Tag Archives: bikini beach

Annette Funicello 1942 – 2013

Posted by Marisa on

Sadly, we have another passing to report. Eternal teen Annette Funicello passed away this morning at age 70, after a long struggle with multiple sclerosis. She and Timothy both appeared in Bikini Beach (1964), Beach Blanket Bingo (1965), and Head (1968), never sharing a scene together, unfortunately. Here is a little something I’ve posted before but bears repeating today. It’s a promotional radio interview by Dick Stroud for Head that features both Timothy and Annette in separate interviews.

Annette will always be the queen of that never-ending beach party in the sky. Rest well, and thanks.

Pic of the Day: “Bikini Beach” revisited

Posted by Marisa on

As winter approaches, what better place to revisit than the beach? Bikini Beach (1964), directed by William Asher, marked the first of Timothy’s two appearances as South Dakota Slim. Slim is a very strange pool player with (as we discovered the following year in his next outing, Beach Blanket Bingo, also directed by Asher) some very strange hobbies. Here he is asking the Teenage Werewolf Monster in the pool parlor (Val Warren) if he’d be up for a game during the next full moon.

Warren had won first prize that year in Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine’s horror make-up contest (second prize went to a young man named Rick Baker). He got to wear his prize-winning werewolf make-up in the film (and appear with Tim – pretty sweet deal if you ask me). He was a talented writer, illustrator, and sci-fi/fantasy enthusiast. He passed away in 2011.

William Asher 1921 – 2012

Posted by Marisa on

We learned yesterday of the death of veteran film and television director William Asher at age 90. He directed Timothy in Bikini Beach (1964) and Beach Blanket Bingo (1965), bringing South Dakota Slim to teenage audiences everywhere. Here, in the latter film, Slim is hatching a plot with Boots (Myrna Ross) and Puss (Alberta Nelson) to get rid of the annoyingly perky Sugar Kane (Linda Evans). “Leave it to ol’ Slim. I got ideas, and they’re all vile, baby!”

Classic television just wouldn’t have been the same without Asher’s myriad contributions. Rest well, sir, and thanks.

Video of the Week: “Beach Blanket Bingo” closing credits

Posted by Marisa on

EDITOR’S NOTE 01/09/2013: The video has been removed. My apologies.

As we near the end of May, our hearts lightly turn to thoughts of summer. Well, up here in the Northern Hemisphere at least. I have already recommended Bikini Beach (1964) and Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) on these pages for mindless summer fun, with Timothy’s pool-cue-slinging South Dakota Slim as an added bonus (and as we all know, the best thing in both movies). To reinforce that idea, we present the closing credits of Beach Blanket Bingo as our Video of the Week.

Slim has been overtaken by the voluminous cloud of billiard chalk created by Eric Von Zipper’s (fellow Brooklyn boy Harvey Lembeck) tendency to overdo things. Tim’s son Romeo once said in an interview that his father was a big fan of silent movies. As Buster Keaton has a cameo here, I like to think that Timothy got to indulge in a huge fanboy moment, sitting down with Buster and enjoying a long talk about the good old days of Hollywood.

Pic of the Day: “The Gentleman” revisited

Posted by Marisa on

Our pic for today (and need I remind you to click to embiggen?) is a rather beautiful shot of Timothy as hateful Tiller Evans in the Gunsmoke episode “The Gentleman,” first airing on June 7, 1958. He has just gotten punched out by Marshal Dillon (James Arness) for being abusive towards Boni Damon (Virginia Baker), hostess at the Long Branch Saloon. Boni will soon be finding solace with “the gentleman” of the title, dapper Marcus France (Jack Cassidy).

The Gentleman - 1958

Tim had worked the previous year with Baker’s then-husband, Jack Palance, in House of Numbers. Also the previous year, he got punched out by Arness’ brother, Peter Graves, in Bayou. Hollywood’s a small town!

PS: Catch Tim in Bikini Beach and Beach Blanket Bingo tonight on Turner Classic Movies!

Pic of the Day: “Bikini Beach” revisited

Posted by Marisa on

Starting off the week is another shot from Bikini Beach (1964), featuring Tim’s first appearance as pool-cue-slinging South Dakota Slim. Slim has only one scene here, but he returned the following year with much more screen time in Beach Blanket Bingo (1965).

I chose this shot so we could get a good look at that personalized jacket. Also appearing from left to right: Val Warren, Andy Romano, Alberta Nelson and Harvey Lembeck.

Pic of the Day: “The Gunfight at Dodge City” revisited

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Heading off the work week is another look at The Gunfight at Dodge City (1959), directed by Joseph M. Newman and starring Joel McCrea as Bat Masterson. Tim is uncredited as Forbes, crooked deputy to crooked Sheriff Jim Regan (Don Haggerty). I’m fairly certain that’s Mauritz Hugo on Tim’s left.

This was another of Timothy’s film roles that helped fund the making of The World’s Greatest Sinner. McCrea’s son Jody appeared along with Tim in Bikini Beach (1964) and Beach Blanket Bingo (1965).

Pic of the Day: “Bikini Beach”

Posted by Marisa on

Summer isn’t over yet, so today’s pic is from Bikini Beach (1964), directed by William Asher. Tim puts in his first appearance as pool-playing South Dakota Slim, who seems to get more mileage out of his pool cue as a back scratcher, rather than for actually playing pool.

Bikini Beach

Slim would return a year later with much more screen time in Asher’s Beach Blanket Bingo. I wonder whatever happened to that jacket? And yes, that is a werewolf back there. A werewolf with a glass of milk. Don’t ask me, folks.

Pic of the Day: “Beach Blanket Bingo”

Posted by Marisa on

Today’s pic to get your crazy summer weekend started is from William Asher’s Beach Blanket Bingo (1965). Tim had briefly appeared the previous year in Asher’s Bikini Beach as pool-cue-slinging ne’er-do-well South Dakota Slim (not Minnesota Fats – get it?). Slim returned a year later for a much more substantial role in the silly goings-on in BBB.

Beach Blanket Bingo
I admit I avoided watching this movie (watching it on purpose, I mean; I do recall catching it on TV ages ago as a kid) for the longest time. I mean, Frankie and Annette beach party movies, right? Oh please. Well, I was pleasantly surprised by Tim’s performance. He’s really very funny, and appears to be having a grand time. He even manages to work in some of those crazy Cajun dance moves from Bayou. Add this one and Bikini Beach to your summer viewing list, won’t you? “Leave it to ol’ Slim. I got ideas, and they’re all vile, baby!”