The Harrad Experiment
Encyclopedia
The Harrad Experiment is a movie about a fictional Harrad College where the students learn about sexuality and experiment with each other. Based on the 1962 book of the same name by Robert Rimmer
, this movie deals with the concept of free love
during the height of the sexual revolution
which took place in the United States
during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The movie stars James Whitmore
and Tippi Hedren
as the married couple who run the school, and includes a young Don Johnson
as one of the students who tries to go beyond the rules, and Melanie Griffith
(Hedren's real life daughter) in one of her first film roles.
Rest of cast
fourth-season episode "Growing Up", Kevin's hippie older sister is seen reading a copy of The Harrad Experiment during the family's vacation.
In the Seinfeld
episode "The Label Maker
", George Costanza describes his girlfriend's having a male roommate as a "bizarre Harrad Experiment"
in which Stanley, Sheila, Harry, and Beth spend the following summer together to get to know their families.
Cast
Robert Rimmer
Robert Henry Rimmer was the author of several books, most notably The Harrad Experiment, which was made into a film in 1973....
, this movie deals with the concept of free love
Free love
The term free love has been used to describe a social movement that rejects marriage, which is seen as a form of social bondage. The Free Love movement’s initial goal was to separate the state from sexual matters such as marriage, birth control, and adultery...
during the height of the sexual revolution
Sexual revolution
The sexual revolution was a social movement that challenged traditional codes of behavior related to sexuality and interpersonal relationships throughout the Western world from the 1960s into the 1980s...
which took place in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The movie stars James Whitmore
James Whitmore
James Allen Whitmore, Jr. was an American film and stage actor.-Early life:Born in White Plains, New York, to Florence Belle and James Allen Whitmore, Sr., a park commission official, Whitmore attended Amherst Central High School in Snyder, New York, before graduating from The Choate School in...
and Tippi Hedren
Tippi Hedren
Nathalie Kay "Tippi" Hedren is an American actress and former fashion model with a career spanning six decades. She is primarily known for her roles in two Alfred Hitchcock films, The Birds and Marnie, and her extensive efforts in animal rescue at Shambala Preserve, an wildlife habitat which she...
as the married couple who run the school, and includes a young Don Johnson
Don Johnson
Donnie Wayne "Don" Johnson is an American actor known for his work in television and film. He played the lead role of James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s TV cop series, Miami Vice, which led him to huge success. He also played the lead role in the 1990s cop series, Nash Bridges...
as one of the students who tries to go beyond the rules, and Melanie Griffith
Melanie Griffith
Melanie Richards Griffith is an American actress. She is an Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner for her performance in the 1988 film Working Girl...
(Hedren's real life daughter) in one of her first film roles.
Cast
- James WhitmoreJames WhitmoreJames Allen Whitmore, Jr. was an American film and stage actor.-Early life:Born in White Plains, New York, to Florence Belle and James Allen Whitmore, Sr., a park commission official, Whitmore attended Amherst Central High School in Snyder, New York, before graduating from The Choate School in...
as Philip Tenhausen - Tippi HedrenTippi HedrenNathalie Kay "Tippi" Hedren is an American actress and former fashion model with a career spanning six decades. She is primarily known for her roles in two Alfred Hitchcock films, The Birds and Marnie, and her extensive efforts in animal rescue at Shambala Preserve, an wildlife habitat which she...
as Margaret Tenhausen - Don JohnsonDon JohnsonDonnie Wayne "Don" Johnson is an American actor known for his work in television and film. He played the lead role of James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s TV cop series, Miami Vice, which led him to huge success. He also played the lead role in the 1990s cop series, Nash Bridges...
as Stanley Cole - Bruno KirbyBruno KirbyBruno Kirby was an American film and television actor. He was perhaps best known for his roles in the Hollywood films City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally..., Good Morning, Vietnam, The Godfather Part II and Donnie Brasco.-Early life:Kirby was born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu, Jr. in New York City,...
as Harry Schacht (as B. Kirby Jr.) - Laurie WaltersLaurie WaltersLaurie Jean Walters is an American former television actress, arguably best known for playing Joanie Bradford on Eight Is Enough, which aired from 1977 until 1981 on ABC....
as Sheila Grove - Victoria Thompson as Beth Hillyer
- Elliott Street as Wilson
- Robert MiddletonRobert MiddletonRobert Middleton, born Samuel G. Messer , was an American film and television actor known for his large size and beetle-like brow. With a deep, booming voice, Middleton trained for a musical career at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
as Sidney Bower - Billy SandsBilly SandsBilly Sands was an American character actor who appeared as a regular on The Phil Silvers Show as Pvt Dino Papparelli and was a regular on McHale's Navy as Tinker...
as Jack - Sharon Ullrick (née Taggart) as Barbara
- Maggie Wellman as Cynthia
- Michael Greene as Yoga Instructor
- Ron Kolman as Evan
- Eric ServerEric ServerEric Server is an American television character actor, best known for providing the voice of computer brain Dr...
as Workman - Robert C. Ross as Workman
Rest of cast
- Ted CassidyTed CassidyTheodore Crawford Cassidy , known as Ted Cassidy, was an American actor who performed in television and films. At 6 ft 9 in in height, he tended to play unusual characters in offbeat or science-fiction series such as Star Trek and I Dream of Jeannie...
as the diner patron - Melanie GriffithMelanie GriffithMelanie Richards Griffith is an American actress. She is an Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner for her performance in the 1988 film Working Girl...
as an extra - Gregory HarrisonGregory HarrisonGregory Neale Harrison is an American actor. He is probably best known for his role as Chandler in the 1987 cult favorite North Shore and as Trapper John MacIntyre's young surgeon, Dr. George Alonzo 'Gonzo' Gates, on the CBS series Trapper John, M.D....
as a student - Melody PattersonMelody PattersonMelody Patterson is an American actress best known for her role as Wrangler Jane in the 1960s TV series F Troop...
as Jeannie - Dennis F. Stevens as the heckler at the Ice House
- The Ace Trucking Company
- George MemmoliGeorge MemmoliGeorge Memmoli was a New York City born actor. Memmoli was a friend and frequent collaborator of director Martin Scorsese, providing memorable appearances in Mean Streets , New York, New York , and contributed to a documentary focused on a mutual friend of Scorsese's and Memmoli's - American Boy:...
- Michael Mislove
- Mary Elaine Monti
- Bill SalugaBill SalugaBill Saluga is an American comedian. He was a founding member, along with Fred Willard, Michael Mislove, George Memmoli, and Patti Deutsch of the improvisational comedy troupe Ace Trucking Company...
- Fred WillardFred WillardFred Willard is an American actor, comedian, and voice over actor, best known for his improvisational comedy skills. He is known for his roles in the Christopher Guest mockumentary films This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration as well as...
- George Memmoli
Cultural References
In The Wonder YearsThe Wonder Years
The Wonder Years is an American television comedy-drama created by Carol Black and Neal Marlens. It ran for six seasons on ABC from 1988 through 1993. The pilot aired on January 31, 1988 after ABC's coverage of Super Bowl XXII....
fourth-season episode "Growing Up", Kevin's hippie older sister is seen reading a copy of The Harrad Experiment during the family's vacation.
In the Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
episode "The Label Maker
The Label Maker
"The Label Maker" is the 98th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 12th episode for the 6th season. It aired on January 19, 1995.-Plot:...
", George Costanza describes his girlfriend's having a male roommate as a "bizarre Harrad Experiment"
Harrad Summer
Harrad Summer was a 1974 sequel directed by Steven Hilliard SternSteven Hilliard Stern
Steven Hilliard Stern is a Canadian television and documentary director, producer and writer....
in which Stanley, Sheila, Harry, and Beth spend the following summer together to get to know their families.
Cast
- Robert Reiser as Stanley Kolasukas
- Laurie Walters as Sheila Grove
- Richard Doran as Harry Schacht
- Victoria Thompson as Beth Hillyer
- Emmaline HenryEmmaline HenryEmmaline Henry was an American actress perhaps best known for playing Amanda Bellows, wife of Dr. Bellows, on the hit 1960s situation comedy I Dream of Jeannie....
as Margaret Tonhausen - Bill Dana as Jack Schacht