The Courtship of Eddie’s Father * (1963, Glenn Ford, Ronny Howard, Shirley Jones, Stella Stevens, Dina Merrill, Roberta Sherwood, Jerry Van Dyke) – Classic Movie Review 6,515

The ideally cast 1963 comedy film The Courtship of Eddie’s Father stars Glenn Ford and Ron Howard. How could Glenn Ford even think of giving up sexy Stella Stevens? To be fair, Shirley Jones certainly has her homely, wholesome charms.

Director Vincente Minnelli’s sticky, sickly 1963 comedy film The Courtship of Eddie’s Father stars Glenn Ford as a widower called Tom Corbett, who finds himself giving up sexy fashion consultant Dollye Daly (Stella Stevens) for nice, homely gal next door Elizabeth Marten (Shirley Jones) because his yukkie child Eddie (Ron [Ronny] Howard, aged nine) wants him to.

How could Glenn Ford even think of giving up Stella Stevens? To be fair, Shirley Jones certainly has her homely, wholesome charms. The casting is ideal, even if the film is not.

Director Minnelli tries to make it cute and charming but unfortunately he can’t with this low-charm script and uncharismatic performing.

A TV series with Bill Bixby as widower Tom Corbett and Brandon Cruz as his mischievous son Eddie followed in 1969. The three-season series debuted on September 17, 1969, and was last broadcast on March 1, 1972.

Lee Meriwether (Catwoman in TV’s Batman and the 1966 Batman: The Movie) purrs in as Lee, Tom’s aide and receptionist. Also in the cast are Dina Merrill, Roberta Sherwood, Jerry Van Dyke (as Norman Jones), Rance Howard (Camp Counsellor), Clint Howard (Child Party Guest), Billy Halop, John Damler, Gene Roth, Vito Scotti, and John LaSalle with his Jazz Combo.

John Gay’s screenplay is based on a 1961 novel by Mark Toby. MGM bought the film rights before publication for $100,000.

The Courtship of Eddie’s Father runs 118 minutes, is made by Euterpe and Venice Productions, is released by MGM, is written by John Gay, based on a novel by Mark Toby, is shot by in Metrocolor by Milton R Krasner, produced by Joe Pasternak, scored by George Stoll and designed by George W Davis and Urie McCleary.

In Jerry Van Dyke’s radio studio in the film, the black-and-white publicity photos on the wall of celebrities include his older brother, Dick Van Dyke.

Eddie and his father go to the cinema to see Sam Peckinpah’s Ride the High Country (1962). Tom is watching Mogambo (1953) on TV.

Ron Howard and Jones played brother and sister in The Music Man (1962).

Nightclub singer and TV entertainer Roberta Sherwood makes her film debut as Mrs Livingston.

The bowling alley sequence is filmed at the closed-down Paradise Bowl, 9116 South Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles.

After interviewing hundreds of boys for the role of Eddie, Pasternak found Ronny Howard and said ‘I knew he was right’.

Shirley Jones, star of Oklahoma! (1955), Carousel (1956), and The Music Man (1962), was pleased to have a non-singing role. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress when she swapped her wholesome image to play a vengeful prostitute in Elmer Gantry (1960).

The cast are Glenn Ford as Tom Corbett, Ron Howard as Eddie Corbett, Shirley Jones as Elizabeth Marten, Dina Merrill as Rita Behrens, Stella Stevens as Dollye Daly, Jerry Van Dyke as Norman Jones, Roberta Sherwood as Mrs Livingston, Rance Howard as Camp Counsellor, Clint Howard as Child Party Guest, Billy Halop, John Damler, Gene Roth, Vito Scotti, and John LaSalle with his Jazz Combo.

Jerry Van Dyke (1931–2018).

Jerry Van Dyke died on 5 January 2018, aged 86. Jerry Van Dyke made his film debut in The Courtship of Eddie’s Father (1963) and went on to make two more movies that year, Palm Springs Weekend and McLintock!

Stella Stevens (born Estelle Caro Eggleston; October 1, 1938 – February 17, 2023).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6,515

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