Mr. Rock 'n' Roll: The Alan Freed Story (1999) (TV)

Director:

Andy Wolk

Writers (WGA):

John A. Jackson (book)
Matt Dorff (teleplay)

Release Date:

31 October 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

The story of rock 'n' roll and the people who changed music forever.

Plot:

This is the story of Alan Freed. He was working as a DJ in Cleveland, Ohio, and he discovered how amazing R&B or Rhytym & Blues is...

Plot Keywords:

Cleveland Ohio | Ponytail | Piano | Apostrophe In Title | Model Sail Boat

Cast

Judd Nelson	...	Alan Freed
Mädchen Amick	...	Jackie McCoy
David Gianopoulos	...	Morris Levy
Daniel Kash	...	Hooke
Leon	...	Jackie Wilson
Paula Abdul	...	Denise Walton
Fabian
Bobby Rydell
James C. Victor	...	Jerry Lee Lewis
Walter Franks	...	Little Richard
Joe W. Davis	...	Buddy Holly (as Joe Warren Davis)
Michael Dunston	...	Bo Diddley
LeRoy D. Brazile	...	Frankie Lymon
Michael Daingerfield	...	Bill Haley
Fulvio Cecere	...	Pete Bell
Mark Wilson	...	Leo Mintz
Ross Petty	...	J. Elroy McCaw
Richard Fitzpatrick	...	VP Programming
Aron Tager	...	J. Edgar Hoover
Reg Dreger	...	Police Captain
Bruce Hunter	...	Head Parent Shaw
Emidio Michetti	...	Director
Egidio Tari	...	FBI Agent
Robert Thomas	...	Bouncer
David Crean	...	Surgeon
Brittney Whalen	...	Siggy
Howard Chen	...	Dominoes
Paislee Crawford	...	Dominoes
Gary McAuley	...	Dominoes
Gavin Hope	...	Teenagers
Troy T. Liddell	...	Teenager (as Troy Liddell)
Chris Rouse	...	Teenagers
Jae Christie	...	Teenagers
Vivienne Williams	...	Chantels
Hedy McKenzie	...	Chantels
Novie Edwards	...	Chantels
Ordena Stephens	...	Chantels
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joel Gordon
Mandy Lee Jones	...	Teenager
David Stevenson
Timm Zemanek	...	Racist Patron
Lara Kelly	...	Worried Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Andy Wolk

Writing credits (WGA)
John A. Jackson		(book "Big Beat Heat: Alan Freed and the Early Years of Rock & Roll")
Matt Dorff		(teleplay)

Produced by
Richard D. Arredondo	....	producer
Ted Babcock	....	co-producer
Matt Dorff	....	executive producer
Lawrence Levy	....	co-executive producer
Peter Sadowski	....	associate producer
Robert M. Sertner	....	executive producer
Erik Storey	....	co-executive producer
Randy Sutter	....	producer
Frank von Zerneck	....	executive producer
Andy Wolk	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Lawrence Shragge

Cinematography by
Derick V. Underschultz

Film Editing by
Mark Conte

Casting by
Susan Glicksman
Fern Orenstein
Clare Walker

Production Design by
Peter Cosco

Art Direction by
Humberto Garcia

Set Decoration by
Rex Fields

Costume Design by
Trysha Bakker

Makeup Department
Kelly Brennan	....	key hair stylist
Christopher Pizzarelli	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Charles Braive	....	production manager
Skates Naiman	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charmaine Carvalho	....	first assistant director
Donald Colafranceschi	....	assistant director
Catherine Wallace	....	second assistant director

Art Department
John Morrison	....	property master

Sound Department
Greg Chapman	....	sound mixer
Charles Dayton	....	foley editor
Charles Dayton	....	foley recordist
Robert L. Harman	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Robert L. Harmon)
Rick Hart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rick Hinson	....	sound effects editor

Stunts
Shelley Cook	....	stunt coordinator
Blair Johannes	....	stunt performer
Regan Moore	....	stunt performer
Billy Oliver	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Gilles Corbeil	....	camera operator
Ben Mark Holzberg	....	still photographer
Robert McRae	....	gaffer
John Medland	....	still photographer
Douglas G. Reid	....	best boy electric
Peter Schalakowskyj	....	key grip

Casting Department
Orly Sitowitz	....	casting associate (as Orley Sitowitz)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kathleen Meade	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Douglas Weiner	....	first assistant editor
Bill Holley	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Terri Fricon	....	music supervisor
Ed Kalnins	....	music editor
Lou Pomanti	....	music consultant
Jeff Wolpert	....	scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Neil Montgomerie	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Donald Colafranceschi	....	production assistant
Barbara Gordon	....	script supervisor
Trudy Moffatt	....	choreographer
John Musikka	....	location scout
Nicki Skinner	....	production coordinator
Sherry Wolfson	....	location manager
Nancy Mouton	....	assistant to executive producers Robert M. Sertner and Frank von Zerneck (uncredited )

Production Companies

• Von Zerneck Sertner Films

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1999) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Alpha Media (2004) (China) (TV)
• LK-TEL (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Lab, The  film lab
• Magnetic North, The  dailies transfers
• Panavision  cameras by
• RD Negative Cutting  negative cutting
• The Film Business  sound effects
• Todd-AO Hollywood Digital  post-production services
• Toronto Film Studios  movie studio
• Wilshire Stages, The  sound re-recorded at

Also Known As:

"Mr. Rock and Roll" - USA (alternative title)

Runtime:

Germany:95 min | USA:120 min (including commercials) | Argentina:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Germany:o.Al. | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Von Zerneck Sertner Films

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The actor playing Bill Haley is shown playing a guitar solo during "Rock Around the Clock", something the real Haley never did, at least not in 1957-58 when the sequence takes place.

Very well done story of the early days of rock & roll

Judd Nelson gave an excellent performance as Alan Freed the disk jockey who coined the term Rock & Roll. All of the performances were fine and the songs of course were great. The lady who played his wife was a new face and very classy. The actor who played the heavy role was also quite good. Well worth watching.