Carousel (1956)
Reference View | Change View
- Approved
- 2h 8min
- Drama, Fantasy
- 16 Feb 1956 (USA)
- Movie
Fifteen years after his death, a carousel barker is granted permission to return to Earth for one day to make amends to his widow and their daughter.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- 1 win & 3 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Gordon MacRae | ... |
Billy Bigelow
|
|
| Shirley Jones | ... |
Julie Jordan
|
|
| Cameron Mitchell | ... |
Jigger Craigin
|
|
| Barbara Ruick | ... |
Carrie Pipperidge
|
|
| Claramae Turner | ... |
Cousin Nettie
|
|
| Robert Rounseville | ... |
Mr. Enoch Snow
|
|
| Gene Lockhart | ... |
Starkeeper / Dr. Selden
|
|
| Audrey Christie | ... |
Mrs. Mullin
|
|
| Susan Luckey | ... |
Louise Bigelow
|
|
| William LeMassena | ... |
Heavenly Friend
(as William Le Massena)
|
|
| John Dehner | ... |
Mr. Bascombe
|
|
| Jacques d'Amboise | ... |
Louise's 'Starlight Carnival' Dancing Partner
(as Jacques D'Amboise)
|
|
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
 |
Walter Bacon | ... |
Graduation Spectator (uncredited)
|
| Robert Banas | ... |
Ruffian in Louise's Ballet (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Tex Brodus | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
|
| Buddy Bryan | ... |
Dancer (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Bob Calder | ... |
Dancer (uncredited)
|
| Harry Carter | ... |
Third Policeman (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Robert Cole | ... |
Man at Clambake (uncredited)
|
|
|
Fred Curt | ... |
Dancer (uncredited)
|
|
|
Drusilla Davis | ... |
Girl at Clambake (uncredited)
|
| Richard Deacon | ... |
First Policeman (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Marion Dempsey | ... |
Sword Swallower (uncredited)
|
|
|
Harrison Dowd | ... |
Clem (uncredited)
|
|
|
Meurisse Duree | ... |
Dancer (uncredited)
|
|
|
Ward Ellis | ... |
Dancer (uncredited)
|
|
|
Eleanor Fairchild | ... |
Dancer (uncredited)
|
|
|
Bill Foster | ... |
Man at Clambake / Dancer (uncredited)
|
| Robert Foulk | ... |
Second Policeman (uncredited)
|
|
| Lili Gentle | ... |
Young Girl #1 (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Jerry Glenn | ... |
Dancer (uncredited)
|
|
|
Cheryl Holdridge | ... |
Young Girl #2 (uncredited)
|
|
|
Larry Johns | ... |
School Principal (uncredited)
|
|
|
Harry C. Johnson | ... |
Juggler (uncredited)
|
| Tor Johnson | ... |
Strong Man (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Bambi Linn | ... |
Dancer (uncredited)
|
| Charles Morton | ... |
Graduation Spectator (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Edward Mundy | ... |
Fire Eater (uncredited)
|
| Mary Orozco | ... |
Fat Woman (uncredited)
|
|
| Dee Pollock | ... |
Enoch Snow Jr. (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
John Rice | ... |
Graduation Spectator (uncredited)
|
| Angelo Rossitto | ... |
Midget (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
William Sharon | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
|
|
|
John Smolko | ... |
Dancer (uncredited)
|
|
|
Sylvia Stanton | ... |
Contortionist (uncredited)
|
|
|
Dolores Starr | ... |
Snow's Daughter (uncredited)
|
|
|
Frank Tweddell | ... |
Capt. Watson (uncredited)
|
Directed by
| Henry King | ||
Written by
| Phoebe Ephron | ... | (screenplay) and |
| Henry Ephron | ... | (screenplay) |
| Oscar Hammerstein II | ... | (book by) |
| Ferenc Molnár | ... | (from the musical play based on "Liliom" by) |
| Benjamin Glazer | ... | (adapted by) (as Benjamin F. Glazer) |
Produced by
| Henry Ephron | ... | producer |
| Darryl F. Zanuck | ... | executive producer (uncredited) |
Music by
| Alfred Newman | ... | (uncredited) |
Cinematography by
| Charles G. Clarke | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| William Reynolds | ... | film editor |
Editorial Department
| Leonard Doss | ... | color consultant |
Art Direction by
| Jack Martin Smith | ||
| Lyle R. Wheeler | ||
Set Decoration by
| Chester Bayhi | ... | (set decorations) |
| Walter M. Scott | ... | (set decorations) |
Costume Design by
| Mary Wills | ... | (costumes designed by) |
Makeup Department
| Ben Nye | ... | makeup artist |
| Helen Turpin | ... | hair stylist |
Production Management
| Joseph C. Behm | ... | unit manager (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Stan Hough | ... | assistant director (as Stanley Hough) |
Sound Department
| Bernard Freericks | ... | sound |
| Harry M. Leonard | ... | sound |
Special Effects by
| Pat Patterson | ... | special effects crew (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
| Ray Kellogg | ... | special photographic effects |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Bob Rose | ... | additional grip (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Charles Le Maire | ... | wardrobe director (as Charle Le Maire) |
| Sam Benson | ... | wardrobe (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Robert Russell Bennett | ... | orchestrator |
| Ken Darby | ... | associate: to Alfred Newman |
| Earle Hagen | ... | orchestrator |
| Oscar Hammerstein II | ... | lyrics by |
| Gus Levene | ... | orchestrator |
| Bernard Mayers | ... | orchestrator |
| Alfred Newman | ... | conductor / music supervisor |
| Edward B. Powell | ... | orchestrator |
| Nelson Riddle | ... | orchestrator |
| Richard Rodgers | ... | music by |
| Herbert W. Spencer | ... | orchestrator (as Herbert Spencer) |
| Vince De Rosa | ... | musician: french horn (uncredited) |
| John Williams | ... | additional orchestrator (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Rod Alexander | ... | choreographer |
| Agnes de Mille | ... | choreographer: Louise's ballet derived from the original by (as Agnes De Mille) |
Production Companies
- Twentieth Century Fox (presents) (A CinemaScope Picture)
Distributors
- Twentieth Century Fox (1956) (United States) (theatrical) (as 20th Century Fox)
- Centfox (1956) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Twentieth Century Fox Film Company (1956) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- CBS/Fox Home Video (1991) (Australia) (video)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (United States) (DVD)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (United States) (DVD)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
- Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- Fox Video (United States) (VHS) (pan/scan)
- Image Entertainment (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Angel Records (soundtrack released by) (1990's CD edition)
- Angel Records (soundtrack released by) (2001 expanded CD edition)
- Bausch & Lomb (cinemascope lenses by)
- Capitol Records (soundtrack released by) (1956 LP and first CD edition)
- Theatre Guild (originally produced on the stage by)
- Twentieth Century Fox (acknowledgement: is the registered trademark of)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Billy Bigelow has been dead for fifteen years, and now outside the pearly gates, he long waived his right to go back to Earth for a day. But he has heard that there is a problem with his family, namely his wife Julie Bigelow née Jordan and the child he never met, that problem with which he would now like to head back to Earth to assist in rectifying. Before he is allowed back to Earth, he has to get the OK from the gatekeeper, to who he tells his story... Immediately attracted to each other, he and Julie met when he worked as a carousel barker. Both stated to the other that they did not believe in love or marriage, but they did get married. Because the shrewish carousel owner, Mrs. Mullin, was attracted to Billy herself, and since she believed he was only of use as a barker if he was single to attract the young women to the carousel, she fired him. With no other job skills and unwilling to take just any job, Billy did not provide for Julie but rather lived off Julie's Aunt Nettie. But Billy figured he could be the breadwinner through his association with a criminal lowlife named Jigger Craigin, which led to his death. In going back to Earth, Billy not only hopes to help his child, but "tell" Julie of his true feeling for her. Written by Huggo |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | 20th-Century Fox proudly presents [Rodgers and Hammerstein's CAROUSEL] See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
Additional Details
| Also Known As |
|
| Runtime |
|
| Country | |
| Language | |
| Color | |
| Aspect Ratio |
|
| Sound Mix | |
| Filming Locations |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | The film was not successful at the box office despite the positive reviews, but the soundtrack album became a national best seller. See more » |
| Goofs | About one hour into the film, Billy Bigelow (Gordon MacRae) sings the "My Boy Bill" soliloquy on the beach. At one minute, seventeen seconds into the song, four jets fly over in formation in the upper left of the frame. This scene was filmed on the beach near Paradise Cove, Malibu, California, in 1955, when there were several operating Navy and Marine military bases in southern California. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in King of the Movies (1978). See more » |
| Soundtracks | The Carousel Waltz See more » |
| Crazy Credits | A star hurtles downward and explodes in mid-air; out of this appears the credit "Twentieth Century-Fox presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel". The other credits all appear in a straightforward fashion. See more » |
| Quotes |
[last lines]
Dr. Selden: [at Louise's graduation ceremony] It's the custom at these graduations to pick out some old duck like me to preach at the kids. Well, I can't preach at you. I know you all too well. I brought most of you into the world, rubbed linament on your backs, poured castor oil down your throats. I only hope that now I got you this far that you'll turn out to be worth all the trouble I took with you. I - I can't tell you any sure way to happiness. I only know that you've gotta go out and find it for yourselves. You can't lean on the success of your parents. That's their success. And don't be held back by their failures. Billy Bigelow: [to Louise] Listen to him. Believe him. Dr. Selden: Makes no difference what they did or didn't do. You just stand on your own two feet. The world belongs to you as much as to the next fella, so don't give it up. And try not to be scared of people not liking you, just you try liking them. And just keep your faith, and your courage, and you'll turn out all right. It's like what we used to sing every morning when I was a boy. Maybe you still sing it: "When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high." You know that one? Singers at graduation: [singing] And don't be afraid of the dark. [they continue with the rest of the song] Billy Bigelow: [to Louise, as the singing is still going on] Believe him, darling. Believe. [Louise joins in the singing, and puts her arm around the girl sitting next to her, who reciprocates] Billy Bigelow: [Walks over to Julie] I loved you, Julie. Know that I loved you. [Julie smiles and joins in singing. As the song reaches its climax, Billy and the Heavenly Friend walk away from the graduation and up a hill. Billy then takes a last look toward the schoolyard and follows the Heavenly Friend] Singers at graduation: [singing] Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart/ And you'll never walk alone,/ You'll never walk alone! See more » |