Miniskirts and Movies

On April 10, 1967, Inger Stevens attended the 39th Academy Awards ceremony. The event was hosted by Bob Hope at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. I believe Mr. Hope hosted a whopping 19 Oscar ceremonies during his lifetime!

Inger bucked tradition of long evening gowns in favor of a minidress ensemble. She looked radiantly happy and absolutely gorgeous.

Inger at the Academy Awards. Photo by Gene Lester.

In The Farmer's Daughter Remembered, author William T. Patterson writes that Inger was asked to accept an award for the film Born Free if it should win at the ceremony that year. In preparation, Inger watched the film (and with friend Chris, waited in the theater until everyone had left because the film made her cry so much.)

Inger was interested in wearing something a little different to this year's ceremony and asked her friend and wardrobe designer Katy Theodore for advice. When Katy suggested a mini skirt, Inger answered that she could not wear a miniskirt, that she would be too afraid to go with something that untraditional. Katy told her to trust her, that the ensemble she would make for her would make her look and feel incredible; Inger reluctantly agreed.

Inger and Dick McKenzie at the ceremony.
Source: Flickr (kategabrielle)

Inger was a hit that evening and she did indeed look as incredible as Katy promised. Along with the minidress and cape, Inger wore silver stockings, white gloves and carried a matching purse. Although the cameramen loved Inger's look, the show's producers were worried about Inger coming on stage in the outfit. Born Free did not end up winning the award so their fears were not realized. Inger was not the only celebrity to test out the minidress look that night; Julie Christie also showed up in a miniskirt.

Inger at the Academy Awards.
Source: https://fanpix.famousfix.com/

Although it was a cold evening (reportedly only 45 degrees) and Inger later confided that although she enjoyed all the attention she ultimately felt uncomfortable in the dress, Inger glows in the photographs. Inger took an art dealer friend named Dick McKenzie as her escort and he looked quite handsome as well.

As a result of Inger and Julie Christie's short dresses and the controversy over the attention they received, the next year miniskirts were banned from the ceremony! Edith Head, famed designer and special advisor to the Academy, issued a formal ban on any attendees wearing miniskirts as she stated that even the nicest legs "look better when the kneecap is covered."

Inger at the 39th Academy Awards.
Source: Margaret HerrickLibrary Digital Collections.
http://digitalcollections.oscars.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15759coll9/id/1518

MPTV Images has a great photo of Inger at the Awards. Click here for that photo.

And Getty Images has my absolute favorite photo of Inger from that night. Inger is walking outside holding the program over her head and it looks like she is speaking to someone off camera. Click here for that photo.

Sources:
Patterson, William T. The Farmer's Daughter Remembered. 2000. p. 158-159.
Bader, Jenny Lyn. "Ideas & Treads; The Miniskirt as a National Security Threat." The New York Times. September 10, 2000.

The Farmer's Daughter: The Washington Spotlight

The Farmer's Daughter
Season 1, Episode 6: The Washington Spotlight
Originally aired October 25, 1963

Congressman Morley wants more national exposure and yearns for the visibility a spot on the television show Washington DC Spotlight could provide.

Morley says that host Mark Willard (Harry Townes) "baits his guests...puts them on the hook and makes them dangle...somebody will tell him off one of these days."

When she learns that Glenn might be courageous enough to go up against Mark Willard, Katy begins plotting. Mark Willard's show conveniently ends up with a cancelled slot and Willard, who has just received a persuasive letter from Katy about the congressman, immediately invites Morley to be his guest.

Over breakfast and newspaper reading, Katy, Agatha, and Cooper pressure Congressman Morley to aid a soldier who has gone AWOL to protect his soon-to-be-deported wife Tina. Before the show's taping, the AWOL soldier Private Clifford Morgan (Jan Stine) and his wife Tina (Tsuruko Kobayashi) appear at the Morley house asking for Glenn Morley's help. Katy is touched by their romance and promises to help them.

Katy seeks help for the couple but is turned down by the Department of Military Projects, Department of Civilian Projects and Department of Combined Projects. She ends up at the Department of Combined Appeals where we see the lovable, humming Mr. Collins (Bob Jellison) whom we saw in the second episode of the season. Katy asks for Mr. Collins' advice on the situation and Collins says that Congressman Morley is the only person who can help the couple.

Glen refuses to let son Steve appear on television because he's sporting a black eye and will be bad for Morley's image. Katy says she isn't interested in being on television if Steve is not allowed. As they are getting ready for the shoot, Mark Willard takes a break outside the home and finds Private Morgan and his wife. When they tell him Morley is going to help them, Willard realizes he has quite a hot story on his hands.

Glen handles questions well until Willard starts quizzes him on his "own private foreign aid" and reveals the couple on live television. Katy begins to explain the situation but becomes camera shy and switches to the Swedish language.

Glen becomes fed up with the spectacle and confronts the television host live on the program:

Mr. Willard, I accepted your invitation because it gave me an opportunity to discuss some political issues in which I strongly believe. Instead you have pried into personal matters and deeply embarrassed two young people. Young lovers, Mr. Willard, caught in a desperate situation needing help and understanding. But you have preferred to ignore the plight of these youngsters and concentrate on holding me up to ridicule merely because I hold public office. Well, I refuse to be baited any longer, Mr. Willard. I refuse to dangle from your hook and for my closing remark tonight may I say that I think you are a disgrace to your profession.

Katy looks on with more admiration than one can describe. After it is over, she says:

I have never seen you more beautiful, Mr. Morley.

The next morning Congressman Morley is praised by columnists for his willingness to speak his mind with dignity and the President is aiding Private Morgan and his wife.

Production Notes 

In Eddie Foy, III's Day Out of Days Schedules, The Washington Spotlight is listed as Production # 3803 and the report was typed on August 7, 1963.

Schedule Days: 4
Producer: Peter Kortner
Director: William Russell
Associate Director: Herb Wallerstein

The cast rehearsed on August 12th and filmed August 13th through August 15th. The character list for the shoot includes regulars Katy (Inger Stevens), Glen (William Windom), Cooper (Philip Coolidge), Steve (Mickey Sholdar), Danny (Rory O'Brien), and Agatha (with actress Cathleen Nesbitt back after not being in episodes 4 or 5). All regulars reported for 1 day of rehearsal and 3 days of shooting.

Guest stars Harry Townes (as Willard), Jan Stine (as the soldier), and Tsuruko Kobayashi (as Tina) all rehearsed 1 day and shot for 2 days. The characters of Senator (William Lally), Assistant (Dick Wilson), First Technician (John Christopher) and Second Technician (George Mather) are all listed as being on set for 1 day only. Oddly, actor Bob Jellison (who reprised his role as Mr. Collins from the second episode) is not listed on this schedule.

The Farmer's Daughter: An Affair of State

The Farmer's Daughter
Season 1, Episode 5: An Affair of State
Originally aired October 18, 1963

Katy catches the eye of an out-of-towner Ali (Nico Minardos) when she continuously interrupts a Lincoln Memorial tour to correct the guide (Charles Nelson Reilly) on his facts. Ali and Katy make a date for the evening, but their plans change when Congressman Morley needs to go out to a dinner to discuss oil lease negotiations with the Shah of Iraq. Morley needs Katy to stay at home with the boys so Katy, determined to keep her date, invites Ali over. She prepares a nice meal and while she's basting her roast, Ali sneaks and spikes her drink with an entire bottle of alcohol.

On his way to dinner, Glen Morley is reading a newspaper article about the Shah, who has 15 wives and has brought 3 of them to America and realizes that the man in the picture is the very same man alone in his house with Katy. Senator Ames (David Lewis) and Morley are upset that the Shah skipped out on the important dinner and insulted the president. They call Ambassador Bati (Leon Belasco) to get involved and all arrive at the Morley house to find Katy drunk and entertaining a marriage proposal from Ali, now knowing he is the Shah.

The next day, however, Katy is clearheaded and back to her usual assertive self. She refuses to go to the Shah's suite, so Ambassador Bati gets involved.

Ambassador Bati: You don't seem to understand. This is not an invitation. This is a command. In my country a woman has not the right to refuse his highness anything.

Katy: That may be so in Iraq, but in America a girl can say no.

In response to Katy's refusal to wed him, the Shah backs out of oil negotiations. When secretary Philip Coolidge lets her know that the loss of oil will be a defeat for Congressman Morley and that he will lose the esteem of his colleagues, Katy decides to go along with the Shah for Morley's sake. Katy goes to the Shah's suite and meets his three wives and is told that their duty as wives is to serve their master. Katy tells the wives that they shouldn't hide their beauty behind veils and that they shouldn't allow the Shah to take their children and have them be raised by others.

Then Katy puts on an exaggerated performance as an ecstatic future wife of the Shah. Knowing that Ali will not want anything to do with an assertive woman eager for change, Katy tells him that she can't wait to be his queen so she can donate his money to schools and homes for the poor, write a new constitution, have free elections, unions, institute divorce and establish equal rights for women.

Ali has Katy dragged out of his suite, agrees to the oil deal and returns to Iran as quickly as possible. With her clever performance, Katy scores another win for an unknowing Congressman Morley.

Inger with Nico Minardos. Scan from my collection.

Production Notes

In Eddie Foy, III's Day Out of Days Schedules, An Affair of State is listed as Production # 3807 and the report was typed on June 13, 1963.

Schedule Days: 5
Producer: Peter Kortner
Director: Don Taylor
Associate Director: Don Gold

An Affair of State required 2 days of rehearsal on June 17th through 18th and 3 days of shooting from June 19th through 21st.

Katy (Inger Stevens), Glen (William Windom) and Cooper (Philip Coolidge) reported all 5 days., Steve (Mickey Sholdar) and Senator Ames (David Lewis) worked 4 days. Ambassador (Leon Belasco) and Ali's three wives (including Margarita Cordova) were on set shooting just one day on June 21. The notes also mark Charles Nelson Reilly's one day shooting in Washington, D.C. Ali (Nico Minardos) is listed as on set 6 days. Minardos spent 1 day rehearsing, 4 days shooting, and one day idle.

The Farmer's Daughter: An Enterprising Young Man

The Farmer's Daughter
Season 1, Episode 4: An Enterprising Young Man
Originally aired October 11, 1963

General Todd (Walter Abel) and Lieutenant Tenner (Gilligan Island's Bob Denver) are staying at the Morley household to reminisce about the old days when Congressman Morley served as a Colonel. The general is in town to testify about secret military legal matters.

Steven has started the Future Pioneers of Outer Space Social Athletic Club with his friends at school and is working on the club's constitution. General Todd advises Steven in his creation of the constitution and invites Katy to be in on the conversation, but Katy quickly begins to argue with the General.

General: The leader is more important than document.

Katy: If there's a good document, people can throw out bad leadership.

General: If leadership can be thrown out, it is not leadership.

Katy: Wrong! Leaders must answer to people, not people to leaders.

The general grows angry after having his authority questioned in front of Steven and storms out of the room. Soon everyone notices that the general doesn't look well and he is diagnosed with Measles.

The Morley boys admire General Todd and go marching around the house stating that people should never question their leader. Katy confronts General Todd about teaching the boys how to be "tyrants" and when he tries to order her around, the always upfront Katy responds:

You do not order me!

Congressman Morley tells Katy that General Todd has changed since he once knew him and that he's disappointed in the general. Lieutenant Tenner informs them that General Todd is not in DC to testify in a case, but is actually there for disciplinary action. Tenner explains that all of General Todd's angry, autocratic behavior stems from a rift with his only son whom he loves very much.

As he's getting ready to take his oath as president of the Future Pioneers of Outer Space Social Athletic Club, Steven says that his friends will just have to accept his rule. This speech doesn't go over well with his buddies and Steven is impeached before his presidency truly begins. After realizing the error of his ways, General Todd tells Steven:

Keep growing the right way...go back to your club members and apologize...Say you're sorry. I'm sorry. Son, no man is an authority to himself. He has to answer to someone. Always.

Production Notes

In Eddie Foy, III's Day Out of Days Schedules, An Enterprising Young Man is listed as Production # 3809 and the report was typed on July 19, 1963.
Schedule Days: 4
Producer: Peter Kortner
Director: William Russell
Associate Director: Herb Wallerstein

The cast rehearsed on July 23rd and filmed July 24th through July 26th. The character list for the shoot includes Katy, Glen, Cooper, Steve, Danny, Todd, Tenner, and Major Stark (played by Gilbert Green, who was the only cast member needed for just one day's shoot .)

Only Girl in "Devil" Film

When asked about being the only girl on the set of the film The World, The Flesh and the Devil which only had a 3-person cast, Inger responded:

I love it, but not for the usual reasons. When the cast of a picture is as compact as ours, the feeling of dramatic intensity which we need and desire is always predominant on the set...something like doing a stage play or a 'live' television show.

Director Ronald MacDougall remarked:

As far as I can remember no theatrical people have ever been exposed to such a story. Inger will emerge from the picture as one of Hollywood's most important stars. When she arrives in New York, she is lonely, frightened and disillusioned. But as her character becomes accustomed to being alone, he grows in strength and position.

Source: 
Pam, Jerry. "Inger Stevens Only Girl in 'Devil' Film." The Valley Times. May 16, 1959.

Where to Watch Inger Online

This list certainly does not include everything on the internet, but it is a whole lot of Inger if you are home and needing a lovely distraction from the current pandemic.

Inger on Internet Archive (FREE)

Lark Commercials on The Farmer's Daughter (tv commercials): Link
Armstrong Circle Theatre: The Contender (tv): Link

Inger on Youtube (FREE)

The Borgia Stick (tv movie): Link
Madigan (film): Link
Bonanza: The Newcomers (tv): Link
The Dick Powell Show: The Price of Tomatoes (tv): Link
Hong Kong: Pearl Flower (tv): Link
1956 screentest with James Drury (tv): Link
Inger at the 38th Academy Awards (tv): Link
Commercial for Vel (tv): Link
Clip of Inger with Paul Newman in Thunder of Silence (tv): Link

Inger on Daily Motion (FREE)

Alfred Hitchcock Hour: Forecast: Low Clouds and Coastal Fog (tv): Link
House of Cards (film): Link 1 and Link 2

Inger on Hulu (with subscription; www.hulu.com)

Twilight Zone: The Hitchhiker (tv)
Twilight Zone: The Lateness of the Hour (tv)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: My Brother, Richard (tv)

Inger on Amazon Prime (with subscription; www.amazon.com/Prime-Video)

Route 66: The Beryllium Eater (tv)
Route 66: Burning for Burning (tv)

Bing's New Leading Lady

Parade West Coast correspondent Lloyd Shearer met with twenty-two-year-old Inger Stevens to discuss her role as Bing Crosby's love interest in Inger's first motion picture Man on Fire. Shearer describes Inger in the following way:

...Inger remains herself. She wears little makeup, looks more like a coed than an actress who studied under Lee Strasberg of the Actors' Studio in New York. She speaks openly and honestly in simple sentences; she dresses in uncolorful clothes; she lives modestly in a small Westwood apartment, owns no automobile and says candidly, 'Although I'm earning $600 a week, I'm not too crazy about Hollywood.'

When the topic changes to Inger being a bit unreadable, especially as starlets go. Inger responds:

I'm a mixture of many heritages and environments. In particular, the environmental changes I've made have always been drastic. I'm sure they've affected my personality. 

Producer Sol Siegel happened to see Inger in a television production and felt she would be perfect in the role of Nina Wylie opposite his partner Bing. Siegel recalls:

I was also told she was one terrific actress and that she was under contract to my old studio, Paramount. So, I gave her a test. I liked her. Then I discussed her with Bing.

In the interview, Inger talks about the film but mostly she talks about Bing, with whom she was smitten at the time:

The first day of rehearsals I was so nervous I thought he'd fire me. Instead, he was very quiet. I found out later that Bing Crosby takes a good deal of knowing. He weighs things very carefully. He's cautious. If he likes someone, he opens up. But this takes time. He's extremely likable and an extremely fine actor. Essentially, he's an instinctive actor who doesn't realize how good he really is. He's not impressed with himself at all. The one thing that bothers him in front of a camera is a lot of takes. He gets stale quickly. The first take is usually the best for him.

I'd been on the film two days when I had to go to the hospital for an appendectomy. When I came back, Bing greeted me like an old friend. We'd all have tea at 4 o'clock, just sit around and talk. I've dated him several times and for an actor he's unusual. He doesn't like to talk about himself. He's extremely well-read and interested in more subjects than show business. He knows so much about politics, sports, painters and writers you wouldn't believe it. He's one of the most well-rounded gentlemen I've ever met. After you go out with Bing, you're spoiled for young men, of, say 25 or 26.

Right now I consider myself a very fortunate girl. I'm doing what I like best—acting. In Man on Fire I play a lawyer's secretary who saves Bing Crosby from making a lot of mistakes. In the end we wind up together. It's a good part, but the picture is basically a Crosby vehicle. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my young life playing opposite Bing. I hope I'm lucky enough to do it again.

Source: Shearer, Lloyd. "Bing's New Leading Lady." The San Bernardino County Sun. June 16, 1957. 
Note: The two photos featured in this post were included with the original article.