Hook, Line & Sinker (1969 film)

Peter Ingersoll (Jerry Lewis) is about to undergo an operation at a hospital in Chile. Before beginning, the medical staff insists that he explain how his unusual condition came about.

He recalls his past life in California as an insurance salesman. His best friend, Dr. Scott Carter (Peter Lawford), breaks the news that Peter only has a short time left to live. His wife (Anne Francis), although distraught, tells Peter to take the fishing excursion he has always dreamed of, advising him to charge it to credit cards. He runs up a bill of $100,000.

While traveling abroad, Peter is contacted by Dr. Carter and told that he was misdiagnosed and isn't dying. Now burdened with a large debt, Peter is urged by Dr. Carter to fake his death to avoid paying the bills and so his wife can collect a $150,000 life insurance policy. After seven years, when the statute of limitations is up, he can reappear.

Peter discovers that the whole thing was a scheme concocted by his wife and doctor, who are having an affair. He proceeds to wreck their plans.

However, while fishing in Chile, he ends up in that unusual predicament on that operating table ... with a marlin swordfish piercing his chest.

• Jerry Lewis as Peter Ingersoll / Fred Dobbs
• Peter Lawford as Dr. Scott Carter
• Anne Francis as Nancy Ingersoll
• Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez as Perfecto
• Jimmy Miller as Jimmy Ingersoll
• Jennifer Edwards as Jennifer Ingersoll
• Eleanor Audley as Mrs. Durham
• Henry Corden as Kenyon Hammercher
• Sylvia Lewis as Karlotta Hammercher
• Phillip Pine as Head Surgeon
• Felipe Turich as Foreign Mortician
• Kathleen Freeman as Mrs. Hardtack - Baby Sitter[3]

Hook, Line & Sinker was filmed under the working title Kook's Tour.[4]

The film was shot from April 1 — June 20, 1968 at the Columbia Ranch in Burbank using the exterior of the same house seen on TV's Gidget (1965–66). The interior scenes were filmed on the same sound stage used for TV's Bewitched (1964–72), although the colour scheme was substantially altered.

This was veteran character actress Barbara Pepper's final role.[5]

The film opened at the Center theatre in Boston on April 13, 1969[1] and grossed $7,000 in its first week.[6] It went into general release on June 6, 1969.

It was the first Jerry Lewis film released under the MPAA's new film rating system. It was rated G.

• List of American films of 1969

• Hook, Line & Sinker at the American Film Institute Catalog
• Hook, Line & Sinker at IMDb
• Hook, Line & Sinker at the TCM Movie Database