Tomboy and the Champ (Universal Pictures) (1961)

billing Signal Pictures presents “TOMBOY AND THE CHAMP” in color starring CANDY MOORE BEN JOHNSON JESSE WHITE and CHAMPY, the Angus Guest stars REX ALLEN CASEY TIBBS JERRY NAILL Screenplay by VIRGINIA M. COOKE Based on an original story by TOMMY REYNOLDS and WILLIAM LIGHTFOOT Directed by FRANCIS D. LYON Produced by TOMMY REYNOLDS and WILLIAM LIGHTFOOT A Universal-International Release Tommy Jo......---CANDY MOORE Uncle Jim...__--.-----BEN JOHNSON Windy Skiles.......JESSE WHITE Model T. Parson JESS KIRKPATRICK Aunt Sarah...CHRISTINE SMITH Jasper Stockton..PAUL BERNATH Fowler Stockton NORMAN SHERRY Fred Anderson JOHN CARPENTER Hi Fi Club Announcer WALLY PHILLIPS 4-H Club President RALPH FISCHER Curley Cone.....-.LARRY HICKIE and CHAMPY (The Angus) Guest Stars REX ALLEN CASEY TIBBS JERRY NAILL (Singing “Barbecue Rock”) The Katy, Texas Future Farmers Of America Chapter ... The 4-H Club Congress In Chicago . . . The Shorthorn Lassies. Director of Photography, William Clothier; Film Editor, William B. Murphy; Music Editor, Edna Bullock; Sound Editor, Jerry Rosenthal; Ass’t Editor, Ozzie Woods; Sound Mixer, Dale Knight; Asst Directors: Clem Beauchamp, Hal Polaire; Casting, Fred W. Smith. Music: Richard Shores. Songs: “Get Ready With The Ribbon, Judge” and “Who Says Animals Don’t Cry’—Words and Music by Tommy Reynolds and William Lightfoot ; “Barbecue Rock” — Words and Music by Elsie Pierce Wilkes. APPRECIATION TO: American Angus Ass’n, 4-H Clubs of America, Future Farmers Of America, National Radio Hi Fi Clubs, Shorthorn Lassies, Hereford Breeders Ass’n; Gleannloch Farms of Tomball, Texas ; Chicago Int'l Stock Show; Houston Fat Stock Show; U.S. Dept. of Agri culture. the story (Not for Publication) It is love at first sight when Tommy Jo (Candy Moore), a honey-haired, blue-eyed 13 year old Texas ranch girl wins a calf at a County Fair calf scramble. She calls him Champy — altho even her own Uncle (Ben Johnson) and Aunt (Christine Smith) laugh at Tommy Jo’s scrawny, bovine outlaw. While Champy is in early training, Tommy Jo has to overcome a battle with polio, but she quickly learns to walk again to get Champy in shape to enter the Houston Fat Stock Show. Champy loses, but a wise and wonderful country parson (Jesse Kirkpatrick) persuades Tommy Jo that no one has failed until they quit. The youngster is also encouraged by the over-energetic stock-show press agent, (Jesse White). Tommy’s big ambition now is to enter Champy in the famed Chicago International Exposition. Having no money to finance the venture, she’s stopped cold until the whole town of Katy makes up a purse to provide for Page 2 Bi) Ben Johnson tries to calm his daughter, Tommy Jo, played by Candy Moore, when her pet Angus steer, livestock shown winner, is led away, and she realizes he will be slaughtered. Jess Kirkpatrick looks on sympathetically in this scene from “Tomboy and the Champ,” Signal Pictures production in color, which Universal is releasing. (Still 6326-64) "13 "Is No Hoodoo For Candy —New ‘Find’ SureforStardom After "Tomboy and Champ™ (Advance) Hollywood producers have suddenly developed an avid appetite for Candy. And they want to buy 88 pounds at a time. With “price no object.” But the Candy they are drool ing for—can only be “hired” and can’t be eaten. She’s Candy Moore, 13 year old blonde, pig-tailed hoyden, making her big-time screen debut in “Tomboy And The Champ,” open Theater. In it, she “comes over big’? as a beguiling charmer who survives every adversity to make an international champ out of a scrawny, outlaw calf. It was filmed in color—deep in the heart of Texas, against exciting County Fair backgrounds and the dramatic contest ring of the famed Chicago International Livestock Exposition. Despite her youth, Candy Moore is no theatrical greenhorn. Before film colony producers “discovered” her—and labeled her a young Elizabeth Taylor—the ‘“‘new find”’ of “Tomboy And The Champ” had appeared on The Coca Cola Hour, The Dave Garroway Show, was featured in “Goodbye, Grandpa”’ for Alcoa Presents and won critical plaudits in “J.B.”, the Pulitzer Prize drama produced for the Broadway stage by noted Elia Kazan. “This Tomboy role,” explain her business agents, “simply gave her the opportunity to display a wider range of her immense, dramatically maturing talents. With this role—a characterization she was literally born to play—Hollywood has _ belatedly seen her infinite potentialities. “Candy will continue to free lance to insure proper casting. We're looking for more stories with the heart values of ‘Tomboy And The Champ.’ But they are not to be found every week of the years.” “Tomboy And The Champ,” a the big Chicago challenge. Champy, like a brave dream come true, walks off with the Grand Championship. Tommy Jo literally walks on air until she remembers that Grand Champions are always sold at auction to wind up as steaks at celebrity dinners. Champy has brought $30,000. Her beloved pet, in fact, is already on the way to a Chicago packing house. Her Aunt and Uncle, on the verge of bankruptcy, desperately need the money. Tommy Jo tries to put up a brave front— but her inner sorrow in losing Champy—puts her in a hospital with a critical illness. She simply has no will to live. How Champy and Tommy Jo are reunited will long be remembered in film annals —as will the entire story—which suggests that real champions are made, not born. Jesse stage, screen and television, plays an irrepressible news photographer in “Tomboy and the Champ,” story of a Texas teenager who wins cherished livestock “orand champion” honors. In color, the film is a Signal Pictures production and a Universal re lease. (Still 6326-67) Signal Pictures color production released by Universal-International, was directed by Academy Award winner Francis D. Lyon; was photographed by Leo Clothier, who lensed John Wayne’s spectacular production of “The Alamo” and was written by Virginia M. Cooke, whose TV screenplays embrace everything from the U. S. Steel Hour to episodes of “Lassie,” “Fury,” “My Friend Flicka” and “‘Death Valley Days.” Co-starring with Candy Moore in the film are Ben Johnson and Jesse White with guest stars Rex Allen, Casey Tibbs and Jerry Naill. "More, Candy Moore’ Will Be Nation's Cry After Seeing "Tomboy And The Champ™ (Review) More, Candy Moore! This is a cry that should sweep the nation after film fans have seen honey-haired, blue-eyed Candy Moore as she makes her big league screen debut in “Tomboy And The Champ” Which Opened sc ce. his eee at For Candy’s a star—all 88 pounds of her—as a pig-tailed pride of the Texas plains, who takes a scrawny, outlaw calf and guides him into a Grand Championship in a dramatic contest staged at the Chicago International Exposition. See if your heart doesn’t do flip-flops, handsprings and a final happy somersault as she proves that Champs are made—-not born! Candy Moore is no stranger to theatrical success. Just 13 years old, she has already “‘mowed-thecritic-men-down” in the Broadway stage production of The Pulitzer Prize Drama ‘J.B.’ produced by famed Elia Kazan. For this, she was tapped for major roles in the ABC-TV network in “Grandpa, Goodbye” and “Forked Lightning” as projected by Alcoa Presents. In earlier appearances she was seen with Dave Garroway, and The Coca Cola Show. Other many fine skills were lavishly poured into the making of ‘Tomboy And The Champ,” a Signal Pictures production, filmed in color and released by UniversalInternational. There’s hilarious vet Jesse White, known to millions for his “Cagey Calhoun” characterization in the Ann Sothern TV “Private Secretary” series; Ben Johnson, winner of a Photoplay Gold Medal Award for his performance in ‘‘Shane’’; Rex (Mr. Cowboy) Allen, who sings ‘‘Who Says Animals Don’t Cry” and “Get The Ribbon Ready, Judge’; Academy Award winner Francis D. Lyon, who directs with the sure flair he exhibited for Walt Disney’s “‘The Great Locomotive Chase’’; Cameraman Leo Clothier who lensed John Wayne’s spectacular production “The Alamo” and a screenplay by talented Virginia M. Cooke whose brilliant Candy Moore plays the leading role in ““Tomboy and the Champ,” Universal release in color telling dramatic story of young 4-H Club member who overcomes heartbreaking handicaps to rear nation’s grand champion calf. Ben Johnson and Jesse White are also starred. Rex Allen and Casey Tibbs head list of guest stars. (Still 6326-6) credits include memorable contributions: to: Sbassie,”= “hurry, “My Friend Flicka” and the U.S. Steel Hour. “Tomboy And The Champ” makes a reviewer wish that there was an Academy Award for “The Best Family Show Of The Year.”’ It would win hands down, since it takes its place with such classics as “State Fair,’ “National Velvet, 4 “Bambi,” =) “My. — H'riend Flicka”’. It has everything. A theme as American as apple pie, and new action in thrilling new backgrounds. All this, and Candy Moore, too! When Animals Lose Contests Do Their Hearts Really Cry? (Advance) How much do animals really know ? When a prize bull fails for the Purple Ribbon Championship at a Chicago International Exposition—when a fine race horse runs out of the money in a Kentucky Derby —when a pedigreed dog loses top honors at a Madison Square Garden Show — do their hearts cry? Horse trainers tell you that scores of famed turf stars like Whirlaway and Silky Sullivan “play to the grandstand” when they win. Dog breeders will testify that “man’s best friend” can “sense” Moore in a scene from “Tomboy and the Champ, Mother and daughter fight polio together. Christine Smith and Candy ” story of a cour ageous 4-H club girl who conquers infantile paralysis, goes on to win highest livestock raising honors. In color, ‘““Tomboy and the Champ” is a Signal Pictures production and a Universal release. (Still 6326-32) the joy or despair of their owners. when they win or lose. Judges of great stock shows for farm animals— swear that bulls—among others—intuitively feel the reactions of the breeders who have presented them. Between camera setups, this was the theme of a discussion as Rex (Mr. Cowboy) Allen prepared to sing ‘‘Who Says Animals Don’t Cry” to 13 year old Candy Moore in a long-to-be-remembered scene for ‘“‘Tomboy And The Champ,” ODEMIN Geo yee aks Rese at the the story of a honey-haired, blueeyed Texas tomboy—who is determined to make a Grand Champion out a scrawny, outlaw calf—but who meets failure when she first presents her pet at The Houston Fat Stock Show. “TI can cry and find some relief in crying,’ she says, “but what about poor Champy. He knows that he lost. I know it. But he can’t cry. And I can’t tell him that it is all my fault. I put him in competition before he was ready.” This, of course, is the cue for Rex Allen’s “Who Says Animals Don’t Cry.” And there wasn’t a dry eye on the set when Director Francis D. Lyon called “print it—it’s perfect.” Preview critics have already marked the scene and the song as a guarantee of new honors for Rex Allen and overnight stardom for Candy Moore. She stars in the Signal Pictures color production, released by Universal-International, with Ben Johnson, Jesse White and guest stars Rex Allen, Casey Tibbs and Jerry Naill. Copyright 1961 — Universal Pictures Co., Inc,