The Absent-Minded Professor 1961 G, 97 min. Genre: Family / Comedy / Fantasy / Romance
Director: Robert Stevenson Cast: Fred MacMurray, Nancy Olson, Keenan Wynn, Leon Ames, Tommy Kirk, Ed Wynn, Elliott Reid, Edward Andrews, Wally Brown, Forrest Lewis, David Lewis, Jack Mullaney, James Westerfield, Belle Montrose, Wally Boag
When eccentric college chemistry professor Ned Brainard (Fred MacMurray) accidentally creates Flubber, the anti-gravity version of Silly Putty, the local college basketball team uses airborne slam-dunks against their archrivals. There is romance, in which Ned tries to win back his fiancee Betsy (Nancy Olson), along with other amusing complications as well in this Disney film.
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Babes in Toyland 1961 G, 105 min. Genre: Family / Musical / Fantasy
Director: Jack Donohue Cast: Ray Bolger, Tommy Sands, Ed Wynn, Annette Funicello, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran, Ann Jillian, Henry Calvin, Gene Sheldon, Mary McCarty, Brian Corcoran, Marilee and Melanie Arnold, Jerry Glenn, John Perri, David Pinson
On the eve of the wedding of Mary Quite Contrary (Annette Funicello) to Tom the Piper's Son (Tommy Sands), the evil Barnaby (Ray Bolger) hires henchmen Gonzorgo (Henry Calvin) and Roderigo (Gene Sheldon) to get rid of Tom and steal Mary's sheep that Little Bo Peep is caring for. This will make Mary unable to care for the children who live with her and force her to turn to Barnaby for help. All goes as planned, until Tom escapes, and goes with the children to Toyland where they help the Toymaker (Ed Wynn) finish the toys on his Christmas list.
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Blood of Ghastly Horror 1972 N/R, 85 min. Genre: Horror / Thriller aka: Psycho a Go-Go! The Fiend with the Electronic Brain
Director: Al Adamson Cast: Roy Morton, Tacey Robbins, Kirk Duncan, John Carradine, John Talbert, K.K. Riddle, Tanya Maree, John Armond, Lyle Felice, Joey Benson, Tommy Kirk, Kent Taylor
"Psycho a Go-Go" was released in 1965, after which new scenes were added the following year, and was retitled "The Fiend with the Electronic Brain." Finally, more footage was added, and the film was released again as "Blood of Ghastly Horror." So, according to which version is watched, the degree of "hodgpodgeness" will be different. The basic story involves Vietnam veteran Joe Corey (Roy Morton) who has been crazed by an implantation in his brain to solve post-war problems. It all begins when jewel thieves hide their loot in the back of David's (Kirk Duncan) pick-up truck. Later, when the thieves attempt to claim their prize, it can't be found. When Joe is sent to retrieve it, he kidnaps David's wife and daughter. Now David is hot on the trail.
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Bon Voyage! 1962 N/R, 130 min. Genre: Family
Director: James Neilson Cast: Fred MacMurray, Jane Wyman, Michael Callan, Deborah Walley, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran, Ivan Desny, Jessie Royce Landis, Max Showalter, Georgette Anys
The Willard family goes on a European vacation in this Disney film. Unfortunately, this story lacks depth and entertainment value.
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The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini 1966 N/R, 82 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: Don Weis Cast: Tommy Kirk, Deborah Walley, Aron Kincaid, Quinn O'Hara, Nancy Sinatra, Claudia Martin, Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Francis X. Bushman, Patsy Kelly
This final "Beach Party" movie has our wholesome group of surfers holed up in a haunted house where they meet some bizarre characters from past horror films. Some old-timers make it watchable for film buffs.
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The Misadventures of Merlin Jones 1964 N/R, 88 min. Genre: Family
Director: Robert Stevenson Cast: Tommy Kirk, Annette Funicello, Leon Ames, Stuart Erwin, Alan Hewitt, Connie Gilchrist, Dal McKennon, Norman Grabowski, Michael Fox, Kelly Thordsen
In this Disney film, college brain Merlin Jones (Tommy Kirk) experiments in ESP and hypnotism. There is a sequel: "The Monkey's Uncle."
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The Monkey's Uncle 1965 N/R, 90 min. Genre: Family
Director: Robert Stevenson Cast: Tommy Kirk, Annette Funicello, Leon Ames, Arthur O'Connell, Frank Faylen, Norman Grabowski, Leon Tyler, Alan Hewitt, Connie Gilchrist, Gage Clarke
This Disney sequel to "The Misadventures of Merlin Jones" involves student Merlin Jones' experiments with monkeys to help solve problems of his college.
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Moon Pilot 1962 N/R, 98 min. Genre: Family / Comedy / Sci-Fi
Director: James Neilson Cast: Tom Tryon, Brian Keith, Edmond O'Brien, Dany Saval, Tommy Kirk, Bob Sweeney, Kent Smith, Simon Scott, Bert Remsen, Nancy Kulp, Sarah Selby, Dick Whittinghill, Bob Hastings
In this comedic science-fiction tale from Disney, astronaut Captain Richmond Talbot (Tom Tryon) volunteers to make the first trip to the moon. The mission is hush-hush, and Talbot is being carefully watched by security agents. He meets Lyrae (Dany Saval) who says she is from another planet and that she has come to provide a special coating to safeguard his rocket. When the rocket is launched, Talbot finds that Lyrae is a stowaway, and the two soar off happily on their way to the moon.
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Old Yeller 1957 N/R, 83 min. Genre: Family
Director: Robert Stevenson Cast: Dorothy McGuire, Fess Parker, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran, Chuck Connors, Jeff York, Beverly Washburn
This "boy and his dog" story is a heart-warming tale about a mid-1800s Texas farm family. A large, yellow mongrel hound and the farm boy become friends, and the dog, in turn, protects the family. Disney started a boy-dog trend with this one. Sequel: "Savage Sam."
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Pajama Party 1964 N/R, 82 min. Genre: Musical aka: The Maid and the Martian
Director: Don Weis Cast: Tommy Kirk, Annette Funicello, Elsa Lanchester, Harvey Lembeck, Jesse White, Jody McCrea, Ben Lessy, Susan Hart, Bobbi Shaw, Buster Keaton
Tommy Kirk takes over for Frankie Avalon (who makes a cameo appearance) in this fourth installment of the Beach Party crowd. A Martian teenager (Kirk) is sent to Earth to check out the place for an invasion. He ends up saving the day and getting the girl. Buster Keaton and Bobbi Shaw save the film in brief performances–especially Shaw. "Beach Blanket Bingo" sends the group back outside in the next episode.
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Savage Sam 1963 N/R, 103 min. Genre: Family
Director: Norman Tokar Cast: Brian Keith, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran, Dewey Martin, Jeff York, Marta Kristen, Rafael Campos, Slim Pickens, Royal Dano, Rodolfo Acosta
Three children are kidnapped by Apaches, but the family dog, Savage Sam, comes to the rescue in this Disney sequel to "Old Yeller."
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The Shaggy Dog 1959 N/R, 104 min. Genre: Family / Comedy / Fantasy
Director: Charles Barton Cast: Fred MacMurray, Jean Hagen, Tommy Kirk, Annette Funicello, Tim Considine, Kevin Corcoran, Cecil Kellaway, Alexander Scourby, Strother Martin, James Westerfield, Roberta Shore, Forrest Lewis, Jacques Aubuchon, Ned Wever, Gordon Jones
In this Disney film, Willy Daniels (Tommy Kirk) finds a magic ring that turns him into a shaggy dog, and he must explain who he is to his dog-hating father (Fred MacMurray). Willy is changed back and forth between himself and the shaggy dog, which delights his younger brother, Moochie (Kevin Corcoran). Meanwhile, Willy likes the girl next door, Allison (Annette Funicello). She grows attached to the dog, and Willy finds himself competing with the dog for Allison's attention. The only way that Willy can get out from under the spell is to perform a good deed–and Soviet spies in his neighborhood just might provide the solution.
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Son of Flubber 1963 N/R, 102 min. Genre: Family / Comedy / Sci-Fi
Director: Robert Stevenson Cast: Fred MacMurray, Nancy Olson, Keenan Wynn, Tommy Kirk, Charles Ruggles, Leon Ames, Paul Lynde, Elliott Reid, William Demarest, Ed Wynn, Ken Murray, Bob Sweeney, Edward Andrews, Joanna Moore, James Westerfield
In this sequel to "The Absent-Minded Professor," Professor Ned Brainard (Fred MacMurray) is back in his lab trying to invent an anti-gravity flubber gas, "dry rain." Ned's invention does not prove very successful–until his assistant Biff (Tommy Kirk) gives the "dry rain" to the Medfield College football team. The team uses Ned's invention, their running back rushes over the helmets of the defensive players, and they win the big game against Rutland.
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Swiss Family Robinson 1960 N/R, 126 min. Genre: Family
Director: Ken Annakin Cast: John Mills, Dorothy McGuire, James MacArthur, Janet Munro, Sessue Hayakawa, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran, Cecil Parker, Milton Reid, Larry Taylor
This is the Disney version of the story based on Johann Wyss' tale of a family, shipwrecked on a South Seas island, that learns how to survive away from civilization. A robust, fun adventure.
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| 1. The Absent-Minded Professor (1961)
2. Babes in Toyland (1961)
3. Blood of Ghastly Horror (1972) aka: Psycho a Go-Go! aka: The Fiend with the Electronic Brain
4. Bon Voyage! (1962)
5. The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966)
6. The Misadventures of Merlin Jones (1964)
7. The Monkey's Uncle (1965)
8. Moon Pilot (1962)
9. Old Yeller (1957)
10. Pajama Party (1964) aka: The Maid and the Martian
11. Savage Sam (1963)
12. The Shaggy Dog (1959)
13. Son of Flubber (1963)
14. Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
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