Trystan Casey
The 1973 satirical black comedy action film 'Electra Glide in Blue' stars Robert Blake as a motorcycle cop in Arizona, with Billy Green Bush as his partner. Blake's character, John Wintergreen, is a veteran of the Vietnam War who wants to enforce the law fairly and not give favours to other cops. The film also features Mitch Ryan, Jeannine Riley, and Elisha Cook Jr. in supporting roles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Film name | Electra Glide in Blue |
| Genre | Comedy, Crime, Drama |
| Year of release | 1973 |
| Director | James William Guercio |
| Starred | Robert Blake, Billy Green Bush, Mitch Ryan, Jeannine Riley, Elisha Cook Jr., Royal Dano, Hawk Wolinski, Peter Cetera, Terry Kath, Lee Loughnane, Walter Parazaider, Joe Samsil, James William Guercio, Robert Boris, Rupert Hitzig |
| Robert Blake's character | John Wintergreen, a motorcycle cop |
| Billy Green Bush's character | Zipper, Wintergreen's partner |
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What You'll Learn
Robert Blake as John Wintergreen
Robert Blake portrays John Wintergreen in the 1973 satirical black comedy action film "Electra Glide in Blue." Wintergreen is a motorcycle cop in Arizona who patrols the state's rural highways with his partner, Zipper (Billy Green Bush). Wintergreen is a veteran of the Vietnam War and a former Marine Corps member. He is an experienced patrolman who dreams of being promoted to the homicide unit.
Wintergreen is introduced in the film as a man of principles who wants to enforce the law fairly and impartially. He is not interested in giving favors to other cops or hassling hippies. He is also tempted by Harve's girlfriend, Jolene. Wintergreen's traffic partner, Zipper, is ambitious but unwilling to put in the work that Wintergreen does.
Wintergreen gets his chance to work on a murder case when he is informed by Crazy Willie of an apparent suicide-by-shotgun. However, Wintergreen believes the case is actually a murder because the victim was shot in the chest rather than the head, which is more common in suicide cases. Wintergreen solves the murder and identifies the killer as Willie, who confesses when Wintergreen goads him. Wintergreen believes Willie was jealous of the old man he killed because he frequently had young people over to his house to buy drugs.
Despite solving the murder, Wintergreen's story ends in tragedy. He is shot and killed by a hippie who shoots him through the back window of a van.
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Billy Green Bush as Zipper
Billy Green Bush plays Zipper, the partner of Robert Blake's character, John Wintergreen, in the 1973 satirical black comedy action film Electra Glide in Blue. Zipper is a traffic cop who patrols the rural Arizona highways with Wintergreen, an experienced patrolman who wants to be transferred to the homicide unit.
Zipper is described as wanting more out of his career but not wanting to work for it like his partner Wintergreen. He is also shown to be belligerent and quick to shoot at Wintergreen when he is discovered to have stolen $5,000 to buy a fully dressed Electra Glide motorcycle.
In one scene, Zipper is seen harassing a hippie, who is later pulled over by Wintergreen and let off with a warning. This incident highlights the contrast between the two partners, as Wintergreen is portrayed as an idealistic veteran who wants to enforce the law fairly and without favour.
Billy Green Bush's portrayal of Zipper adds to the dynamic human relationships in the film, which also includes a murder mystery and a theft. His character's actions and motivations drive the plot forward and contribute to the film's exploration of authority and the emerging youth culture of the early 1970s.
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Mitch Ryan
Ryan is best known for playing the role of Burke Devlin in the 1960s gothic soap opera Dark Shadows. He later played Greg Montgomery's father, Edward Montgomery, on Dharma & Greg. Ryan also portrayed villainous characters in several films, including the key villain, General Peter McAllister, in the 1987 buddy cop action film Lethal Weapon, and Senator Grey Edwards in Hot Shots! Part Deux.
Ryan's other acting credits include the films Liar Liar, Magnum Force, Grosse Pointe Blank, and Electra Glide in Blue. In the latter, he portrayed a self-impressed detective. Electra Glide in Blue is a 1973 satirical black comedy action film in which Ryan starred alongside Robert Blake, Billy Green Bush, Jeannine Riley, and Elisha Cook Jr.
In addition to his film career, Ryan appeared in several television series, including NBC's The A-Team, Silk Stalkings, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. He also voiced the character Highfather in Justice League.
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Jeannine Riley
In 1963, Riley played Amelia Pryor on The Virginian in the episode "Run Away Home." That same year, she appeared in Wagon Train's "The Davey Baxter Story" episode. She beat out 300 other competitors for the role of Billie Jo Bradley on the CBS sitcom Petticoat Junction (1963–1965), which she played for the first two seasons.
In Electra Glide in Blue, Riley portrayed dancer/barmaid babe Jolene opposite Robert Blake, who played a motorcycle cop. The film is a 1973 American satirical black comedy-action film directed by James William Guercio. It stars Robert Blake as a motorcycle cop, Johnny Wintergreen, who patrols the rural Arizona highways and aspires to become a homicide officer. The film is named after the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide motorcycle issued to traffic cops.
Electra Glide in Blue received mixed reviews. Time magazine, in 2012, called it "a neglected cult-classic that could have only come from (or have been made in) the early '70s." It praised the film's quirky yet unforgettable nature and outstanding camerawork. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 69% rating based on 13 reviews. However, one Rotten Tomatoes review called it "average and completely forgettable," with stylish cinematography being the best aspect of an otherwise mediocre film.
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Elisha Cook Jr
Cook began his career in theatre, selling programmes in lobbies before performing in vaudeville and stock by the age of 14. In 1933, he made his Broadway debut in Eugene O'Neill's play "Ah, Wilderness", playing the role of Richard Miller. The play ran for two years. He then moved to Hollywood, signing with Twentieth Century-Fox and appearing in musical comedies like "Pigskin Parade" (1936) and "Life Begins in College" (1937). He often played cheerful, brainy collegiates or bookish characters, as seen in "Hellzapoppin" (1941) and "Tin Pan Alley" (1940).
However, Cook's career trajectory changed with his role in the 1941 version of "The Maltese Falcon", where he was cast against type as the bug-eyed, baby-faced killer Wilmer Cook. This led to him being typecast as weaklings, sadistic losers, or deceptively mild-mannered villains in films like Phantom Lady (1944) and "A-Haunting We Will Go" (1942).
Cook's career extended beyond film, with appearances on various American television series from the early 1950s to the late 1980s. He played a wide range of characters, including private detective Homer Garrity in "Adventures of Superman", lawyer Samuel T. Cogley in "Star Trek", and crime lord "Ice Pick" on "Magnum, P.I.". He also had guest roles on "Perry Mason", "The Wild Wild West", "Batman", "The Bionic Woman", and "The A-Team", among others.
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Frequently asked questions
The film stars Robert Blake as a motorcycle cop named John Wintergreen.
Billy "Green" Bush plays John Wintergreen's partner, Zipper.
No, Robert Blake complained about production woes and lamented his $20,000 fee for his starring role.
