The Disorderly Orderly

Last updated
The Disorderly Orderly
The Disorderly Orderly (1964 film).jpg
Theatrical lobby card
Directed by Frank Tashlin
Screenplay byFrank Tashlin
Story byNorm Liebermann
Ed Haas
Produced by Paul Jones
Starring Jerry Lewis
Susan Oliver
Glenda Farrell
Kathleen Freeman
Karen Sharpe
Narrated by Paul Frees
Cinematography W. Wallace Kelley
Edited byJohn Woodcock
Russel Wiles
Music by Joseph J. Lilley
Color process Technicolor
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date
  • December 16, 1964 (1964-12-16)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2,700,000 (US/ Canada rentals) [1]
1,434,122 admissions (France) [2]

The Disorderly Orderly is a 1964 American comedy film released by Paramount Pictures, and starring Jerry Lewis. The film was produced by Paul Jones with a screenplay by director Frank Tashlin, based on a story by Norm Liebermann and Ed Haas.

Contents

Plot

Jerome Littlefield is an orderly at a hospital. His dream is to be a doctor, but he has a problem that prevents it from becoming a reality: when he hears of a problem that a patient is having, psychosomatically he begins to suffer those symptoms as well.

Susan Andrews, an old high school friend, is brought to the hospital after a suicide attempt. Littlefield recognizes her as the girl he has had a crush on since then. Eventually Andrews falls for Littlefield and they kiss. Littlefield later realizes that his problem with suffering from other people's symptoms was a direct result of his obsession with Andrews. Now that he has overcome that, his problems go away and he finally becomes a doctor.

Cast

Production

The Disorderly Orderly was filmed at the Greystone Park and Mansion in Beverly Hills, California with costumes designed by Edith Head.

Soundtrack

The title song, sung over the opening credits, is performed by Sammy Davis Jr. The title song "The Disorderly Orderly" was written by songwriter Earl Shuman.

Reception

While Howard Thompson of the New York Times (December 24, 1964) liked a few comedic bits and praised some secondary performers, he generally panned The Disorderly Orderly writing, "[The film] runs dry at the end of the first third — like a juiceless watermelon — and splits open, with about the same results." [3]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 60% rating based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 5.95/10. [4]

Home media

The film was released to Region 1 DVD on October 12, 2004 [5] and March 15, 2021.

Related Research Articles

<i>Boeing Boeing</i> (1965 film) 1965 American film by John Rich

Boeing Boeing is a 1965 American bedroom farce comedy film based on the 1960 French play Boeing-Boeing and starring Tony Curtis and Jerry Lewis. Released on December 22, 1965, it was the last film that Lewis made for Paramount Pictures, which had produced all of his films since My Friend Irma (1949).

<i>Knock on Wood</i> (film) 1954 film by Melvin Frank, Norman Panama

Knock on Wood is a 1954 American comedy film starring Danny Kaye and Mai Zetterling. Other actors in the film include Torin Thatcher, David Burns, and Leon Askin. The film was written and directed by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, with songs by Kaye's wife, Sylvia Fine.

<i>The Ladies Man</i> 1961 film by Jerry Lewis

The Ladies Man is a 1961 American comedy film directed by and starring Jerry Lewis. It was released on June 28, 1961, by Paramount Pictures.

<i>Captain Newman, M.D.</i> 1963 film by David Miller

Captain Newman, M.D. is a 1963 American comedy drama film directed by David Miller and starring Gregory Peck, Tony Curtis, Angie Dickinson, Robert Duvall, Eddie Albert and Bobby Darin. The film was co-produced by Peck's Brentwood Productions and Curtis' Reynard Productions.

<i>Scared Stiff</i> (1953 film) 1953 film by George Marshall

Scared Stiff is a 1953 American supernatural fiction-themed comedy horror semi-musical film, directed by George Marshall and starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. One of the 17 films made by the Martin and Lewis team, it was released on April 27, 1953 by Paramount Pictures. It is the fourth screen adaptation of the 1909 play The Ghost Breaker by Paul Dickey and Charles W. Goddard, previously filmed under that title in 1914 and 1922 and as The Ghost Breakers in 1940, also directed by George Marshall and starring Bob Hope.

<i>Kid Galahad</i> 1962 film by Phil Karlson

Kid Galahad is a 1962 American musical film starring Elvis Presley as a boxer. It was released by United Artists in August 1962 and opened at #9 at the American box office. Variety ranked it #37 on its list of the top-grossing films of 1962.

<i>The Dream Team</i> (1989 film) 1989 film by Howard Zieff

The Dream Team is a 1989 American comedy thriller film directed by Howard Zieff and produced by Christopher W. Knight for Imagine Entertainment and Universal Pictures. It stars Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd, Peter Boyle and Stephen Furst as mental-hospital inpatients who are left unsupervised in New York City during a field trip gone awry. Jon Connolly and David Loucka wrote the screenplay.

<i>Good Neighbor Sam</i> 1964 film by David Swift

Good Neighbor Sam is a 1964 American Eastman Color screwball comedy film co-written and directed by David Swift, based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Jack Finney. It stars Jack Lemmon, Romy Schneider, Dorothy Provine, Michael Connors, Edward Andrews, Louis Nye, Robert Q. Lewis and Edward G. Robinson.

<i>Dont Raise the Bridge, Lower the River</i> 1968 British film by Jerry Paris

Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River is a 1968 British comedy film directed by Jerry Paris and starring Jerry Lewis, Terry-Thomas and Jacqueline Pearce. It was written by Max Wilk based on his 1961 novel of the same title, with the original Connecticut locale moved to Swinging London and Portugal. It was produced by Walter Shenson and released on 12 July 1968 by Columbia Pictures.

<i>The Caddy</i> 1953 film by Norman Taurog

The Caddy is a 1953 American semi-musical-comedy-sports film starring the comedy team of Martin and Lewis. It is noteworthy for Dean Martin introducing the hit song "That's Amore".

<i>Be Kind Rewind</i> 2008 film by Michel Gondry

Be Kind Rewind is a 2008 buddy comedy film written and directed by Michel Gondry and starring Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Mia Farrow, and Melonie Diaz with supporting roles done by Chandler Parker, Irv Gooch, Arjay Smith, Marcus Carl Franklin, Blake Hightower, and Amir Ali Said. It tells the story of an employee at the titular VHS rental store and his conspiracy theorist friend who work to recreate the rental store's film inventory after they were accidentally erased when the latter got himself magnetized while the proprietor was away. The film first appeared on January 20, 2008 at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. It was later shown at the Berlin International Film Festival. The film opened on February 22, 2008 in the United Kingdom and in North America.

<i>What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?</i> 1966 film by Blake Edwards

What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? is a 1966 comedy DeLuxe Color film written by William Peter Blatty and directed by Blake Edwards for the Mirisch Company in Panavision. It stars James Coburn and Dick Shawn.

<i>The Family Jewels</i> (film) 1965 film by Jerry Lewis

The Family Jewels is a 1965 American comedy film. It was filmed from January 18 to April 2, 1965, and was released by Paramount Pictures on July 1, 1965. The film was co-written, directed, and produced by Jerry Lewis who also played seven roles in the film. Lewis' co-star, Donna Butterworth, made only one other film, Paradise, Hawaiian Style, with Elvis Presley. Gary Lewis & The Playboys have a cameo in which they sing "Little Miss Go-Go"; their hit song "This Diamond Ring" is also featured.

<i>The Errand Boy</i> 1961 film by Jerry Lewis

The Errand Boy is a 1961 American comedy film directed by, co-written by and starring Jerry Lewis.

<i>The Patsy</i> (1964 film) 1964 film

The Patsy is a 1964 American comedy film directed by and starring Jerry Lewis. It was released on August 12, 1964, by Paramount Pictures.

<i>Three on a Couch</i> 1966 film by Jerry Lewis

Three on a Couch is a 1966 American comedy film directed by Jerry Lewis and starring Jerry Lewis and Janet Leigh.

<i>Funny Bones</i> 1995 film by Peter Chelsom

Funny Bones is a 1995 comedy-drama film from Hollywood Pictures. It was written, directed and produced by Peter Chelsom, co produced by Simon Fields, and co written by Peter Flannery. The music score was by John Altman, and the cinematography by Eduardo Serra. Funny Bones was released in the United States on 31 March 1995.

<i>The In-Laws</i> (2003 film) 2003 film directed by Andrew Fleming

The In-Laws is a 2003 American action comedy film starring Michael Douglas, Albert Brooks, Robin Tunney, Ryan Reynolds and Candice Bergen. The film is a remake of the original 1979 cult classic of the same name. Scenes for the 2003 film were shot on location in Chicago. The film was a box office failure and received mixed to negative reviews.

<i>Article 99</i> 1992 film by Howard Deutch

Article 99 is a 1992 American comedy-drama film directed by Howard Deutch and written by Ron Cutler. It was produced by Orion Pictures, and starring Kiefer Sutherland, Ray Liotta, Forest Whitaker, John C. McGinley, Rutanya Alda and Lea Thompson. The soundtrack was composed by Danny Elfman. The film's title supposedly refers to a legal loophole, which states that unless an illness/injury is related to military service, a veteran is not eligible for VA hospital benefits.

<i>The Good Doctor</i> (2011 film) 2011 American film

The Good Doctor is a 2011 American thriller film directed by Lance Daly, and starring Orlando Bloom as the eponymous "good doctor".

References

  1. This figure consists of anticipated rentals accruing distributors in North America. See "Big Rental Pictures of 1965", Variety, 5 January 1966 p 6
  2. Box office information for film at Box Office Story
  3. New York Times: New Jerry Lewis Film Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  4. "The Disorderly Orderly". Rotten Tomatoes .
  5. "DVD Talk".