Sergeant Dead Head (1965)

An astronaut goes into space with a chimpanzee. When they return to Earth after their orbit, it is discovered that the chimp has the brains of the astronaut, and the astronaut has the brains of the chimp. Complications ensue.

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writer:

Louis M. Heyward

Stars:

Frankie Avalon, Deborah Walley, Cesar Romero

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Frankie Avalon	...	Sergeant O.K. Deadhead / Sergeant Donovan
Deborah Walley	...	Airman Lucy Turner
Cesar Romero	...	Admiral Stoneham
Fred Clark	...	General Rufus Fogg
Gale Gordon	...	Captain Weiskopf
Harvey Lembeck	...	Airman McEvoy
John Ashley	...	Airman Filroy
Buster Keaton	...	Airman Blinken
Reginald Gardiner	...	Lt. Comm. Talbott
Pat Buttram	...	The President
Eve Arden	...	Lt. Charlotte Kinsey
Romo Vincent	...	Tuba Player
Donna Loren	...	Susan
Michael Nader	...	Air Policeman (as Mike Nader)
Edward Faulkner	...	Lt. Dixon (as Ed Faulkner)

Storyline

An astronaut goes into space with a chimpanzee. When they return to Earth after their orbit, it is discovered that the chimp has the brains of the astronaut, and the astronaut has the brains of the chimp. Complications ensue.

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Plot Keywords:

Astronaut | Chimp | Chimpanzee | White House | Sergeant | 

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Taglines:

It's the FUNNIEST Collection of NUTS Ever Assembled on a LAUNCHING PAD!

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 August 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sergeant Deadhead, the Astronut

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alta Vista Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Sergeant Deadhead"
Words and Music by Guy Hemric and Jerry Styner

User Reviews

Inept AIP comedy

Inept is a kind word to describe this misfire. Appalling is more accurate. For some reason, Arkoff and Nicholson decided to branch out from beach pictures, taking most of their regular cast and crew along for the ride. Frankie plays two characters again (though nowhere near as endearingly as in his Frankie/Potato Bug double role) and this time Deborah Walley is the love interest--apparently Annette had enough sense to stay out of this one. Unbelievably they are cast as lovers stationed at the same military base (this decades before the services were sexually integrated) where space missions originate. Ms. Walley's superior officer is played brassilly by the always fine Eve Arden (who sings a dreadful song mid-picture); Frankie's counterpart is the equally good Fred Clark. Gale Gordon, on sabbatical from The Beverly Hillbillies, is also along, as is Cesar Romero as an Admiral. Buster Keaton, Harvey Lembeck, John Ashley, Bobbi Shaw...how can it be BAD? Well, it is. I didn't laugh once. There is one vaguely funny scene between two military policemen but it's too short to generate any real guffaws. The songs are much worse than usual and Deke Heyward's story is unforgivably poor.