Hello Down There
Encyclopedia
Hello Down There is a 1969 musical
comedy film
made by Paramount Pictures
. It was directed by Jack Arnold and Ricou Browning
and produced by George Sherman
and Ivan Tors
from a screenplay
by John McGreevey and Frank Telford. It starred Tony Randall
and Janet Leigh
. The film was reissued under the title Sub a Dub Dub.
) must prove that his new design for an underwater home is viable by convincing his family to live in it for thirty days. His son and daughter (Gary Tigerman & Kay Cole) are members of an emerging pop rock band (Richard Dreyfuss
& Lou Wagner
) whom they invite to live with them during the experiment. Their temporary home, which Miller dubs the "Green Onion," is 90 feet below the surface of the ocean and is filled with super-modern appliances and amenities for house-wife Vivian (Janet Leigh
) all designed by Miller, and a hole in the floor providing direct access to the sea.
The group are soon joined by a live-in seal
named Gladys and a pair of dolphin
s (Duke and Duchess) which stay close at hand and fend off unwanted shark
s. They are confronted by many obstacles including a rival designer (Ken Berry
) from Undersea Development Inc. who begins to cause problems for the inhabitants of the "Green Onion".
Meanwhile, the band's single has gotten the attention of record executive Nate Ashbury (Roddy McDowall
) who decides to sign them sight-unseen. He takes the liberty of booking them for an important television performance on The Merv Griffin Show
without communicating with them first. After learning that they are inaccessible, he proves that he will go to great lengths to reach them since the show must go on. The band gets its airing, and the Navy
is alerted by the sounds of the music coming from the sea. As naval fleets swarm in to investigate what must surely be a Communist plot, the movie abruptly ends.
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
made by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
. It was directed by Jack Arnold and Ricou Browning
Ricou Browning
Ricou Browning is an American film director, actor, producer and underwater cinematographer and action specialist.Browning was born in Fort Pierce, Florida and was a physical education major at Florida State University. He grew up to start a career in water shows, moving on to produce shows...
and produced by George Sherman
George Sherman
George Sherman was a film director of action movies beginning in the 1930s. The New York-born director's films include The Sleeping City and Tomahawk.-Filmography:*Red River Range...
and Ivan Tors
Ivan Tors
Ivan Tors was a Hungarian playwright, film director, screenwriter, and film and television producer with an emphasis on non-violent but exciting science fiction, underwater filmed television and films, and films about animals...
from a screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
by John McGreevey and Frank Telford. It starred Tony Randall
Tony Randall
Tony Randall was a U.S. actor, comic, producer and director.-Early years:Randall was born Arthur Leonard Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Julia and Mogscha Rosenberg, an art and antiques dealer...
and Janet Leigh
Janet Leigh
Janet Leigh , born Jeanette Helen Morrison, was an American actress. She was the wife of actor Tony Curtis from June 1951 to September 1962 and the mother of Kelly Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis....
. The film was reissued under the title Sub a Dub Dub.
Plot
Fred Miller (Tony RandallTony Randall
Tony Randall was a U.S. actor, comic, producer and director.-Early years:Randall was born Arthur Leonard Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Julia and Mogscha Rosenberg, an art and antiques dealer...
) must prove that his new design for an underwater home is viable by convincing his family to live in it for thirty days. His son and daughter (Gary Tigerman & Kay Cole) are members of an emerging pop rock band (Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...
& Lou Wagner
Lou Wagner
- Filmography :* Raising Hope ** episode Blue Dots ... as lawyer* Artificially Speaking ... as Dr. Lionel Bainbridge* My Name Is Earl** episode Stole P's HD Cart ... as Mr. Covington* Yes, Dear...
) whom they invite to live with them during the experiment. Their temporary home, which Miller dubs the "Green Onion," is 90 feet below the surface of the ocean and is filled with super-modern appliances and amenities for house-wife Vivian (Janet Leigh
Janet Leigh
Janet Leigh , born Jeanette Helen Morrison, was an American actress. She was the wife of actor Tony Curtis from June 1951 to September 1962 and the mother of Kelly Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis....
) all designed by Miller, and a hole in the floor providing direct access to the sea.
The group are soon joined by a live-in seal
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
named Gladys and a pair of dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s (Duke and Duchess) which stay close at hand and fend off unwanted shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
s. They are confronted by many obstacles including a rival designer (Ken Berry
Ken Berry
Kenneth Ronald "Ken" Berry is an American dancer, comedic actor and singer. He began on stage as a dancer and later starred in television sitcoms.-Life and career:...
) from Undersea Development Inc. who begins to cause problems for the inhabitants of the "Green Onion".
Meanwhile, the band's single has gotten the attention of record executive Nate Ashbury (Roddy McDowall
Roddy McDowall
Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude "Roddy" McDowall was an English actor and photographer. His film roles included Cornelius and Caesar in the Planet of the Apes film series...
) who decides to sign them sight-unseen. He takes the liberty of booking them for an important television performance on The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to September 26, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in...
without communicating with them first. After learning that they are inaccessible, he proves that he will go to great lengths to reach them since the show must go on. The band gets its airing, and the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
is alerted by the sounds of the music coming from the sea. As naval fleets swarm in to investigate what must surely be a Communist plot, the movie abruptly ends.
Cast
- Tony RandallTony RandallTony Randall was a U.S. actor, comic, producer and director.-Early years:Randall was born Arthur Leonard Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Julia and Mogscha Rosenberg, an art and antiques dealer...
as Fred Miller - Janet LeighJanet LeighJanet Leigh , born Jeanette Helen Morrison, was an American actress. She was the wife of actor Tony Curtis from June 1951 to September 1962 and the mother of Kelly Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis....
as Vivian Miller - Jim BackusJim BackusJames Gilmore "Jim" Backus was a radio, television, film, and voice actor. Among his most famous roles are the voice of Mr...
as T.R. Hollister - Ken BerryKen BerryKenneth Ronald "Ken" Berry is an American dancer, comedic actor and singer. He began on stage as a dancer and later starred in television sitcoms.-Life and career:...
as Mel Cheever - Roddy McDowallRoddy McDowallRoderick Andrew Anthony Jude "Roddy" McDowall was an English actor and photographer. His film roles included Cornelius and Caesar in the Planet of the Apes film series...
as Nate Ashbury - Charlotte RaeCharlotte RaeCharlotte Rae is a prolific American character actress of stage, comedienne, singer and dancer, who in her six decades of television is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Edna Garrett in the sitcoms Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life...
as Myrtle Ruth - Richard DreyfussRichard DreyfussRichard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...
as Harold Webster - Kay Cole as Lorrie Miller
- Gary Tigerman as Tommie Miller
- Lou WagnerLou Wagner- Filmography :* Raising Hope ** episode Blue Dots ... as lawyer* Artificially Speaking ... as Dr. Lionel Bainbridge* My Name Is Earl** episode Stole P's HD Cart ... as Mr. Covington* Yes, Dear...
as Marvin Webster - Bruce GordonBruce Gordon (actor)Bruce Gordon was an American actor best known for playing Frank Nitti in the ABC television series The Untouchables....
as Adm. Sheridan - Frank Schuller as Alan Briggs
- Arnold StangArnold StangArnold Stang was an American comic actor who played a small and bespectacled, yet brash and knowing big-city type.-Career:...
as Jonah - Harvey LembeckHarvey LembeckHarvey Lembeck was an American comedic actor best remembered for his role as Cpl. Rocco Barbella on The Phil Silvers Show in the late 1950s, and as the stumbling, overconfident outlaw biker Eric Von Zipper in the beach party movie series during the 1960s...
as Sonarman - Merv GriffinMerv GriffinMervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show on Group W Broadcasting...
as Himself - Henny BackusHenny BackusHenny Backus was a Broadway showgirl in the 1930s, where she performed with Earl Carroll's Vanities. Born Henrietta Kaye in Philadelphia, she was the wife of actor and comedian Jim Backus.-Career:...
as Mrs. Webster - Pat Henning as Reilly
- Jay Laskay as Philo
- Bud Hoey as Mr. Webster
- Charles Martin as Chief Petty Officer
- Frank Logan as Captain
- Andy Jarrell as Radioman
- Lora Kaye as Secretary