The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967)
110 mins | Adventure, Comedy | 8 March 1967
Director:
James NeilsonWriter:
Lowell S. HawleyCinematographer:
Edward ColmanEditor:
Marsh HendryProduction Designers:
Carroll Clark, John B. MansbridgeProduction Company:
Walt Disney ProductionsThe picture was originally titled Bullwhip Griffin, as noted in an 8 Jan 1965 DV news item which announced the casting of Roddy McDowall and co-star Karl Malden. The budget was set at $2.5 million, according to a 6 May 1965 DV article. More than 200 background actors were hired at a cost of around $200,000, while $250,000 was allocated toward “elaborate sets,” including a replica of gold-rush-era downtown San Francisco, CA; a gold-mining camp; and a ship to be used as both an “ocean sailing craft and awkward riverboat.”
Principal photography began on 3 May 1965 at the Walt Disney studio lot in Burbank, CA, as stated in a 21 May 1965 DV production chart. Fifty days of shooting were scheduled, with only one scene slated to be shot on location, outside the studio.
Only a few days after filming had begun, the 7 May 1965 DV reported that Roddy McDowall had broken his right hand during a grave-digging scene and would have to wear a cast.
A news brief in the 19 Oct 1966 Var reported that King Features planned to run a “Bullwhip Griffin” comic strip for thirteen weeks in early 1967, to coincide with the release of the film. Around the same time, a soundtrack album was released by Disneyland Records, the 22 Mar 1967 Var noted.
Tony Hancock was named as a cast member in the 5 May 1965 Var, which indicated that The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin would be his first American film. Items published in DV in Apr ...
The picture was originally titled Bullwhip Griffin, as noted in an 8 Jan 1965 DV news item which announced the casting of Roddy McDowall and co-star Karl Malden. The budget was set at $2.5 million, according to a 6 May 1965 DV article. More than 200 background actors were hired at a cost of around $200,000, while $250,000 was allocated toward “elaborate sets,” including a replica of gold-rush-era downtown San Francisco, CA; a gold-mining camp; and a ship to be used as both an “ocean sailing craft and awkward riverboat.”
Principal photography began on 3 May 1965 at the Walt Disney studio lot in Burbank, CA, as stated in a 21 May 1965 DV production chart. Fifty days of shooting were scheduled, with only one scene slated to be shot on location, outside the studio.
Only a few days after filming had begun, the 7 May 1965 DV reported that Roddy McDowall had broken his right hand during a grave-digging scene and would have to wear a cast.
A news brief in the 19 Oct 1966 Var reported that King Features planned to run a “Bullwhip Griffin” comic strip for thirteen weeks in early 1967, to coincide with the release of the film. Around the same time, a soundtrack album was released by Disneyland Records, the 22 Mar 1967 Var noted.
Tony Hancock was named as a cast member in the 5 May 1965 Var, which indicated that The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin would be his first American film. Items published in DV in Apr and Jun 1965 also listed Edmond O’Brien, Chubby Johnson, and Phil Arnold as actors in the film.
Arabella Flagg and her fourteen-year-old brother, Jack, are left orphaned and penniless when their grandfather dies in Boston in 1849. Determined to make his own fortune, Jack stows away aboard a ship bound for the California gold rush. He is followed by the family's very proper butler, Eric Griffin, who becomes the ship's cook. Also aboard is the nefarious Judge Higgins, a thief with a disguise for every imaginable crooked caper. As the ship approaches San Francisco, the judge steals the map of a gold mine from Quentin Bartlett, a Shakespearean actor, and sneaks ashore in the only lifeboat. Griffin, Jack, and Bartlett take pursuit and recover the map, only to find it riddled with bullet holes. Nevertheless, they strike a rich gold deposit but lose the gold in a river when the judge, disguised as a Chinese coolie, tries to steal it from them. Arabella arrives in San Francisco to look for Jack and takes a job as a dancehall singer. Griffin, now nicknamed "Bullwhip" because he accidentally knocked unconscious the town bully, "Mountain Ox," decides to enter a boxing match to earn some money. Encouraged by kisses from Arabella, Griffin wins the prize money and proposes to Arabella. The judge, disguised as a bookkeeper, tries to steal the money, but he is caught by the spectators and forced to lock himself in jail to avoid being ...
Arabella Flagg and her fourteen-year-old brother, Jack, are left orphaned and penniless when their grandfather dies in Boston in 1849. Determined to make his own fortune, Jack stows away aboard a ship bound for the California gold rush. He is followed by the family's very proper butler, Eric Griffin, who becomes the ship's cook. Also aboard is the nefarious Judge Higgins, a thief with a disguise for every imaginable crooked caper. As the ship approaches San Francisco, the judge steals the map of a gold mine from Quentin Bartlett, a Shakespearean actor, and sneaks ashore in the only lifeboat. Griffin, Jack, and Bartlett take pursuit and recover the map, only to find it riddled with bullet holes. Nevertheless, they strike a rich gold deposit but lose the gold in a river when the judge, disguised as a Chinese coolie, tries to steal it from them. Arabella arrives in San Francisco to look for Jack and takes a job as a dancehall singer. Griffin, now nicknamed "Bullwhip" because he accidentally knocked unconscious the town bully, "Mountain Ox," decides to enter a boxing match to earn some money. Encouraged by kisses from Arabella, Griffin wins the prize money and proposes to Arabella. The judge, disguised as a bookkeeper, tries to steal the money, but he is caught by the spectators and forced to lock himself in jail to avoid being lynched.
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