The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell
Encyclopedia
The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell is a 1968 film directed by Frank Tashlin
and starring Bob Hope
and Phyllis Diller
. It was filmed in Puerto Rico
in 1967. The film was originally to have been filmed in Hawaii, but due to the activity during the Vietnam War
, the US Department of Defense
who cooperated with the production, suggested the film move to the Caribbean.
Dan O'Farrell is a G.I.
on an island somewhere in the South Pacific during World War II
, bemoaning the consequences of a ship torpedoed while ferrying to the island a desperately needed cargo of beer.
Among his problems are the Navy personnel making life difficult for him and his Army buddies, an officer trying to emulate John Paul Jones
, a hoped-for delivery of morale-boosting nurses turning out to be six men and the ugliest woman (Diller) ever to wilt a bouquet of flowers, and a Japanese
soldier who's hiding from everyone else ... and hiding something else as well.
Frank Tashlin
Frank Tashlin, born Francis Fredrick von Taschlein, also known as Tish Tash or Frank Tash was an American animator, screenwriter, and film director.-Animator:...
and starring Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
and Phyllis Diller
Phyllis Diller
Phyllis Diller is an American actress and comedian. She created a stage persona of a wild-haired, eccentrically dressed housewife who makes jokes about a husband named "Fang" while pretending to smoke from a long cigarette holder...
. It was filmed in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
in 1967. The film was originally to have been filmed in Hawaii, but due to the activity during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the US Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
who cooperated with the production, suggested the film move to the Caribbean.
Plot summary
Master SergeantMaster Sergeant
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...
Dan O'Farrell is a G.I.
GI (term)
G.I. is a noun used to describe members of the United States armed forces or items of their equipment. The term is now used as an initialism of "Government Issue" , but originally referred to galvanized iron....
on an island somewhere in the South Pacific during World War II
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, bemoaning the consequences of a ship torpedoed while ferrying to the island a desperately needed cargo of beer.
Among his problems are the Navy personnel making life difficult for him and his Army buddies, an officer trying to emulate John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones was a Scottish sailor and the United States' first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to...
, a hoped-for delivery of morale-boosting nurses turning out to be six men and the ugliest woman (Diller) ever to wilt a bouquet of flowers, and a Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
soldier who's hiding from everyone else ... and hiding something else as well.
Cast
- Bob HopeBob HopeBob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
as M/Sgt. Dan O'Farrell - Phyllis DillerPhyllis DillerPhyllis Diller is an American actress and comedian. She created a stage persona of a wild-haired, eccentrically dressed housewife who makes jokes about a husband named "Fang" while pretending to smoke from a long cigarette holder...
as Nurse Nellie Krause - Jeffrey HunterJeffrey HunterJeffrey Hunter was an American film and television actor. His most famous roles are as Jesus in the film King of Kings, as Martin Pawley in The Searchers, and as Capt...
as Lt. (j.g.) Lyman P. Jones - John Myhers as Lt. Cdr. Roger N. Snavely
- MakoMako (actor), born , was an Oscar- and Tony-nominated Japanese actor. Many of his acting roles credited him simply as Mako, omitting his surname. -Early life:...
as Calvin Coolidge Ishimura - Henry WilcoxonHenry WilcoxonHenry Wilcoxon was an actor born in Roseau, Dominica, British West Indies, and best known as a leading man in many of Cecil B. DeMille's films, also serving as DeMille's associate producer on his later films....
as RAdm. Arthur L. Stokes - Dick SargentDick SargentRichard Stanford Cox , known professionally as Dick Sargent, was an American actor, notable as the second actor to portray Darrin Stephens on the television series Bewitched...
as Capt. Elwood Prohaska - Christopher Dark as Pvt. George Strongbow
- Michael Burns as Pvt. Johnny Bannon
- William Wellman Jr. as Cpl. Kennedy
- Robert DonnerRobert DonnerRobert Donner was an American actor who made many appearances in television series and films in a career spanning more than 40 years.-Early life and career:...
as Pvt. Ogg (Marine) - Jack Grinnage as Pvt. Roberts
- William ChristopherWilliam ChristopherWilliam Christopher is an American actor who is best known for playing Father Mulcahy on the television series M*A*S*H and Private Lester Hummel on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.-Early life:...
as Pvt. Jack Schultz - Mylène DemongeotMylène DemongeotMylène Demongeot is a French actress, who has appeared in 72 films since 1953. She was born Marie-Hélène Demongeot in Nice, Southern France....
as Gaby - Gina LollobrigidaGina LollobrigidaGina Lollobrigida is an Italian actress, photojournalist and sculptress. She was one of the most popular European actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s. She was also an iconic sex symbol of the 1950s. Today, she remains an active supporter of Italian and Italian American causes, particularly the...
as Maria - Bing CrosbyBing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
as Himself (archive footage) (uncredited) - Edith Fellows as Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
- John Spina as Cpl. Miller (uncredited)