Trini Lopez made his film debut, playing himself, in the romantic comedy MARRIAGE ON THE ROCKS. In the film, Frank Sinatra and Deborah Kerr star as a happily married couple who get divorced by mistake when they go to Mexico to celebrate their 19th wedding anniversary. But things really get mixed up when Kerr gets married to her now ex-husband’s closest buddy (Dean Martin) by mistake.
Ann-Margret and Mia Farrow were both considered to play Sinatra’s onscreen daughter, “Tracy Edwards,” but his real-life daughter, Nancy Sinatra, lobbied screenwriter Cy Howard for the role while her father was out of town. She got it. Trini Lopez, who was signed to Sinatra’s Reprise label, sings "Sinner Man", a minor hit after the film's original release.
Jack Donohue directed the 1965 release. Nelson Riddle’s score has not had a release. The film did moderate business at the box office, with a $5.8 million gross.
Produced in cooperation with the United Nations, the film THE POPPY IS ALSO A FLOWER was a thriller about the opium trade, in which United Nations narcotics agents attempt to trace heroin shipments from the Afghanistan-Iran border to the main European distributor.
The film had an all-star cast headed by E.G. Marshall and Trevor Howard. It was based on a story idea by Ian Fleming and directed by frequent James Bond director Terence Young. Trini Lopez appeared as himself in the film. The 23 September 1965 Daily Variety reported that Lopez cancelled a performance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” to appear in the film. He was due in Monte Carlo, Monaco, the following weekend. In the film, Lopez sings “La Bamba” in a Monte Carlo club.
The film was first shown on ABC-TV on 22 April 1966, before going into world-wide theatrical release. Its U.S. theatrical premiere was in Austin, Texas, in October 1966. Georges Auric scored the film. Variety reported worldwide gross receipts of $6 million for the film, $1 million of which had been allocated to UNICEF.
Trini Lopez made his film acting debut in 1967’s THE DIRTY DOZEN. He played “Pedro Jiminez,” one of 12 convicted GI's--murderers, rapists, thieves--trained for the suicidal mission of parachuting into Nazi-occupied France and blowing up a chateau housing top-ranking German officers. In the film, Lopez also briefly sang "The Bramble Bush," a song written by Frank De Vol and Mack David.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Lopez passed up $200,000 in club appearances and performance dates to star in the film. Originally, Lopez's character, Jiminez, was supposed to be one of the heroes. He was to be the one to ignite all of the dynamite that would destroy the entire château. However, before those scenes were shot, Lopez left the production. His character was written out as being killed during the parachute jump into France.
Trini Lopez in THE DIRTY DOZEN
There are several stories as to why Lopez left the film. One says that as film production ran over schedule, Frank Sinatra advised López to quit, so that his recording career wouldn't lose its momentum or popularity. Lopez took Sinatra's advice and quit. Another account is that his agent demanded more money, which producer Kenneth Hyman refused to grant.
And a third story, recounted in Jim Brown's autobiography, is that Lopez demanded an even bigger part than he had, or he'd walk off the movie. This didn’t sit well with director Robert Aldrich. The next day the question was asked, "Where's Jimenez?" Charles Bronson said "He got hung on an apple tree. Broke his neck." This was an obvious jab at Lopez's hit song "Lemon Tree."
Frank DeVol’s score was released on an MGM LP, which also include Lopez’s “The Bramble Bush.” Several straight CD transfers were followed by an expanded edition of the score issued by Film Score Monthly in 2007. THE DIRTY DOZEN was #5 at the 1967 box office with a gross of $51 million.
In THE PHYNX, a rock band becomes embroiled in foreign affairs when they're sent to go on tour in Albania as a cover to find show business personalities who are being held as hostages in a remote castle held by Communist enemies of the U.S. Trini Lopez was one of more than 30 celebrities that appeared as themselves in the film. Lee H. Katzin directed the 1970 film that bombed at the box office, grossing less than $100,000. Songwriters Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber provided the songs for the rock band.
During the Korean War, a newly commissioned lieutenant (Ken Berry) finds that his command is trapped when the enemy surrounds their position, in the ABC made-for-television film THE RELUCTANT HEROES. He uses ancient tactics he remembers from his history books to try to get them out of it.
The film had a big-name cast for a TV movie. Trini Lopez co-starred as “Pvt. Sam Rivera.” Robert Day directed the 1971 film, which had a theatrical release overseas. Frank DeVol provided the unreleased score.
[l. to r.) Don Marshall, Trini Lopez, Jim Hutton, Warren Oates, Cameron Mitchell, and Ken Berry in THE RELUCTANT HEROES.
.
