Do Not Fold, Spindle, or Mutilate
Encyclopedia
Do Not Fold, Spindle, or Mutilate is a 1971 television movie
directed by Ted Post
, starring Helen Hayes
, Mildred Natwick
, Myrna Loy
and Sylvia Sidney
, adapted from a novel of the same name by Doris Miles Disney
. It premiered on ABC
on November 9, 1971. Both the novel and film are noteworthy as a pre-World Wide Web foray into the idea of virtual reality
.
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
directed by Ted Post
Ted Post
Ted Post is an American TV and film director.Born in Brooklyn, New York, he started his career in show business in 1938 working as an usher at Loew's Pitkin Theater. He abandoned plans to become an actor after training with Tamara Daykarhanova, and turned to directing summer theater...
, starring Helen Hayes
Helen Hayes
Helen Hayes Brown was an American actress whose career spanned almost 70 years. She eventually garnered the nickname "First Lady of the American Theatre" and was one of twelve people who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award...
, Mildred Natwick
Mildred Natwick
Mildred Natwick was an American stage and film actress.- Early life :A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born to Joseph and Mildred Marion Dawes Natwick. She graduated from the Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore...
, Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy was an American actress. Trained as a dancer, she devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. Originally typecast in exotic roles, often as a vamp or a woman of Asian descent, her career prospects improved following her portrayal of Nora Charles...
and Sylvia Sidney
Sylvia Sidney
Sylvia Sidney was an American actress who rose to prominence in the 1930s appearing in numerous crime dramas.-Early life:...
, adapted from a novel of the same name by Doris Miles Disney
Doris Miles Disney
Doris Miles Disney was an American mystery writer. She was born in Glastonbury, Connecticut, and died in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Disney wrote 49 novels. Many of her novels were both best sellers and the bases for major feature films.Disney was known for her character development and the...
. It premiered on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
on November 9, 1971. Both the novel and film are noteworthy as a pre-World Wide Web foray into the idea of virtual reality
Virtual reality
Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
.
Plot
Four elderly women amuse themselves by creating a fictitious profile of a young woman and submitting it to a computer dating service. Trouble ensues when a psychotic killer falls for the profile and begins searching for the girl.Cast
- Helen HayesHelen HayesHelen Hayes Brown was an American actress whose career spanned almost 70 years. She eventually garnered the nickname "First Lady of the American Theatre" and was one of twelve people who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award...
as Sophie Tate Curtis - Vince EdwardsVince EdwardsVince Edwards was an American actor, director, and singer, best known for the roles of TV doctor "Ben Casey", and Maj. Cliff Bricker in the 1968 war film The Devil's Brigade.-Early life:...
as Mal Weston - Myrna LoyMyrna LoyMyrna Loy was an American actress. Trained as a dancer, she devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. Originally typecast in exotic roles, often as a vamp or a woman of Asian descent, her career prospects improved following her portrayal of Nora Charles...
as Evelyn Tryon - Mildred NatwickMildred NatwickMildred Natwick was an American stage and film actress.- Early life :A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born to Joseph and Mildred Marion Dawes Natwick. She graduated from the Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore...
as Shelby Saunders - Sylvia SidneySylvia SidneySylvia Sidney was an American actress who rose to prominence in the 1930s appearing in numerous crime dramas.-Early life:...
as Elizabeth Gibson - John BeradinoJohn BeradinoJohn Beradino was an American infielder in Major League Baseball and an actor. Known as Johnny Berardino during his baseball career, he was also credited during his acting career as John Baradino, John Barardino or John Barradino.-Early life and education:He was born Giovanni Berardino in Los...
as Det. Hallum - Larry D. MannLarry D. MannLarry D. Mann is a Canadian actor. Prior to his acting career, he was a disk jockey on CHUM 1050 radio in Toronto in 1949. His best-known Canadian television exposure was in a Bell Canada series of commercials called "The Boss" in which he played the title role for ten years beginning in 1981...
as Sgt. Lutz - Barbara DavisBarbara DavisBarbara Davis is a philanthropist and the widow of Marvin Davis. Although the Davis' wealth exceeded $5 billion during Marvin’s life, it has recently been reported in multiple media outlets including Forbes that the majority of the family’s wealth has been lessened to approximately 500 million...
as Brenda - Paul SmithPaul L. SmithPaul L. Smith is an American character actor. Burly, bearded, and imposing, he has appeared in films and occasionally on TV since the 1970s, generally playing "heavies" and bad guys...
as Cutler - Gary VinsonGary VinsonGary Vinson was an American actor who appeared in significant roles in three television series of the 1960s: The Roaring 20s, McHale's Navy, and Pistols 'n' Petticoats.-Early life and career:...
as Jonas - Diane ShaletDiane ShaletDiane Shalet was an American Broadway and television character actress. She was perhaps best known for her recurring role as Ms. Hawkins in the drama Matlock. Also, she made a guest appearance on The Monkees' TV show in the season two episode "The Fairy Tale," as The Fairy of The Locket . Ms...
as Ruth Mellon - Nora DenneyNora DenneyNora "Dodo" Denney was an American stage, television, and film actress.One of her most notable roles was as Mrs. Teavee in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder and Jack Albertson. She was initially the producers' second choice behind Jean Stapleton who did the pilot for All in...
as Trudy - Patrecia Wynand as the Hostess
- Leonidas Ossetynski as the Florist
- John MitchumJohn MitchumJohn Mitchum was an American actor from the 1940s in films and, later, television. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and the younger brother of Julie Mitchum and Robert Mitchum, he initially appeared in only unbilled and extra roles before gradually receiving bigger character parts in middle age...
as Mr. Tubbs
See also
- The Snoop SistersThe Snoop SistersThe Snoop Sisters was an American mystery television show that aired on NBC during the 1973–1974 season.-Plot:The show starred Hollywood film legends Helen Hayes and Mildred Natwick as two elderly sisters who routinely stumbled across mysteries which they solved...
- List of television films produced for American Broadcasting Company