The Barefoot Executive
Encyclopedia
The Barefoot Executive is a live-action Disney film released by Buena Vista Distribution
in 1971 starring Kurt Russell
, Joe Flynn
, Wally Cox
, Heather North
and John Ritter
(in his film debut), about a pet chimpanzee
, named Raffles, who can predict the popularity of television programs. It was one of the "gimmick comedies" (geared towards children with a touch of adult humour for older viewers) Disney was known for in the 1960s and 1970s, and was frequently shown on the Wonderful World of Disney in the 1980s.
) at the fictional UBC Network who discovers his girlfriend Jennifer Scott's (Heather North
) pet chimpanzee
has the supernatural ability to predict which television programs will receive the highest ratings, in which he blows a raspberry
to shows that will bomb, or claps his hands in applause to shows that will be hits.
Steven smuggles
the chimp into the UBC building when he is being shown various movies to show, and watches as the chimp gives his vote from the camera room. However his first attempt proves unsuccessful as the executives do not agree with Steven's (actually the chimp's) prediction that a movie named "Devil Dan" will draw large audiences, so Post has to secretly enter UBC's footage room to switch the films, causing the executives to realize Steven was right in the first place when Devil Dan propels UBC to first place in the ratings war. Post successfully masks the chimp's abilities as his own and rises to vice president
of UBC, now the top rated area network. However, this also creates suspicion and resentment among UBC executives, mainly because they believe Post is too young to merit the title of vice president. Their resentment reaches a breaking point at a television award ceremony
where Steven Post receives the title of "Executive of the Year" and the emcee mistakenly identifies Post as the president of UBC.
Fearing that Post's seemingly miraculous abilities will make their own jobs unnecessary, network executives E. J. Crampton (Morgan
) and Francis X. Wilbanks (Joe Flynn
) attempt to discover his secret to success. One flunky sees a bunch of bananas in Post's apartment, which leads to a humorous scene where the executives are seen eating bananas as they believe an idea that a New Guinea
tribe considered bananas to be brain food. The flunky also hears sounds coming from Post's closet, and believes he is holding a hostage
, which serves to intensify the surveillance of Post and his new luxury apartment.
Using a spyglass
to peer through his apartment
window at night, the toady discovers the chimpanzee watching television with Post. Upon spying the chimp going to the refrigerator
for a beer
during the commercial break, the executives realize the chimpanzee's true abilities.
Fearing the revelation that America's
favorite TV programs were being picked by a primate
would spell the end of television, the executives decide to steal the chimpanzee and return it to the jungle
.
Wilbanks and his chauffeur
, Albert Mertons (Cox
) venture out a narrow ledge in an attempt to snatch the chimp out of Post's apartment in his absence. The plan goes awry and the duo become stranded on the ledge until the police
, fire department
, and a Catholic
priest
arrive, mistaking their break in
for a potential suicide.
As a last ditch effort, the network offers Post $1 million in exchange for the chimp, which he ultimately accepts. Jennifer becomes disenchanted with him when she finds out he sold her pet for money without her consent and breaks off their relationship
. She also does not believe her chimpanzee should be released into the wild.
Meanwhile, executives from every studio and camera crews crowd a cargo plane soaring over the jungle
, as they prepare to parachute
the chimp into an unexplored section of the Amazon
; but before arriving at the intended disembarkation point, the stubborn chimpanzee, not wanting to be sent into the wild, pulls a lever opening an emergency hatch which sucks all the executives out of the plane, causing them to parachute into the jungle instead. Albert Mertons, who is now more sympathetic to Jennifer's feelings, reveals to Steven that the chimp outsmarted the executives and is now enroute back to the United States.
Post uses this opportunity to refund the $1 million for the chimp. Post comments that UBC is going to need the money now in order to fund a search party for Wilbanks and the other executives. Jennifer and Steven have not only rekindled their relationship, but are now married and set off on their honeymoon
with the chimpanzee in tow as their pet. The final scenes shows the Posts on an expressway
which pans out in a wide scene, while a radio announcement says that Post has just married and resigned his vice presidency of UBC, but many people are wishing him well in his future endeavors.
in 1995 starring Nathan Anderson and Terri Evans.
Directed by Susan Seidelman
.
Buena Vista Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is a motion picture and television feature distribution company owned by Disney Enterprises, Inc. Buena Vista International was the international distribution arm, Buena Vista Home Entertainment was the firm's video and DVD distribution arm, and Buena Vista...
in 1971 starring Kurt Russell
Kurt Russell
Kurt Vogel Russell is an American television and film actor. His first acting roles were as a child in television series, including a lead role in the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters...
, Joe Flynn
Joe Flynn (US actor)
Joseph A. Flynn was an American character actor. He was best known for his role in the 1960s ABC television situation comedy, McHale's Navy. He was also a frequent guest star on 1960s TV shows such as Batman and appeared in several Walt Disney film comedies...
, Wally Cox
Wally Cox
Wallace Maynard Cox was an American comedian and actor, particularly associated with the early years of television in the United States. He appeared in the U.S. TV series Mr. Peepers , plus several other popular shows, and as a character actor in over 20 films...
, Heather North
Heather North
Heather Lindsay North is an American television and voice actress. She is most notable as having performed the voice of Daphne Blake in all incarnations of Hanna-Barbera's Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoon series from 1970 to 1979, 1983 to 1997, and from 2002 to 2003.North was the second actress...
and John Ritter
John Ritter
Jonathan Southworth "John" Ritter was an American actor, voice over artist and comedian perhaps best known for having played Jack Tripper and Paul Hennessy in the ABC sitcoms Three's Company and 8 Simple Rules, respectively...
(in his film debut), about a pet chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
, named Raffles, who can predict the popularity of television programs. It was one of the "gimmick comedies" (geared towards children with a touch of adult humour for older viewers) Disney was known for in the 1960s and 1970s, and was frequently shown on the Wonderful World of Disney in the 1980s.
Plot
A satire of network television, the movie follows the adventures of an ambitious mailroom clerk, Steven Post (RussellKurt Russell
Kurt Vogel Russell is an American television and film actor. His first acting roles were as a child in television series, including a lead role in the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters...
) at the fictional UBC Network who discovers his girlfriend Jennifer Scott's (Heather North
Heather North
Heather Lindsay North is an American television and voice actress. She is most notable as having performed the voice of Daphne Blake in all incarnations of Hanna-Barbera's Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoon series from 1970 to 1979, 1983 to 1997, and from 2002 to 2003.North was the second actress...
) pet chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
has the supernatural ability to predict which television programs will receive the highest ratings, in which he blows a raspberry
Blowing a raspberry
Blowing a raspberry or strawberry or making a Bronx cheer is to make a noise signifying derision, real or feigned. It is made by placing the tongue between the lips and blowing, making a sound redolent of flatulence. In the terminology of phonetics, this sound can be described as an unvoiced...
to shows that will bomb, or claps his hands in applause to shows that will be hits.
Steven smuggles
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
the chimp into the UBC building when he is being shown various movies to show, and watches as the chimp gives his vote from the camera room. However his first attempt proves unsuccessful as the executives do not agree with Steven's (actually the chimp's) prediction that a movie named "Devil Dan" will draw large audiences, so Post has to secretly enter UBC's footage room to switch the films, causing the executives to realize Steven was right in the first place when Devil Dan propels UBC to first place in the ratings war. Post successfully masks the chimp's abilities as his own and rises to vice president
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
of UBC, now the top rated area network. However, this also creates suspicion and resentment among UBC executives, mainly because they believe Post is too young to merit the title of vice president. Their resentment reaches a breaking point at a television award ceremony
Award ceremony
An awards ceremony is an event and television programming genre where an award, of any type, is given to a person or people. Ceremonies are usually held at night, with guests wearing formal gowns and suits. They also usually have a host, with many categories for the awards. In the event that there...
where Steven Post receives the title of "Executive of the Year" and the emcee mistakenly identifies Post as the president of UBC.
Fearing that Post's seemingly miraculous abilities will make their own jobs unnecessary, network executives E. J. Crampton (Morgan
Harry Morgan
Harry Morgan is an American actor. Morgan is well-known for his roles as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on M*A*S*H , Pete Porter on both Pete and Gladys and December Bride , Detective Bill Gannon on Dragnet , and Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey...
) and Francis X. Wilbanks (Joe Flynn
Joe Flynn (US actor)
Joseph A. Flynn was an American character actor. He was best known for his role in the 1960s ABC television situation comedy, McHale's Navy. He was also a frequent guest star on 1960s TV shows such as Batman and appeared in several Walt Disney film comedies...
) attempt to discover his secret to success. One flunky sees a bunch of bananas in Post's apartment, which leads to a humorous scene where the executives are seen eating bananas as they believe an idea that a New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
tribe considered bananas to be brain food. The flunky also hears sounds coming from Post's closet, and believes he is holding a hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
, which serves to intensify the surveillance of Post and his new luxury apartment.
Using a spyglass
Spyglass
Spyglass, Inc. , was an Internet software company based in Champaign, Illinois.The company, founded in 1990, was an offshoot of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and created to commercialize and support technologies from the National Center for Supercomputing Applications...
to peer through his apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
window at night, the toady discovers the chimpanzee watching television with Post. Upon spying the chimp going to the refrigerator
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
for a beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
during the commercial break, the executives realize the chimpanzee's true abilities.
Fearing the revelation that America's
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
favorite TV programs were being picked by a primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
would spell the end of television, the executives decide to steal the chimpanzee and return it to the jungle
Jungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
.
Wilbanks and his chauffeur
Chauffeur
A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.Originally such drivers were always personal servants of the vehicle owner, but now in many cases specialist chauffeur service companies, or individual drivers provide...
, Albert Mertons (Cox
Wally Cox
Wallace Maynard Cox was an American comedian and actor, particularly associated with the early years of television in the United States. He appeared in the U.S. TV series Mr. Peepers , plus several other popular shows, and as a character actor in over 20 films...
) venture out a narrow ledge in an attempt to snatch the chimp out of Post's apartment in his absence. The plan goes awry and the duo become stranded on the ledge until the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, fire department
Fire department
A fire department or fire brigade is a public or private organization that provides fire protection for a certain jurisdiction, which typically is a municipality, county, or fire protection district...
, and a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
arrive, mistaking their break in
Trespass
Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person, trespass to chattels and trespass to land.Trespass to the person, historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery, wounding, mayhem, and maiming...
for a potential suicide.
As a last ditch effort, the network offers Post $1 million in exchange for the chimp, which he ultimately accepts. Jennifer becomes disenchanted with him when she finds out he sold her pet for money without her consent and breaks off their relationship
Intimate relationship
An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship that involves physical or emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy is characterized by romantic or passionate love and attachment, or sexual activity. The term is also sometimes used euphemistically for a sexual...
. She also does not believe her chimpanzee should be released into the wild.
Meanwhile, executives from every studio and camera crews crowd a cargo plane soaring over the jungle
Jungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
, as they prepare to parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
the chimp into an unexplored section of the Amazon
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
; but before arriving at the intended disembarkation point, the stubborn chimpanzee, not wanting to be sent into the wild, pulls a lever opening an emergency hatch which sucks all the executives out of the plane, causing them to parachute into the jungle instead. Albert Mertons, who is now more sympathetic to Jennifer's feelings, reveals to Steven that the chimp outsmarted the executives and is now enroute back to the United States.
Post uses this opportunity to refund the $1 million for the chimp. Post comments that UBC is going to need the money now in order to fund a search party for Wilbanks and the other executives. Jennifer and Steven have not only rekindled their relationship, but are now married and set off on their honeymoon
Honeymoon
-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
with the chimpanzee in tow as their pet. The final scenes shows the Posts on an expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
which pans out in a wide scene, while a radio announcement says that Post has just married and resigned his vice presidency of UBC, but many people are wishing him well in his future endeavors.
Remake
It was re-made for the Disney ChannelDisney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
in 1995 starring Nathan Anderson and Terri Evans.
Directed by Susan Seidelman
Susan Seidelman
Susan Seidelman is an American director, producer, writer, and actress.-Career:Susan Seidelman belongs to the first wave of female independent film makers in the American cinema of the 1980s. She graduated Abington Senior High School in 1969 , and went on to study fashion and arts at Drexel...
.