Alice Through the Looking Glass (1966), was a live action musical film made for television, directed by Alan Handley, and based on Lewis Carroll's 1871 novel Through the Looking-Glass. The show aired November 6, 1966 on NBC television in the United States. Bob Mackie and Ray Aghayan worked together on the costume designs, which won them an Emmy Award in 1967.
Premise[]
When Alice is lured by the Red King to magically enter her mirror into Looking Glass Land, she meets up with the White Queen and King, Humpty Dumpty, Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum, and Jabberwock for a magical, musical blend of fantasy and fun.
Cast[]
- Judi Rolin as Alice
- Roy Castle as Lester the Jester
- Robert Coote as The Red King
- Richard Denning as Alice's Father
- Jimmy Durante as Humpty Dumpty
- Agnes Moorehead as The Red Queen
- Jack Palance as Jabberwock
- Dick Smothers as Tweedledee
- Tom Smothers as Tweedledum
- Iris Adrian as Tiger Lily
- Ricardo Montalban as The White King
- Nanette Fabray as The White Queen
- Maryesther Denver as Witch from Hansel and Gretel
Trivia[]
- Producer Bob Wynn in the Sony DVD showcase extra material interview related finding Judi Rolin was their answer for the role of Alice. The actress was blond, petite, could dance, with a beautiful voice and fulfilled every aspect the difficult role required.
- Lester the Jester does not appear in Lewis Carroll's original novel. He was intended by the writers of this TV version to be inspired by the Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz", which, at the time that this "Alice" was telecast, was rapidly becoming the most popular theatrical film on television (the most famous version of that story, The Wizard of Oz (1939), was, at that time, telecast annually by CBS.)
- Jimmy Durante's Humpty Dumpty costume was constructed to hold two actors, as the Humpty Dumpty character sat upon the stone wall.
- The NBC television special concept for "Alice Through the Looking Glass" was conceived as a television scenario song and dance adaptation of the original Lewis Carroll novel turned into a fantasy immersion musical event (variety) featuring Hollywood film and television personalities.
- The special was rebroadcast by NBC on Thanksgiving Day in 1972, following the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, during which Judi Rolin rode a parade float, lip-synching to "Come Out, Wherever You Are" from the soundtrack.