In the midst of a sweltering summer, let’s dive once again into the cool waters of John Lamb‘s Mermaids of Tiburon (1962). Bad guy Milo Sangster looks sneaky as he is about to reveal one of the coveted “flame pearls” to his Mexican sidekick Pepe Gallardo (Jose Gonzales-Gonzales).
“Won’t you believe in me? If you do, there will always be mermaids,” says the Mermaid Queen (Diane Webber). I do believe. Fandor members can watch the full film here!
Today we take another look at John Lamb‘s Mermaids of Tiburon (1962). Pearl-coveting bad guy Milo Sangster (such a great character name) enjoys lunch while plotting his next nefarious enterprise.
The Psychotronica Vol. 3 DVD of Mermaids was apparently supposed to include some commentary by Romeo Carey, but looks like it never happened. It also includes the ridiculous “Aqua Sex” version of the film, which attempts to pass off some topless women with flippers on their feet as mermaids. I guess they figured nobody would notice they weren’t wearing mermaid tails. Let the head-shaking and eye-rolling commence.
Our pic of the day revisits Mermaids of Tiburon (1962), directed by underwater cinematography expert John Lamb. Wetsuit-clad bad guy Milo Sangster has just decked (literally) the hero, Dr. Sam Jamison (George Rowe).
Lamb fared much better as the director of underwater cinematography on television (Sea Hunt and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) than he did as a film director, unfortunately. After Mermaids, he produced and directed forgettable low-budget sleaze, finally hanging it up in 1986. He passed away 20 years later.
Today we take another look at Milo Sangster, the pearl-coveting scoundrel of John Lamb‘s Mermaids of Tiburon (1962). Here he is threatening his hapless Mexican sidekick Pepe (Jose Gonzales-Gonzales).
Gonzales-Gonzales was a familiar face in films and on television in the 1950s and ’60s, almost always portraying the stereotypical Latino characters of the day. He recorded a novelty 45 rpm disc in 1964 with the tunes “Pancho Claus” and “Tacos for Two.” His brother Pedro co-starred with Tim in the Sheriff of Cochise episode “The Great Train Robbery” (10.5.56).
We kick off the work week with another look at Milo Sangster, the evil-doer of John Lamb‘s Mermaids of Tiburon (1962). He is not above dynamiting mermaids and tossing his sidekick (Jose Gonzales-Gonzales) into shark-infested waters in his quest for the elusive “fire pearls.” Here he is pondering his plan while the wind messes up his hair.
Something tells me Timothy enjoyed being near the water. In this film and others like Bayou (1957), he seems right at home around water. I’m sure being a Pisces had something to do with it, if you go for that sort of thing.
Our pic of the day is a delightfully evil shot of bad guy Milo Sangster from John Lamb‘s Mermaids of Tiburon (1962). While pushing some equipment around on his boat, Timothy manages to direct this wicked grin right into the camera.
Tim’s old friend and former roommate Gil Barreto is in the cast list here, but I’m not sure that he actually appears in the film as it’s available today (on DVD and also at Fandor). They had both just come off the taxing four-year ordeal that was the shooting of The World’s Greatest Sinner (1962). Lamb was the underwater photographer for several television series, including Sea Hunt and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Diane Webber, who appears here as the Mermaid Queen, also portrayed a mermaid in the Voyage episode entitled, strangely enough, “The Mermaid” (01/29/67). It was directed by Jerry Hopper, who directed Tim in Alaska Seas (1954). Lamb again helmed the underwater sequences. Alas, it’s a mostly dreadful episode.
OK, this one is a bit of a cheat. This video of John Lamb‘s Mermaids of Tiburon (1962) is actually only the first two minutes. On the YouTube page there is a link that will enable you online access to the entire movie for one week for a very small fee. I don’t normally do this kind of thing, but there it is. Online videos with Timothy actually in them are getting hard to find! I may have to start repeating myself.
Since Tim is not actually in this clip (even though there he is in the video thumbnail), here is a shot of him from the film, about to brain our hero with an oxygen tank.
By special request (not to mention that it’s way past time for a revisit), today’s pic is another shot from Mermaids of Tiburon (1962), directed by underwater photography expert John Lamb. Timothy’s bad guy Milo Sangster (what a great name) is menacing the hero (George Rowe) with a flare. He appears to be really enjoying it, too.
It’s too bad Tim didn’t get a chance to do more films outdoors and especially on the water; he appears to be right at home. I don’t know if being a Pisces had anything to do with it.
Today’s pic takes us back to Mermaids of Tiburon (1962), directed by underwater photography specialist John Lamb and starring actress, model and belly dancer Diane Webber as the Mermaid Queen. Timothy and henchman Jose Gonzales-Gonzales are in hot pursuit of the mermaids’ hidden treasure, the mysterious “flame pearls.”
Also appearing in this film is Tim’s old friend and former roommate Gil Barreto. He played Alonzo, Clarence Hilliard’s Mexican gardener, in The World’s Greatest Sinner (1962) as well.
Today’s pic is from John Lamb’s underwater fantasy-adventure The Mermaids of Tiburon (1962). Tim is bad guy Milo Sangster, out to rob the mermaids of their stash of “flame pearls.”
The Queen of the Mermaids was portrayed by Playboy Playmate, model, naturist and belly dancer Diane Webber. Mermaids was turned into a lame “adults only” feature a few years later, when new shots of topless mermaids (with no fish tails, just bathing suits and swim fins) were added and the title was changed to Aqua Sex. Not sure why they even bothered.
The Timothy Carey Experience 