The Girls of Pleasure Island
Encyclopedia
The Girls of Pleasure Island is a 1953 Technicolor
comedy film directed by Alvin Ganzer and F. Hugh Herbert
. The screenplay by F. Hugh Herbert
is based on the novel by former Marine William Maier. The original music score is composed by Lyn Murray
.
,
Paramount acquired the property in 1951 from Columbia Pictures
who did not produce it.
At times, Robert Donat
and William Holden
were considered for the film.
For the three English daughters, Paramount interviewed 900 aspiring actresses, with nine
given screen test
s
at Pinewood Studios
. Joan Elan, Audrey Dalton
and Dorothy Bromiley
, each of them then attending a different drama school, were chosen.
The three were contracted by Paramount and were given massive publicity including a cover story in LIFE magazine and made tours to promote the film, including "GI Premiere
s" to troops fighting the Korean War
.
The film was made on Paramount's backlot
in 1952. During the filming director F. Hugh Herbert
became ill and was replaced by assistant director Alvin Ganzer.
Included in the cast playing marines were Earl Holliman
, Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., Benny Bartlett. Buck Young
and Johnny Downs
.
Technicolor
Technicolor is a color motion picture process invented in 1916 and improved over several decades.It was the second major process, after Britain's Kinemacolor, and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952...
comedy film directed by Alvin Ganzer and F. Hugh Herbert
F. Hugh Herbert
Frederick Hugh Herbert was a playwright, screenwriter, novelist, short story writer, and infrequent film director....
. The screenplay by F. Hugh Herbert
F. Hugh Herbert
Frederick Hugh Herbert was a playwright, screenwriter, novelist, short story writer, and infrequent film director....
is based on the novel by former Marine William Maier. The original music score is composed by Lyn Murray
Lyn Murray
Lyn Murray was a composer, conductor, and arranger of music for radio, film and television.Born as Lionel Breeze in London, he arrived on American shores to found the Lyn Murray Singers, who became known throughout the United States as the featured group on CBS Radio’s Your Hit Parade...
.
Plot summary
In 1945, Roger Halyard is a stiff-upper-lipped British gentleman who lives on a South Pacific island with his three nubile, naive daughters, Violet, Hester and Gloria. Hoping to shelter the girls from the lascivious advances of the opposite sex, Halyard is thwarted when 1,500 Marines arrive to transform the island into an aircraft landing base. Despite the best efforts of Halyard, his housekeeper Thelma, and Marine Colonel Reade, romance blossoms between the three girls and a trio of handsome leathernecks.Production
Based on a 1949 novel Pleasure Island that was the working titleWorking title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
,
Paramount acquired the property in 1951 from Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
who did not produce it.
At times, Robert Donat
Robert Donat
Robert Donat was an English film and stage actor. He is best-known for his roles in Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps and Goodbye, Mr...
and William Holden
William Holden
William Holden was an American actor. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1954 and the Emmy Award for Best Actor in 1974...
were considered for the film.
For the three English daughters, Paramount interviewed 900 aspiring actresses, with nine
given screen test
Screen test
A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an actor or actress for performing on film and/or in a particular role. The performer is generally given a scene, or selected lines and actions, and instructed to perform in front of a camera to see if they are suitable...
s
at Pinewood Studios
Pinewood Studios
Pinewood Studios is a major British film studio situated in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, approximately west of central London. The studios have played host to many productions over the years from huge blockbuster films to television shows to commercials to pop promos.The purchase of Shepperton...
. Joan Elan, Audrey Dalton
Audrey Dalton
Audrey Dalton is an Irish television and film actress.-Filmography:*Police Woman as Mrs. Hunter *Family Affair as Mrs. Thompson *Insight...
and Dorothy Bromiley
Dorothy Bromiley
Dorothy Bromiley is a former British film, stage and television actress and authority on historic domestic needlework....
, each of them then attending a different drama school, were chosen.
The three were contracted by Paramount and were given massive publicity including a cover story in LIFE magazine and made tours to promote the film, including "GI Premiere
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
s" to troops fighting the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
The film was made on Paramount's backlot
Backlot
A backlot is an area behind or adjoining a movie studio, containing permanent exterior buildings for outdoor scenes in filmmaking or television productions, or space for temporary set construction....
in 1952. During the filming director F. Hugh Herbert
F. Hugh Herbert
Frederick Hugh Herbert was a playwright, screenwriter, novelist, short story writer, and infrequent film director....
became ill and was replaced by assistant director Alvin Ganzer.
Included in the cast playing marines were Earl Holliman
Earl Holliman
-Early life:Earl Holliman was born at Delhi in Richland Parish of northeastern Louisiana. Holliman’s biological father died before he was born, and his biological mother, living in poverty with several other children, gave him up for adoption at birth...
, Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., Benny Bartlett. Buck Young
Buck Young
Buck Young was an American actor who played the role as "Sergeant Whipple" on the Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. TV series.In 1944, during World War II, Young was drafted into the US Army Air Corps...
and Johnny Downs
Johnny Downs
Johnny Downs was an American actor. Son of a Naval aviator, he was taken to Hollywood in 1921 when his father was transferred to the San Diego naval base. He began his career as a child actor, most notably playing Johnny in the Our Gang short series from 1923 to 1926...
.
Main cast
- Don TaylorDon Taylor (actor)Don Taylor was an American movie actor and director best known for his performances in 1950s classics like Stalag 17 and Father of the Bride and the 1948 film noir The Naked City...
- Lieutenant Gilmartin - Leo GennLeo Genn- Early life :He was born at 144 Kyverdale Road, Stamford Hill, Hackney, London, England to a Jewish family. His father, Woolfe Genn, was a jewellery salesman and the maiden name of his mother, Rachel, was Asserson....
- Roger Halyard - Elsa LanchesterElsa LanchesterElsa Sullivan Lanchester was an English-American character actress with a long career in theatre, film and television....
- Thelma - Philip OberPhilip OberPhilip Ober was an American actor.Ober often appeared in roles as a straight man in farcical circumstances. One of his most memorable stage role was in Lawrence Riley's Broadway hit Personal Appearance opposite Gladys George. From 1954 to 1967 he frequently appeared in television series...
- Colonel Reade - Joan Elan - Violet Halyard
- Audrey DaltonAudrey DaltonAudrey Dalton is an Irish television and film actress.-Filmography:*Police Woman as Mrs. Hunter *Family Affair as Mrs. Thompson *Insight...
- Hester Halyard - Dorothy BromileyDorothy BromileyDorothy Bromiley is a former British film, stage and television actress and authority on historic domestic needlework....
- Gloria Halyard - Peter BaldwinPeter Baldwin (director)Peter Baldwin is an American actor and director of film and television.Baldwin started his career as a contract player at Paramount Studios. He played the character Johnson in Stalag 17. He eventually became a television director with an extensive résumé. As well as directing all of the episode's...
- Private Henry Smith - Gene BarryGene BarryGene Barry was an American stage, screen, and television actor. Barry is best remembered for his leading roles in the films The Atomic City and The War of The Worlds and for his portrayal of the title character in the TV series Bat Masterson, among many roles.-Personal life:Barry was born...
- Captain Beaton - Arthur E. Gould-Porter - Reverend Bates
- Barry Bernard - Wilkinson
External links
- Gene Barry photos from the film http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/gb-girlsofpleasureisland.htm