Tickle Me
Shooting began October 1964
Premiered in Atlanta on May 28, 1965
Previewed at Hollywood Paramount Theater on May 13, 1965
Character: Lonnie Beale
Producer: Ben Schwalb
Director: Norman Taurog
Plot:
Lonnie Beale is a singing rodeo cowboy who moonlights as a handyman at a beauty spa. Though several girls try to catch the attention of Lonnie, including the spa owner Vera Radford, the rodeo rider falls for Pam Merritt. Pam, is visiting the spa to investigate a nearby ghost town where her grandfather has supposedly hidden a cache of gold. Pam enlists the help of Lonnie and his sidekick Stanley to uncover the treasure. Locals are also looking for the gold, and try to frighten the trio into leaving the territory, but the three eventually prevail. Lonnie and Pam marry at the end, marking one of the few times his character weds onscreen.
Songs:
"Long, Lonely Highway"-Sung during the opening credits while Elvis is traveling on a Greyhound bus.
"It Feels So Right"-Sung in the Corral Bar.
"(Such An) Easy Question"-Sung in the yard of the Circle Z guest ranch.
"Dirty, Dirty Feeling"-Sung in the stables of the Circle Z.
"Put the Blame on Me"-Sung in a saloon in a daydream sequence.
"I'm Yours"-Sung at a party for Mr. and Mrs. Dabney.
"Night Rider"-Sung in the ranch yard while taking a breather from pitching hay.
"I Feel That I've Known You Forever"-Sung to Jocelyn Lane outside of her cabin at the Circle Z. In a later scene, Lane hears the song in her mind while thinking about Elvis's character.
"Slowly But Surely"-Sung at the end of the film as Elvis and Jocelyn Lane were driving down the highway on their honeymoon.
Cast:
| Lonnie
Beale - Elvis Presley
Vera Radford - Julie Adams Pam Merritt - Jocelyn Lane Stanley Potter - Jack Mullaney Estelle Penfield - Merry Anders Deputy Sheriff John Sturdivant - Bill Williams Brad Bentley - Edward Faulkner Hilda - Connie Gilchrist Barbara - Barbara Werle Adolph, the Chef - John Dennis Mr. Dabney - Grady Sutton Mabel - Allison Hayes Ophelia - Inez Pedroza Ronnie - Lilyan Cheauvin |
Donna
- Angela Greene
Henry, The Gardener - Robert Hoy Janet - Laurie Burton Clair Kinnamon - Linda Rogers Sybil - Ann Morell Evelyn - Jean Ingram Mildred - Francine York Pat - Eve Bruce Gloria - Jackie Russell Dot - Peggy Ward Polly - Dorian Brown Mrs. Dabney - Dorothy Conrad Bully in Bar - Red West Jim, the Bartender - Richard J. Reeves |
Production Notes:
Original working title was Rodeo.
Tickle Me made it's television network premiere on "CBS Friday Night at the Movies" on December 8, 1967. The film was broadcast from 9:00 PM to 10:45 PM EST.
The print order for Tickle Me (over 500) was the largest in the history of Allied Artists up to that point.
Tickle Me single-handedly saved Allied Artists from financial ruin. It became the third highest grossing film ever released in the company's history, despite such poor reviews like, "This is the silliest, feeblest and dullest vehicle for the Memphis Wonder in a long time" written by a reviewer of The New York Times.
Elvis's salary for the film was $750,000 plus 50 percent of the profits.
Tickle Me was filmed entirely on the studio lot, although a few Arizona locations were used for atmosphere.
The budget for the film was $1,480,000 ($4000 under the original estimate).
The Presidential Suite of the old Pico House in downtown Los Angeles was reproduced for the film for use in the ghost-town sequence. The Pico House was built in the 1860s by Pio Pico, the last Mexican governor of California.
Although produced by Allied Artists, Tickle Me was distributed in the United States by Warner-Pathe. Overseas distribution (except for Great Britain) was handled by Columbia Pictures International.
Trivia:
The Western town that provided the setting for the film was Zuni Wells.
When Lonnie Beale arrived in Zuni Wells, Pete Bowman was to give him a job at the Bar B Ranch. Bowman, however, had a run-in with the foreman and quit his job.
The Jordanaires played the musicians who backed Lonnie on "It Feels So Right" in the Corral Bar.
The Circle Z is a health-oriented guest ranch owned by Vera Radford. Lonnie took care of the horses for Vera at the ranch.
Stanley referred to the Circle Z as "Yogurt Gulch".
It costs guests at the Circle Z five hundred dollars a week to stay there.
Silverado is the ghost town in which Pam Merritt's grandfather once lived and near where his gold mine, the "Dolly D," was located. His fortune consisted of $100,000 in twenty-dollar Double Eagle gold coins. The gold was hidden in Durango Place.
In a daydream sequence, Lonnie played the Panhandle Kid. The Panhandle Kid drank milk.
Mr. and Mrs. Dabney, who were from Houston financed the Circle Z.
Some of the cities in which Lonnie participated in rodeos were Elko, Cheyenne, Butte, Calgary, Prescott, Pendleton, and Tucson.
Blooper:
Although supposedly taking place on a Southwestern guest ranch, palm trees could be seen in some scenes.