman played the villain
Harrison Wilby in "The Trouble with
Girls". Over the years, Mr. Coleman has
became known for his roles as a smarmy,
selfish type. You might remember him for
his role as the oppressive boss in the
movie "Nine To Five". He also played
memorable roles of a similar nature on
the comedic television series "Mary
Hartman, Mary Hartman", "Buffalo Bill"
and "The Slap Maxwell Story". Today, he
can be seen weekly in the TV drama
series "The Guardian". He has been
nominated three times for a Golden Globe
Award, winning one in 1988 for "The Slap
Maxwell Story". He received a 1991 Emmy
nomination for a guest role on
"Columbo".
Child actress Anissa Jones had the role
of Carol Bix. She was also Buffy in the
TV series "Family Affair".
If you look closely, you can catch Susan
Olsen trying out for the children's
program at the Chautauqua. The next year
she became known for her role as Cindy
on the television series "The Brady
Bunch".
Brett Parker was Chowderhead in "The
Trouble with Girls". Earlier, he played
the deputy sheriff in the Elvis film
"Stay Away Joe".
Frank Welker was the young college man
wearing the Rutgers sweater. Mr. Welker
became known as the "voice God" in
Hollywood performing in nearly 400
animated movies and cartoons. He was the
gopher in "Caddyshack II", Stripe in the
"Gremlins", Heckle in "Heckle and
Jeckle", Abu in "Aladdin", Flit in
"Pocahontas", Khan the horse in "Mulan",
Pegasus in "Hercules", and the list goes
on. If you listen closely, you will
recognize his as the voice of Fred for
many years in the in the "Scooby-Doo,
Where are You?" animated television
series.
The very small role simply called "The
Cranker", a character who cranks a motor
car in the movie, was played by Duke
Snider. Also known as "The Silver Fox"
and the "Duke of Flatbush", Mr. Snider
held several baseball records and was
inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
in 1980.
"The Trouble With
Girls" was directed by Peter Tewksbury,
who also directed the Elvis film "Stay
Away Joe". Mr. Tewksbury received three
Emmy Award nominations for his work in
television, winning one in 1959 for
directing an episode of "Father Knows
Best". Upon his retirement from show
busines he relocated to Vermont. There
he became known as "Henry The
Cheeseman", having become the manager of
the cheese department at the
Brattleboro, Vermont Food Co-Op and
writing a book called "The Cheeses of
Vermont". Tewksbury died in February
2003.
Unique camera angles were used by
cinematographer Jacques R. Marquette,
who also worked on the Elvis movie
"Frankie & Johnny". Mr. Marquette began
his career in newsreel photography and
served in World War II as an Air Force
photographer. He has worked on numerous
movie and television projects.
Soundtrack
Recorded at:
United Recorders, Los Angeles.
October 1968.
Musicians:
Elvis Presley (vocals), Gerald McGee,
Morton Marker, Joseph Gibbons (guitars),
Max Bennett (bass), Frank Carlson, John
Guerin (drums), Don Randi (piano),
Marilyn Mason & the Mello Men (vocals).
The Trouble
With Girls (And How To Get Into It) -
MGM 1969
Directed
Peter Tewksbury
Writing Credits Dwight V. Babcock
(novel), Arnold Peyser
Producer Lester Welch
Panavision and Metrocolor
Cast Overview
Elvis Presley .... Walter Hale, Marlyn
Mason .... Charlene, Nicole Jaffe ....
Betty, Sheree North .... Nita Bix,
Edward Andrews .... Johnny, John
Carradine .... Mr. Drewcolt, Anissa
Jones .... Carol Bix, Vincent Price ....
Mr. Morality, Joyce Van Patten....
Maude, Pepe Brown .... Willy, Dabney
Coleman .... Harrison Wilby, Bill
Zuckert .... Mayor Gilchrist, Pitt
Herbert .... Mr. Perper, Anthony
'Scooter' Teague .... Clarence, Med
Flory .... Constable.