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58-560: He appeared in the films South Pacific (1958), Damn Yankees (1958), The Apartment (1960), Kiss Me, Stupid (1964), Paint Your Wagon (1969), The Sting (1973), Popeye (1980), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), and Of Mice and Men (1992). Walston also starred as the title character on My Favorite Martian and as Glen Bateman in the miniseries The Stand (1994). For his role as Judge Henry Bone in Picket Fences he earned two Primetime Emmy Awards . Walston

116-433: A 1945 production of Maurice Evans 's The G.I. Hamlet . Three years later, Walston became one of the first members admitted to the newly formed Actors Studio . In 1949, he appeared in the short-lived play Mrs. Gibbons' Boys , directed by George Abbott , who later cast him as Satan (who bore the name "Mr. Applegate") in the 1955 musical Damn Yankees opposite Gwen Verdon as his sexy aide Lola. The chemistry between

174-502: A Clue . He narrated many United States Department of Defense and Atomic Energy Commission (now United States Department of Energy ) films about nuclear experiments, including the Operation Hardtack I nuclear test film series of 1958. He guest starred on numerous television programs, including The Shirley Temple Show , The Americans , and a television version of Going My Way . Walston achieved his greatest success as

232-731: A big hit in the United Kingdom and the film played continuously at the Dominion Theatre in London for nearly four-and-a-half years grossing $ 3.9 million at the theatre. After four years of release in the UK (and prior to its general release), it had grossed $ 9.4 million, surpassing Gone With the Wind as the highest-grossing film in the United Kingdom . It performed badly in other European countries such as France, Germany and Italy. South Pacific

290-472: A bitter, elderly comic-book artist who uses a demonically cursed comic book to transform himself into a killer robot and murder his erstwhile enemies. In 1992, Walston played the role of Candy in the big-screen remake of John Steinbeck 's Of Mice and Men with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich . He also made a cameo appearance as a barman in Madonna 's Deeper and Deeper video. Walston reunited with Sinise in

348-629: A change of heart. He gives up his time on the TV show to Phil, who has written a new song. Father Conroy is pleased, and soon finds himself officiating at Holly's and Tony's wedding. Filmed in CinemaScope between December 1958 and February 1959, the film had several "premiere" performances in June 1959. On June 19, 1959, Say One for Me had its premiere at Buffalo, New York. The event formed part of fund raising activities for Buffalo Boy's Town run by Father Kelliher. There

406-525: A company created specifically for the production, owned by Rodgers, Hammerstein, Logan, Magna Theatre Corporation (owners of the Todd-AO widescreen process the film would be photographed in), and Leland Hayward , producer of the original stage production. 20th Century Fox partially invested in the production in exchange for some distribution rights. Additionally, all production departments and department heads were Fox's, and Fox's research department re-engineered

464-525: A job as a showgirl in a nightclub to pay the medical bills when her father falls ill. The featured entertainer at the club is Tony Vincent, a playboy whose romantic advances Holly wards off. But soon she develops feelings for him. Father Conroy befriends the former songwriter Phil Stanley, whose alcoholism and hard times have left him playing piano in Tony's act. The priest annoys Tony by seemingly interfering with Holly's personal life and now Phil's as well. Tony lands

522-506: A job at a Miami hotel and tries to manipulate Holly into going along. As a charity event, Father Conroy organizes a big show that will be on nationwide TV. Tony, having lost the Miami job, desperately wants to perform on it. To prove his true intent to Holly, the priest offers to book Tony on television provided he tells Holly their relationship is over. Holly is shocked when he accepts. When it's his turn to sing, Tony's guilty conscience gives him

580-448: A little less lively, perhaps, a little older looking, but still casual and sincere. He'll never make Monsignor. He'll always be a parish priest, whenever he turns his collar backward, because you always sense a sport shirt underneath." The Hollywood Citizen News review was direct in its appraisal. "A pleasant, if sometimes monotonous, photodrama with music . . . For visual appeal, this new 20th. Century-Fox film, in color and CinemaScope,

638-611: A movie theater, selling tickets and cleaning the stage floors. His family moved to Dallas , Texas, where he joined a repertory theater company under Margo Jones in 1938. He stayed at the Houston Civic Theater six years, "averaging 12 roles a year." Walston was popular with Margo Jones ' team of actors before he traveled to Cleveland , Ohio, where he spent three years with the Cleveland Play House . He then traveled to New York City, where he made his Broadway debut in

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696-575: A nearly three-hour roadshow version, later cut to two-and-a-half hours for general release. The film was re-released in 1964 and by The Samuel Goldwyn Company in 1983. The three-hour version, long feared lost, was rediscovered in a 70mm print owned by a collector. This print was screened in Bradford , England, at the National Museum of Photography, Film, and Television on March 14, 2005. When Fox (which by that time owned partial distribution rights to

754-403: A new family of Mitchell cameras commissioned by Fox (BFC, "Blimped Fox Camera", a 65mm version of Mitchell's BNC, and FC, "Fox Camera", a 65mm version of Mitchell's NC). The original Todd-AO cameras continued to be employed, occasionally, as a B or C camera. The producers' original plan was to have Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin , the two leads of the original Broadway cast, reprise their roles for

812-553: A noted Broadway musical actor, played the part of Seabee Luther Billis, which he had previously played on stage in London. Hanalei Bay , on the Hawaiian island of Kauai , served as the filming location, with Emil Kosa Jr. 's matte paintings providing distant views of the fantastic island Bali Ha'i. A second unit filmed aerial views of Fijian islands while some sources claim footage of Tioman Island, off Malaysia 's south-east coast, were also featured, though this seems unlikely given

870-581: A role on Broadway in Robert E. Sherwood 's Pulitzer Prize winning play about the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 , There Shall Be No Night . The play was adapted for television for a Hallmark Hall of Fame production. He had a prominent role in the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical Me and Juliet , portraying the stage manager of the musical-within-the-musical, but his character did not participate in any of

928-676: A stake in the film, handled the distribution of the roadshow theatrical release in Todd-AO, while Fox distributed the film for its general release in CinemaScope. It opened at the Criterion Theatre in New York City on March 19, 1958, before opening in Miami Beach on March 24, in Philadelphia and Chicago on March 26, and expanding to a further eight cities within a month. Originally shown in

986-402: A total of eight weeks. It was withdrawn from general release at the end of 1960 with rentals of $ 16.3 million, earning a place among the top 50 popular movies of all time at the domestic box office when adjusted for inflation and the size of the population in its era. In its 1964 reissue, the film earned another $ 1.2 million in rentals, taking its total to $ 17.5 million. The film was

1044-422: A “Going My Way” sort of affair with Bing Crosby again as a priest with his target shifted from juvenile roughnecks to show business delinquents. But something went wrong in the development; the entertainment values are short of impressive and the boxoffice will have to depend on Crosby and Debbie Reynolds as the marquee names...Crosby turns in a curiously inhibited performance. He plays the role tight, not at all like

1102-455: Is a world-beater. . . A handsome production from start to finish, it misses only in the departments of story, direction and acting, three important categories, nonetheless." The film was a surprise success, doing good business everywhere it opened, opening at number one at the US box office. All the songs were written by Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Sammy Cahn (lyrics). Lionel Newman conducted

1160-454: Is only on the soundtrack recording that it is first heard as a duet by just the children Ngana and Jerome themselves.) Emile is not shown in the film until about thirty minutes into it; in the film, Nellie first appears during the scene with the Seabees. Because of the switch, the show's most famous song, " Some Enchanted Evening ", is not heard until nearly forty-five minutes into the film, while in

1218-404: Is shown at the very beginning being flown by plane to the island, where the Seabees and Bloody Mary have their first musical numbers. (The first musical number in the film is "Bloody Mary", sung by the Seabees, while in the stage version it is "Dites-moi", sung by Emile's children, again the only version of this song in the final release print of the film is a reprise sung with their father Emile. It

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1276-610: The 1970s and 1980s, and guest starred in such series as Custer , The Wild Wild West , Love, American Style , The Rookies , Mission: Impossible , Ellery Queen , The Six Million Dollar Man , Little House on the Prairie , and The Incredible Hulk , again with Bixby, in which Walston played Jasper the Magician in an episode called "My Favorite Magician". From 1980 to 1992, Walston starred in 14 films, including Galaxy of Terror and Fast Times at Ridgemont High (as well as

1334-405: The 1986 television adaptation) as Mr. Hand. In a 1999 interview, Walston said that he was happy and relieved that when he walked down the street, young fans shouted at him "Mr. Hand" because he had finally torn away from his Martian role. In 1984, Walston played a judge on an episode of Night Court . Six years later, he made a guest appearance on an episode of L.A. Law . He later was hired for

1392-494: The Japanese forces. De Becque survives the gunfire and is rescued. He returns home to find his children being looked after by Nellie and they reconcile and reunite. Following the successes of the film versions of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel (1956), the producers decided to tackle a big-screen adaptation of South Pacific as their next project. The film was produced by "South Pacific Enterprises",

1450-529: The South Pacific . The film, directed by Joshua Logan , stars Rossano Brazzi , Mitzi Gaynor , John Kerr and Ray Walston in the leading roles with Juanita Hall as Bloody Mary, the part that she had played in the original stage production. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards , winning the Academy Award for Best Sound for Fred Hynes . It is set in 1943, during World War II , on an island in

1508-610: The South Pacific. During World War II, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines are preparing a counteroffensive against the Imperial Japanese Navy in the islands of the South Pacific. Lieutenant Joe Cable, a Marine officer, asks a local French planter, Emile de Becque, to help him on a reconnaissance mission behind Japanese lines, but de Becque declines. De Becque is falling in love with a U.S. Navy nurse, Nellie Forbush, and does not want to get involved. A Navy Construction Battalion sailor (Seabee) named Luther Billis persuades Cable to visit

1566-699: The Todd-AO process, changing its frame rate from 30 fps (for 70mm presentations) to 24 fps, thereby eliminating "simufilming" in 65mm and 35mm (as in Oklahoma! ) or in 65mm 30 fps and 65mm 24 fps (as in Around the World in 80 Days ), and for the most part eliminating the American Optical lenses, replacing these with Bausch & Lomb's then new Super Baltars, and for the most part replacing the Fearless Superfilm cameras with

1624-521: The chart and was No. 1 for the whole of 1959. "Some Enchanted Evening" was ranked No. 28 on the American Film Institute 's 100 Years...100 Songs (2004). The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists: In 2003 South Pacific was voted 39th in Channel 4's 100 Greatest Musicals (just behind Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas ). In 2001, a television version of

1682-438: The dangerous mission with Cable, who wishes to complete the mission then live the rest of his life on Bali Hai with Liat. They fly out to a local fishing boat in order to secretly make it to a Japanese held island to provide vital intelligence for the U.S. Navy. The group come under heavy fire from a Japanese plane and Cable is killed but the mission is a success and the navy gain crucial inside knowledge which allows them to move on

1740-452: The film, but Pinza died suddenly in May 1957. Had he lived to perform in the film, the producers would have cast Martin. Logan said he was unable to find an actor who would match Martin; the only big star of the right age seemed to be Vittorio de Sica , whom Logan felt "too saturnine". Instead, Doris Day was offered the part of Nellie, but passed; Elizabeth Taylor tested for the same role, but

1798-514: The film, including home video) learned of the print's existence, it took it to the United States to reinstate the fourteen missing minutes and attempt to restore as much of the color as possible. A two-disc DVD set of both the longer and shorter versions was released in the USA on Region 1 on November 7, 2006, and earlier in the UK on region 2 on March 20, 2006. On March 31, 2009, South Pacific became

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1856-531: The film. John Kerr starred as 2nd Lt. Joseph Cable, USMC and his singing voice was dubbed by Bill Lee . Ken Clark , who played Stewpot, was dubbed by Thurl Ravenscroft (who sang " You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch " and was the voice of Tony the Tiger ). Gaynor and Walston were the only principal cast members whose own singing voices were used. The film opens with an orchestral overture lasting 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Magna Theatre Corporation, which originally owned

1914-507: The final quarter of 2023 as well as in new DVD and Blu-ray anniversary editions. South Pacific earned $ 7 million in theatrical rentals in the United States and Canada from its roadshow release. It reached number one at the US box office in its eighth week of release and spent three weeks at number one. It was off number one for one week before returning for another three weeks. It spent another two weeks at number one in August 1958 for

1972-481: The first Rodgers and Hammerstein musical available on high definition Blu-ray Disc . In October 2023, Samuel Goldwyn Films , a successor to the Samuel Goldwyn Company, signed a worldwide catalog deal with Concord Originals for rights to three Rodgers and Hammerstein films including South Pacific . The company plans to release the films on video on demand and other home entertainment platforms sometime in

2030-527: The free-wheeling, leisurely-paced Crosby of yore, but the voice is still there..." Bosley Crowther of The New York Times had some kind words. "...It is a pleasant show-world entertainment, this obvious “Say One for Me,” full of pretty girls with shapely legs, a few song numbers (two sung by Bing) and religious images. Robert O’Brien has contributed a screen play that is loaded with slang. Broadway gags that are easily comprehended and not too much clerical sentiment....As for Bing—well, he's just about as usual,

2088-404: The logistics involved. Location filming provided sweeping shots of tropical island scenes, as well as a new sequence not in the stage version, in which Billis, having parachuted from a damaged plane, has a boat dropped on him, then comes under a series of attacks, following his fatalistic "Oh, it's going to be one of those days, huh?" The film includes the use of colored filters during many of

2146-444: The miniseries adaptation of Stephen King 's The Stand . He appeared in an AT&T long distance TV commercial in 1995, in which his dialogue implied he was Uncle Martin from Mars, looking for good rates to talk to fellow Martians living in the United States. Walston received three Emmy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his work on Picket Fences , winning twice, in 1995 and 1996. CBS cancelled

2204-497: The movie, wearing a sign that said, "I DIRECTED IT, AND I DON'T LIKE THE COLOR EITHER!" All of the songs from the stage production were retained for the film. A song entitled "My Girl Back Home", sung by Lt. Cable and Nellie, cut from the Broadway show, was added. One of the differences between the film version and the Broadway version of the musical is that the first and second scenes of the play are switched around, together with all

2262-503: The musical numbers. Walston reprised his role in the 1958 film version of Damn Yankees . His other films included Kiss Them for Me ; South Pacific ; Say One for Me ; Tall Story ; Portrait in Black ; The Apartment ; Convicts 4 ; Wives and Lovers ; Who's Minding the Store? ; Kiss Me, Stupid ; Caprice ; Paint Your Wagon ; The Sting ; Silver Streak ; and Get

2320-449: The musical starring Glenn Close , Harry Connick Jr. and Rade Šerbedžija was released. A film remake by producers Ileen Maisel and Bob Balaban starring Michelle Williams as Nellie Forbush that was announced in 2010 has not materialized. Say One for Me Say One For Me is a 1959 American comedy musical film directed by Frank Tashlin and starring Bing Crosby , Debbie Reynolds and Robert Wagner . Say One for Me

2378-462: The nearby island of Bali Hai, where he falls in love with a local girl named Liat. Nellie Forbush is tormented by the revelation of de Becque having children with a Polynesian woman (who since died) and runs away, while Cable says he will not marry Liat; he is distressed by the thought of bringing Polynesian Liat back to his family, fearing their reaction. Distraught by his separation from Nellie and with nothing to lose, de Becque eventually volunteers for

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2436-535: The opening credits of Steven Spielberg 's series Amazing Stories , as a caveman acting out a story for his tribe. He appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation as Boothby , head groundskeeper at Starfleet Academy in San Francisco, and reprised the role twice on Star Trek: Voyager . In 1988, he guest starred in an episode of the popular horror-fantasy show Friday the 13th: The Series , as

2494-597: The role of Armitan. He appeared in the Touched by an Angel episode, " The Face on the Barroom Floor ", which aired on October 15, 2000. Walston made a cameo in the 7th Heaven episode, " One Hundred ", which aired on January 29, 2001, four weeks after his death. His final film role was in the independent film Early Bird Special , which was released later that year. Walston married Ruth Calvert on November 3, 1943. The couple had one daughter, Katharine Ann. In 1994, Walston

2552-408: The role of Judge Henry Bone on Picket Fences ; the character was originally a recurring role, but Walston proved to be so popular the character was later upgraded to a starring role. In the first season episode, "Remembering Rosemary", Judge Bone wears a Martian costume with antennae to a Halloween party as a nod to Walston's infamous role as Uncle Martin. In 1985, Walston made a brief appearance in

2610-477: The show after four seasons in 1996. Walston made a guest appearance in an episode of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman entitled "Remember Me", in which he portrayed the father of Jake Slicker, who was stricken with Alzheimer's disease . Walston played Grandfather Walter Addams in Addams Family Reunion ( 1998 ). The next year, he appeared in the film remake of his hit series, My Favorite Martian ( 1999 ) in

2668-407: The show it is heard about fifteen minutes after Act I starts. Juanita Hall sang in the stage production and took part in the recording of the stage production cast album. However, she had her singing dubbed for the film version by Muriel Smith , who played Bloody Mary in the London stage production. Metropolitan Opera star Giorgio Tozzi provided the singing voice for the role of Emile de Becque in

2726-427: The song sequences, which has been a source of criticism for the film. Director Joshua Logan wanted these filters to produce subtle changes, but was displeased with the extremeness of the changes. However, there was no time to repair the color before the release date, since tickets to the film were pre-sold (it was a roadshow attraction). Logan wrote in his memoirs that he wished he could stand outside theaters playing

2784-399: The songs contained in those two scenes. The original European cut of the film shown in the United Kingdom and Europe does not switch those scenes and it plays out as on the stage. The stage version begins with Nellie and Emile's first scene together on the plantation, then proceeds to show Bloody Mary, Lieutenant Joe Cable, and the Seabees on the beach, while in the film version Lieutenant Cable

2842-454: The title character (Uncle Martin) on My Favorite Martian from 1963 to 1966, alongside co-star Bill Bixby . The two immediately became close friends. The show was a top ten hit in its first season,still in the top 30 in its second, dropping to 45th in its third and final season. The success of My Favorite Martian typecast Walston and he had difficulty finding serious roles after the show's cancellation. He returned to character actor status in

2900-516: The top five of the UK Albums Chart for 27 consecutive weeks before reaching No.1 in November 1958. It stayed at the top for a record-breaking 115 weeks and remained in the top five for 214 weeks. The soundtrack album has spent more weeks at No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart than any other album, spending 115 weeks at the top in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It spent 70 consecutive weeks at the top of

2958-657: The two was such that they both garnered critical success and won awards for their roles. After a decade in New York theater, he won a Tony Award . He starred as Luther Billis in the 1951 London production of South Pacific . He reprised that role in the 1958 film adaptation. He and Juanita Hall (as Bloody Mary) were the only cast members to appear in both the stage and movie versions. Additional Broadway credits included The Front Page , Summer and Smoke , Richard III , Wish You Were Here , and House of Flowers . In 1957, actress and producer Katharine Cornell placed him in

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3016-704: Was also a gala benefit premier at the Pantages Theatre (Hollywood) on Hollywood Boulevard on the same day with the proceeds going to the Daniel Freeman Hospital , Inglewood and the Jesuit Scholasticata. In addition on June 20, the Fox Theater in El Centro , Southern California, showed the film and personal appearances were made by Bing Crosby, Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood , and Ricardo Montalbán . This

3074-484: Was born on November 2, 1914, in Laurel, Mississippi , the second son and youngest of three children born to lumberjack Harry Rex Walston and Camilla "Mittie" (née Kimbrell) Walston. He started acting at an early age, beginning his tenure as a spear carrier rounding out productions at many New Orleans theaters. He mostly played small roles with stock companies, where he not only starred in traveling shows, but also worked at

3132-448: Was diagnosed with lupus and as a result, worked less frequently in his final years. On January 1, 2001, Walston died at his home at Beverly Hills, California , at the age of 86. South Pacific (1958 film) South Pacific is a 1958 American romantic musical film based on the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific , which in turn is loosely based on James A. Michener 's 1947 short-story collection Tales of

3190-596: Was listed in the 1978 book The Fifty Worst Films of All Time . Stella Stevens made her film debut in Say One for Me and received the Golden Globe Award in 1960 for New Star of the Year-Actress for this film. In the middle of New York's theater district sits Father Conroy's parish, where entertainers often attend his services. His parishioners include Holly LeMaise, whose dad Harry was an old vaudevillian. Holly takes

3248-641: Was part of a benefit for Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and parish in El Centro, organized by Father Victor Salandini, and $ 7000 was raised. On June 29, 1959, a 30th anniversary celebration took place at the Fox Theater in San Francisco (opened June 28, 1929) with a special advance screening of Say One for Me . Variety was not impressed. "Basic idea in Robert O’Brien’s story probably had potentialities. It’s

3306-441: Was rejected by Rodgers after she suffered stage fright in her audition. Logan later heard her sing but was unable to persuade Rodgers to change his mind. Ultimately, Mitzi Gaynor , who had prior work in musical films, and had tested twice for Nellie, was cast in the role. Rossano Brazzi was cast as Emile, a role that was first offered to such established stars as Charles Boyer , Howard Keel , and Fernando Lamas . Ray Walston ,

3364-452: Was the highest-grossing Rodgers and Hammerstein musical film until The Sound of Music was released seven years later. The soundtrack album of the film was released by RCA Victor in 1958. The album became a major success, reaching No.1 in both the US and UK. In the US, the album stayed at No.1 on the Billboard 200 for seven months, the fourth longest run ever. The album remained in

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