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Elvis' twenty-fourth movie was the
1967 MGM film 'Double Trouble'.Based on a novel by Mark Brandel,
the working title was 'You're Killing Me' and the idea was to give
the movie the same feel as that of the zany comedic
Beatles
films'Hard Days Night' and 'Help'. Although
the movie is set in Europe, it was filmed on the MGM back lot in
Hollywood.
Elvis reported to MGM on June 27, 1966 for a music
meeting and wardrobe fittings.The next night Elvis, reluctant to
record the lackluster material provided for him,was late for his
recording session at Radio Recorders.As a result MGM moved the
recording session to their own cavernous soundstage.As principal
Elvis researcher/compilation producer for BMG, Ernst Jorgensen, put
it, 'The soundstage had all the presence of a giant tin can'.Sloppy
engineering and sound further disgusted Elvis.Says Jorgensen,
"Being forced to record 'Old MacDonald' was only the final
indignity, and Elvis left, forcing the movie company to use an
incomplete, seventh take as the master". The session ended
with Elvis recording the very short (1 min. 20 sec.) song with the
very long title 'Long Legged Girl (With the Short Dress On)'.
On a brighter note, Elvis got to meet
Jackie Wilson, a singer whom he had
long admired, who was performing near by.Jackie Wilson also visited
Elvis on the set of this movie. He also met James Brown and
Elvis formed a friendship with both performers that lasted the rest
of his life. In 1975 it was Elvis who helped to pay the
medical costs when Jackie Wilson suffered a stroke.And James Brown
would be one of the few celebrities to attend Elvis' wake in 1977.
This was the only movie made by Elvis' leading lady,
Annette Day, who played Jill Conway in 'Double
Trouble'.She was a young girl whom producer Judd Bernard saw
working in her parents' antique shop in London. He thought
that she would be right for the part in the movie despite her not
having any previous acting experience. Several of her natural
expressions such as 'Super!' and 'biccies' (cookies) were written
into the script.During filming Elvis surprised the 18-year-old, who
had yet to learn to drive, with a white Mustang convertible.Unable
to take the gift back home to Britain, Ms. Day left it in the U.S.
in her brother's care when she returned to England, where she still
lives.During filming Elvis' cousin Billy Smith served as Ms. Day's
stand-in.
John Williams played Jill Conway's uncled, Gerald
Waverly.Williams was best known for his role on stage and screen in
'Dial M For Murder'.
Yvonne Romain played Waverly's accomplice in
crime, Claire Dunham. Ms. Romain is the wife of songwriter
Leslie Bricusse.Her first American film was 'The Swinger' with
Ann-Margret
In 'Double Trouble'
Chips Rafferty and Norman Rossington play two bumbling
diamond smugglers.
Rafferty, an Australian actor, played Archie
Brown in this movie and can also be seen in films
such as 'The Sundowners','The Wackiest Ship In The
Army' and 'Mutiny on the Bounty'.
Rossington played Arthur Babcock.This English
actor was able to claim the unique distinction of having
worked in films with both Elvis and the Beatles as he
also had the role of road manager Norm in the Beatles
film'A Hard Days Night'.As a high school dropout he
wandered through various occupations before deciding to
pursue an acting career that specialized in slapstick
comedy.However, he also had roles in such epics as 'The
Longest Day' and 'Lawrence of Arabia'. Later in his
career he was a favorite stage actor in London musical
productions such as 'My Fair Lady', 'Guys and Dolls' and
'Beauty and The Beast'.Cancer claimed his life in 1999
at the age of 70.
Bandmates of Guy Lambert
(Elvis) sported Beatles style haircuts.One of them,
Morley, was played by Michael Murphy, a former high
school English and drama teacher.Murphy became good
friends with Woody Allen, who subsequently cast him to
play his best friend in the film 'Manhattan'.His
long association with director Robert Altman has
resulted in roles in many films and TV productions
including 'Brewster McCloud', 'M*A*S*H', 'McCabe & Mrs.
Miller' and 'Nashville', among others.He co-starred
with his wife, actress Wendy Crewson, in the TV show
'Hard Copy' and has had roles in such TV series as 'Law
& Order', 'Judging Amy' and 'LAX'.
John Anderson
was the sinister ever lurking 'Iceman' in 'Double
Trouble'.His acting career has included roles in many
films such as 'To Catch A Thief', 'Don't Go Near The
Water', 'My Fair Lady', 'Strange Bedfellows',
'Hellfighters', 'The Molly Maguires', 'Blazing Saddles',
'The Dutchess and The Dirtwater Fox' and 'Young Guns
II'.
Marilyn and Melody Heymer were the twin
cigarette girls.
The film was choreographed by Alex Romero who
had also choreographed the famous dance scene in Elvis'
1957 film 'Jailhouse
Rock'.
Many of the supporting
cast for 'Double Trouble' were veteran European
character actors. One such actor was Austrian born Leon
Askin, who played Inspector De Groote.Often cast as the
'funny villain', he has worked with such actors as
Richard Burton, James Cagney and Doris Day.And although
he has had a long career on stage, in film and on TV,
his best remembered work might be that of German General
Burkhalter in the TV series 'Hogan's Heroes', who was
always threatening to send the character of Colonel
Klink to the eastern front.
The Wiere Brothers -
Harry, Herbert and Sylvester - played the eccentric
detectives. In 1922 when the youngest of them,
Sylvester was only 12 years old, they formed the comedy
group The Wiere Brothers and appeared on stage.They
came to America in the mid-1930s and were headliners on
the theater and nightclub circuit with their unique
comedy routines.They were very talented and could sing,
dance, play several instruments and perform
acrobatics.Their musical talents can be seen in the Bob
Hope/Bing Crosby film 'Road to Rio'.In 1960 they
starred in the TV series 'Oh, Those Bells' directed by
former Three Stooges director Jules White. Their
routines could be seen on such variety shows as Rowan
and Martin's 'Laugh In'.When Sylvester died
unexpectedly in 1970, Harry and Herbert went into
semi-retirement.Harry died in 1991 and Herbert in 1999.
Principal filming for 'Double Trouble' began on July 11,
1966 and was finished by August 30, 1966.Elvis almost
immediately went into production for the film 'Easy
Come, Easy Go', which would be finished and
released in March of 1967, just weeks before 'Double
Trouble' opened on April 5, 1967.'Double Trouble' hit
#58 on 'Variety' magazine's popularity list of films for
1967.
 Soundtrack
Double Trouble
Baby, If You'll Give Me
All Of Your Love
Could I Fall In Love
Long Legged Girl
City By Night
Old
MacDonald
I Love Only One Girl
There
Is So Much World To See
It Won't Be Long
Recorded at:
Radio Recorders Studios, 7000, Santa Monica Boulevard,
Hollywood. June 1966.
Musicians: Elvis
Presley (vocals), Scotty Moore, Tiny Timbrell, Mike
Deasy (guitars), Pete Drake (steel guitar), Bob Moore
(bass), D.J. Fontana, Buddy Harman (drums), Floyd Cramer
(piano),Charlie McCoy (harmonica),Boots Randolph
(sax),Michael Henderson, Butch Parker,Richard Noel
(horns) the Jordanaires (vocals)
Double Trouble -
MGM 1967
Directed
Norman Taurog
Writing Credits Mark Brandel
(novel), Jo Heims
Producers Judd Bernard
and Irwin Winkler
Technical Advisor
Colonel Tom Parker
Panavision and
Metrocolor
Cast Overview Elvis
Presley .... Guy Lambert,
Annette
Day
.... Jill Conway, John Williams .... Gerald
Waverly, Yvonne Romain .... Claire Dunham, Chips
Rafferty .... Archie Brown, Norman Rossington.... Arthur
Babcock, Monty Landis .... Georgie, Michael Murphy ....
Morley, Leon Askin .... Inspector De Groote, John
Alderson .... Iceman, Stanley Adams .... Captain Roach,
Maurice Marsac .... Frenchman, Walter Burke .... Mate,
Helene Winston .... Gerda, Marilyn Keymer .... Twin #1
at London Nightclub, Melody Keymer .... Twin #2 at
London Nightclub, Harry Wiere .... Detective, Herbert
Wiere .... Detective, Sylvester Wiere .... Detective.
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