The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit

Synopsis of Movie

From the Disney logo and the film’s title, you may be expecting another wacky comedy in the vein of Gus or The Barefoot Executive. In reality, The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit was a comedy, but at its core the movie was a heartwarming tale of family love and the bond between man and animal.

Disney live-action veteran Dean Jones plays Fred Bolton, a widower with a horse-loving daughter named Helen. Fred works as an ad executive, promoting a stomach pill called “Aspercel.” The campaign is lousy, and Helen’s horse riding bills are piling up, but the resourceful Fred cooks up a way to solve both problems.

Fred buys a horse, names it Aspercel, and has Helen ride it in shows as a promotional gimmick. One catch: Aspercel isn’t much of a show pony. All looks lost until Fred discovers the horse’s natural gift for steeplechase events, setting up a dramatic competition for Helen and Aspercel at the Washington, D.C., steeplechase championships.

The film was directed by Norman Tokar, who helmed such other Disney family flicks as Follow Me, Boys! and The Apple Dumpling Gang. While this film was not as universally popular as some of Tokar’s other Disney works, it remains a sweet memory for many horse aficionados.

Movie Release History

1968 - The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit

Movie Sub Categories

live-action
drama
disney

Movie Studio

Disney

Cast

Fredrick Bolton Dean Jones
Suzie Clemens Diane Baker
Archer Madison Lloyd Bochner
Tom Dugan Fred Clark
Helen Bolton Ellen Janov
Charlie Blake Morey Amsterdam
Ronnie Gardner Kurt Russell
Aunt Martha Lurene Tuttle
Harry Tomis Alan Hewitt
Lorendo Federico Pinero
Catherine Florence MacMichael
Mimsey Joan Marshall
Judy Gardner Robin Eccles
Sgt. Roberts Adam Williams
Truck Driver Norman Grabowski

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