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Those Redheads from Seattle

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Those Redheads from Seattle
Theatrical release poster
Directed byLewis R. Foster
Written byLewis R. Foster
Daniel Mainwaring
George Worthing Yates
Produced byWilliam H. Pine
William C. Thomas
StarringRhonda Fleming
Gene Barry
Agnes Moorehead
CinematographyLionel Lindon
Edited byArchie Marshek
Music bySidney Cutner
Leo Shuken
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • October 16, 1953 (1953-10-16) (USA)
[1]
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Those Redheads from Seattle is a 1953 American musical western film produced in 3-D directed by Lewis R. Foster and starring Rhonda Fleming, Gene Barry and Agnes Moorehead, and released by Paramount Pictures. It was the first 3-D musical.[2][3]

Plot

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A woman (Moorehead) takes her four unmarried daughters to Alaska during the 1898 Gold Rush to help their father, not knowing he is already dead. When the Edmonds women arrive in Skagway, they meet Johnny Kisco, owner of the Klondike Club, whose partner is the one who killed Edmonds, a newspaper publisher.

When the women find out Edmonds is dead and had no money, one becomes a dancer and singer, one becomes a nurse and the other two run the newspaper that was once belonged to their father, trying to run out the owner of the burlesque club. Pat, the singer, falls for Johnny and performs at his club. He is more interested in her sister Kathie, who takes exception to Johnny's ways and decides to wed a more respectable minister.

Johnny departs for Fairbanks to track down his partner, saving him from an avalanche and bringing him back to confess to Edmonds' murder. On the day she's to be married, Kathie, still in her wedding dress, runs to Johnny, realizing she is in love with him.

Cast

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Production

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The film was originally called The Sisters from Seattle and was to have starred Rhonda Fleming, John Payne and Arlene Dahl.[4] It was going to be the first musical from Pine-Thomas Productions.[5]

In January 1953 it was announced the film would be shot in 3-D.[6]

Dahl dropped out as well and was replaced by Mindy Carson. She fell through and was replaced by singer Teresa Brewer. It was Brewer's first film but Pine and Thomas saw a screen test she made for 20th Century Fox the previous year, and were impressed by a poll of theatre owners which listed her among the top five singers in the country. She had to dye her brown hair red to match Fleming's hair.[7]

In February 1953 Payne was ruled out of the film and was replaced by Gene Barry, who had just starred in War of the Worlds.[8] He was joined by singer Guy Mitchell and performing group The Bell Sisters.[9]

Jean Parker who had made a number of films for Pine-Thomas in the 1940s returned to the screen for the first time in three years to play a role.[10]

Filming started March 1953. In April the title was changed to Those Redheads from Seattle.[11]

Release

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The film was released in 3-D and non-3-D versions- Paramount gave exhibitors the right to choose.[12]

Although Kiss Me Kate, released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in November 1953, is often referred to as the first 3-D musical, Those Redheads from Seattle was released a month earlier.[3][2]

Music

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In the film, Teresa Brewer sings the Jerry Livingston/Mack David song "Baby, Baby, Baby", which was released as a single,[13] and later covered by Mindy Carson, Jimmy Witherspoon and other artists.

Mitchell had a hit with "Chicka Boom" written by Bob Merrill that Mitchell sang in the film.

Other songs featured include:

"I Guess It Was You All the Time" written by Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael[3]

"Mr. Banjo Man"[14]

"Take Back Your Gold"[14]

Restoration

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In September 2006, the film was shown in 3-D for the first time in 50 years at the World 3-D Expo in Hollywood.[15]

In 2017 a digital restoration played at the TCM Festival in Hollywood and at the Seattle International Film Festival. The movie premiered in Seattle at the Paramount Theatre in 1953.

A 3-D Blu Ray was released in May 2017 by Kino Lorber.

References

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  1. ^ Movieland Briefs. Los Angeles Times 15 September 1953: B7.
  2. ^ a b "Film Reviews: Those Redheads From Seattle". Variety. September 23, 1953. p. 6. Retrieved October 7, 2019 – via Archive.org.
  3. ^ a b c Those Redheads from Seattle at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
  4. ^ Five Redheads to Star in Pine-Thomas Film. Los Angeles Times 19 July 1952: 6.
  5. ^ Pine, Thomas Heady First Musical Film. Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times 29 January 1953: A6.
  6. ^ Disney Films Set to Grow in Length. New York Times 31 January 1953: 10.
  7. ^ Things Just Happen for Jukebox Queen: Teresa Brewer in Hollywood to Do Film With Rhonda, Other Disc Stars Thomas, Bob. Los Angeles Times 22 March 1953: D3.
  8. ^ Looking at Hollywood: Gene Barry to Do Musical in 3 Dimensions Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune 13 February 1953: A6.
  9. ^ First Film Entrances Singing Bell Sisters Los Angeles Times 1 February 1953: D1.
  10. ^ Skeleton Returns to Metro Studio. New York Times 12 March 1953: 24.
  11. ^ Paulette Goddard Will Star as Jezebel Los Angeles Times 23 Apr 1953: B9.
  12. ^ Warner Process Dropped for Film. New York Times 14 October 1953: 35.
  13. ^ Billboard - October 31, 1953 - Page 30 Teresa Brewer. Baby, Baby, Baby 78 Coral 61067— "Baby" is from the current flick "Those Redheads From Seattle." Artfully phrased and styled. Miss Brewer turns in a socko performance on this romantic ballad. Her fans will be mighty pleased."
  14. ^ a b "Those Redheads From Seattle advertisement". Variety. September 9, 1953. p. 21. Retrieved September 30, 2019 – via Archive.org.
  15. ^ World 3-D Expo website
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