How to Stuff a Wild Bikini
Directed by	William Asher
Produced by	Samuel Z. Arkoff James H. Nicholson
Written by	William Asher Leo Townsend
Starring	Annette Funicello Dwayne Hickman Brian Donlevy Harvey Lembeck Buster Keaton Beverly Adams Mickey Rooney
Music by	Les Baxter
Cinematography	Floyd D. Crosby
Editing by	Eve Newman
Distributed by	American International Pictures
Release date(s)	July 14, 1965
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Preceded by	Beach Blanket Bingo
Followed by	The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini is a 1965 beach party film from American International Pictures. The sixth entry in a seven-film series, the movie features Mickey Rooney, Annette Funicello, Dwayne Hickman, Brian Donlevy, and Beverly Adams. The film features brief, uncredited appearances by Frankie Avalon and includes Buster Keaton in one of his last roles.

The other films in this series are Beach Party (1963), Muscle Beach Party (1964), Bikini Beach (1964), Pajama Party (1964), Beach Blanket Bingo (1965), and The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966).

Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Reception 5 DVD release 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Plot

The story begins with Frankie (Avalon) going to Tahiti on naval reserve duty. While cavorting with local girls, Frankie realizes that Dee Dee (Funicello) might be disloyal to him. When Frankie seeks help from a witch doctor (Buster Keaton), the witch doctor sends a sea beauty, Cassandra (Adams), to lure Ricky (Hickman), an advertising exec, away from Dee Dee. Upon Cassandra's arrival, the beach turns upside down, as all the surfers fall for her, an executive wants to make her a model, and Eric Von Zipper and his motorcycle gang add to the trouble.

[edit] Cast

• Annette Funicello .... Dee Dee
• Dwayne Hickman .... Ricky
• Brian Donlevy .... B. D. (Big Deal) McPherson
• Harvey Lembeck .... Eric Von Zipper
• Beverly Adams .... Cassandra
• John Ashley .... Johnny
• Jody McCrea .... Bonehead
• Marianne Gaba .... Animal
• Len Lesser .... North Dakota Pete
• Irene Tsu .... Native Girl
• Arthur Julian .... Dr. Melamed
• Bobbi Shaw .... Khola Koku
• The Kingsmen .... Themselves
• Alberta Nelson .... Puss
• Buster Keaton .... Bwana
• Mickey Rooney .... Peachy (J. Peachmont) Keane
• Frankie Avalon .... Frankie
• Michele Carey .... Michele
• Elizabeth Montgomery .... Bwana's daughter

[edit] Production

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini was the last "beach party" film to feature Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello.

Avalon's role was reportedly minimized as a "punishment" after he asked producers Arkoff and Nicholson for more money than they were willing to pay.^{[citation needed]} Avalon appears on-screen for about six minutes. Avalon's small role could also be attributed to the fact that he was filming another AIP production, 1965's Sergeant Dead Head.^{[citation needed]}

Annette Funicello was pregnant during shooting and was shot mostly wearing blousy tunics or with a prop in front of her (e.g., a bowl of popcorn, a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken).^[1]

The film features the only big screen appearance by The Kingsmen, who performed "Give Her Lovin'".^[1]

Elizabeth Montgomery made a cameo appearance as 'The Witches Witch' at the end of the film. Montgomery appeared in a parody of the character she played in Bewitched, which was also directed by her then-husband, William Asher, who also served as director on the film.^[1]

The opening credits were done using clay animation done by Art Clokey, the creator of Gumby.^[1]

[edit] Reception

Variety called it a "lightweight affair lacking the breeziness and substance of earlier entries."^[2]

[edit] DVD release

In 2001, How to Stuff a Wild Bikini was released by MGM on Region 1 DVD.^[3] Since its initial DVD release, the film has been included in two box sets, Frankie & Annette MGM Movie Legends Collection and Midnite Movies Double Feature, along with selected Beach Party films.^[4][5]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• How to Stuff a Wild Bikini at the Internet Movie Database
• How to Stuff a Wild Bikini at Allmovie
• How to Stuff a Wild Bikini at Rotten Tomatoes
• soundtrack album http://www.beachpartymoviemusic.com/HowToStuffAWildBikiniOriginalSoundtrack.html