PEPE
STUDIO: Columbia
PRODUCTION NUMBER: 1233
PRODUCTION DATES: Judy recorded “The Faraway Part of Town” in April 1960
RUNNING TIME: 195 minutes
RELEASE DATE: December 20, 1960
INITIAL BOX OFFICE: $4.8 million
Pepe isn’t really a “Judy Garland film” although it’s always listed as part of the Garland film canon. This is based on the fact that she recorded the new song “The Faraway Part of Town” which was nominated for the Oscar for “Best Original Song.” It lost to “Never on Sunday” from the film of the same name. Judy doesn’t appear in the film, only her song is heard while Shirley Jones and Dan Dailey dance on screen.
Pepe was made to show off the talents of the popular Mexican film star Cantinflas, who has scored a major success supporting David Niven in 1956’s Around The World in 80 Days. That film also featured numerous cameos by huge stars and that gimmick was expected to help Pepe connect with audiences. It didn’t work.
Judy’s involvement in the film was originally planned to include an appearance on screen, as one of the many cameos featured (see the cast list below). Unfortunately, Judy’s weight had ballooned due to a serious bout with hepatitis. She was recovering from that illness when the producers decided she was too heavy to appear on screen! Regardless, Pepe was Judy’s first work on any film since 1954’s A Star Is Born and along with the year 1960, was the beginning of Judy’s amazing early-1960s career renaissance.
Although it wasn’t a critical success, Pepe was nominated for seven Academy Awards but won none:
- Best Art Direction (Ted Haworth, William Kiernan)
- Best Cinematography (Joseph MacDonald)
- Best Costume Design (Edith Head)
- Best Film Editing (Viola Lawrence, Al Clark)
- Best Original Song (“Faraway Part of Town”)
- Best Scoring
- Best Sound (Charles Rice)
Japanese insert provided by Hisato Masuyama. Note that it states the “Boice” of Judy Garland!
CAST:
Cantinflas as Pepe
Dan Dailey as Ted Holt
Shirley Jones as Suzie Murphy
Carlos Montalbán as Rodríguez (auctioneer)
Vicki Trickett as Lupita
Matt Mattox as Dancer
Hank Henry as Manager
Suzanne Lloyd as Carmen
Carlos Rivas as Carlos
Michael Callan as Dancer
William Demarest as Movie Studio Gateman
CAMEOS:
Joey Bishop
Billie Burke
Maurice Chevalier
Charles Coburn
Richard Conte
Bing Crosby
Tony Curtis
Bobby Darin
Ann B. Davis as her TV character Schultzy
Sammy Davis Jr.
Jimmy Durante
Zsa Zsa Gabór
Judy Garland (voice only)
Greer Garson
Hedda Hopper
Ernie Kovacs
Peter Lawford
Janet Leigh
Jack Lemmon
Dean Martin
Jay North as his TV character Dennis the Menace
Kim Novak
André Previn
Donna Reed
Debbie Reynolds
Edward G. Robinson
Cesar Romero
Frank Sinatra
CREW:
Directed and Produced by: George Sidney
Associate Producer: Jacques Gelman
Assistant Director: David Silver
Screenplay by: Dorothy Kingsley, Claude Binyon
Screen Story by: Leonard Spigelgass and Sonya Levien
Based on a Play by L. Bush-Fekete (“Broadway Magic”)
General Music Supervision and
Background Score by: Johnny Green
“Pepe” and “Mimi” Special Material and Routines by Roger Edens
Songs: “Faraway Part of Town,” “That’s How It Went, Alright” Music by André Previn, Lyrics by Dory Langdon, Conducted by André Previn; “Pepe” Music by Hans Wittstatt, Special Instrumental by Johnny Green, Lyrics by Dory Langdon; “The Rumble” instrumental by André Previn; “Lovely Day” (“Concha Hacar”) Music by Augustin Lara, Spanish Lyrics by Maria Teresa Lara, Special English Lyrics by Dory Langdon; Maurice Chevalier Recordings of “September Song” and “Mimi” courtesy of MGM Records
Choreography: “The Rumble,” “Faraway Part of Town” (by) Eugene Loring
Additional Choreography: Alex Romero
Art Direction: Ted Haworth
Associate Art Director: Gunthere Gerszo
Set Decorator: William Kiernan
Gowns: Edith Head
Make-Up Supervision: Ben Lane
Hair Styles: Larry Germain, Myrl Stoltz
Recording Supervisor: Charles J. Rice
Sound: James Z. Flaster
Director of Photography: Joe Mac Donald
Special Sequences Photographed in CinemaScope, Eastman Color by Pathe
Film Editors: Viola Lawrence, Al Clark
Las Vegas Sequences Photographed at The Sands Hotel, The Tropicana Hotel
Bullfight and Fiesta Scenes Photographed at Hacienda Vista Hermosa, Mexico
With Special Appreciation to the Members of the Motion Picture Production Worker’s Union of the Republic of Mexico for Their Splendid Co-Operation.
SONGS:
Pennies from Heaven/Let’s Fall in Love/South of the Border
(Bing Crosby and Cantinflas)
That’s How It Went All Right
(Bobby Darin)
The Far Away Part of Town
(Judy Garland)
Hooray for Hollywood
(Sammy Davis, Jr.)
Card game comedy routine
(Cantinflas and Jimmy Durante)
Tequila
(Instrumental)
Mimi
(Maurice Chevalier)
September Song
(Maurice Chevalier)
Rhumba
(Instrumental)
Pepe
(Shirley Jones & Children’s Chorus)
Lovely Day
(Shirley Jones)
Suzy’s Theme
(Instrumental)
