Ski Party | 1965
90 min. | color | AIP | released: june 30, 1965
Todd Armstrong (Frankie Avalon) and Craig Gamble (Dwayne Hickman) go on a co-ed ski trip over midterm vacation in hopes of getting Linda Hughes (Deborah Walley) and Barbara Norris (Yvonne Craig) to be their steady girlfriends. The only trouble is, neither Todd nor Craig knows how to ski. The two steal a couple wigs and become English foreign exchange students, Jane and Nora, so they can take part in the girl’s ski class. Jane and Nora become good friends with Barbara and Linda and are taught a lot of useful information regarding the opposite sex.
Todd and Craig realize that if they plan to get anywhere with the girls, they’re going to have to pretend to be interested in other girls. Todd sets his sites on Nita Elksberg (Bobbi Shaw), the curvaceous, Swedish ski instructor, which instantly ignites a spark of jealousy in Linda. Craig however is not so lucky. In his Nora disguise he attracts the attention of Freddie Carter (Aron Kincaid), the big-man-on-campus whom all the girls are in love with. Freddie, who has become bored with women throwing themselves at him, can’t get enough of this mysterious British girl who wants nothing to do with him. When Freddie’s charm finally overwhelms Nora and Craig returns to the room wearing Freddie’s fraternity pin, Todd decides it’s time to leave. They take a taxi 900 miles back to Los Angeles with Freddie, Barbara and Linda, and the rest of the gang in hot pursuit. They arrive at the beach in time to hear The Hondells version of “Ski Party” and “The Gasser”. “Ski Party” is a fun movie with a lot of gorgeous winter scenery. A sequel, “Cruise Party”, is promised at the very end, but sadly never materialized.
Also along for the ride are:
- James Brown and the Famous Flames play the ski patrol and perform “I Feel Good”.
- Lesley Gore sings “Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows”.
- Robert Q. Lewis plays Mr. Pevney, the mentally unstable manager of the ski lodge. In “Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine”, five months later, the name Mr. Pevney was recycled, but the character was played by Fred Clark. The names Todd Armstrong and Craig Gamble were also re-used only Frankie played Craig and Dwayne played Todd.
- Watch for AIP regulars Steve Rogers, Patti Chandler, Salli Sachse, Mike Nader, Mary Hughes, Mickey Dora, Luree Holmes and Ed Garner.
- Dick Miller plays a cab driver.
- Annette Funicello makes a cameo playing college professor, Sonya Roberts, who teaches a class entitled “Fun Without Sex”.
- Dell Comics published a “Ski Party” comic book. Check it out here