Monkey’s Uncle, The (film) Young Merlin Jones, the legal uncle of his chimpanzee Stanley, devises a “sleep learning” machine to sharpen his “nephew’s” intellect. When Midvale College footballers Norm and Leon are in danger of being scrubbed from the team due to poor grades, Merlin produces his sleep learning machine and the two muscle-bound students soon stun all on campus by walking off with straight As. After drinking a strength potion and using it to prove man-powered flight in his bicycle-driven contraption in order to gain an endowment for the school from slightly mad Darius Green, Merlin settles down knowing that football is forever secure at Midvale. Released on June 23, 1965. Directed by Robert Stevenson. 90 min. Stars Tommy Kirk (Merlin Jones), Annette Funicello (Jennifer), Leon Ames (Judge Holmby), Frank Faylen (Mr. Dearborne), Arthur O’Connell (Darius Green III), Leon Tyler (Leon), Norman Grabowski (Norman). The film featured the popular title tune sung by Annette and the Beach Boys, written by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. Released on video in 1986.
