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 | Disc Jockey | Pregnant Woman | Affection

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 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

Casting Department
Sharon Benson	....	extras casting coordinator

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

Thanks
Jim Afflick	....	special thanks
Herman Avrut	....	special thanks
Ave Butensky	....	special thanks
Stu Chalfin	....	special thanks
Joe Diaz	....	special thanks
Buddy Epstein	....	special thanks
Bob Fain	....	special thanks
Maggie Fain	....	special thanks
Len Hodes	....	special thanks
Sue Lesser	....	special thanks
Joe Lipshur	....	special thanks
Jan McCormick	....	special thanks
Harry McMahan	....	special thanks
Frank Mooney	....	special thanks
Clifford Neschky	....	special thanks
Ralph Peer	....	special thanks
Ralph A. Rash	....	special thanks
Ralph R. Rash	....	special thanks
Norman G. Rudman	....	special thanks (as Norman Rudman)
Allen Sanders	....	special thanks
Bobby Schiffman	....	special thanks
Bobbi Silver	....	special thanks
Jon Sirlin	....	special thanks
Joe Weiss	....	special thanks
Louise Zuckerman	....	special thanks

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)
• Another World Entertainment (2007) (Denmark) (DVD) (2 Disc Edition)
• Columbia TriStar (USA) (DVD)
• Fabulous Films (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Roadshow Home Video (Australia) (VHS) (1980s)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | UK:PG | USA:PG (Approved No. 25757) | Canada:PG | West Germany:o.Al. | Australia:PG | Netherlands:AL | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

ECA

Trivia:

Because of the film's budget constraints, most all of the performances were done in one or two takes (According to director Rash) This led to some "happy accidents" of realism. For instance, Busey refers to handwritten lyrics on his guitar when singing "Mockingbird Hill", He flubs some of the song lyrics on the Ed Sullivan show performance of "Maybe, Baby", Buddy's vibrant concert performance with Eddie Cochran was actually a "rehersal" that the director decided not to film again, and Busey's guitar cord gets wrapped around his leg during the final concert.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the band is recording "Everyday" in the garage, the reel to reel recorder is recording and 'on' when Buddy's mom comes into the garage to tell him he has a phone call. Then, right when Buddy leaves, the recorder is off even though he never flipped the off switch.

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:

Referenced in Comedy Central Roast of Larry the Cable Guy (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

It's So Easy

I was there!

I was fortunate enough to be an extra in this movie when I was about 13 during the roller rink scenes. My junior high school drama class was invited to participate. It was a fantastic experience.

Gary Busey, Charles Martin Smith and Don Stroud played the music live, all day! As a musician, I can appreciate the tireless work and dedication these guys put in to their roles. They must have played those songs 20 times. It's very difficult to maintain consistency and energy under those conditions. This is visible during a cut to a close-up on "That'll Be the Day," but fortunately the unsuspecting public probably wouldn't have picked it up.

Skating around all day, getting the day off from school and being transported back in time was a incredible thrill. I also had my first "date" on film. I had to walk a girl up to the ticket booth. Woo hoo! Even with an out-of-date haircut and hot lights melting the vaseline in my hair, it was still worth it. Fun stuff.

The movie is top notch and is highly satisfying as a whole. Busey delivers his best role ever and the supporting cast is superb. I'm glad to have participated in a great film of the day. To think I could have been in Corvette Summer or something. Not.

A funny ironic ending to this is that years later I was in a video store in Malibu looking at the movie the week it was released on video. Gary Busey walked in and stood right next to me. I showed him the cover and babbled on how great he was and how I was an extra and whatnot. Pretty weird, but very cool, for what it's worth.