Kissin' Cousins
Encyclopedia
Kissin' Cousins is a 1964 musical film
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 starring Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....

 in two roles, one as an American soldier
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

, the other a hillbilly. The screenplay was nominated in the category of best written American musical by the Writers Guild of America. The film reached #11 on the Variety national box office chart, earned $3 million at the box office, and finished at #26 on the year end list of the top-grossing movies of 1964. The title single from the soundtrack reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Gold by the RIAA. There were two different title songs used in the movie.

Plot

Elvis plays the dual role of look-alike cousins Josh Morgan, a dark-haired U.S. Air Force Second Lieutenant, and Jodie Tatum, a blond Smoky Mountain hillbilly. It is set in the hills of Tennessee, the Great Smoky Mountains, but mostly shot on Hollywood sets. Josh, along with Captain Robert Jason Salbo, played by Jack Albertson, has to persuade the Tatums, his distant relatives on his mother's side, to sell their land to the U.S. government so that it can be used as a missile site, an ICBM base.

When he encounters the Tatums, Josh meets his double as well as two beautiful country cousins, Azalea and Selena. The two girls, played by Yvonne Craig and Pam Austin respectively, both compete to win Josh's affections. Josh eventually chooses Azalea and pairs off Selena with his best friend. Jodie, on the other hand, falls for PFC Midge Riley, a beautiful but fiery WAG played by Cynthia Pepper. There are also thirteen women called Kittyhawks that create havoc. Josh persuades Pappy Tatum, played by Arthur O'Connell, to sell one side of his mountain to the government as long as the military does not interfere with Pappy's moonshining on the other side. The movie closes with a dance featuring both Josh and Jodie and Azalea and Selena.

Cast

  • Elvis Presley
    Elvis Presley
    Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....

      : U.S. Air Force Second Lieutenant Josh Morgan/Jodie Tatum
  • Arthur O'Connell
    Arthur O'Connell
    Arthur O'Connell was an American stage and film actor. He appeared in films in 1941 and television programs...

      : Pappy Tatum
  • Glenda Farrell
    Glenda Farrell
    -Career:Farrell came to Hollywood towards the end of the silent era. Farrell began her career with a theatrical company at the age of 7. She played Little Eva in Uncle Tom's Cabin...

      : Ma Tatum
  • Jack Albertson
    Jack Albertson
    Jack Albertson was an American character actor dating to vaudeville. A comedian, dancer, singer, and musician, Albertson is perhaps best known for his roles as Manny Rosen in The Poseidon Adventure , Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Amos Slade in the 1981 animated film The Fox...

      : Captain Robert Jason Salbo
  • Cynthia Pepper
    Cynthia Pepper
    Cynthia Pepper is a blonde American actress whose principal work was accomplished during the early 1960s. Born Cynthia Anne Culpepper in Hollywood, California, she was the daughter of entertainer Jack Pepper , and Pepper's second wife, Dawn...

     : PFC
    Private First Class
    Private First Class is a military rank held by junior enlisted persons.- Singapore :The rank of Private First Class in the Singapore Armed Forces lies between the ranks of Private and Lance-Corporal . It is usually held by conscript soldiers midway through their national service term...

     Midge Riley
  • Yvonne Craig
    Yvonne Craig
    Yvonne Joyce Craig is an American actress best known for her role as Batgirl from the 1960s TV series Batman, and as the Orion Marta in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Whom Gods Destroy”.-Early life and career:...

      : Azalea Tatum
  • Pamela Austin  : Selena Tatum
  • Donald Woods
    Donald Woods (actor)
    Donald Woods was a Canadian-born American film and television actor whose career spanned six decades....

      : Gen. Alvin Donford
  • Tommy Farrell
    Tommy Farrell
    Tommy Farrell was an American supporting actor who appeared in over 80 films between 1944 and 1979, according to the Internet Movie Database. Sometimes he is credited as Tommie Farrell or Tom Farrell.-Career:...

      : MSgt. William George Bailey
  • Beverly Powers : Kittyhawk Trudy

Uncredited
  • Maureen Reagan
    Maureen Reagan
    Maureen Elizabeth Reagan was the first child of former President Ronald Reagan and his first wife, Jane Wyman...

      : Lorraine
  • Joe Esposito
    Diamond Joe Esposito
    Joe Esposito is a veteran author and publisher, who along with his long time business partner Daniel Lombardy, have several best selling books to their credit....

      : Mike
  • Teri Garr
    Teri Garr
    -Early life:Garr was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1947. Her father, Eddie Garr , was a vaudeville performer, comedian and actor whose career peaked when he briefly took over the lead role in the Broadway drama Tobacco Road...

      : Hillbilly Dancer
  • Kent McCord
    Kent McCord
    Kent McCord is an American actor best known for his role as Officer Jim Reed on the television series Adam-12.- Biography :...

    : Extra

Awards and Nominations

Screenwriters Gene Nelson and Gerald Drayson Adams were nominated by the Writers Guild of America in the category of best written musical for their screenplay.

External links


DVD Reviews

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