Southern California lawyer Bob Crane (as Charlie McCready) doesn't like the potentially sexual relationship between beautiful blonde daughter Kathleen Cody (as Wendy) and beach bum boyfriend Kurt Russell (as Bart). First, Mr. Crane decides keep an eye on the kissing couple by joining the youngsters' beach partying gang. This results in some misadventures in water. Later, Crane conspires to send Ms. Cody to a faraway college. Not too smart. With her face and figure, Cody has no trouble attracting collegian attention, and becomes inadvertently engaged in a hippie gang protesting Crane's golfing business partners Joe Flynn (as Cyrus Hershberger) and Dick Van Patten (as Ira Kershaw)...
"Superdad" is the generation gap seen through the rose-colored Disney lens, which results in a sharp focus on fluff.
Canceled television series stars populate the cast. Most notably, Crane had escaped "Hogan's Heroes" and Cody emerged from "Dark Shadows" (both in 1971). Extending his teen years, Mr. Russell plays a secondary role, as does motherly Barbara Rush (as Sue), late of "Peyton Place" (1969). There is a quick pace, along with dependable amusements from all-purpose driver Bruno Kirby (as Stanley Schlimmer), hip octogenarian Judith Lowery (as Mother Barlow), and the Disney regulars. The studio held the film up in favor of "Charley and the Angel" (1973). Bobby Goldsboro's "These Are the Best Times" failed to chart. Nothing could help "Superdad" bridge the box office gap.
***** Superdad (12/14/73) Vincent McEveety ~ Bob Crane, Kathleen Cody, Kurt Russell, Barbara Rush
