The Buddy Holly Story (1978)

Director:

Steve Rash

Writers:

Alan Swyer (story)
John Goldrosen (source material "Buddy Holly His Life and Music")
(more)

Release Date:

3 November 1978 (Finland)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Music never felt this good.

Plot:

A film about the life and career of the early rock and roll star.

Plot Keywords:

Star | Song | Rock Music | Blizzard | Rock Star

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Gary Busey	...	Buddy
Don Stroud	...	Jesse
Charles Martin Smith	...	Ray Bob
Conrad Janis	...	Ross Turner
William Jordan	...	Riley
Maria Richwine	...	Maria Elena
Amy Johnston	...	Cindy Lou
Dick O'Neill	...	Sol Gittler (as Dick O'Neil)
Fred Travalena	...	Madman Mancuso
Neva Patterson	...	Mrs. Holly
Arch Johnson	...	Mr. Holly
John F. Goff	...	T.J. (as John Goff)
Gloria Irizarry	...	Mrs. Santiago
Jody Berry	...	Engineer Sam
Richard Kennedy	...	Preacher
Jim Beach	...	Wilson
Gailard Sartain	...	Big Bopper
Albert Popwell	...	Eddie
Paul Mooney	...	Sam
Freeman King	...	Apollo M.C.
Matthew 'Stymie' Beard	...	Luther (as Stymie Beard)
Bill Phillips Murry	...	Desk Clerk
Joe Renzetti	...	Violinist #1
Rajah Bergman	...	Violinist #2
Alan Peterson	...	8 Year Old
John Waldron	...	6 Year Old
M.G. Kelly	...	Avalon M.C.
Craig White	...	King Curtis
Jerry Zaremba	...	Eddie Cochran
John B. Jarvis	...	Pianist - Eddie Cochran Band
Richard Hayward	...	Drummer - Eddie Cochran Band
David Miner	...	Bass - Eddie Cochran Band
Jack Denbo	...	New York Cabbie
Paul Carmello	...	Mr. Parker
Robert Christopher	...	Cadillac Salesman (as Bob Christopher)
Jack Jozefson	...	Stage Manager
Buddy Miles	...	Tour Musician
Loutz Gage	...	Producer
Peter Griffin	...	Director
Gilbert Melgar	...	Richie Valens
John Fisher	...	Man in Theater
Will Jordan	...	Ed Sullivan (voice)
Bill Lytle	...	Delbert
Raoulle	...	Barking Dog
Cora	...	Ruby
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mags Kavanaugh	...	Sissy Lou (uncredited)
Hope Sage	...	Fan (uncredited)
Eric Voge	...	Groupie (uncredited)

Directed by
Steve Rash

Writing credits
Alan Swyer		(story)
John Goldrosen		(source material "Buddy Holly His Life and Music")
Robert Gittler		(screenplay)

Produced by
Frances Avrut-Bauer	....	associate producer
Fred Bauer	....	producer (as Freddy Bauer)
Edward H. Cohen	....	executive producer
Fred T. Kuehnert	....	co-executive producer

Original Music by
Joe Renzetti

Cinematography by
Stevan Larner		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David E. Blewitt		(as David Blewitt)

Casting by
Joyce Selznick

Production Design by
Joel Schiller

Set Decoration by
Thomas L. Roysden		(as Tom Roysden)

Makeup Department
Doris Alexander	....	makeup artist
Gerry Leetch	....	hair stylist (as Gerry Becker Leetch)
Marvin G. Westmore	....	makeup artist (as Marvin Westmore)

Production Management
Don Goldman	....	production manager (as Donald Goldman)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carol Himes	....	assistant director
Robert J. Smawley	....	second assistant director (as Bob Smawley)

Art Department
Michael C. Ayers	....	assistant property master (as Michael Ayers)
Anthony P. Cellucci	....	swing gang (as Tony Cellucci)
Robert W. Dutton	....	swing gang (as Robert Dutton)
Victor Goldis	....	construction foreman
Jack Holz	....	construction foreman
Ronald C. Jacobs	....	swing gang (as Ron Jacobs)
Ron McCaffrey	....	labor foreman
James A. Rathbun	....	swing gang (as Jim Rathbun)
Ernie Sawyers	....	property master
Mort Zwicker	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Willie D. Burton	....	sound mixer (as Willie Burton)
Joel Fein	....	sound re-recordist
Joel Fein	....	special audio
Walter A. Gest	....	sound re-recordist (as Walter Gest)
Robert W. Harris	....	sound assistant (as Bob Harris)
Marvin E. Lewis	....	sound assistant (as Marvin Lewis)
Colin C. Mouat	....	sound effects editor (as Colin Mouat)
Tex Rudloff	....	sound re-recordist
Jerry Stanford	....	dialogue editor
Curly Thirlwell	....	sound re-recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Charlie Albrecht	....	grip
Tom Bookout	....	grip
Garrett Brown	....	Steadicam operator
David Dalzell	....	camera operator
John Davis	....	best boy
Allen Facemire	....	director of photography: second unit (as Alan Facemire)
John Falone	....	grip: second unit
Sherman Fulton	....	lamp operator (as Sherman Fulton Jr.)
Michael Goldstein	....	camera assistant (as Mike Goldstein)
Gene Griffith	....	key grip (as Eugene Griffith)
Bob Harkins	....	grip
Elisha Harris	....	lamp operator
Gemma La Mana	....	still photographer (as Gemma LaMana)
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	electrician
Calvin Maehl	....	gaffer
Jeffrey W. Petersen	....	lamp operator (as Jeffrey Peterson)
Steve Peterson	....	camera assistant (as Steven Peterson)
Randall Robinson	....	Steadicam assistant
Randall Robinson	....	first assistant camera
Thomas Sands	....	grip best boy
Robert Segars	....	gaffer: second unit
Steve Stafford	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Butler	....	wardrobe
William Flores	....	costumer: male
Thalia Phillips	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Susanne Gervay	....	negative cutter
Mark Newman	....	apprentice film editor
James Seidelman	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Bud Buschardt	....	music research
Frank Capp	....	musical contractor (as Frankie Capp)
Joe Renzetti	....	conductor
Jack K. Tillar	....	music editor (as Jack Tillar)

Transportation Department
Rene Baken	....	driver
Norm Benson	....	driver
Reed Cohan	....	driver
Donald P. Desmond	....	driver (as Donald Desmond)
Thomas A. Gordon	....	driver (as Thomas Gordon)
Clive Henderson	....	driver
William Jakubecy	....	driver
Darwin Joston	....	driver
Herald Koger III	....	driver
Bob Limon	....	driver
Gary Littlefield	....	transportation coordinator
Jean Spray	....	transportation captain
Fred Stretch	....	driver
Jerry Weiss	....	driver
Janet Woodd	....	driver

Other crew
Michael Ackley	....	stand-in
Larry Joe Berger	....	stand-in
Pat Bradley	....	assistant to producer
Suzy Dahl	....	secretary to producer
Douglas Dean III	....	production assistant
Kate Groobin	....	stand-in
Joyce King	....	script supervisor
Alex Klinsky	....	craft service
John Lytle	....	location manager
Kelly Marshall	....	unit coordinator
Maggie Rash	....	project coordinator

Production Companies

• ECA (as An Innovisions-ECA Production)
• Innovisions (as An Innovisions-ECA Production)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1983) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Concorde Film (1979) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar (USA) (DVD)
• Fabulous Films (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Roadshow Home Video (Australia) (VHS) (1980s)

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

West Germany:o.Al. | Australia:PG | Netherlands:AL | Finland:K-12 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Biltmore Hotel - 506 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

ECA

Trivia:

According to Rock-N-Roll legend Little Richard, the Apollo theater performance by Buddy Holly and the Crickets in front of an all black audience is pretty accurate. Holly and his band were booked into the all black hall "sight unseen" because the owner thought they were black and the audience were shocked to see white performers on stage. But as in the movie, the audience embraced Buddy and his band.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Buddy sees his girlfriend off on the bus, the camera pans over to the bus station past a gas station that has a billboard with a Century 21 real estate sign over it. Century 21 started in 1971.

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.

Movie Connections:

References "Toast of the Town" (1948)

Soundtrack:

True Love Ways

So this is Buddy Holly!

What a great film! I never knew much about Buddy Holly, but was familiar with his lively and fun music. This is a wonderful biography of someone who helped change the music in the 1950's. Although I never cared for Gary Bussey, he was fabulous as Buddy Holly! I don't know how accurate the movie is, but assume at least for the most part it is accurate, which makes the movie all the more interesting. The music throughout the movie just adds the pizazz to this biography. I don't think I would change a thing in this film, it was all good! What a difference in the stars from the 50's to todays music stars. How can you compare someone like Buddy Holly to Justin Timberlake? or any of the other popular singers of this generation?