Skirts Ahoy!

Skirts Ahoy! is a 1952 MGM musical film directed by Sidney Lanfield and starring Esther Williams, Vivian Blaine and Joan Evans. It was shot in Technicolor.[2] The film follows the adventures of several women who join the WAVES with sequences filmed on location at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. It also features the film debut of Billy Eckstine.

Skirts Ahoy!
Original film poster
Directed bySidney Lanfield
Produced byJoe Pasternak
Written byIsobel Lennart
StarringEsther Williams
CinematographyWilliam Mellor
Edited byCotton Warburton
Release date
September 8, 1952
Running time
109 mins.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2,003,000[1]
Box office$4,049,000[1]

Cast

Bobba and Kathy Tongay, better known as the Aquatots, made an uncredited cameo appearance in the movie. Kathy was murdered by their father in 1953; Bobba became a lifeguard in Miami in adulthood.

Production

In March 1951 MGM announced that Isobel Lennart was writing Skirts Ahoy! for Esther Williams, Vic Damone and Vera-Ellen with Joe Pasternak producing. Williams would make the movie following Texas Carnival.[3]

By July the film was going to star Williams, Sally Forest (replacing Vera Ellen) and Viviane Blaine. Blaine was going to take a leave of absence from the Broadway production of Guys and Dolls.[4] Sidney Lanfield signed to direct.[5] Then Forest was out of the film.[6] Keefe Brasselle replaced Vic Damone.[7]

Filming started September 1951.

Reception

Box Office

According to MGM records the film earned $2,585,000 in the US and Canada[8] and $1,464,000 overseas, resulting in a profit of $342,000.[1]

References
  1. The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/skirts-ahoy%21-v45039
  3. "Drama: 'Skirts Ahoy' Shaped for Sparkling Trio". Los Angeles Times. Jan 19, 1951. p. 18.
  4. "MOVIELAND BRIEFS". Los Angeles Times. July 4, 1951. p. A2.
  5. "Drama: Brando, Clift Sought Anew as Costars". Los Angeles Times. 12 July 1951. p. B9.
  6. Hopper, Hedda (July 14, 1951). "Francis, Talking Mule, to Try New Adventure: Looking at Hollywood". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. a2.
  7. "FULLER PLANNING OWN PRODUCTIONS". New York Times. Aug 3, 1951. p. 11.
  8. 'Top Box-Office Hits of 1952', Variety, January 7, 1953


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