Stanley Adams Movies

Elvis Presley plays Guy Lambert, a musician (so far, so good) who is touring Great Britain (something Elvis never managed in real life). Jill Conway (Annette Day), a wealthy heiress, is a big fan of Guy's who has developed a very serious crush on him; her family wants to keep her away from the romantically-inclined singer, so they send her to Belgium, not realizing that Guy has a string of gigs set up there. En route to Brussels, a pair of hapless jewel thieves (Norman Rossington and Chips Rafferty) hide their loot in Guy's luggage, which makes the singer the unwitting target of three equally inept detectives (Harry, Herbert, and Sylvester Wiere). While wooing Jill and avoiding her treacherous uncle Gerald (John Williams), Guy also finds himself pursued by the worldly Claire Dunham (Yvonne Romain). Elvis sings nine songs along the way, including "Long Legged Girls with Short Dresses On" and "Baby, if You Give Me All Your Love." 18 months after Double Trouble was released, Presley's career was revitalized by his 1968 comeback special, though he would also release four more films before it aired. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

While the Enterprise is stopped at a space station to provide security for a valuable shipment of grain, Lt. Uhura purchases a new pet from ethically questionable station trader Cyrano Jones: a "tribble," which is basically a lovable, cooing ball of fur. The animals have some unexpected drawbacks, however; they have a ravenous appetite, and whenever they eat, they multiply themselves. Soon enough, the crew of the Enterprise finds themselves up to their necks in the furry creatures. This comes at about the worst possible time for the Enterprise, since a Klingon vessel has also arrived at the station, and the enemy crews are soon getting into barroom brawls. The tribble problem doesn't help the Enterprise's diplomatic effort much either, especially since the creatures don't like Klingons very much, and emit a high-pitched squawk whenever one comes near. This episode of the original Star Trek television series is particularly beloved for its charming humor; the tribbles themselves are so popular amongst Trek fans that they have reappeared in episodes of the animated series and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Stanley Adams guest stars as King Killiwani, a native chieftan who comes to the island in search of a White Goddess. Naturally, the female Castaways are thrilled at the prospect of being chosen for this honor. But when it turns out that the White Goddess is slated to be sacrificed to a volcano, Gilligan (Bob Denver) "courageously" dolls himself up in female drag to offer himself to the persistent Killiwani. Although no one--not the cast, not the producer, not the network--knew it at the time, this turned out to be the last half-hour episode of Gilligan's Island. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Though the character of Adam Cartwright was gone from Bonanza, he was far from forgotten, as proven by this episode from May 1, 1966. Alan Bergmann guest-stars as Gilly Maples, a shipmate of the now-seafaring Adam. Arriving at the Ponderosa, Gilly claims to be a lonely fellow, seeking only the warm companionship of the Cartwright clan. In truth, however, Gilly is a thief, who plans to rob Adam's family once he has wormed his way into their confidence. Ivor Barry costars as Gilly's cohort Morgan. "Home from the Sea" was cowritten by George F. Slavin and actor Stanley Adams. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The first person the audience sees in Ship of Fools is dwarf Michael Dunn, who speaks to viewers directly and acts as a Greek chorus throughout the film. It begins on the deck of an ocean liner travelling from Vera Cruz to Bremerhaven. The time is the 1930s, so close and yet so far from war. The cross-section of humanity on board includes ship's doctor Oscar Werner, Spanish political activist Simone Signoret, aging coquette Vivien Leigh, hedonistic baseball player Lee Marvin, philosophical Jew Heinz Ruhmann, a smattering of pro- and anti-Hitlerites (Jose Ferrer plays the nastiest and most vocal "pro") and young lovers George Segal and Elizabeth Ashley. Yes, it's Grand Hotel at sea, a feast for stargazers and an endurance test for those who aren't comfortable with non-stop speechmaking. Despite such lines as "What can the Nazis do? Kill all six million of us?," Ship of Fools manages to stay afloat throughout its 148 minutes. Michael Dunn was nominated for an Academy Award for his interlocutory characterization; the rest of the performances range from brilliant to merely filling up the room. Other Oscars were presented to cinematographer Ernest Lazslo and to the art-direction staff. Ship of Fools was adapted by Abby Mann from the novel by Katharine Ann Porter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this comedy, a Yankee musician is working in Paris when he encounters a movie star chasing after her naughty French poodle Monsieur Cognac. The name is most apropos for the little doggy is quite the lush when it comes to booze. This suits the hard-drinking musician just fine and the two go out on a bender. Later the star and her father find the toasted twosome. The star begins falling in love with the musician. Despite her father's objections, the two get married. Unfortunately, Mr. Cognac accompanies them on the honeymoon. He becomes quite jealous of the woman's new husband and ruins their wedding night. Because she refuses to relinquish the dog, their new marriage is nearly destroyed. They separate until the husband manages to bring home Pink Poupee, a charming female poodle. Suddenly Mr. C forgets all about his jealousy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A jaunty harmonica-music score by Tommy Morgan was the main redeeming feature of this otherwise pedestrian Twilight Zone episode. John Dehner stars as Jared Garrity, a frontier con artist who convinces the citizens of a sleepy western town that he possesses the ability to bring the dead back to life. After a few examples of his power, the townsfolk are convinced -- and are willing to pay through the nose to make sure that certain people remain dead. An amusing but predictable twist caps this episode, which was scripted by Rod Serling from a short story by Mike Korologos and first aired May 8, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Suffering from a advanced case of "spring fever," Hoss Cartwright is nonetheless assigned to pick up a prisoner in the town of Rimrock. Alas, Hoss arrives in the wrong town, where he ends up being jailed as a bank robber. Escaping, he finds shelter in the shack of local recluse Loulabelle (Glenda Farrell), better known around these parts as "Looney" (and not without good reason!) Stanley Adams and Lloyd Corrigan make brief appearances in the respective roles of Sheriff Tate and Mr. Simmons. Scripted by Lois Hire, "The Pure Truth" was first telecast on March 6, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Every so often, Charley (Smiley Burnette) and Floyd (Rufe Davis) stop the Hooterville Cannonball so that they can pick apples. On one such occasion, their passenger is food salesman Jack Crandall (Stanley Adams), who wonders why his trip has been briefly cut short for so mundane an acitivity as apple-picking. When he learns that the apples are a primary ingredient in the special "bachelor butter" recipe created by Kate Bradley (Bea Benadaret), Crandall is impressed--and immediately sets about to see how he can cash in on this local delicacy! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sidney Poitier plays Homer Smith, an aimless ex-GI who takes a temporary handyman job at a Southwestern farm maintained by five German nuns. It is the cherished dream of the Mother Superior (Lilia Skala) to build a chapel (or, as she says, a "shapel"). She is convinced that the personable Homer has been sent from Above to help her realize her dream. He protests loudly and rudely, but she will not be dissuaded. How Homer accomplishes her goal, endears himself to the surrounding townsfolk, and avoids an arrest for a previous crime, comprises the heart of Lilies of the Field. The film, adapted by James Poe from a novel by William E. Barrett, was later remade for television, and it won Poitier an Academy Award for Best Actor, the first time that award was given to an African-American. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One of the most memorable sports dramas because of its strong character development, Requiem for a Heavyweight is carried by Anthony Quinn as the washed-up boxer Mountain Rivera, and Jackie Gleason as his sleazy manager, Maish Rennick. In the opening scenes, Cassius Clay -- before he became Muhammad Ali -- knocks out Rivera in a stunning fight sequence. Rivera's career is over, and although his trainer Army (Mickey Rooney) and a social worker (Julie Harris) encourage him with vain hopes for an alternate career, the boxer's courage is stronger than his addled senses, a serious barrier to getting any job. Then Rivera's manager Rennick breaks down and tells him he has lost a gambling bet against the fighter and needs him to bail him out -- by becoming a wrestler. The question is, will Rivera take this humiliating path just to save his unethical manager, or will he stick to his scruples and reject the idea? ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Risking his life to save Caleb Musgrove (Stanley Adams) from being poisoned, Paladin (Richard Boone) finds out that his efforts are all for naught. The "poisoning" is just the latest in a long series of practical jokes perpetrated by Caleb on friends and strangers alike. Now Paladin must end Caleb's "reign of humor" before one of his so-called jokes backfires in a fatal fashion! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Young Savages is what used to be called a "thinking man's picture" about a potentially lurid subject: urban juvenile delinquency. A blind Puerto Rican boy is knifed to death in Spanish Harlem, and three teenage gang members are accused of the crime. Politically ambitious assistant DA Burt Lancaster initially presses for the conviction of all three boys. But as he gets deeper into the case, he realizes that what appears cut-and-dried on the surface is tortuously complex: for starters, the murder victim was hardly the paragon of virtue that the prosecution claims. Despite pressure from his superiors and from members of the accused boys' gang (who at one point threaten Lancaster's wife Dina Merrill with a switchblade,) Lancaster nonetheless sees to it that justice is properly administered. The defendants are portrayed with varying degrees of Brando/Dean "method" by John Davis Chandler, Neil Nephew and Stanley Kristien; more believable, less affected performances are rendered by Shelley Winters, Pilar Seurat and Telly Savalas. Filmed on location in New York, The Young Savages was based on the Evan Hunter novel A Matter of Conviction. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide