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IMDb > The Buddy Holly Story (1978)
The Buddy Holly Story
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The Buddy Holly Story (1978) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   2,690 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 53% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Steve Rash
Writers:
Robert Gittler (screenplay)
John Goldrosen (source material "Buddy Holly His Life and Music")
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Buddy Holly Story on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 November 1978 (Finland) more
Genre:
Biography | Drama | Music more
Tagline:
Music never felt this good. more
Plot:
A film about the life and career of the early rock and roll star. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations more
User Comments:
The "True Love Weighs" scene is fantastic. more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Gary Busey ... Buddy Holly
Don Stroud ... Jesse Charles

Charles Martin Smith ... Ray Bob Simmons

Conrad Janis ... Ross Turner
William Jordan ... Riley Randolph

Maria Richwine ... Maria Elena Holly
Amy Johnston ... Cindy Lou

Dick O'Neill ... Sol Gittler

Fred Travalena ... Madman Mancuso
Neva Patterson ... Mrs. Ella Holly
John F. Goff ... T J

Gloria Irizarry ... Mrs. Santiago
Jody Berry ... Sam
Richard Kennedy ... Preacher
Jim Beach ... Waylon
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
113 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
4-Track Stereo
Company:
ECA more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The members of the Crickets had already sold their portrayal rights to the producer of a different Buddy Holly movie, so fictitious names had to be used for the Crickets here. Also, for story simplifcation, the three Crickets were reduced to two. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: The Telecaster that Buddy plays at the Apollo is a mid seventies CBS model. You can clearly read the large "Telecaster" logo which was introduced when CBS bought the company from Leo Fender in the late 1960s. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Buddy Holly: Hey, Riley, we're all plugged in and checked up... yeah, we're ready.
Buddy Holly: [to Ray Bob] Riley wants to hear you at the mike - that's the one right there; say somethin' into that mike.
Ray Bob Simmons: One, two, three, testing... one...
Buddy Holly: [to Riley] How's that sound?
Riley Randolph: All right, that's a good level, Buddy, hold it right there... Yeah, you better get ready, it's about thirty seconds till eight.
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in Comedy Central Roast of Larry the Cable Guy (2009) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
True Love Ways more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
7 out of 8 people found the following comment useful:-
The "True Love Weighs" scene is fantastic., 31 January 2001
Author: yenlo from Auburn, Me

A fine film about the late great Buddy Holly. Watch it for no other reason than to see the scene where Buddy sings "True Love Weighs." Gary Busey did his own singing and that particular scene is fantastic. Overlook the various minor inaccuracies in this picture.

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Would Buddy Holly been bigger than Elvis in time? jblassio
Favor: How Does It End? ComedyChick19
screenwriter suicide? alan4artg
Niki Sullivans's character mrube56
Buddy Holly and Busey zurichpoet
50 years ago today...... minnguy64
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