Bye Bye Birdie: 11 Things You Don't Need to Know

[@ItsMeMiles]

Couple of folks have commented on the “Bird-hee”… It was a deliberate choice. There are some very subtle differences between the opening and closing. The opening includes a fresher, less made up look in hair and makeup, pouty vocalizations, hunched shoulders, biting her quivering lips, and the youthful squirming of a teenage girl about to burst with “feelings” for a teen idol like Conrad. The closing has more styled hair, more makeup, a confident walk, shoulders back (wink), a sultrier voice, and no pouting. Kim grew up over the course of the movie and the closing credits confirm it. 😉 #HowLovelyToBeAWomanIndeed!

[@kennethwayne6857]

I've known this movie practically all my life and never noticed these things. Thanks for pointing that out!

[@robertpaul5065]

The “Got A Lot of Living” dance sequence took 2 weeks to film, my mom was a choreographer.

[@janiworthen]

@robertpaul5065 My dance teacher was in that scene.

[@PatriciaLinthicum-sh6rp]

Goldie Hawn went to my high school in Maryland. She played the Mayor's wife in our performance of "Bye, Bye Birdie". She was great with her rubbery legs on the high school steps. Her performance is remembered 60+ years latered.

[@paula3599]

The opening and closing with Ann Margaret are genius. They are the most dynamic and amazing uplifting parts of the movie. Great song, melody and way it was filmed with the blue background, treadmill, and wind machine. Sidney was a genius and was so right in filming Ann Margaret's song Bye Bye Birdie. Love it so much and still is amazing to this day..

[@barbaravick5634]

Paula It's the best song in the film, bar none. Sorry Dick Van Dyke got all butt hurt about the far more talented Ann Margret being given a longer part to showcase her tremendous talent. Bobby Rydell, yeah, they could have cut his part, a lot. So little talent there as when I saw him in Huckleberry Finn at Starlight Theatre when I was 12. I wondered even then how he was in that show, he sucked. He was worse in Birdie. But Van Dyke just sounded petty and selfish. Like a true ass.

[@Pythagoras_was_right]

@ctdtfiveoupNup Yep. But they found that the blue screen effect just did not work with her hair, so finally left it as blue. Figuring, correctly, that with Anne Margret on screen, nobody would be looking at the background .

[@stepaushi]

Ann-Margret

[@Canadiana71]

Treadmill? I thought the camera was on a track.

[@Ricovette]

This movie has been part of my life since I auditioned and got the part to play Conrad Birdie in high school. I would actually sing the songs and the school band would play the music. My biggest compliment was when the audience thought that I was lip syncing to a music track. I wish I had continued with a theatrical career, but life had other plans for me... Anyway, it was a great experience for me... Thumbs up and a sub from me... Stay safe... Rico

[@minnietrout814]

Jesse Pearson who played Conrad in the movie was my cousin. Seriously.

[@kennethwayne6857]

@@minnietrout814 I'm a big fan. I'd been trying for years to find out other things he had done and what happened to him after this movie. It was only recently that I learned about his tragic end. At least he'll always have this film for fans to remember him by.

[@minnietrout814]

Kenneth Wayne He was an only child, and his parents were the nicest people you could ever meet. “Salt of the earth” people. He was actually born in Union Parish, Louisiana and not in Oklahoma or New Orleans. He didn’t want people to know he came from such meager/humble beginnings. He was also buried in the family cemetery located in Union Parish.

[@kennethwayne6857]

@@minnietrout814 Thank you.

[@Thewinterrunner]

I just got casted as birdie how much time do you spend on stage as birdie

[@joekriger1252]

City hall location was also the courthouse in To Kill a Mockingbird.

[@LaurenceDay-d2p]

Hollywood recycles back lot sets in film after film. Most of the big backlots are now gone. MGM, Fox, RKO and Warner's back lots are gone. Universal's is the only one left.

[@Mondomeyer]

Interestingly, Jesse Pearson would later narrated on documentary about the Manson cult (cleverly titled 'Manson'). It's ironic when you consider that 'Bye Bye Birdie' is a satire on the almost religious devotion that people have for their favorite celebrities, and what was it that Charles Manson hated yet most wanted to be? Exactly. I have no idea if Pearson was consciously hired for that reason or if it was just an interesting coincidence.

[@xstanadu]

I can remember when this movie was released ! I was so excited being a Ann-Margret fan ! Bought the soundtrack and played it hundreds of times 😁 Loved the opening and closing w/ the beautiful Ann-Margret singing Bye Bye Birdie ! Great memories .... now I’m showing my age 🤣 LOVE ANN-MARGRET ❤️

[@jdsb-3707]

Just to let you know I appeared in an “Off Broadway” version of Bye Bye Birdie in 1985. I was the “Bass man” who stood beside Birdie. I played Maude the bartender and a non speaking part of a doctor. It was in high school. We had a lot of fun. Thank you Jeana Womble......

[@nancylazenga6271]

I'm coming late to the party. Just saw this and loved it. I love, love, love Bye Bye Birdie. Ann Margaret Olsen grew up down the street from me in Wilmette, IL and I was probably her earliest fan. She lived next door to my Godparents and as a little girl I would see her in the back yard sunbathing. I also saw her as a cheerleader when my older brother played football at New Trier HS in Winnetka. I've watched her career with such great interest and admiration. I was so thrilled when George Burns found her performing at Northwestern University. I also bought her records and danced in my bedroom trying to imitate her. State Fair is another great film I loved her in.

[@peternicholson1700]

Thanks for sharing your close up knowledge of Ann Margret must have been exciting to see her progress.

[@histubeness]

For someone who knows her bio that well, at least spell her name (Ann-Marget Olssen) correctly.

[@andymassingham]

"Wear your rubbers," might me the best exit line in the history of movies. Maureen out-Groucho-ed Groucho with her timing!

[@EJSmith-dk3yg]

Commonly referred to a Galoshes ... nobody said rain boots, not back then!

[@thomasdelvin3683]

@@EJSmith-dk3yg im preety sure the pun was about "protection" ,mom didnt want no half latin grand babies. wear your rubbers

[@eliothorowitz5627]

So, this is that pretty Rose De Leon...what happened, you suffered a fatal disease or somethin?

[@r5t6y7u8]

What, nobody's going to mention how gorgeous Janet Leigh was in this? - The barroom scene with the Shriners? Watch it. You're welcome.

[@LaurenceDay-d2p]

Her black wig was quite unbecoming. Why they did not leave her natural blonde is a mystery.

[@wmperkins25]

Saw this when it first came out and thought Ann-Margaret was the prettiest girl I ever laid eyes on- her singing at the beginning and ending of the movie was the highlight of my young life - I was 10 at the time!! She still is quite the tomato!!

[@stepaushi]

Ann-Margret

[@josephdonato8154]

It's forgotten or unknown to anyone who wasn't around during this time but when Elvis and his shaking hips were on the Ed Sullivan show for the first time it was deemed in the name of decency, he would only be photographed above the waist. This gave rise to the film's most subtle visual gag: when Birdie is at the very end of his Honestly Sincere number, the camera quickly zooms in to avoid showing his thrusting hips. Brilliant.

[@AnnMargretFan]

I have followed Ann-Margret's career since 1964 when I first saw "Viva Las Vegas" in the theater. First, thanks for spelling her name correctly! I noted in the comments here, many have mentioned her name with an extra "A" in it... it's Ann-Margret, not Ann-Margaret. And she NEVER goes by Ann nor Annie... only George Burns, who is credited for discovering her, called her Annie. Thanks Jeff for creating this, despite the ignorant comments that the movie sucked, Ann-Margret was not talented, etc. Having won (5) Golden Globes for Best Actress, an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, twice nominated for an Academy Award, she is also a Grammy nominated singer, and was the highest paid female entertainer in Las Vegas throughout the 70's and 80's. She is also recognized by many Vietnam veterans for her services in entertainment & war efforts. Having attended more than 50 of her concerts over the past 60 years, she is often greeted by war veterans and thanked for her services as well. www.stripes.com/news/us/videos-uso-honoree-ann-margret-looks-back-at-her-visits-with-service-members-1.607464

[@JK-kv1xl]

The opening title and especially end were great and of course the film made A-M a major star. Perhaps one of the best endings for a Broadway to Hollywood film! Ending sequence was pushing for the envelope for 1963! Some great dance numbers too

[@toddHolmes-w5e]

Wasn't the mass fainting scene a salute to Gone With the Wind? The seen of the mass surrender of Confederate troops is almost identical to the Bye, Bye Birdie scene.

[@jdsb-3707]

Ann has as much talent and charisma as beauty. Wow.

[@ljre3397]

Wow, Bye Bye Birdie was one of my favorite movies as a kid. That’s for the stroll.

[@anniebranwen4148]

The pink top she was wearing in the canteen with ruffles , were on sale then to teens in the early 60s , I had one it was white and I loved it! It fit just like Ann Margaret top! What memories .

[@SilverGram]

I had a couple of them, loved them.

[@stepaushi]

Ann-Margret

[@VIDEOHEREBOB]

Very cool dose of knowledge. Thank you. As a professional singer, the "hee" in Bird-hee was likely intentionally chosen to flow better when singing. Singing the "d" stops the flow of breath and the "hee" made it a little sexier..lol!

[@Wolfsky9]

I saw this film 4 times, in the spring/ summer, of '63. Ann Margret was a total drop-dead babe!! ---------------WolfSky9, 72 y/o

[@stepaushi]

Ann-Margret

[@bmepdoc]

The scene with Ann-Margret and Bobby Rydell at the tree in front of the school was shot at Joseph LeConte Jr. High (now middle school) located at Bronson and Fountain Avenues in Hollywood. The tree is still there which can be 'googled' behind some fencing. I attended LeConte from '71-'74.

[@anthonyburzynski9647]

W

[@americandreamer6092]

It’s true the opening song was written for the movie version, but because of its popularity, it is now a regular part of every high school and summer stock production. A few years back, when it was revived on Broadway the song Bye, Bye Birdie was indeed part of the score.

[@edreid7872]

Always noticed the Hanna Barbera characters in the film and wondered how they were involved.....

[@tombennett3827]

Bo Derek's father provided the motorcycles they used in this movie.

[@PtolemyJones]

I have never, EVER seen a woman I thought was sexier than Ann Margaret. An amazing woman. If you get a chance, see her in The Swinger!!! Wow.

[@sislertx]

My fav actress was natalie woods...all around.actress since a kid! But beautiful not really...its hard to pick one...u less u met them personally...met.cher once..omg..her face is so pitted and she is out and.out ugly....and now.we.find out inside and.out...same with jane.fonda.who is now.so.broke she has taken the antifa.gig that melissa even dropped once her house was paid off.

[@randyacuna3248]

I would put Joey heatherton in the same level as ann , both top sex kittens

[@dorothysay8327]

PtolemyJones I honestly don’t see the attraction. Plain.

[@PtolemyJones]

@@dorothysay8327 All such judgements are of course subjective, but sexy isn't exactly about looks. It's about how she moves more than anything else.

[@ilovebarbra2]

The Swinger is a great movie and one the the two best scenes of Ann-Margret writhing around in what people don't usually writhe around in ,paint and of course the baked beans scene from TOMMY.

[@TheSaltydog07]

I always love background stuff. Hope to see more. Excellent!

[@beaumorris5289]

When I was a Kid my mom took me to a High School Play.. It was Bye Bye Birdie..... 8yrs Later I was Playing in Many Musicals because of the Impression in made on me years before....

[@ajsolomon3799]

I didn't care much for the title song that opened and closed the movie. But Ann Margaret what a babe! Eye candy all the way.

[@Daisnap]

I believe Kay Medford played the mother - Maureen Stapleton in the movie - on Broadway. I also believe the actress who played Kim’s mother in the movie bought Talky Tina for her daughter in the classic Twilight Zone episode Living Doll!

[@sunnyscott4876]

LOL..when movie was on TCM last week, they noted that it featured the best sweater in all of movie history during the musical number "How Lovely to Be a Woman ".

[@AMillionMovies]

Not sure it’s the best sweater, but it was definitely one of the biggest sweaters in film.

[@ellendolber2765]

I love that moive, I thought I would grow up and be like Anmarget, not a moive star, just vivacious.

[@IDShar]

One of my favorite movies when I was a kid.

[@Stonecutter334]

This was really good. Usually i know most of the facts when i watch these things but not this time. All of them were new to me. I did laugh when you said maybe the director (who seemed like a smart cookie) was probably smitten with Ann. Who wouldn’t have been!!!! She’s so beautiful in this it almost hurts to look directly at her. Just wow!

[@jaytomson7052]

Thanks... for this!

[@renaldcosma7192]

Not to long ago I had the pleasure of meeting Ann Margret. Sadly it was at my dear friends funeral, The late great David Winters from West Side Story .

[@AMillionMovies]

He was great as A-Rab, and my daughters and I still know some of his choreography from Viva Las Vegas.

[@MaynardGKrebs-gv4vy]

Very interesting. Mr. Winters and Jay Norman were the standout dancers in WSS. I did not know David had died. He was a huge talent.

[@stepaushi]

Ann-Margret

[@juanmonge7418]

He was the choreographer for the show “Hullabaloo “. He created the dance moves for “Do the Freddy”.

[@epsteinisms1483]

The Universal Studios set used for "Sincere" was also used for "Trouble In River City". The mayor of Sweetapple was played by Frank Albertson. Long career in Hollywood. He was "Hee Haw Sam Wainwright" in "It's A Wonderful Life", and he was the tipsy real estate tycoon in "Psycho" who's money wound up in Janet Leigh's purse. I saw "BBB" three separate times back in '63. Obviously loved it and still do. Today's silly sex symbols THINK they're sexy. But Ann-Margret....... WOW!

[@AMillionMovies]

Thanks for the comments. One note about “The Music Man”. It looks very similar to Universal’s lot, but those exteriors were actually done over on the Midwest Street sets at Warner Brothers.

[@janinefarris7565]

I remember I was a young preteen and my sisters and I and some neighborhood girlfriends went home and put the album Bye Bye Birdie and pretended we're Ann-Margret and we're singing bye-bye birdie in front of the mirror so we could stage it in our backyard for the neighborhood boys and girls to come and see o u r Musical production Bye Birdie that we thought was hot LOL and just know that I was already in love with Elvis Presley and I literally remember being so smitten with a whole production in So Beautiful to watch that I literally literally said a prayer in that dark theater and I said in a prayer that how I wish someone in Hollywood would see how Ann-Margret and Elvis Presley should be together and lo and behold a few years later Viva Las Vegas came on the movie screen and it just thrilled me and satisfied my heart. It's like some Cosmic and spiritual level I felt I align two people that deserve to connect the way they did I felt like I had something to do with it some kind of similar energy that I felt I was a part of also and it pleased me in a very deep way. somehow satisfied me so and when I found out that they kind of fell in love for some reason it please me so.. I'm actually glad that Elvis Presley did not do the part of them self I'm glad Jesse Pearson played him he did a wonderful job Elvis knew and his manager knew that it would be like making fun of himself so to speak a land of mystery and an amplification of Elvis Presley was better his Mystique with letter and I love Viva Las Vegas Elvis never his left my heart nor Ann-Margret

[@lgrrobert7325]

Bye Bye Birdie is so Unique. & Has great stars

[@pauljorgeguerreirocoelho78]

Till today it's nice to see that somebody like you you're talking about this wonderful production with wonderful and Margaret thank you from France

[@jonathanlane4496]

The exterior shots of the McAfee house found on what was then the Columbia Ranch appeared in numerous movies and television shows for many years including The Three Stooges, Gidget, Hazel and Lethal Weapon.

[@spiff8862]

At the time (1962) the Hazel/Gidget home has no driveway. You'll notice Harry drives his 1962 Ford Country Squire station wagon into Sam and Darren Stephen's driveway next door at the Bewitched house.

[@whereisthedollar]

And one of the "Leave it to beaver" house.

[@jonathanlane5432]

@@whereisthedollar That’s not the case, these are two different houses. The Leave It To Beaver house was on the backlot of Universal Studios. The McAfee house was essentially on the backlot of Columbia Pictures.

[@makaylaraymer4208]

my middle school is currently doing bye bye birdie, i got casted as rosie, and even though the sing ‘bye bye birdie’ isn’t in the show my direction is planing on putting it it!!

[@AMillionMovies]

The Shriner’s Ballet (I think that’s what it’s called) can be a show-stopper if done right. Break a leg!

[@113dmg9]

Great facts!

[@markwilliams546]

Another Fact that you forgot to mention that Ann Margaret recorded the film Clip for Bye Bye Birdie, on a Treadmill, and was around 3 feet off the floor just walking on it with a camera in front of her, That was how it was filmed, to give the impression of 'Chasing' the camera.

[@Mark_R_Tho]

Oh wow

[@jt3486]

Genius

[@karenstrycharz1499]

Thanks for the information!

[@tomsinclair8501]

I read somewhere that it was a conveyer belt which would’ve been much longer than a treadmill. This allowed her to get even further away from the camera.

[@vernonhill7681]

I played the mayor in a high school production in 1974 so I was familiar with the fact that the now iconic bookends did not appear in the original Broadway show. The song became so much associated with Birdie that it's been incorporated into all subsequent incarnations including the TV movie with Jason Alexander and Vanessa Williams. Dick van Dyke won the 1960 Tony Award for featured actor in a Musical for Birdie. He was absent from the ceremony because he was enroute to California to begin filming The Dick Van Dyke Show. Hugo's role in the stage production is not only smaller, it has no singing. When Bobby Rydell was cast it must have been pretty obvious that there would be a song or two added to the role. Its a fun movie but all in all imo the stage play is better. Btw song writers Strouse and Adams would write the music for Mel Brooks' first musical All-American with Ray Bolger. Strouse along with Martin Charnin would write the music for another Best Musical winner Annie.

[@karenstrycharz1499]

Loved this movie 🎥 so much!!!!

[@christopherramon-reid2000]

Jeff, these are GREAT! Can’t wait to see more 😃👍

[@kevinharrington2078]

great stuff about a great movie,, Thanks

[@Michaela1942]

Bye Bye Birdie was such a wonderful play and such a mess of a film. So sad. And, by the way, not only was the director hot for Ann Margaret, but ditto for producer Ray Stark (I had the misfortune to have to deal with him on Annie (another great play that was turned into a mess of a film due to his influence).

[@BlueLucario98]

Played Albert Peterson in my high schools production of Birdie three years ago, such an odd show a lot of the 50’s humor doesn’t hold up, but it still also manages to be funny with its surprisingly dark and dry humor.

[@wattheheck6010]

Jesse "Conrad Birdie" Pearson later narrated two of Poet Rod McKuen's albums, "The Sea" and "Home to the Sea" in 1967 and 1968 arranged by Anita Kerr. "The Sea" was the first high fidelity stereo vinyl record I listened to on a friend's (now vintage) KLH stereo system. From that moment, I was hooked on Hi-Fi stereo sound reproduction. Pearson's deep voice is nothing at all like his Conrad Birdie character.

[@suzanne6441]

What director wouldn't be "smitten with her"?

[@davidalvidrez9452]

I watched that movie on the deck of a ship in 1966. First time I saw that gorgeous girl.

[@johnnewson2]

I just discovered your channel and love it. Keep making these interesting clips.

[@paulbaar]

Jesse Pearson appeared on the Beverly Hillbillies TV show as a similar character as Bye Bye Birdie .

[@kayequinn6726]

I remember piling into the car & all of us going to see this in the movies,a rare night for us. Had the album & loved listening to it over & over,especially the song " One Boy" only part of the movie I didn't care for was the convention scene w/Janet Leigh. Liked her but it just seemed to not fit w/Everything else. But still a special movie from my childhood I love to this day.

[@AMillionMovies]

That’s the Shriner’s Ballet, and when it’s done right on stage, it’s great.

[@jeff__w]

"One Boy" is actually my favorite number from the movie. I always liked the harmony between Ann-Margret and Janet Leigh at the end.

[@islandgal500]

Ann-Margret: A huge star with a simple name that always seems to get misspelled.

[@billhardy7870]

One of the oddest, at least to me, things in the film is why and how did Kim's best friend, Ursala, played by Trudi Ames, just disappear for good after the hair dyeing scene. She wasn't even shown in the audience at the Ed Sullivan show at the end of the film. It prompted me to create a facebook page, 'Whatever Happened to Trudi Ames'. Well, we did find out. She had a few more roles, most notably 'Gidget Goes to Rome', then retired from acting and moved to the southwest. But it was just strange how someones best friend would just vanish like that.

[@AMillionMovies]

Good observation. I don't know the stage version that well (saw it once when I was in high school). I wonder if Ursula has much to do later in that version and they just cut her for time in the movie.

[@julianapostrel7478]

A Million Movies i’m currently in a production of the show and i play ursula and yes, she has a much bigger role in the stage production. plus in the movie, they changed (of the parts that ursula was in) a lot about the character.

[@Elainerulesutube]

I have looked at your Facebook page but there's no updates on Trudi and what she's been doing all these years.

[@dadoctah]

She also appeared in just one episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show, as one of a group of teenagers who swarm the Petrie house when Chad and Jeremy (as a moptop group called The Redcoats) are staying there. Always thought she was the perfect breathless teenage girl, like a live-action version of Judy Jetson.

[@gregsmith7428]

Whenever I see Ann Margaret, I think of Ann MargRock! I recall the Flintstones ep when this debuted. Guess I'm getting old!

[@74Spirit1]

Became Conrad Birdie because there was REALLY a Conway Twitty! Dick VanDyke was overlooked in the film, but he was on his way to being well known in the Disney circles!

[@brendaamata4577]

Awesome!

[@hollywoodharriet13]

I love Bobby Rydell in Bye Bye Birdie. I know this movie and soundtrack by heart since 1963!

[@jennyq4979]

Thank you for making this video, I really enjoyed it!

[@ronniebishop2496]

I guess old George must have been very good at picking talent because Ann was the female Elvis and they should have written pop and rock hits for her constantly. As far as Ann setting on his lap, lucky dog. Lol

[@aadamtx]

Actually, the great Wanda Jackson was nicknamed "The Female Elvis" because of her rockabilly style back in the day. She only recently retired from performing.

[@Traceman002]

The Director WAS smitten with Ann Margaret, thought she was the sexiest woman ever who wasn't at all shy.

[@goodbyecommunists1335]

Ann was shy when OFFstage. Read her autobiography and quit trying to feed your futile fantasies about her. Women are not what you project yourself and YOUR traits on them to be. They are themSELVES : not what YOU want them to be. ( mutter mutter Our woman-exploiting culture, the hogwash and self-delusion seems to never end. Still : there ARE men who "get" it, how most women view Life without all that cynicism and exploitation. )

[@stepaushi]

Ann-Margret

[@lynnhecht4948]

Teri Garr [Young Frankenstein] is to Ann's in the big dance scene [Wha'd I say] with Elvis. Blonde hair, white blouse and back skirt.

[@lasktdave]

She was in most Elvis movies. There's a video that shows them all and points her out in each musical number.

[@miriamhausman2287]

Loved it

[@ivansampaio1635]

Jesse Pearson did the national tour of Bye, Bye Birdie. Joan Blondell also worked

[@arthurharrison1345]

Nice job, Jeff!

[@SandViolet]

You have a very pleasant voice.

[@AMillionMovies]

Thanks, but not sure I agree.

[@shilohforbes6134]

@@AMillionMovies Jesus! I can't enjoy reading the comments without this person, constantly saying Ann-Margret! Good Grief!! shut up already you are starting to sound like a parrot.

[@candleinthewind916]

@@shilohforbes6134 That's so true, he or she is always correcting other people because they don't spell Ann-Margret the way that person likes it. That person seems to have this obsession with the name Ann-Margret. Who cares? You obviously know who they are talking about, plus that is so embarrassing to other people. I wouldn't do that to someone. I already know when that will happen, because I read the comments and know that they call Ann-Margret by different names like this one 👉 Ann- Margrock from The Flintstones.

[@grandpastew2509]

the court house set also looks like the town from ghost whisper

[@tomcat3360]

Thanks! Fascinating. My parebts took me to see it when i was 8!

[@kennethdesmondmosley1075]

Elaine Joyce was also a broadway star!

[@ljre3397]

This was fascinating. Thanks.

[@1958darkstar]

What an amazing video! So much I didn’t know.😎👍🏻

[@bluestarlighting29]

This was very interesting, my junior high school back 1978 had play on Bye Bye Birdie in Hampton , Iowa, still have paper photo today. Only wish put together dvd and blueray DVD in steelbox Collection. I know did another one in 1995?? Lots different screens play . Truly enjoy both them. Thank You. Love soundtrack songs. Sad most actors past away , but still classic film movie. Still watch other classic tv show cartoon Flintstones and many other. Kind funny why think Ann Margie get all credit, let’s say all actors and music artist were greatest. And directors. All did fantastic job 100%.

[@Mynamesalexa]

My mother took me to see this in 1963. Age 9 She laughed her head off with the mayor's wife convulsing in bed after seeing Birdie sing. I mean LAUGH OUT LOUD!

[@jaytomson7052]

That was a very telling scene...I saw it at age 7.

[@bookmouse2719]

My Mom to us to see this and I was 11. I think that this went over my head actually.

[@Pimp-Master]

Same age when my parents took me to see it. Ann-Margaret blew me away, especially the opening number with all blue and all orange colors. It did something to me internally!

[@thomasdelvin3683]

mom might have known that frustrating sensation. papa just doesnt have what conrad had

[@GoGreen1977]

I was 7 or 8 when I saw this. My dad was a big fan of Dick Van Dyke, so that's why he wanted to see it. My mom stayed home. I don't think my dad was all that impressed. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. Teenagers were something of a mystery to me, particularly since my sister was one and she puzzled me frequently. I did not become one of those "puzzling" teenagers. Really!

[@ohmeowzer1]

Very interesting thank you

[@roydean1137]

Thank you! I always thought the "Sincere" downtown scene was from the same scene lot as "Back to the Future".

[@virginia7191]

Roy Dean It was also used for (among others) scenes in The Music Man, Monolith Monsters, Tarantula and the very first show of The Twilight Zone.

[@ivandujhakov5587]

Very interesting. Good commentary.

[@AMillionMovies]

Thanks.

[@sadiehill6792]

Jesse Pierson is buried Farmerville , Louisiana. Just north of town, past the chicken plant! Take a dirt road to the left, which swings right, and the family plot is just there, on the right. He had moved to Monroe, LA to be with a sick mother.

[@JK-kv1xl]

Always thought Rita Moreno could have done the part (didnt know she turned it down) but Janet Leigh did well especially in the Shriners Ballet # Oh mother the blood!!!!

[@sunnyscott4876]

I always thought it was Rita Moreno....I still do a double take wherever I watch the movie.

[@jamesallen327]

Oh! Ann-Margret was and always will be my first on screen love and she will always know, that because of her, I am strait.

[@MrDanamp]

So far, I see you're the only Ann-Margret lover who can spell her name right!

[@zzzut]

Not the first Broadway musical ruined by Hollywood.

[@mollycblaeser]

For some reason, my brain still mentally cast Rita Moreno in the role of Rosie...then recently realized it was Janet Leigh.

[@ellenross4413]

You forgot Lee Aaker who was the leader in the "We hate you Conrad" section. He had played Cpl Rusty in Rin Tin Tin.

[@spiff8862]

A little trivia. Lee was good friends with Paul Petersen (The Donna Reed Show). Paul taught Lee how to water ski.

[@crixxxxxxxxx]

The Bye Bye Birdie title song is now available to include in amateur stage productions.

[@themermaidstale5008]

Interesting and informative. TFS

[@mzmiddlefinger]

I heard the same thing that Elvis's manager didn't want him to play the part of Conrad Birdie, but I did hear that Elvis was interested in playing the role.

[@sadiehill6792]

Zones se Pearson is buried just outside of Farmerville, Louisiana in a family plot. Just go north past the chicken plant and take a left at a White House set catty cornered. It turnstone the right real quick...then look to the right and there is the cemetery.

[@johnnyirish801]

Who wouldn't be smittened by a young Ann Margaret?

[@peterpiperman9542]

1:11 or even an older and Margaret.

[@stepaushi]

Ann-Margret

[@histubeness]

Well, you weren't smitten enough to spell her name correctly.

[@johnnyirish801]

@@histubeness BUT, you knew who I was talking about, huh? 🖕

[@PrincessofErised]

The courthouse scene also looks vaguely similar to one in a later Simpson episode.

[@shallendor]

Ann Margaret stole so many heats, why should the director be any different!

[@stepaushi]

Ann-Margret

[@dylanfearon15]

Jeff here are two possible facts - not sure if I’m correct, but maybe - 1. When Kim’s dad drives up to their house, is that the Stevens’ house from Bewitched? Paul Lynde was on that show as Uncle Arthur. 2. At the beginning of the movie, in one of the stills that’s flashed several times, is a blonde that I think was the actress who went on to become Ricky Nelson’s wife. You’ll know better than I.

[@spiff8862]

Dylan Fearon... You're correct on your guess about Harry driving his Ford Station Wagon into the Stephen's driveway. They hadn't built the driveway yet for the Hazel/Gidget house yet.

[@robertcollins7025]

Paul Lynde called it "Hello Ann Margaret...."

[@histubeness]

I doubt that he misspelled her name.

[@stormydavis8546]

If you aren't or haven't been smitten with Ann-Margaret, there's something wrong with you, she's beyond amazing!

[@LadyMissCoppertone]

The one piece of trivia missed is in the Got A Lot Of Livin' dance scene, Bobby Rydell is dancing with Lorene Yarnell. She would team up with Robert Shields to form the mime-and-dance comedy team Shields and Yarnell, a familiar presence on television in the 1970s...

[@AMillionMovies]

Someone else pointed that out too. Great info.

[@josephdonato8154]

I always thought she looked familiar!

[@brendaamata4577]

Say what you will...i cant see anyone else palying these parts as far as acting...

[@steveb1164]

You for got the King Cousins (the teenagers), who sang on the soundtrack.

[@brapp5973]

I do like BBB a lot-esp the musical numbers-but I think they almost ruined the movie by the beyond silly plot line relating to the speed up potion etc. Not funny at all. Too bad. If not for that, it could really be a classic musical. Side note: agree with a previous commenter that Janet Leigh was great in this film- sexy and surprisingly good in he musical numbers.

[@michaelmorgan9824]

Bonnie Lynn Fields from the Mickey Mouse Club supposedly is in this dance productions but i have not found her yet!