April 4, 1963 –
The musical comedy film, based on the Broadway musical of the same name, Bye, Bye Birdie, directed by George Sidney and starring Janet Leigh, Dick Van Dyke, Ann-Margret, Maureen Stapleton, Bobby Rydell, Jesse Pearson, and Ed Sullivan, debuted on this date.
Director George Sidney was so taken with the talent of Ann-Margret that when the film was edited he went to Columbia’s executives and proposed the opening and closing bumpers that would showcase her. They refused to pay for any additional filming, so Sidney rented the studio and crew at his own expense. He then asked the composer and lyricist to come up with a title song. He filmed Ann-Margret’s skirt-flipping, hair-tossing rendition of that song six months after principal photography was completed — at a cost of $60,000, which was repaid to Sidney after the movie. And Ann-Margret became a sensation.
The Haus of Dcaligari 