Funicello, Annette

Frankie & Annette MGM Movie Legends Collection (Beach Blanket Bingo / How to Stuff a Wild Bikini / Beach Party / Bikini Beach / Fireball 500 / Thunder Alley / Muscle Beach Party / Ski Party)

The sun will never set on Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, The recording star from Philadelphia and the former Mouseketeer give a master class in chemistry in five Beach Party films that make up the bulk of this swinging eight-film box set. Beach Party (1963) helped to usher in a new wave of teen exploitation films that were far more fun and frolicsome than the rock and roll and juvenile delinquent films that preceded it. Frankie rents a beach house for himself and Annette's Dolores. He is stunned to learn that she has gotten cold feet and allowed the whole gang to hang out there. So Frankie decides to "dig somebody else," and Delores takes up with Robert Cummings, an anthropologist studying the sex lives of teens. All ends happily, and chastely. Harvey Lembeck, whose credits include Billy Wilder's Stalag 17, introduced his recurring series role as bumbling biker Eric Von Zipper. Surf guitar god Dick Dale provides accompaniment. Vincent Price pops up as Big Daddy to say, "Bring me my pendulum, kiddies. I feel like swinging." Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) is the magnum Party opus as Frankie goes sky-diving, Bonehead (Jody McCrea) falls in love with a mermaid, Linda Evans sings, Paul Lynde is snide, Don Rickles insults, and Frankie and Annette sing their classic, "I Think, You Think." Bikini Beach (1964) takes a swipe at the upstart Beatles with Frankie in a dual role as British pop star Potato Bug. Muscle Beach Party (1964) was Stevie Wonder's first film, and Peter Lorre's last.

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965) marks the end of an era, with Frankie, off in the Naval Reserves, getting help from witch doctor Buster Keaton in keeping interloper Dwayne Hickman away from Annette. Annette's absence is keenly felt in Ski Party, but James Brown performs, "I Feel Good" and Lesley Gore sings her top-40 hit, "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows." Frankie and Annette were reunited at the racetrack in Fireball 500 (1966), but Fabian is a third wheel as a rival for Annette. Thunder Alley (1967) (from Richard Rush, director of the cult classic, The Stunt Man), is another car-racing vehicle that pairs Annette and Fabian, but by now the thrill is gone. Frankie and Annette are as indelible a screen couple and as inseparable in the public's imagination as Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers or Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. What is the secret to their enduring appeal? The last line of Back to the Beach (1987), an unsung gem unfortunately not included in this set, sums it up. Frankie and Annette walk together along the beach for the last time. Frankie turns to the camera and asks, "Are we the corniest couple in the world, or what?" --Donald Liebenson

Enjoy the sand and the waves with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello in this collection of sun-drenched favorites: BEACH BLANKET BINGO HOW TO STUFF A WILD BIKINI BEACH PARTY BIKINI BEACH FIREBALL 500 THUNDER ALLEY MUSCLE BEACH PARTY and SKI PARTY. See individual titles for synopsis information.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/CLASSIC UPC: 027616081292 Manufacturer No: M108129

Babes in Toyland

Enjoy a happy excursion into the world of Mother Goose in Walt Disney's first musical production! All roads lead to magical, merry Toyland as Mary Contrary and Tom Piper prepare for their wedding! But villainous Barnaby wants Mary for himself, so he kidnaps Tom, setting off a series of comic chases, searches, and double-crosses! The "March Of The Wooden Soldiers" helps put Barnaby in his place, and ensures a "happily ever after" for Tom and Mary! This joyful musical fantasy is a delightful experience for the whole family!

The Shaggy Dog (Wild & Woolly Edition)

Unlike the fly in the 1958 horror classic, they never really explain what happens to the neighbor's sheepdog when young Wilby Daniels trades places with it. The dog just vanishes, or is subsumed or assumed or something, leaving Wilby (Tommy Kirk) to explain to his dog-hating, allergic, mailman father (Fred MacMurray) that he's turned into a canine. The Shaggy Dog seems like the first instance of Disney packaging, as most of the principals were either Mouseketeers or had been in the short Disney segment Spin and Marty or a previous Disney film. As successful as The Absent Minded Professor for humor, Dog follows Wilby and a rival as they vie for the hand of the new French girl in school, and the girl next door (Annette Funicello). The exchanges with Wilby's younger brother, Moochie (Kevin Corcoran), who always wanted a family dog, are alone worth the price of the tape. Indeed the most successful element of this overall endearing film is the re-pairing of the two actors as brothers (they had done so before in 1957's Old Yeller). This is family fare that's diverting without pandering, a feat that the later Disney regime would have a difficult time re-creating. --Keith Simanton

Wilby Daniels (Tommy Kirk) is just an ordinary teenager until a magical ring accidentally transforms him into a lumbering sheepdog ... whose owner is the leader of a plot to destroy the Space Program! This hilarious madcap adventure was the first live-action comedy Walt Disney produced with a story full of slapstick chases sight gags hot rods spies and spells! Fred MacMurray helms an all-star cast including Jean Hagen Tim Considine Kevin Corcoran and Annette Funicello in her big-screen debut. It's timeless thoroughly entertaining fun for every two- (and four-) footed member of your family!System Requirements:Running Time 102 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: G UPC: 786936704419 Manufacturer No: 05058700

Back to the Beach

Is Back to the Beach a masterpiece of postmodernism? Or just a slaphappy hoot? Hey, why can't it be both? Either way, this is a zippy tribute to/spoof of the 1960s Beach Party pictures. Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, landlocked in the Midwest since their surfing days, return to the California sun with their wild kids. There are mucho gags about the earlier films (including Frankie on a surfboard in front of a cheesy rear-projection wave), and cameos (much of the Leave It to Beaver cast, surf-guitar king Dick Dale). Pee-wee Herman sails in to perform "Surfin' Bird," and Annette teaches a thousand people "The Jamaican Ska." All that's missing is Erich von Zipper. This is a genuinely smart and funny movie, although it helps to know the original films, so you can savor the moment a beach boy gazes at Annette and marvels, "After all that surfing, her hair's perfectly dry!" --Robert Horton

Walt Disney Treasures - Disneyland - Secrets, Stories & Magic

Originally conceived as a fiftieth anniversary tribute to Disneyland, this 332-minute DVD set celebrates Walt Disney's vision and drive in imagining, building, and marketing America's first-ever theme park. This compilation offers fascinating insight into Walt Disney's enormous undertaking through the documentary "The Secrets, Stories, and Magic of Disneyland," the retrospective "Operation Disneyland," three episodes from "The Wonderful World of Color" television series, one "People and Places" episode, and a collection of historical time-lapse construction footage from Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Leonard Maltin and Julie Andrews provide an introduction to the 80-minute "Secrets, Stories, and Magic" which details Walt Disney's initial vision for Disneyland, considered to be "Walt's Folly" by many Disney Studio employees, and the various stages of the park's planning and construction culminating in its grand opening on July 17, 1955. Extensive new and vintage footage address virtually every aspect of the conception and realization of Disneyland from the original site plan and concept art to the tight construction schedule, logistical problems during construction and on opening day, the development of new enhanced motion vehicle technology for the rides, and the shelved ideas that make up the "Disneyland that never was." Extensive interview footage includes Walt Disney, George Lucas, Roy Disney, artist Herb Ryman, retired president of Disneyland Jack Lindquist, composer Richard Sherman, and many others. After an interactive Disneyland trivia game that's none-to-easy even in the beginner mode, it's on to a restored version of the 1956 "People and Places: Disneyland USA" episode which highlights Walt Disney's goal that Disneyland serve as a place of enlightenment, happiness, and the pursuit of fun and takes viewers on a slow-paced exploration of the five areas of Disneyland. Modern audiences might be inclined to condemn this particular feature as a 42-minute-long Disneyland commercial, but in 1956 it functioned more as an exploration of a distant place that many around the world had never had the opportunity to visit.

Disc two begins with "Operation Disneyland," a 14-minute black and white documentary produced for ABC closed circuit television which looks at the technical aspects of broadcasting the opening ceremonies of Disneyland on live television. Never intended for public viewing, the program offers an interesting and historically valuable look back at the mechanics of live television in the 1950's. Next are three episodes of Walt Disney's weekly program "The Wonderful World of Color." "The Golden Horseshoe Revue" features the 10,000th vaudeville-inspired performance at Disneyland's The Golden Horseshoe Saloon with Betty Taylor, Wally Boag, Gene Sheldon, Ed Wynn, and former Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeer Annette Funicello. "Disneyland Goes to the World's Fair" details Disney's contributions to the New York World's Fair of 1964-1965 including the creation of "It's A Small World" for UNICEF, "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln," and the "Primeval World" audio-animatronic dinosaurs currently on exhibit in the Disneyland Railroad. "Disneyland Around the Seasons" celebrates Disneyland's 11th year with a look at special holiday programming at Disneyland. Finally, footage from several time-lapse cameras scattered throughout Disneyland during the park's construction is presented with narration by Tony Baxter from Disney Imagineering, and Ed Hobbleman and Walter Magnuson from the Disney Studio Inventory Group. Just about everything one could ever want to know about the history of Disneyland is right here in this thorough Disney collection. --Tami Horiuchi

On July 17 1955 Walt Disney opened the gates to Disneyland(R) the beloved American icon that has become a cherished destination for generations. It was also the day Walt's sixteen-year dream came true. The centerpiece of this volume is a captivating and nostalgic film that takes you inside that dream. Rare archival footage new interviews with key people and Walt's own words reveal how his innovative vision became a reality. Then discover more Disneyland(R) secrets with a fun-filled trivia game and relive the magic of the recently restored PEOPLE AND PLACES: DISNEYLAND U.S.A. presented in CinemaScope with a new 5.1 audio mix. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.System Requirements:Running Time: 332 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: NR UPC: 786936702057

The Monkees - Head

Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: DVD
Artist: PEE WEE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Title: PEE WEE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Street Release Date: 10/19/2004
Domestic
Genre: TELEVISION

Pajama Party

Make Room for Daddy: Season 6

One of the longest running family comedies of the 1950s, "Make Room For Daddy" ran from September 1953 until September 1964. The series was nominated for 14 Emmy® Awards, winning four, including "Best Situation Comedy" and "Best Actor" for Danny.

The series was a reflection of Danny Thomas' own life as an entertainer and the problems created by the frequent absences from his children. Even the title came from a phrase used in the real-life Thomas household: whenever Danny returned from a tour, his 2 daughters (Marlo and Terre) had to shift bedrooms to "Make Room For Daddy".

In the series, Danny plays nightclub entertainer Danny Williams, an occasionally loud and cantankerous, but ultimately warm and soft-hearted master of his domain. Constantly being upstaged by his bratty but loveable kids, played by Rusty Hamer, Angela Cartwright and Sherry Williams (whose role was taken over by Penny Parker), the ensemble also included beautiful Marjorie Lord as his understanding wife, and legendary character actor Hans Conreid as irascible Uncle Tonoose.

"Make Room For Daddy" was unique for many reasons, including how it portrayed the family life of an entertainer dealing with both industry and ordinary family issues. Another reason was its frequent appearances by top celebrities. In this Season 6 boxed-set, William Demarest, Jack Benny, Dinah Shore, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Shirley Jones, and Bob Hope are but a few legendary performers lending their talents. In addition, upcoming stars had recurring roles, such as Tony Bennett as Danny's cousin Steven from Toledo, and Annette Funicello as Italian exchange student Gina Minelli.

"Make Room For Daddy" served as a springboard for then little known talents like Joey Bishop and Bill Dana, both of whom wound up with their own Danny Thomas produced television series. Other Thomas produced series include the Dick Van Dyke Show, Gomer Pyle, Real McCoys and Mod Squad.

Make Room For Daddy - The Complete Fifth Season

The complete 1957-58 season of one of television's most beloved sitcoms, available for the first time on DVD in this exclusive collection authorized by the Danny Thomas family. Legendary entertainer Danny Thomas stars as nightclub performer Danny Williams, ranked in 2004 by TV Guide as among the top five TV dads of all time. Marjorie Lord joins the cast as Danny's new wife, Kathy. Supplemental features include a must-own bonus episode, "Danny Meets Andy Griffith," the forerunner of "The Andy Griffith Show."