The
U.S. Airforce wants to erect a gigantic missile base at the top of a mountain in Tennessee called Big Smoky.
One problem: the mountain is owned by a wary hillbilly moonshiner, named Pappy Tatum, who is afraid these are Revenuers coming to take away his still. Aided by his wife, two daughters, and nephew, Jodie (played by Elvis), Tatum manages to ward off the intruders. The Air Force comes up with a plan. They know of a young enlisted man who was born in Big Smoky whom they think will be able to make more headway with the hillbillies. The young Lieutenant,Josh Morgan(also Elvis), and his Captain (Jack Albertson) are sent Tennessee to get Pappy's permission to lease the property. When the two officers and their squadron arrive,they are captured by the Tatums. Everyone is amazed to see that Lt. Morgan and Jodie Tatum are the "spit and image" of one another... with one exception-one is blond and one is dark. As they come to find out, Josh's great-aunt had married a Tatum, which they happily decide has made them kissin' cousins!
Yvonne began her study of the art of ballet. While dancing in a Christmas show, Craig
caught the eye of prima ballerina Alexandra Danilova. Danilova was so impressed, she had
Yvonne audition for George Balanchine of the School of American Ballet - and Fergei J.
Denham of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Both companies excepted her, and Craig
chose the Ballet Russe. Yvonne was one of the youngest members there, being only 16. In
1957, Craig left the Ballet Russe and went to the Eugene Loring School in Los Angeles.
Earlier while at the Ballet Russe, Yvonne had been approached by a few Hollywood
producers if she was interested in acting. Craig’s response was no since she was a dancer,
but after she left Ballet Russe her answer was yes.
Yvonne’s first film was 1957’s
The Young Land. After doing her next film, Eighteen and Anxious, Craig
got to dance with Bing Crosby in High Time ( 1960 ). Soon after,
Yvonne married Jimmy Boyd, but the marriage only lasted 2 years. After doing films such
as Gidget and By Love Possessed ; Craig was chosen to star in 2 films with
Elvis Presley. Yvonne’s first movie with The King was It Happened at the World’s
Fair, and portrayed the role of Dorothy Johnson.
While filming, Presley and Craig had
a brief romance. Kissin’ Cousins was her second Elvis movie. This
time
played Azalea Tatum.
In the late 1960s, Yvonne began appearing on television shows such as “Star Trek”, “It Takes a Thief”, and in her most famous as Batgirl on the popular 1966 series “Batman”. In the seventies Craig wasn’t in many films since she refused bikini roles, so she tried her hand at coproducing. Yvonne then went into real estate business. In 1988, Craig married real-estate developer, Kenneth Aldrich . Craig’s latest film was 1990’s Diggin’ Up Business. Yvonne recently wrote her autobiography, entitled From Ballet to the Batcave and Beyond.
Click here to see my Yvonne Craig autograph.
which won
him an Oscar nomination. After Anatomy of a
Murder,
Arthur
co-starred in movies such as The Great Imposter and Pocket Full of
Miracles. Interestingly, the latter also featured
other Elvis alumni: Hope Lange (Wild in the Country and Ann-Margret(Viva, Las Vegas).
Established as a character actor, O’Connell was just right to portray Elvis’s father in two films: 1962’s Follow That Dream and Kissin Cousins in 1964. Following his Elvis flicks, Arthur starred in many other films, but in the seventies he had to start cutting back on his acting because he had an illness. Despite his illness, he continue to be very active as a commercial spokesman for a popular toothpaste.
On May 18, 1981, in Woodland Hills California, Arthur O’Connell died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
Click here to see my Arthur O'Connell autograph.
the starring role,
but the success of the series did not last long, therefore, the show lasted only a year.
Following her appearance in the 1963 movie Take Her, She’s Mine with James Stewart and Sandra Dee, Pepper was chosen to co-star in Elvis Presley’s next film Kissin Cousins. Cynthia played Corporal Midge Riley, the main love interest of the “Blonde Elvis”. As Corporal Riley, Pepper got to do a few judo throws on Elvis and is probably the only Presley leading lady to be refered to as “pretty as a speckled pup.”
Throughout the 60’s, Cynthia appeared on such television series as Perry Mason and The Addams Family. To date, Pepper’s last acting appearance was in 1979 when she appeared in the TV movie Crisis in Mid-Air. Today, Cynthia appears at autograph shows and some Elvis gatherings with his other leading ladies.
Click here to see my Cynthia Pepper autographs.
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