Stay Away Joe - MGM 1968
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By: For Elvis Fans Only
Source: EPE
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Stay Away, Joe |
Elvis' twenty-sixth film was the
rollicking 1968 MGM comedy "Stay Away,
Joe."
On October 1, 1967, Elvis recorded
the songs "Stay Away, Joe", "All I
Needed Was The Rain" and "Dominick."
Elvis hated the song "Dominick," which
he was to sing to a bull. He made
producer Felton Jarvis promise that it
would never appear on a record. Since
the movie called for only three songs,
this would be the first time in Elvis'
movie career that there would not be a
soundtrack album or EP released along
with the film. MGM and Elvis' manager
Colonel Tom Parker decided to have Elvis
record another song that could be played
over the opening credits and released as
a single. The song "Stay Away" was
written by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett
and based on the melody of the song "Greensleeves." Elvis
recorded it January 16, 1968 and it was
released as the B-side of a single along
with "U.S. Male."
"Stay Away, Joe" was filmed in the
Arizona town of Sedona and it was one of
the rare times that Elvis' wife
Priscilla and the wives of his entourage
attended a location shoot. They left
Memphis on October 26, 1967. Meanwhile,
back home, Elvis' interest in horse
ranching was losing its luster and there
was an auction held at Elvis's Circle G
Ranch on November 4, 1967 to dispose of
the equipment that was no longer needed.
Filming began in Sedona and Cottonwood,
Arizona on October 9, 1967. Location
filming continued until November 22,
1967 when the production company moved
back to the studio to finish the
production. The movie wrapped on
November 27, 1967 with a lunch Elvis had
catered for the cast and crew. Elvis
entourage members Joe Esposito and
Charlie Hodge each had small
roles. After Elvis was released from the
movie, Joe, Charlie and fellow entourage
member Marvin "Gee Gee" Gambill went to
Las Vegas to vacation before returning
to Memphis.
The movie was based on the
best-selling novel by award winning
author Dan Cushman. The novel became the
Book-of-the-Month Club selection for
April 1953. Mr. Cushman based his book
on his own native Montana where, after
graduating from college, he first became
a prospector and geologist before
becoming a writer of over thirty novels
and winning a number of writing
awards. The novel became the basis for
both a Broadway musical and Elvis' movie
and all three were both praised for
their hilarious comedy as well as panned
for their negative depiction of Native
Americans.
"Stay Away, Joe" opened nationally on
March 8, 1968 and was #65 in ranking on
Variety's list of money-making movies
for 1968.
The cast for "Stay Away Joe" was
anchored by several long-time actors
including Burgess Meredith,
who played Charlie Lightcloud, the
Native American father to Elvis's
character Joe Lightcloud. Educated at
Amherst, Burgess Meredith became a stage
actor in New York in 1933 before serving
as a Captain in the U.S. Army Air Force
in World War II. After the war he
turned to making movies until the late
1950s when, as a liberal thinker, he was
blacklisted from films due to Senator
Joseph McCarthy and the McCarthy
hearings targeting Hollywood. In the
1960s the raspy voiced actor was able to
find work again and became known for his
role as "The Penguin" - a villain in the
"Batman" television series. He also was
the voice for many years for Skippy
Peanut Butter commercials. He was
nominated a number of times for Academy
Awards and Emmy Awards and is probably
best remembered for his roles as trainer
Mickey Goldmill in the "Rocky" movie
series and as Grandpa Gustafson in the
films "Grumpy Old Men" and "Grumpier Old
Men." An ardent environmentalist, he
died in 1997 after suffering with
Alzheimer's.
Mexican actress Katy Jurado
played Annie Lightcloud. She was an
award winning actress in her native
Mexico as well as having received
accolades in the U.S. from both the
Golden Globes and the Academy Awards.
She gained over 20 pounds for her role
of Annie and just before filming she
broke her foot. She had her cast
removed prematurely and thus she walked
with a limp in the movie. She wore her
own jewelry in the film, much of it
gifts from other actors with whom she
had worked, including Spencer Tracy,
John Wayne, Gary Cooper and Helen
Hayes. She died in July of 2002.
Thomas Gomez, known for playing brooding
heavies, played Grandpa. He had not
planned on an acting career, however,
after graduating from school in 1923 he
answered a help wanted ad that lead him
to become a part of a travelling theatre
group. He was nominated for an Academy
Award in 1948 for his supporting role in
"Ride The Pink Horse." He served more
than 40 years on the board of directors
of the Screen Actors Guild. His last
film was the 1970 release "Beneath the
Planet of the Apes." He died in a car
accident in 1971.
Veteran actress Joan Blondell
played Glenda Callahan. Known as the
big-eyed, wisecracking blonde, Ms.
Blondell was born into Vaudeville and
toured with her parents, performing from
the age of 3. Debuting with the
Ziegfeld Follies in New York, she began
her Broadway career which lead her to
star with James Cagney on Broadway as
well as in six films. Eventually she
married actor Dick Powell and they
worked together in ten musicals. Later,
divorced from Dick Powell, she was
married for a time to producer Michael
Todd. She received an Academy Award
nomination for the 1951 film "The Blue
Veil" and two Golden Globe nominations
for her supporting roles in "The
Cincinnati Kid" and "Opening Night."
Her TV credits include roles on the
series "Here Come the Brides," "The Real
McCoys" and "Banyon." She died of
leukaemia in 1979.
Character actress
Anne
Seymour played the Lightcloud
family's much anticipated guest Mrs.
Hawkins. Ms. Seymour was a part of the
seventh generation of actors in a
theatrical family that began acting in
Ireland in 1740. Her two older brothers
were writer James Seymour and actor John
Seymour. After making her Broadway
debut in 1928, she became a radio
heroine playing "Mary Marlin" and other
such roles in radio dramas of the day.
She made her film debut in the 1949
release "All The King's Men." She was
on the boards of both the SAG and AFTRA
acting unions.
Young Quentin Dean played Mamie
Callahan. She had debuted in the 1967
film "In The Heat of The Night," winning
a Golden Globe nomination for her
supporting role. Her career included
three movies in 1968 including her role
in "Stay Away Joe" as well as a handful
of TV guest appearances. Her acting
credits end in 1969 and no further
information is known at this time.
Susan Trustman made her movie debut in
"Stay Away, Joe" playing bank teller
Mary Lightcloud. She went on the have a
regular role as Pat Matthews on the
daytime TV drama "Another World."
Dick Wilson played the befuddled car
salesman stuck with Joe Lightcloud's
horse as trade-in for a shiny
convertible. He had many roles on TV and
became a familiar face on shows such as
"Hogan's Heroes," "Bewitched," "Ben
Casey," "Checkmate" and "Maverick."
However, Americans might remember him
best as "Mr. Whipple" in Charmin tissue
commercials - a role he had for 25
years.
Burt Kennedy and Michael A. Hoey
adapted the book for the screenplay.
Mr. Kennedy began performing as a child
with his parents. A decorated WWII
veteran, he used his Army training to
become a stunt fencer in films, then
eventually began writing scripts for TV
and movies specializing in westerns.
Peter Tewksbury was the director and
would also direct Elvis in "The Trouble
With Girls." He had previously received
Emmy nominations and awards for
directing the TV series "Father Knows
Best" and "My Three Sons." He died in
2003 after having retired to Vermont
where he became a well known cheese
expert working with local food
producers.
Soundtrack
Recorded at: Radio
Recorders Studios, 7000, Santa Monica
Boulevard, Hollywood. October 1967.
Musicians: Elvis
Presley (vocals), Scotty Moore, Chip
Young, Charlie Hodge (guitars), Pete
Drake (steel guitar), Bob Moore (bass),
D.J. Fontana, Buddy Harman (drums),
Floyd Cramer, Larry Muhoberac (pianos),
Boots Randolph (sax), Charlie McCoy
(harmonica), the Jordanaires (vocals)
Stay Away Joe - MGM 1968
Directed Peter
Tewksbury
Writing Credits Michael A. Hoey
(based on the novel Stay Away Joe by Dan
Cushman)
Producer Douglas Laurence
Photography Fred Koenekamp A.S.C.
Panavision and Metrocolor
Cast Overview
Elvis Presley .... Joe Lightcloud,
Burgess Meredith.... Charlie Lightcloud,
Joan Blondell .... Glenda Callahan, Katy
Jurado .... Annie Lightcloud, Thomas
Gomez .... Grandpa, Henry Jones .... Hy
Slager, L.Q. Jones .... Bronc Hoverty,
Quentin Dean .... Mamie Callahan, Anne
Seymour .... Mrs. Hawkins, Douglas
Henderson.... Congressman Morrissey,
Angus Duncan .... Lorne Hawkins, Michael
Lane .... Frank Hawk, Susan Trustman
.... Mary Lightfoot, Warren Vanders ....
Hike Bowers, Buck Kartalian .... Bull
Shortgun.
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