Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
A Swinging, Song-Filled Romp Through Teenage America
Now here's a zany change of pace! This isn’t your black-and-white noir or a glamorous relic from Hollywood’s golden era. Nope—Bye Bye Birdie explodes with high-energy antics, a swinging, all-out teenage spectacle straight from the heart of the ’60s.
Okay, picture this: I’m a starry-eyed grade-schooler, bouncing in my jammies in the backseat of my dad’s Valiant at the Mt. Healthy Drive-In Theatre, utterly hypnotized by the razzle-dazzle of this movie. Later, I’d catch it again on TV, heart still aflutter—especially for Bobby Rydell, who instantly became my ultimate crush! Conrad Birdie? He’s a sparkling, hip-gyrating sendup of Elvis. And let’s not forget The Ed Sullivan Show! The movie’s big moment—when Conrad gives his “last kiss” to Kim McAfee—has roots in real TV history. The real Ed Sullivan Show once featured Gary Lewis and the Playboys, and when Gary Lewis faced the draft, he gave a dramatic farewell smooch to a lucky fan as a headline-grabbing stunt. (Confession: Gary Lewis made my list of teen heartthrobs, too!) Okay, okay, I’m gushing—but isn’t that what this movie is all about? Sure, it’s corny, but that’s half the fun! On with the show!
Cue the collective swoon of a million broken hearts - America’s rock-n-roll sensation, Conrad Birdie (Jesse Pearson) has been drafted! Teenage hysteria erupts coast to coast. Meanwhile, Albert Peterson (Dick Van Dyke), the ever-hopeful but constantly frazzled songwriter behind Conrad’s mega-hit, sees his ambitions plummet in a blink of an eye. To top it all off, his meddling mother (Maureen Stapleton) is orchestrating chaos behind the scenes, determined to keep Albert tied to her apron strings and far from the arms of his brilliant and tolerant partner, Rosie DeLeon (Janet Leigh).
To pull Albert back up from his slump and to pull him away from his mother, Rosie puts together a slightly bonkers publicity stunt: Albert will write a swoon-worthy send-off song for Conrad, who’ll lay his legendary “last kiss” on none other than Sweet Apple, Ohio’s own Kim McAfee (Ann-Margret), turning a regular small-town teen into an overnight celebrity! The call to Kim announcing this honour comes just after Hugo Peabody (Bobby Rydell) asks Kim to go steady. The McAfee house becomes ground zero for a manic parade of shrieking fans, frantic news reporters, and lovestruck classmates climbing over each other for a glimpse of stardom. Her parents (Paul Lynde and Mary LaRoche) are losing their cool, jealous boyfriends are plotting madcap schemes, and Albert’s mother? She’s everywhere at once, stirring up trouble. What follows is a live TV extravaganza where everything that can go wrong, will go wrong!
Suddenly, just when things can’t possibly get any wilder, fate tosses in a thunderbolt: Albert gets word that Conrad’s once-in-a-lifetime Ed Sullivan performance is about to be bumped—by none other than a relentless Russian ballet troupe, all pirouettes and pointed toes, moving in on his moment of glory. But Albert and Rosie spike the maestro’s milk with a stash of “super-charged” instant pep pills. Cue the chaos: ballerinas whirl and leap as if shot from cannons, musicians scramble to keep up, and the prim-and-proper ballet suddenly becomes a dizzying, side-splitting frenzy that has the audience gasping, roaring, and doubled over in laughter. It’s total pandemonium!
Amid the pandemonium, Conrad launches into his goodbye anthem “One Last Kiss” with Kim on stage by his side. Glitter is flying, Birdie’s hips swiveling, and the crowd is whipped into a delirious frenzy. But just as the swooning reaches fever pitch, Hugo, fueled by a cocktail of jealousy and high school bravado, jumps onto the stage and throws an unrestrained punch at Conrad. The audience gasps, the cameras catch every jaw-dropping second, and the quiet streets of Sweet Apple, Ohio become the epicenter of nationwide gossip. Now that’s a show-stopping twist worthy of a standing ovation!
This movie doesn’t just end—it bursts into a full-blown confetti storm! Kim and Hugo seal their romance with a grin and a kiss, Albert finally proposes to Rosie (cue the collective “Aww!”), and even Mama, ever the mischief-maker, manages to snag a surprise Sweet Apple beau. The curtain drops on a town forever changed by rock-and-roll mayhem. Now that’s what you call a showstopper!
Directed by: George Sidney
The Cast:
Janet Leigh as Rosie DeLeon
Dick Van Dyke as Albert Peterson
Ann-Margret as Kim MacAfee
Maureen Stapleton as Mae Peterson
Bobby Rydell as Hugo Peabody
Jesse Pearson as Conrad Birdie
Ed Sullivan as himself
Paul Lynde as Harry MacAfee
Mary LaRoche as Doris MacAfee
Michael Evans as Claude Paisley
Frank Albertson as the mayor
Robert Paige as Bob Precht
Gregory Morton as Maestro Borov
Bryan Russell as Randolph MacAfee
Milton Frome as Mr. Maude
Trudi Ames as Ursula
Lorene Yarnell as Hugo's dance partner (uncredited)
Release Date: January 1963
Premiere Information: New York opening: April 4, 1963
Production Company: Kohlmar-Sidney Co.
Distribution Company: Columbia Pictures
Screenplay Information: Based on the play Bye Bye Birdie by Michael Stewart, Charles Strouse, Lee Adams (New York, 14 Apr 1960).
Oscar Award Nominations: Best Score 1963; Best Sound 1963
Songs in the film:
"Bye Bye Birdie"
"The Telephone Hour"
"How Lovely To Be a Woman"
"Put on a Happy Face"
"One Boy"
"Honestly Sincere"
"Hymn for a Sunday Evening"
"One Last Kiss"
"Kids"
"A Lot of Living To Do"
"Rosie"
"The Shriners' Ballet"
Interesting Notes:
Dick Van Dyke and Paul Lynde, both veterans of the 1960 Broadway hit, were displeased with the film version.
The title tune which opens and closes the film was written for the screen version, and was not from the Tony-winning Broadway musical.
Ann-Margret's skirt-flipping/hair-tossing rendition of the song was filmed six months after principal photography was completed, at a cost of $60,000.
The sheet music of Birdie's next hit song, "Mumbo Jumbo Gooey Gumbo", which Albert picks up from the piano in his first scene, is the same music as the title tune, "Bye Bye Birdie."
The song that made Dick Van Dyke's career, "Put on a Happy Face" was unsuccessful in early showings of the musical and almost cut from the production.
Albert's music company is called "ALMAELOU." This is an amalgam of his name, his mother's name, and his late father's name.
Enjoy the film!
…Jill
Photo credits: IMBd; TCM; wikimedia commons
Interesting Notes credit: Turner Classic Movies
The Fork Part…
Let’s go to the diner! The perfect dinner for watching this film - juicy burgers, crispy golden fries, and a milkshake towering with whipped cream and a cheery cherry. Plop down in front of the screen, press play, and let the fun of Bye Bye Birdie turn your living room into a rock-and-roll movie night!
Burgers, Fries & Milkshakes
This movie night selection is prepared pretty much however you want. The way it was done in my family in the 60’s - my dad always grilled our burgers on a charcoal grill. He also lightly toasted the buns on the grill. Yummy! Mom would cut up russet potatoes and fry the potato slices in oil on the stove. As for the milkshakes - here’s what I remember - put a couple scoops of chocolate or vanilla ice cream in the blender, pour in a bit of milk, and blend to desired thickness. For a chocolate shake, add a bit of Nestle Quik chocolate powder. Top with whipped cream from a can and add a cherry. Easy! There are much healthier and quicker ways to have burgers and fries in today’s world. Ovens, air fryers (no oil), or take-out! So, fix your favourite burger, add some fries, blend a delicious milkshake (your way), and enjoy the film!
Looks like this took advantage of the CinemaScope format.
I was a summer camp counselor in the 80s (and part of the 90s) and I vaguely remember hearing some of the little girls singing some of the songs from BBB. I suspect they knew it as a stage musical instead of a movie, though.
Burgers and fries, always a classic!