#ross hunter

Juanita Moore with Ross Hunter, the producer of IMITATION OF LIFE (1959), and her friend Sammy Davis Jr. Sammy who stopped by the set for a visit.

A budget report for the 1959 Universal-International/Michael Gordon romantic comedy Pillow Talk, including rare details and behind the scenes photos related to production of the movie. The script for the movie had been bouncing around Hollywood since the 1940s but wasn't made until Doris Day's husband Martin "Marty" Melcher purchased it and sold it to Universal with the proviso that it be a starring vehicle for his wife. It's of interest to note that the title used for the budget report was Any Way the Wind Blows, which also happened to be the title of a song Melcher was about to publish and which Doris recorded shortly before the movie began filming. Melcher wanted to tie-in the song with the picture and make more money, but producer Ross Hunter (pictured above with Day and Melcher) reverted back to the script's original title Pillow Talk once the movie was completed, prompting Marty to produce a new title song recorded by his wife (Melcher, it should be noted, though protective and kind to Doris on the surface, treated her behind the scenes as nothing more than his personal cash cow, signing her to movies, record deals and TV shows without her knowledge or approval while embezzling millions of dollars she'd earned with bad investments, which Day only found out about following Marty's death in 1968). Rock Hudson, under contract with Universal at the time, was offered and turned down the role of "Brad" in Pillow Talk three times, unsure if he could do comedy and also believing that the script was too risqué. After Doris personally spoke with him and requested that he reconsider, Rock consulted with director Michael Gordon (the grandfather of actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who explained to him that "comedy is the most serious tragedy in the world. Play it that way and you can't go wrong. If you ever think of yourself as funny, you haven't got a chance". Producer Ross Hunter (who, like Hudson, was gay) also assured him that he'd be in good hands, culminating in Rock agreeing to accept the part on the condition that young actor Nick Adams be given a small role (Adams was then hastily cast to replace The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis star Dwayne Hickman as "Tony" in the film, though Hickman's name is still mentioned in the above budget report). Ross Hunter, who ran lavish sets and catered to his star's every need, hired designer Jean Louis to create a glamorous wardrobe for Doris Day, telling her: "You are sexy, Doris, and it's about time you dealt with it. If you allow me to get Jean Louis to do your clothes, I mean a really sensational wardrobe that will show off that wild fanny of yours, and get some wonderful makeup on you, and chic you up and get a great hairdo that lifts you, why, every secretary and every housewife will say, 'Look at that—look what Doris has done to herself. Maybe I can do the same thing!'". Though it's often reported that Hunter spent $200,000 on Day's costumes (a figure likely arising from press confusion regarding gems ~loaned~ by Laykin et Cie for Doris to wear in the film), the actual budget reflects a vastly more modest amount, with $38,900 spent on wardrobe for the ~entire~ cast. Day's costuming for Pillow Talk is itemized in the above budget at $11,595 and states that the montage segment, featuring six outfit changes, would be "Doris Day's own clothes" and the most costly items listed being one "reversible coat" costing $1,090 and "accessories and undergarments" costing $2,500. It's of interest to note that Doris Day and Rock Hudson were both paid the same amount for their work in the film ($250,000 each), which was almost unheard of at the time as male stars usually received larger salaries, a practice that remains all too common today. Co-star Tony Randall was paid $35,000, Thelma Ritter was paid $30,000, and Nick Adams (replacing Dwayne Hickman) was paid $1,750. Made for $1,897,000, Pillow Talk became a box office smash and banked $18,750,000 for the studio, leading to two additional films produced by Universal pairing Doris and Rock, Lover Come Back in 1961 and Send Me No Flowers in 1964.

George Kennedy and producer Ross Hunter on the set of The Lost Horizon (1973)

Doris and Ross Hunter enjoying some candy while filming Midnight Lace.

pillow talk |1959|

For this week's Throwback Thursday, Jen invites Darren Herczeg to Shangri-La to talk about the movie that killed Ross Hunter's producing career, the incredibly ill-conceived musical version of LOST HORIZON. Hear the whole episode free at our Patreon!

This is the voice of Nico Päffgen, this is the voice of the sad woman from Cologne - art by Ross Hunter (Instagram handle: rosshunter_64)