in everybody. Cast Tommy Kirk as Merlin Jones Annette Funicello as Jennifer Leon Ames as Judge Holmsby/Lex Fortas Stuart Erwin as Police Captain Loomis Alan Hewitt as Professor Shattuck Connie Gilchrist as Mrs. Gossett Dallas McKennon as Detective Hutchins Norm Grabowski as Norman Production Though the film credits story credits to "Tom and Helen August", the names are pseudonyms for Alfred Lewis Levitt and Helen Levitt, who were blacklisted in Hollywood. Tommy Kirk and Annette Funicello had previously starred in two films for Disney made for US television, but released theatrically in other markets, The Horsemasters and Escapade in Florence. This was originally made for television, but Disney decided to release it theatrically. However, Disney has never officially stated whether this film was initially two episodes of a planned television series, but at least one critic, Eugene Archer, of The New York Times, wrote upon its release: Movies made for television are commonplace these days, but the idea of screening television shows in movie theaters is still farfetched. Who is expected to spend the $2? Strange as it sounds, this seems to be the explanation behind Walt Disney's latest hit, The Misadventures of Merlin Jones. It is a pastiche of two separate stories with the same set of characters, each running less than an hour (leaving time for commercials), stitched together in the middle and released yesterday in neighborhood theaters. Filming took place in January 1963. In March 1963, NBC was pleased with Annette Funicello that they wanted Disney to make two more films with the same character. It appears that Disney then decided to release the movie theatrically. Reception Critical Eugene Archer of The New York Times panned the film as "cheap situation comedy" and "the kind of picture usually dismissed by shrugging, 'Well, at least the kids will like it'. Unless that is, your children happen to be bright". Box office Although critics were not impressed, audiences seemed to love it, as the film grossed over $4 million in North America, surprising even Disney. E. Carton Walker, Disney's vice president in charge of advertising commented that "nobody knows what a picture will do. Merlin Jones grossed $4 million... and surprised everybody". It made enough money to encourage a sequel in 1965. References External links 1964 films 1960s science fiction comedy films American science fiction comedy films Walt Disney Pictures films Films directed by Robert Stevenson Films produced by