Doctor Dolittle Overview:

Doctor Dolittle (1967) was a Adventure - Comedy Film directed by Richard Fleischer and produced by Arthur P. Jacobs and Mort Abrahams.

Academy Awards 1967 --- Ceremony Number 40 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: Mario Chiari, Jack Martin Smith, Ed Graves; Set Decoration: Walter M. Scott, StuarNominated
Best CinematographyRobert SurteesNominated
Best Film EditingSamuel E. Beetley, Marjorie FowlerNominated
Best Music - ScoringLeslie BricusseNominated
Best Music - ScoringLionel Newman, Alexander CourageNominated
Best Music - SongMusic and Lyrics by Leslie BricusseWon
Best PictureArthur P. Jacobs, ProducerNominated
.

BlogHub Articles:

Film Albums: Doctor Dolittle ( 1967 ) - The Mike Sammes Singers

By The Metzinger Sisters on Jul 30, 2022 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

When Doctor Dolittle was released in 1967, 20th Century Fox studios thought it would have received a much better box-office reception than it did. In fact, they were not the only ones who thought so. The music was so beautiful that The Lawrence Welk Show featured an episode that included many of the... Read full article


From the Archives: Doctor Dolittle ( 1967 )

By The Metzinger Sisters on Oct 12, 2020 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

Rex Harrison performed with a number of different actresses throughout his long career but he probably never expected to act with this fine lady. In this scene from Doctor Dolittle ( 1967 ), Sophie is posing as a baby in order to be smuggled out of the circus so that the kindly doctor could return h... Read full article


Musical Monday: Doctor Dolittle (1967)

on Jan 13, 2020 From Comet Over Hollywood

It?s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals. In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals. This week?s musical: Doctor Dolittle (1967) ? Mus... Read full article


TV/Movie Set : Doctor Dolittle ( 1967 )

By The Metzinger Sisters on Oct 14, 2014 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

For this edition of TV/Movie sets we will be looking at the beautiful home of Dr. John Dolittle, known to his friends simply as Doctor Dolittle or "that maahvelous man". Rex Harrison was the titular star in the extravagant 1967 musical based on the children's classic by Hugh Dowling. Dolittle was on... Read full article


TV/Movie Set : Doctor Dolittle ( 1967 )

By The Metzinger Sisters on Oct 14, 2014 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

For this edition of TV/Movie sets we will be looking at the beautiful home of Dr. John Dolittle, known to his friends simply as Doctor Dolittle or "that maahvelous man". Rex Harrison was the titular star in the extravagant 1967 musical based on the children's classic by Hugh Dowling. Dolittle was on... Read full article


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Quotes from

Matthew: [after the shipwreck when they are locked up on the floating island] You know, bein' is prison is much the same as being on a boat. Except in prison there's less chance of drowning.


Emma Fairfax: What are you trying to say?
Dr. Dolittle: What?
Emma Fairfax: I mean, why don't you say what you mean?
Dr. Dolittle: What do you mean, say what I mean?
Emma Fairfax: [singing] For a month or more/I have listened and dreamed/While the moon has glistened and a million stars have gleamed/Waiting/
Dr. Dolittle: Waiting?
Emma Fairfax: Waiting/
Dr. Dolittle: What for?
Emma Fairfax: What for!/For a man I know who is clever and kind/But a man who never, ever seems to know his mind/Waiting/Waiting/Waiting for you to say you like me/Or hate me/Or miss me/Or kiss me/Or something/But nothing!/Nothing do you say at all!/Little wonder I feel sorely/Neglected/Unwanted/Rejected/And small/Little more than two feet tall!


Dr. Dolittle: [consulting a medical book] This fellow obviously knows what he's talking about.
Matthew: Who wrote the book, Doctor?
Dr. Dolittle: [suddenly realizing] Er... oh, *I* did.


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Facts about

"Doctor Dolittle" grew out of a massive attempt by Twentieth Century-Fox to duplicate its earlier success with The Sound of Music by producing three expensive, large-scale musicals over a period of three years, Star! and Hello, Dolly! being the others. All were released amidst massive pre-release publicity and all lost equally massive amounts of money for the studio. The result was that several top studio executives lost their jobs, and the studio itself went into such dire financial straits that it only produced one picture for the entire calendar year of 1970. In truth, it would never recoup its losses until a highly successful theatrical reissue of "The Sound of Music" in early 1973.
The films U.S. premiere was a benefit for Project HOPE (December 19, 1967) at the Loew's State Theatre in New York City. The festivities were the subject of an hour long TV show on WPIX hosted by Barry Gray. After the Chicago premiere at the Michael Todd Theatre (December 20, 1967) the Hollywood opening was held at the Paramount Theatre the following day. The L.A. premiere was a benefit for the Hollywood and Television Relief Fund and Joey Bishop taped his ABC talk show there. Sophie the Seal wearing a diamond necklace, Jip the Dog in a jeweled collar, Gub-Gub the Pig in a sequined harness and Chee-Chee the Chimp in white tie, tails & top hat all appeared at the Hollywood premiere.
Two songs were originally written for the picture, and filmed, but didn't make it to the final cut of the picture, "Where Are the Words?," sung by Anthony Newley, and "Something in Your Smile," sung by Rex Harrison. Both songs appeared on the soundtrack LP and CD, however, and the latter song may be heard under the film's opening titles.
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Best Music - Song Oscar 1967






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Also directed by Richard Fleischer




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Also produced by Arthur P. Jacobs




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Also released in 1967




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