On 7 Sep 1960, DV announced that producer Jerry Wald had purchased screen rights to Edward Streeter’s 1954 novel Mr. Hobbs’ Vacation, but referred to the title as Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation. The author’s Father of the Bride (1949) was adapted into a successful film of the same name in 1950 (see entry). Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation was added to Wald’s new twelve-picture, three-year contract at Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp., as noted in an 18 Sep 1960 NYT article, and Return to Peyton Place (1961, see entry) was projected to be the first film to go into production. The following month, James Stewart had already been cast as “Mr. Hobbs,” and Wald was pursuing screenwriter Nunnally Johnson to write the adaptation, according to a 12 Oct 1960 DV news item. Confirmation of Johnson’s employment was posted in the 3 Nov 1960 DV. Although Leo McCarey was listed as director at that time, he left the project, and a 28 Dec 1960 DV brief stated that director José Ferrer had offered to step in as his replacement after completing Return to Peyton Place ahead of schedule.
       Principal photography was delayed over the coming year. An initial production start date was planned for 24 Apr 1961, as noted in a 5 Apr 1961 Var column, but the film was still without a director. Two days after the anticipated launch, the 26 Apr 1961 Var stated that Henry Koster was set to direct, and announced the casting of Maureen O’Hara. By 31 May 1961, Koster was attempting to cast Hayley Mills as young “Katey,” as reported in that day’s DV, and thirty-one-year-old Polly Bergen had turned down the grandmother role, according to the 21 Jun 1961 DV. One week later, Bob Crane was cast as “a yacht club commodore,” as announced in the 29 Jun 1961 DV, but he did not remain with the picture. At that time, production was planned to begin in Oct 1961, and by 8 Aug 1961, Koster was on his way to scout locations in the village of Hyannis Port, MA, as stated in that day’s DV. (Modern sources indicated that the film was shot entirely in CA.) The casting of Mel Blanc was announced in the 9 Oct 1961 DV, but he was not listed on the 1 Dec 1961 DV production chart, which included Arthur Lucker as production manager. Filming began on 21 Nov 1961. The anticipated budget was $3 million, according to a 15 Jun 1961 DV article.
       During production, DV added Gretel Hedger and Doris Packer to the cast on 15 Dec 1961 and 20 Dec 1961, respectively, but neither are credited onscreen. On 27 Dec 1961, DV reported that dancer Roy Clark was choreographing a “twist” scene with nearly 150 performers, and the 29 Dec 1961 DV added that the sequence was accompanied by the rock ‘n’ roll band, The Red Jackets, with front man Mike Adams. The 7 Feb 1962 DV reported the uncredited appearances of Susan Adams and Christopher Bowler.
       Filming was scheduled to end on 14 Jan 1962, according to a 5 Jan 1962 DV news item, but the 24 Jan 1962 edition reported that filming was still underway for “a day or so.”
       A “sneak preview” of Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation screened at New York City’s Paramount Theater on 11 May 1962, and the film opened at the same venue one month later, on 15 Jun 1962, according to the 16 May 1962 DV and the 16 Jun 1962 NYT review. The New York City opening was preceded by the Los Angeles, CA, release on 25 May 1962 at the Fox Wilshire and the Academy Pasadena theaters, as well as the Van Nuys and Gage drive-ins, as stated in the 18 May and 25 May 1962 LAT. On 20 Jun 1962, Var reported that the film had just completed its first week in wide release, and was ranked fifth on the list of highest-grossing films at the box-office.
       The picture screened at the Berlin Film Festival (22 Jun 1962—3 Jul 1962), where it earned a Best Actor award for James Stewart and a nomination for Henry Koster, as noted in the 7 Jul 1962 LAT. Nunnally Johnson was nominated for the “Best Written American Comedy” award from the Writers Guild of America (WGA).
More Less