Muscle Beach Party

Muscle Beach Party
Directed byWilliam Asher
Screenplay byRobert Dillon
Story by
  • Robert Dillon
  • William Asher
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyHarold E. Wellman
Edited by
Music byLes Baxter
Distributed byAmerican International Pictures
Release date
  • March 25, 1964 (1964-03-25)
Running time
94 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1 million[1] or $150,000[2]

Muscle Beach Party is the second of seven beach party films produced by American International Pictures. It stars Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello and was directed by William Asher, who also directed four other films in this series.

Dick Dale and the Del-Tones and Stevie Wonder appear in musical numbers, the latter aged thirteen and making his film debut, billed as "Little Stevie Wonder."

The movie was released two days after Peter Lorre's death. (AIP had meant to star Lorre in It's Alive.[3])

  1. ^ Gary A Smith, American International Pictures: The Golden Years, Bear Manor 2013 p 208
  2. ^ Lamont, John (1990). "The John Ashley Filmography". Trash Compactor (Volume 2 No. 5 ed.). p. 26.
  3. ^ "Poe & Bikinis". Variety. 9 October 1963. p. 17.