How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (United Artists) (1967)

Publicity Still HT'S-25 Mat 2E in this key scene from “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying”? Robert Morse sings “I Believe In You” to himself, The film version of Broadway’s Pulitzer Prize winning musical comedy opens in Color by DeLuxe and Panavision Theatre, thru United Artists release. Michele Lee the at and Rudy Vallee co-star in their original roles in The Mirisch Corporation presentation. ‘HowTo Succeed’ Producer-Director Succeeds By Trying Very Hard The multi-talented producer-director-screenwriter of “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” is proof that the way to succeed in show business is by trying hard in every way. The ways have led David Swift from a career as cartoonist (with Walt Disney’s studios) to those of comedy writing, TV scripting, directing and finally producing. Highlight of his crowded career is “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,” for which he combined all these skills. Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway play, the musical comedy opens in Color by DeLuxe and Panavision....at the... .Theatre, through United Artists release --starring Robert Morse, Michele Lee and Rudy Vallee. The film is a Mirisch Corporation presentation. Swift’s first writing chores were for funsters Bob Hope, Danny Thomas, Jimmy Durante, Red Skelton, George Burns and many more. For four years he wrote dozens of radio shows, then began scripting serious dramatic programs for television, including “Philco Playhouse,” “Studio One,” “Kraft Theatre” and “The U. S. Steel Hour.” He began directing with “Omnibus,” and went on to write and direct “General Electric Theatre,” “Rifleman,” “Wagon Train,” “Four Star Playhouse,” “Playhouse 90” and “Climax.” His creation of the “Mr. Peepers” series, starring Wally Cox, is considered a TV classic and convinced Swift that he was happiest with comedy. Returning to the Disney studios, he wrote and directed “Pollyanna—then went on to the production of other funny feature films including “Good Neighbor Sam,” “The Parent Trap,” “Love Is A Ball,” and “Under the Yum Yum Tree.” Dances by Moreda Dance sequences for “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying” were all staged by Dale Moreda—who both appeared in the original stage version of the Pulitzer Prize Winning musical and was assistant to its choreographer, Bob Fosse. Opening in Color by DeLuxe and Panavision....at the... .Theatre, the United Artists release and Mirisch Corp. presentation “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying” has had many “road” companies — and Moreda choreographed and directed the Paris, Stockholm and Vienna productions, along with the American national company. Q Anthony Teague ‘Succeed’ Role One He Aimed For For ten years, in New York, London and Hollywood—in musicals, movies and night clubs—Anthony Teague has been setting his professional sights on the major film role that would prove the turning point in his career. Now the talented Texan (actor, dancer, singer and writer) has found the role in “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,” musical comedy opening in Color by DeLuxe and Panavision....... at the SOLE Theatre, through United Artists release. The film is a ‘Mirisch Corp. presentation. Teague began his career as a dancer, with the Marge and Gower Champion TV show, then joined Lisa Kirk for a two-year tour of the country’s night clubs. After that he formed his own act and opened in London, including appearances at the famous Palladium. He choreographed a stage show for England’s top comedian, Tony Hancock, and signed an important recording contract for Decca Records. Back in the States, Teague opened on Broadway in David Merrick’s hit show, “110 Degrees In The Shade,” later touring with the national company. His first film role was in “West Side Story.” Between that and “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying” the ambitious youth has devoted himself to developing his acting skills. A member of the American Conservatory Theatre, he has played roles in widely diverse and difficult plays including those by Shaw, Shakespeare, Albee and Tennessee Williams. And that isn’t all. Talented as a writer, he has also penned a screenplay and many short stories. But acting, he says, is what he wants most. ‘How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying’ Shoots Exteriors on Streets of New York City (Production Story) When producer-director David Swift concluded Hollywood filming of “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,” he brought cast and crew members to New York City for on-location shooting of the New York exteriors. In Color by DeLuxe and Panavision, the musical comedy opens .... .. at the ...... Theatre, thru United Artists release. It stars Robert Morse, Michele Lee and Rudy Vallee and was written for the screen by Swift. As successful as the play was (it won the Pulitzer Prize and just about every other award around) Swift wanted to “open it up” on screen. There are limitations on stage that a camera and a cutting room can eouquer...,.anu Swift saw no point in building New York sets in the studio when he could have New York itself for the asking. Consequently, some of the most exciting footage in the film was made (b rapher Burnett Guffey) on the streets of New York and high above them on the parapets of the city’s skyscrapers. Hidden cameras recorded star Robert Morse’s song-and-dance sequence, “Company Way,” while puzzled New Yorkers turned to stare at the nut skipping along the streets! The music track was being played back to Morse through a transistor receiver and a_ fleshcolored plastic earplug (look for it). In the window-washing scenes, Morse climbed out of the Chemical Bank New York Trust Building’s 54th floor window onto a rig from which he performed (with accredited window-washers Bill Smith and Bill Pilch). Other location filming was done at the Union Carbide Building on Park Avenue — which was transformed into the World Wide Wicket Inc. Building. The Taft Hotel on Seventh Avenue (near United Artists’ New York offices) was also a “set” as was the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and the city’s newly rebuilt third Avenue, with its glass and steel skyscrapers. “We thought that at least we would escape the terrible heat of the studio lights,” Michele Lee recalls, “but we wound up filming in the worst heat-wave New York has had in years . . . with temperatures over 100 degrees!” “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” is a Mirisch Corporation presentation based on the stage play with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert. In turn, the play was based on Shepherd Mead’s runaway best-selling book. Still HTS-5 y Academy Award winning cinematog The Magic of Film One of Robert Morse’s big numbers in “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying” is “I Believe in You”—and one of the film’s funniest sight gags was invented for the scene. It’s a bit of business that could not possibly have been included in the stage version of the Pulitzer Prize winning musical. Opening Theatre, the United Artists release in Color by DeLuxe and Panavision comedy calls for Morse—who is not exactly the tall, dark and handsome actor associated with matinee idols —to croon to himself in the mirror — fondly imagining he is Cary Grant. And there in the glass, movie audiences will see—Cary Grant! Grant agreed to go along with the gag largely because of a sentimental feeling for “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.” While he was courting Diane Cannon, now Mrs. Grant, she was leading lady in the national company of the show. The film is a Mirisch Corporation presentation. In The Family In over 37 years of movie-making, Rudy Vallee notes that 3 of his films seem to form a curious family pattern. Now starring in “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,” which opens in Color by DeLuxe and Panavision ...... at theres acts Theatre, through United Artists release and presented by the Mirisch Corporation. Vallee has previous been in “I Remember Mama,” “Mother Was A Freshman,” and “Father Was a Fullback.” Mat 2D Rudy Vallee knits to relieve office tension in “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,” film version of the Pulitzer Prize winning musical comedy opening ... . cee Ata eeeeee ee Theatre. In Color by DeLuxe and Panavision, the United Artists release co-stars Robert Morse and Michele Lee. All three play their original Broadway parts, The picture is a Mirisch Corporation presentation with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert. The play was based on Shepherd Mead’s best-selling book. Still HTS-51 Mat 2A Robert Morse and Michele Lee recreate their original Broadway roles in the film version of ““How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,” at the opening in Color by DeLuxe and Panavision Theatre, through United Artists. Rudy Vallee also stars in the Hollywood adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning play. The film is a Mirisch Corp. presentation. No One But Rudy for Vallee Role in ‘How To In his autobiography, “My Time is Your Time,” Rudy Vallee reflected on his role in “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying” through United Artists release in Color by DeLuxe and Panavision. After starring for three years on Broadway in the Pulitzer Prize winning musical comedy — then touring with the road company, Vallee returned home to ponder on who would be cast in the screen version of the hit play. “If they offer me the motion picture role of J. B. Biggley,” the sophisticated veteran of 37 years in show business wrote, “I will bound from my wheel chair and crawl to the studio on my hands and knees.” When he got the role, however, Vallee turned up in a sports car. Producer-director-screenwriter Dayid Swift claims he would have let Rudy play the role in a wheel chair, if necessary. “It never occurred to me to cast anyone else in the part,” he says. Once the matinee idol of the “flapper” generation, Vallee has maintained his popularity on stage, screen, radio, television and in night clubs. His first fame came as a bandleader, fronting the famous “Connecticut Yankees.” Via radio broadcasts from the Heigh Ho Club, national fame followed and soon he was called to Hollywood for his first of many movies, “The Vagabond Lover.” Records and theatre dates added to his stardom, and at dance dates, in the absence of public address systems, Rudy began singing through a megaphone—a style that has always been his trademark. In almost four decades there is little Vallee hasn’t done in show business, yet he writes in his book, “The old fire horse never forgets and the clanging of the bells makes him yearn to be back in harness.” For this reason, Rudy asserts, he will never retire. The matter is really out of his hands. With performances like that in “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,” he will never be allowed even to consider retirement. The film is presented by The Mirisch Corporation. Succeed’ Film Knit Two, Purl One After 37 years in show business —and three years in “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,’ Rudy Vallee had to learn to knit for the movie version, opening at the Theatre, through United Artists release in Color by DeLuxe and Panavision, and presented by the Mirisch Corp. Cast as pompous J. B. Biggley, Vallee is called on to knit golfclub covers to relieve corporate tensions—and what he could fake on stage he could not get away with before the all-seeing, all-revealing eye of the close-up camera. Marie Kenney, script supervisor of the Color by DeLuxe and Panavision comedy, found herself a technical director teaching Vallee to knit and purl. Did it relieve Vallee’s tensions? “I think it created them,” Miss Kenney confides. Still HTS-40 Rudy Vallee recreates his Broadway role in the film version of “How Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,” which opens in Color by DeLuxe and Panavision ...... at thew: Theatre, thru United Artists release. Robert Morse and Michele Lee also star in their original roles in the Pulitzer Prize winning musical comedy. The film is a Mirisch Corporation presentation, Mat 1B