Bye Bye Birdie

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Bye Bye Birdie

G

1963

1h 52m

Musical

Comedy

Music

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

29 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

When the draft selects rock star Conrad Birdie, his fans are devastated, but none more than struggling songwriter Albert Peterson (Dick Van Dyke), whose song Birdie was just about to record. Albert's longtime girlfriend, Rosie (Janet Leigh), pushes Albert to write a new tune that Birdie will perform on television to a fan selected in a contest. The scheme works, with young Ohio teenager Kim McAfee (Ann-Margret) declared the winner, but no one has counted on the jealous wrath of her boyfriend.

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Critics Consensus

A poppy satire on pop music, Bye Bye Birdie is silly, light, and very, very pink.

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Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Underrated satirical musical that has contributed more to popular culture than many people are aware of.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 1, 2015

Full Review

TIME Magazine

[Bye Bye Birdie] had an apple-cheekiness about it on the stage that seems slightly worm-eaten on film, and the result is more goof than spoof.

Aug 1, 2015

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Keith Uhlich

Time Out

Why watch George Sidney's adaptation of the popular stage musical when you can slap yourself upside the head with a soggy, hot-pink slab of beef?

Rated: 3/5

Nov 17, 2011

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Rachel Wagner

Rachel's Reviews (YouTube)

the whole long section with Albert creating a speed drug is so strange

Apr 26, 2023

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Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

Ann-Margret makes one thing clear every second she's on screen in Bye Bye Birdie: no matter how hokey, forcibly madcap, or just plain dumb the material gets, she's coming out of this thing a star.

Rated: 2/4

Feb 16, 2019

Full Review

Tony Sloman

Radio Times

A wonderfully energetic and colourful adaptation of the smash Broadway hit, satirising the traumatic induction of one Elvis Presley into the US Army.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 1, 2015

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rex w

Ann-Margaret is smoking hot in this.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/17/25

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Leslie T

Quite a bit better than I would have imagined. The " Kids!!" tune will always be one of my favorite items and is the only item w Paul Lynde that Ive ever enjoyed. Ann Margaret is a much better dancer than I would have imagined, also

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/16/25

Full Review

alan g

Great musical. Best of the bunch. Much better than the remake

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/26/24

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Keith N

Watched this only because our school is doing a play, and I'm glad I watched it because it's a classic

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/31/23

Full Review

craig p

Nobody hotter than Ann Margaret in the 1960's, but a very light weight musical.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Really good with a very young Ann Margaret in it highly Recommend it, James Welch, Henderson, Arkansas October 16, 2023

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/16/23

Full Review

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George Sidney

Director

Dick Van Dyke

Albert Peterson

Janet Leigh

Rosie DeLeon

Ann-Margret

Kim McAfee

Maureen Stapleton

Mama Peterson

Bobby Rydell

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Synopsis

When the draft selects rock star Conrad Birdie, his fans are devastated, but none more than struggling songwriter Albert Peterson (Dick Van Dyke), whose song Birdie was just about to record. Albert's longtime girlfriend, Rosie (Janet Leigh), pushes Albert to write a new tune that Birdie will perform on television to a fan selected in a contest. The scheme works, with young Ohio teenager Kim McAfee (Ann-Margret) declared the winner, but no one has counted on the jealous wrath of her boyfriend.

Director: George Sidney
Producer: Fred Kohlmar
Screenwriter: Irving Brecher
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: G
Genre: Musical, Comedy, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 4, 1963, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Stereo
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Scope (2.35:1)

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