Manager Joseph Sharkey discovers a naive Virgil Walker who has an incredible vocal talent. Sharkey takes Virgil away from his humble beginnings, changes his appearance and turns him into a nationwide singing sensation.
Jeffrey Wright shares his favorite military movies after working with veterans in his new documentary "We Are Not Done Yet."
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Sing Boy Sing (1958)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Learn more
More Like This
Teenage Millionaire
(1961)
Comedy
|
Musical
Director:
Lawrence Doheny
Stars:
Jimmy Clanton,
Rocky Graziano,
Zasu Pitts
Stopover Tokyo
(1957)
Crime
|
Drama
|
Film-Noir
Director:
Richard L. Breen
Stars:
Robert Wagner,
Joan Collins,
Edmond O'Brien
Up Periscope
(1959)
Action
|
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
Gordon Douglas
Stars:
James Garner,
Edmond O'Brien,
Andra Martin
The Ambitious One
(1959)
Drama
Director:
Yves Allégret
Stars:
Edmond O'Brien,
Richard Basehart,
Andréa Parisy
The Girl Can't Help It
(1956)
Comedy
|
Music
Director:
Frank Tashlin
Stars:
Tom Ewell,
Jayne Mansfield,
Edmond O'Brien
The Last Voyage
(1960)
Drama
Director:
Andrew L. Stone
Stars:
Robert Stack,
Dorothy Malone,
George Sanders
The Big Land
(1957)
Romance
|
Western
Director:
Gordon Douglas
Stars:
Alan Ladd,
Virginia Mayo,
Edmond O'Brien
The World Was His Jury
(1958)
Drama
Director:
Fred F. Sears
Stars:
Edmond O'Brien,
Mona Freeman,
Karin Booth
The Shanghai Story
(1954)
Action
|
Crime
|
Drama
Director:
Frank Lloyd
Stars:
Ruth Roman,
Edmond O'Brien,
Richard Jaeckel
The Big Beat
(1958)
Comedy
|
Musical
Director:
Will Cowan
Stars:
William Reynolds,
Andra Martin,
Gogi Grant
I'd Rather Be Rich
(1964)
Comedy
|
Musical
|
Romance
Director:
Jack Smight
Stars:
Sandra Dee,
Robert Goulet,
Andy Williams
The Hitch-Hiker
(1953)
Crime
|
Film-Noir
|
Thriller
Director:
Ida Lupino
Stars:
Edmond O'Brien,
Frank Lovejoy,
William Talman
Edit
Cast
| Cast overview: | |||
| Tommy Sands | ... | Virgil Walker | |
 |
Lili Gentle | ... | Leora Easton |
| Edmond O'Brien | ... | Joseph Sharkey | |
| Nick Adams | ... | C.K. Judd | |
| John McIntire | ... | Rev. Farley Walker | |
| Diane Jergens | ... | Pat Barry | |
| Josephine Hutchinson | ... | Caroline Walker | |
| Jerry Paris | ... | Arnold Fisher | |
|
|
Tami Conner | ... | Ginnie |
| Regis Toomey | ... | Rev. Easton | |
|
|
Art Ford | ... | Disc Jockey |
|
|
Bill Randle | ... | Disc Jockey |
|
|
Biff Collie | ... | Disc Jockey |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Manager Joseph Sharkey discovers a naive Virgil Walker who has an incredible vocal talent. Sharkey takes Virgil away from his humble beginnings, changes his appearance and turns him into a nationwide singing sensation.
Taglines:
THE STORY OF THE PREACHER'S SON WHO BECAME THE ROCK 'N' ROLL KING! See more »Certificate:
See all certifications »Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
14 May 1958 (Venezuela) See more »Also Known As:
The Singing Idol See more »Filming Locations:
20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USACompany Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
Edit
Virgil Walker: It really was?
Joseph Sharkey: Yea, sure. Why, is something bothering you?
Virgil Walker: I don't know. Maybe I need my audience.
Joseph Sharkey: I'm your audience.
Virgil Walker: I guess I miss the screamin'. Why don't you scream a little, Mr. Sharkey?
Joseph Sharkey: Yeah sure, next time I'm 16.
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
This story is based on the Kraft Television Theatre episode "the Singin' Idol" which also starred Tommy Sands. See more »Goofs
Virgil's aunt refers to herself as Caro-LINE (long I sound), and so do others in the cast. However, Virgil calls her Caro-LYNN (short i sound) throughout, even on the phone just after she pronounces her own name "her way." See more »Quotes
Joseph Sharkey: [in recording studio] Hey, that was OK, kid.Virgil Walker: It really was?
Joseph Sharkey: Yea, sure. Why, is something bothering you?
Virgil Walker: I don't know. Maybe I need my audience.
Joseph Sharkey: I'm your audience.
Virgil Walker: I guess I miss the screamin'. Why don't you scream a little, Mr. Sharkey?
Joseph Sharkey: Yeah sure, next time I'm 16.
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
Explore popular action and adventure titles available to stream with Prime Video.
Edmond O'Brien chews up the scenery without hitting any false notes as teen singer Sand's hard-driving and hard-bitten agent. Blending his publicity agent from Barefoot Contessa with Kirk Douglas's unscrupulous reporter from Ace In The Hole, O'Brien takes Sands on a magic carpet ride without letting him see the bulldozer he has doing the actual dirty work underneath. Jerry Paris has a strong role as O'Brien's henchman who can only sell so much of his soul. A nice moment by Hank Worden in an unbilled part helps provide context of the actual price others pay for the boy's success.
As for the comment that it's "ripped-off" from Elvis Presley's story, today Law & Order and other NBC series proudly boast about ripping their stories from today's headlines. There are elements here that could be from Presley's story, but also from many others. O'Brien has some Colonel Parker in him, but those elements seem overwhelmed by the others mentioned. Of course, today, Edmond O'Brien's character would qualify as a goody-two-shoes!