The Benny Goodman Story 1956 N/R, 116 min. Genre: Drama / Musical
Director: Valentine Davies Cast: Steve Allen, Donna Reed, Berta Gersten, Herbert Anderson, Robert F. Simon, Hy Averback, Dick Winslow, Jack Kruschen, Harry James, Wilton Graff, Sammy Davis Jr., Martha Tilton, Barry Truex, Shepard Menken, David Kasday
Great music is part of this biography of the famous bandleader Benny Goodman (Steve Allen) that includes his days of growing up in Chicago as well as his romance with and marriage to society debutante Alice Hammond (Donna Reed). Guest performers include Harry James, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, Sammy Davis Jr., and Martha Tilton.
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Chamber of Horrors 1966 N/R, 100 min. Genre: Horror / Thriller
Director: Hy Averback Cast: Cesare Danova, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Patrick O'Neal, Laura Devon, Patrice Wymore, Suzy Parker, Jose Rene Ruiz, Philip Bourneuf, Jeanette Nolan, Marie Windsor, Wayne Rogers, Vinton Haworth
Set in 19th-century Baltimore, madman Jason Cravette (Patrick O'Neal) escapes while on his way to prison and execution, losing a hand in the escape. He attaches assorted weapons to the arm with the lost hand as he attempts to take revenge on those who convicted him. But the proprietors of the "Chamber of Horrors" wax museum (Cesare Danova and Wilfrid Hyde-White) are on his trail.
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The Great Bank Robbery 1969 N/R, 97 min. Genre: Comedy / Western
Director: Hy Averback Cast: Zero Mostel, Kim Novak, Clint Walker, Claude Akins, Akim Tamiroff, Larry Storch, John Alexander, Sam Jaffe, Mako, Elisha Cook Jr., Ruth Warrick, John Fiedler, John Larch, Peter Whitney, Norman Alden
When a con man, the Reverend Pious Blue (Zero Mostel), attempts a bank robbery, he is met by a Texas Ranger (Clint Walker) and his six Chinese agents who are on the scene investigating a crooked mayor. When their paths cross, chaos becomes the name of the game. This is a pretty good spoof on Westerns; the tale takes place in the aptly named town of Friendly.
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I Love You, Alice B. Toklas 1968 R, 95 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: Hy Averback Cast: Peter Sellers, Jo Van Fleet, Leigh Taylor-Young, Joyce Van Patten, David Arkin, Herb Edelman, Grady Sutton, Sidney Clute, Roy E. Glenn Sr., Joe Dominguez
During his midlife crisis, a Jewish lawyer (Peter Sellers) becomes a hippie and drops out of society after eating some marijuana-laced treats. Sellers at his very best.
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Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came? 1970 PG, 113 min. Genre: Comedy / Drama aka: War Games
Director: Hy Averback Cast: Brian Keith, Tony Curtis, Ernest Borgnine, Ivan Dixon, Suzanne Pleshette, Tom Ewell, Bradford Dillman, Arthur O'Connell, Don Ameche, John Fiedler, William Bramley, Eddie Firestone, Dorothy Green, Grady Sutton, Christopher Mitchum
Col. Flanders (Don Ameche) must deal with citizens of a small town who are unhappy about the Army missile base located nearby. To help solve the problem, Flanders invites the townsfolk to a party that degenerates into a fistfight between the soldiers and the guests. Meanwhile, a soldier, Shannon Gambroni (Tony Curtis), has fallen for bar maid Ramona (Suzanne Pleshette) who town Sheriff Harve (Ernest Borgnine) considers his property. Harve has Shannon arrested, and Shannon's soldier friends, headed by Michael M. Nace (Brian Keith), take matters into their own hands and use a World War II tank to rescue Shannon.
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Where the Boys Are '84 1984 R, 97 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: Hy Averback Cast: Lisa Hartman, Lorna Luft, Wendy Schaal, Lynn-Holly Johnson, Russell Todd, Howard McGillin, Christopher McDonald, Daniel McDonald, Alana Stewart, Louise Sorel
Spring break in Fort Lauderdale is the setting for the remake of this very popular, teenage, beach movie–made in 1960.
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Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? 1968 PG, 94 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: Hy Averback Cast: Doris Day, Robert Morse, Terry-Thomas, Patrick O'Neal, Lola Albright, Steve Allen, Jim Backus, Ben Blue, Pat Paulsen, Earl Wilson
Set amidst the 9 November 1965 blackout in the Northeastern United States, this is an attempt-at-a-comedy about crises encountered during that long evening.
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| 1. The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
2. Chamber of Horrors (1966)
3. The Great Bank Robbery (1969)
4. I Love You, Alice B. Toklas (1968)
5. Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came? (1970) aka: War Games
6. Where the Boys Are '84 (1984)
7. Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? (1968)
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