Misfit (1965 film)

Misfit
Misfit
	Behind the scenes.
Directed by	Bob O'Donnell[1]
Produced by	Al Kuhnle[2]
Starring	Steven Jones; Warren Day; Sandra Peabody
Cinematography	Mario Delio[1]
Production; company	Empire Studios
Distributed by	Youth Films
Running time	60 minutes[3]
Country	United States
Language	English

Misfit (also known as The Misfit) is a lost 1965 American faith-based educational film directed by Bob O'Donnell. It stars Steven Jones, Warren Day, and Sandra Peabody. It follows a high school drop out (Jones), a drug addict (Peabody), and a "religious dropout" (Day) that rekindles his religion and helps the titular "misfit" find himself. Produced by Empire Studios, the film was distributed through churches, schools, penal institutions, and military bases before a worldwide release by Youth Films.[2]

Premise

A million of students drop out of high school each year. We believe part of the answer is in finding a purpose, a direction for the teenagers." — Bill Zeoli (president of Youth Films) on the film's premise[2]

Cast

The film features a cast of 24 people, only the following are sourced:

Steven Jones[1]
Warren Day, a then up-and-coming 19-year-old Hollywood, Florida actor. He had a guest appearance on the television series Flipper (1965).[4]
Sandra Peabody (as Sandy Peabody) as a teen drug addict, in her feature film debut. She would later star in another Empire Studios film, The Horse Killer (1966).[1][5]
Wendy Roberts[2]
Susan Abbott[2]
Jay Laskay[2]

Production

The film was produced by Luke Moberly's Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based production company, Empire Studios. Bob O'Donnell was hired as the director and Mario Delio as the cinematographer. The cast consisted mostly of local Broward County, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade-based teen actors. 20-year-old Steven Jones was cast in the titular "misfit" role, while Warren Day was cast as the religious teen that helps Jones' character find himself. Day was an up-and-coming 19-year-old Hollywood, Florida actor and South Broward High School graduate known at the time for his guest role on the television series Flipper (1965).[4]

80 local teen actresses auditioned for the lead female role of a teen drug addict. Sandra Peabody ultimately got the part, although she wasn't the original choice. Peabody was cast after the lead actress fell sick to a sudden ailment before filming.[6][5] This marked her acting debut. Wendy Roberts, Susan Abbott, and Jay Laskay were cast in additional supporting roles.

Filming took place in May 1965, with scenes shot in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and parts of Miami.[2]

Release history

Produced by Empire Studios, the film was distributed through churches, schools, penal institutions, and military bases before a worldwide release by Youth Films.[2][7][8] Since its 1965 release, the film has yet to be released on home media or streaming services.

References

"Teen Screen". Miami Herald. May 6, 1965. p. 75. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
"Problem of 'Dropouts' Being Filmed in Broward". Miami Herald. May 6, 1965. p. 77. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
"One-Hour Colored Film Scheduled". Fort Lauderdale News. October 23, 1965. p. 11. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
"Day In Television Debut". Fort Lauderdale News. November 5, 1965. p. 72. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
Szulkin 2000, p. 197.
Sanchez, Diane (April 22, 1965). "Business As Usual At SHS". Fort Lauderdale News. p. 69. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
"'Misfit' Film To Be Shown". Orlando Sentinel. December 3, 1965. p. 67. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
Freund, Bob (September 17, 1965). "Feature Film Scheduled At First Baptist Church". Fort Lauderdale News. p. 42. Retrieved February 12, 2021.