How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (film)
Encyclopedia
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a 1967 American musical
comedy film
based on the 1961 stage musical of the same name
, which in turn was based on the book
written by Shepherd Mead
. The film was produced by United Artists
and directed by David Swift, with original staging by Bob Fosse
.
The cast includes Robert Morse
and Rudy Vallee
(reprising their original Broadway
roles), Michele Lee
, Anthony Teague
, Tucker Smith
(in an uncredited role), and Maureen Arthur
. The film marks the debut of Lee, who later appeared in the popular 1980s television series Knots Landing
.
) buys a book How to Succeed in Business, describing in step-by-step fashion how to rise in the business world. The ambitious young window cleaner follows its advice carefully. He joins the "World-Wide Wicket Company" and begins work in the mailroom. Soon, thanks to the ethically-questionable advice in the book, he rises to Vice-President in Charge of Advertising, making sure that each person above him gets either fired or moved or transferred within the company.
Finch begins to fall in love with Rosemary Pilkington (Michele Lee
), a secretary at the company. Finch finds out that the president of the company, J. B. Biggley (Rudy Vallee
), has made advances towards the beautiful but incompetent secretary Hedy LaRue (Maureen Arthur
). Finch uses this information to assist his climb on the corporate ladder. However, Bud Frump, Biggley's annoying nephew, also takes advantage of the situation and tries to get to the top before Finch.
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
based on the 1961 stage musical of the same name
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, based on Shepherd Mead's 1952 book of the same name....
, which in turn was based on the book
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (book)
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying: The Dastard's Guide to Fame and Fortune was a humorous 1952 book by Shepherd Mead. It inspired a successful 1961 musical of the same name, which was made into a movie in 1967.-Description:...
written by Shepherd Mead
Shepherd Mead
Shepherd Mead, born Edward Mead, , was an American writer. He is best known as the author of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, which was adapted into a hit Broadway show and motion picture....
. The film was produced by United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
and directed by David Swift, with original staging by Bob Fosse
Bob Fosse
Robert Louis “Bob” Fosse was an American actor, dancer, musical theater choreographer, director, screenwriter, film editor and film director. He won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction...
.
The cast includes Robert Morse
Robert Morse
Robert Morse is an American actor and singer. Morse is best known for his appearances in musicals and plays on Broadway. He has also acted in movies and television shows. His best known role is that of J. Pierrepont Finch in the 1961 Broadway musical, and 1967 film How to Succeed in Business...
and Rudy Vallee
Rudy Vallée
Rudy Vallée was an American singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer.-Early life:Born Hubert Prior Vallée in Island Pond, Vermont, the son of Charles Alphonse and Catherine Lynch Vallée...
(reprising their original Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
roles), Michele Lee
Michele Lee
Michele Lee is an American singer, dancer, actress, producer, director and frequent game show panelist of the 1970s. She is best-known for her role as Karen Cooper Fairgate MacKenzie on the 1980s prime-time soap opera, Knots Landing...
, Anthony Teague
Anthony 'Scooter' Teague
Anthony Teague , also known as Scooter Teague, was an American actor and dancer.Anthony 'Scooter' Teague was born Edwin Ardell Teague in Jacksboro, Texas....
, Tucker Smith
Tucker Smith
Tucker Smith, born Thomas William Smith , was an American actor/dancer/singer best known for his role as Ice in the movie musical West Side Story....
(in an uncredited role), and Maureen Arthur
Maureen Arthur
Maureen Arthur is an American actress.Arthur appeared in numerous movies and television programs from the late 1950s through the early 1990s as well as on Broadway....
. The film marks the debut of Lee, who later appeared in the popular 1980s television series Knots Landing
Knots Landing
Knots Landing is an American primetime television soap opera that aired from December 27, 1979 to May 13, 1993 on CBS. Set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles in California, the show centered on the lives of four married couples living in a cul-de-sac, Seaview Circle...
.
Synopsis
J. Pierpont Finch (Robert MorseRobert Morse
Robert Morse is an American actor and singer. Morse is best known for his appearances in musicals and plays on Broadway. He has also acted in movies and television shows. His best known role is that of J. Pierrepont Finch in the 1961 Broadway musical, and 1967 film How to Succeed in Business...
) buys a book How to Succeed in Business, describing in step-by-step fashion how to rise in the business world. The ambitious young window cleaner follows its advice carefully. He joins the "World-Wide Wicket Company" and begins work in the mailroom. Soon, thanks to the ethically-questionable advice in the book, he rises to Vice-President in Charge of Advertising, making sure that each person above him gets either fired or moved or transferred within the company.
Finch begins to fall in love with Rosemary Pilkington (Michele Lee
Michele Lee
Michele Lee is an American singer, dancer, actress, producer, director and frequent game show panelist of the 1970s. She is best-known for her role as Karen Cooper Fairgate MacKenzie on the 1980s prime-time soap opera, Knots Landing...
), a secretary at the company. Finch finds out that the president of the company, J. B. Biggley (Rudy Vallee
Rudy Vallée
Rudy Vallée was an American singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer.-Early life:Born Hubert Prior Vallée in Island Pond, Vermont, the son of Charles Alphonse and Catherine Lynch Vallée...
), has made advances towards the beautiful but incompetent secretary Hedy LaRue (Maureen Arthur
Maureen Arthur
Maureen Arthur is an American actress.Arthur appeared in numerous movies and television programs from the late 1950s through the early 1990s as well as on Broadway....
). Finch uses this information to assist his climb on the corporate ladder. However, Bud Frump, Biggley's annoying nephew, also takes advantage of the situation and tries to get to the top before Finch.
Cast
- Robert MorseRobert MorseRobert Morse is an American actor and singer. Morse is best known for his appearances in musicals and plays on Broadway. He has also acted in movies and television shows. His best known role is that of J. Pierrepont Finch in the 1961 Broadway musical, and 1967 film How to Succeed in Business...
as J. Pierpont "Ponty" Finch - Michele LeeMichele LeeMichele Lee is an American singer, dancer, actress, producer, director and frequent game show panelist of the 1970s. She is best-known for her role as Karen Cooper Fairgate MacKenzie on the 1980s prime-time soap opera, Knots Landing...
as Rosemary Pikington - Rudy ValleeRudy ValléeRudy Vallée was an American singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer.-Early life:Born Hubert Prior Vallée in Island Pond, Vermont, the son of Charles Alphonse and Catherine Lynch Vallée...
as J.B. Biggley - Anthony TeagueAnthony 'Scooter' TeagueAnthony Teague , also known as Scooter Teague, was an American actor and dancer.Anthony 'Scooter' Teague was born Edwin Ardell Teague in Jacksboro, Texas....
as Bud Frump - Maureen ArthurMaureen ArthurMaureen Arthur is an American actress.Arthur appeared in numerous movies and television programs from the late 1950s through the early 1990s as well as on Broadway....
as Hedy LaRue - John Myhers as Bert O. Bratt
- Carol Worthington as Lucille Krumholtz
- Kay ReynoldsKay ReynoldsKay Reynolds is an American singer and actress.Reynolds was active in both television and film in the 1960s.She appeared on I Spy, The Big Valley, Hey, Landlord, and I Dream of Jeannie amongst other television programs....
as Miss Smith/Smitty - Ruth KobartRuth KobartRuth Kobart was an American performer, whose six-decade career encompassed opera, Broadway musical theatre, regional theatre, films, and television.-Life and career:...
as Miss Jones - Sammy Smith as Twimble Womper / Wally Womper
- Jeff DeBenning as Gatch
- Janice Carroll as Brenda
- Robert Q. LewisRobert Q. LewisRobert Q. Lewis was an American radio and television personality, game show host, and actor. Lewis added the middle initial "Q." to his name accidentally on the air in 1942, when he responded to a reference to radio comedian F. Chase Taylor's character, Colonel Lemuel Q...
as Tackaberry - Paul HartmanPaul HartmanPaul Hartman was an American dancer, stage performer and television character actor.-Biography:Born in San Francisco, California, Hartman, like Fred Astaire, began performing as a dancer with his sister...
as Toynbee