INFORMATION ABOUT THIS FILM:- From Ultimate Thrill presskit and various newspaper archives.
The only time in his career Barry was ever given top-billing in a movie. From what little background I have from his friends, Barry enjoyed working on this movie, although he felt it didn't tax his acting skills and liked Britt very much because she is a highly intelligent, very rational and hard working artist. Barry apparently loved to recall the translation of the Italian title being "White Orgasm." The interview with Barry from the press information kit is on the ARTICLES section of this site.
Britt Ekland is a superb skier who, as a child, won local championships in her native Sweden. She was delighted when the producer, Peter S. Traynor told her that locations had been set at Vail as she had skied there before.
During the filming Eric Braeden had to spend many hours on skis in the snow country of Vail, Colorado. He credits some of the success of his spectacular performance in the film to "the ability to withstand demanding outdoor conditions, leaving me free to concentrate on the character."
At the time of release the movie was promoted as "Shown over some of the most spectacular skiing footage ever filmed."
The world premiere of the film was used as a vehicle to raise funds for the U.S. Olympics team, it being the first movie to capitalise on the excitement created by sky-sailing. The movie was praised at the time by Hollywood columnist James Bacon "as the most exciting ski movie ever made."
The biggest single over-budget item was the Bell Jet-Ranger helicopter. The extra speed, manuverability and altitude capabilities of this Jet assisted chopper made it the logical choice for shooting.
‘The Ultimate Thrill’ Filmed at Vail
Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph – November 3, 1974
Vail Centaur Productions release The Ultimate Thrill, was shot entirely on location in the Rocky Mountain resort of Vail, starred film stars Britt Ekland, Eric Braeden and Barry Brown in a remake of the short story classic “The Most Dangerous Game”.
A “whodunit” with a skiing theme.
The film, begun in January of this year, took six weeks to complete.
Interiors were shot in numerous Vail lodges, restaurants and private homes, while the skiing footage, which was done on the familiar north side and in the Back Bowls of Vail Mountain includes a “preview” of Vail’s China Bowl which will be developed for skiing within the next two-to-three years.
Already an accomplished skier when she came to Vail, Britt Ekland has never appeared more lovely and the sensuous film star readily demonstrates how warm winter can be. Her co-star Barry Brown, who plays an intellectual ski bum had never skied before. For a week Barry became a prodigy of the Vail Ski School – both Barry and his instructors rose admirably to the task and Barry’s appearance on skis is quite credible.
The “bad guy”, played by Eric Braeden, is an excellent skier who is bored with life.
Rich, charming, handsome and evil, it is Braeden who seeks the ultimate thrill on Vail Mountain.
The world premier of The Ultimate Thrill was in Denver, Co. on Oct 11, with subsequent premieres in cities across the country. The Denver proceeds was donated to the Rocky Mountain Division of the U.S.S.A. (United States Ski Association) and will benefit the Division’s junior racing programs.
Hollywood Hotline by James Bacon
February 23, 1974
A funny thing happened en route to sunny Mexico City. I landed in sunny Vail, Colorado (10 below zero) instead.
It’s true. I was practically headed for the airport to join the 5th Dimension sponsoring a celebrity tennis tournament to help poor children of Mexico.
Then came the call from Vail where they are shooting The Ultimate Thrill, a story about skiing, murders and extra-marital love.
They wanted me to do a part. As you recall in How To Seduce A Woman, I was neither a seducer nor seduced. In The Ultimate Thrill, I neither ski, murder or indulge in extra-marital love.
Instead I found myself in a bathrobe doing a scene in a hotel corridor with Barry Brown who was wearing long underwear and ski boots.
Mr. Brown is the young actor who just co-starred with Cybill Shepherd in Peter Bogdanovich’s Daisy Miller.
He had stepped down some-what in glamour too.
It’s funny travelling all the way to Vail, Colorado, and never getting out of the Holiday Inn, but it beats working outdoors at 10 below.
That’s where the cast will be all this week shooting ski-chase scenes atop the Rocky Mountain peaks. It’s going to be a cold week.
Peter Traynor, the producer, ordered extra rations of brandy for the freezing scenes. It’s good thinking because without the brandy, the actors’ teeth would be chattering too much to talk. That means everything would have to be dubbed later – and at great expense.
Good cast in the movie – Britt Ekland, Eric Braeden, Michael Blodgett and of course Mr. Brown. The director is Bob Butler who did such a good job with Bill Holden in The Blue Knight, the highly acclaimed four-part TV show.
Mr. Traynor is the young millionaire who formerly invested the doctors’ money in shopping centres and condominiums.
This is his year to launch moviemaking as a side investment for his Leverage Funding Systems. He’s making more movies than MGM, once the giant of the industry.
Vail, founded only in 1962, is a gem of a town, very reminiscent of San Moritz. Excellent restaurants and all buildings, even filling stations, are Swiss chalet style.
Put all that in one of the highest passes in the Colorado Rockies and you have grandeur. Skiing was magnificent according to Mr. Braeden and Miss Ekland who didn’t have to work the day I was there.
Hollywood Hotline by James Bacon
November 14, 1974
Went to Denver for the premiere of “The Ultimate Thrill” and must say Hollywood could learn a few tricks from the mile high city in staging a premiere.
One sequence in the movie shows Eric Braeden in a hang glider chase of Barry Brown skiing down the slopes at Vail. Well, there was no snow in Denver, but one of the premiere stunts had a guy on a hang glider soaring from atop the Cherry Creek Cinema. First time I ever saw that at a premiere.
Another stunt was having Denver socialites drive the celebrity guests to the theatre in antique Rolls and Bentleys. I rode in a pre-World War II job. Beautiful.
Marty Allen was comaster of ceremonies for the premiere doings and was a big hit. He shared the job with Mike Haffner, former Denver Broncos football star and now a Denver TV personality.
The premiere was staged for the benefit of the U.S. Ski Association. The movie, which is a murder-suspense film, has some of the most spectacular skiing scenes ever seen on film.
The capacity 1,500 black tie audience loved it.
Reason for the premiere being in Denver was that the whole movie was shown last winter in nearby Vail.
Saw on old friend from the Bob Hope tours, astronaut Wally Schirra. He and his wife came to the premiere party at Stauffer’s Denver Inn.
Wally said he never missed any of my movies. Was too embarrassed to tell him my big scene with Barry Brown and Britt Ekland was left on the cutting room floor.
Producer Peter S. Traynor explained that once the audience saw me with Britt, it would be impossible to believe that she would leave her husband for Barry. Makes sense.
Traynor is the young millionaire moviemaker whose Centaur films has made six movies this year. “The Ultimate Thrill”, which was directed by Emmy winner Bob Butler, is the first to be released.
Peter brought along some of the stars of some of his other movies, besides Barry. They included Richard Lawson, star of “Bogard”, Richard Gilliland, star of “The Counselor” and beautiful Colleen Camp who will star in “Weekend of Terror” for Traynor.
Colleen, only 21, has had some good credits including “Funny Lady” with Barbra Streisand and recently co-starred with Bruce Dern in “Smile”.
Angel Tompkins came along but had a hectic time leaving early in order to make an early morning call on “McCloud”.
Just as she was arriving at the airport to catch a 10 p.m. plane, four police cars converged on the car she was riding in. Turned out to be a case of mistaken identity but it made her miss her plane. Next flight out was 3:30 a.m., which got her home just in time to make the 7 a.m. call in makeup at Universal.
Cast List:
Barry Brown ..............Joe Straker
Britt Ekland .................Michelle Parlay
Eric Braeden................Roland Parlay
Michael Blodgett..........Tom Moore
John Davis Chandler.....Evans
Ed Baierlein .................Webster
Paul Feliz......................Fielder
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