Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

The Gene Krupa Story

  • 19591959
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
711
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Gene Krupa Story (1959)
Biopic of famous jazz drummer, Gene Krupa, who becomes a sensation but cannot handle success and life in the fast lane and ends-up broke, struggling with drugs and alcohol.
Play trailer2:28
1 Video
65 Photos
  • Biography
  • Drama
  • Music

Biopic of famous jazz drummer, Gene Krupa, who becomes a sensation but cannot handle success and life in the fast lane and ends-up broke, struggling with drugs and alcohol.Biopic of famous jazz drummer, Gene Krupa, who becomes a sensation but cannot handle success and life in the fast lane and ends-up broke, struggling with drugs and alcohol.Biopic of famous jazz drummer, Gene Krupa, who becomes a sensation but cannot handle success and life in the fast lane and ends-up broke, struggling with drugs and alcohol.

IMDb RATING
6.7/10
711
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Don Weis
  • Writer
    • Orin Jannings
  • Stars
    • Sal Mineo
    • Susan Kohner
    • James Darren
Top credits
  • Director
    • Don Weis
  • Writer
    • Orin Jannings
  • Stars
    • Sal Mineo
    • Susan Kohner
    • James Darren
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 18User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:28
    Official Trailer

    Photos65

    Sal Mineo on the set of "The Gene Krupa Story," 1959.
    Sal Mineo and Yvonne Craig on the set of "The Gene Krupa Story," 1959.
    The Gene Krupa Story (1959)
    Sal Mineo in The Gene Krupa Story (1959)
    The Gene Krupa Story (1959)
    Sal Mineo in The Gene Krupa Story (1959)
    Sal Mineo and Susan Oliver in The Gene Krupa Story (1959)
    Susan Oliver in The Gene Krupa Story (1959)
    Sal Mineo and Susan Oliver in The Gene Krupa Story (1959)
    Sal Mineo and Susan Oliver in The Gene Krupa Story (1959)
    James Darren and Red Nichols in The Gene Krupa Story (1959)
    Sal Mineo and Susan Kohner in The Gene Krupa Story (1959)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sal Mineo
    Sal Mineo
    • Gene Krupaas Gene Krupa
    Susan Kohner
    Susan Kohner
    • Ethel Maguireas Ethel Maguire
    James Darren
    James Darren
    • Eddie Sirotaas Eddie Sirota
    Susan Oliver
    Susan Oliver
    • Dorissa Dinellas Dorissa Dinell
    Yvonne Craig
    Yvonne Craig
    • Gloria Corregioas Gloria Corregio
    Lawrence Dobkin
    Lawrence Dobkin
    • Speaker Willisas Speaker Willis
    Celia Lovsky
    Celia Lovsky
    • Motheras Mother
    Red Nichols
    Red Nichols
    • Selfas Self
    Bobby Troup
    Bobby Troup
    • Tommy Dorseyas Tommy Dorsey
    Anita O'Day
    Anita O'Day
    • Selfas Self
    Shelly Manne
    Shelly Manne
    • Davey Toughas Davey Tough
    Buddy Lester
    Buddy Lester
    • Selfas Self
    Stanley Adams
    Stanley Adams
    • Bar Owneras Bar Owner
    • (uncredited)
    Marie Ardell
    • Minor Roleas Minor Role
    • (uncredited)
    Candy Barr
    Candy Barr
    • Stripperas Stripper
    • (uncredited)
    Henry Beau
      Arthur Berkeley
      • Stagehandas Stagehand
      • (uncredited)
      John Bleifer
      • Fatheras Father
      • (uncredited)
      • Director
        • Don Weis
      • Writer
        • Orin Jannings
      • All cast & crew
      • See more cast details at IMDbPro

      More like this

      Who Killed Teddy Bear
      6.6
      Who Killed Teddy Bear
      The Five Pennies
      7.1
      The Five Pennies
      Dino
      6.8
      Dino
      A Man Called Adam
      6.6
      A Man Called Adam
      Crime in the Streets
      6.6
      Crime in the Streets
      Tiger Bay
      7.5
      Tiger Bay
      Rage in Heaven
      6.4
      Rage in Heaven
      Underworld U.S.A.
      7.3
      Underworld U.S.A.
      Murder by Contract
      7.3
      Murder by Contract
      Footsteps in the Dark
      6.8
      Footsteps in the Dark
      The Glenn Miller Story
      7.3
      The Glenn Miller Story
      Blume in Love
      6.3
      Blume in Love

      Storyline

      Edit
      The story of legendary jazz drummer, Gene Krupa. Since his youth, all Gene ever wanted to do is play the drums and make music. This is something his parents would not approve of- they want him to be a priest. When Gene's father dies he promises to enter the priesthood. He soon realizes that he doesn't belong there and leaves to join his friend, Eddie's band. Ethel, Eddie's girlfriend, convinces Gene to go to New York and make it big. The 3 of them head to New York. Here Ethel and Gene soon fall in love and Gene makes a name for himself. Gene starts to live in the fast lane, with drugs, alcohol, women and parties. Ethel, unhappy with Gene's lifestyle, leaves him. Gene soon "hits rock bottom" where he has to face reality and choose where to take his life. —Kelly
      • band
      • drugs
      • drummer
      • jazz
      • seminary
      • 27 more
      • Plot summary
      • Add synopsis
      • Taglines
        • He hammered out the savage tempo of the jazz era!
      • Genres
        • Biography
        • Drama
        • Music
      • Parents guide
        • Add content advisory

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        When the film opened in Krupa's hometown of Chicago at the Schiller Theatre on January 15, 1960 both Gene Krupa and Sal Mineo were on hand to greet the public and sign "fan fotos."
      • Goofs
        In the spring and summer of 1930, Krupa made 7 records with Bix in NYC., most famously Barnacle Bill the Sailor in an All-Star band hand picked by Hoagy Carmichael which included Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and Venuti & Lang.
      • Quotes

        Gene Krupa: What are we giving away here?

        Guitarist: The most! On sip and you're gone from the vale of tears.

        Gene Krupa: Reefers?

        Guitarist: Reap the tender weed. Or as the peasants say: tea. And I don't mean Oolong.

        Gene Krupa: So that's what they look like. Huh?

        Guitarist: Don't give me that, Daddy-O. How else would you get that crazy kick on your drums.

        Gene Krupa: Oh, come off it Jack. You think I need anything like that to get me out there?

      • Connections
        Featured in Police Story: The Broken Badge (1978)
      • Soundtracks
        Royal Garden Blues
        (uncredited)

        Written by Clarence Williams and Spencer Williams

      User reviews18

      Review
      Top review
      7/10
      They weren't my reefers!
      Biography of penultimate jazz drummer Krupa (played here with enthusiasm by young Sal Mineo) as he achieves fame and fortune for his unique talent, then squanders his success on alcohol, illicit substances and loose women. Mineo is sharp and authentic-looking in his impersonations of the frenetic, almost chaotic looking drumming, while Kohner is his antithesis, a placid, mature girl who despite his lack of judgment and indiscretions, sticks by him, ultimately resurrecting his career after he's incarcerated for narcotics possession (in spite of his protests "they weren't my reefers!"). She encourages him to learn to read music, while his fair-weather friends encourage him to party to excess, his grip on the sticks stutters and concerns grow for his well being.

      Larry Dobkin is Krupa's cool-as-cucumber attorney, but the trio of girls assembled to tempt Mineo (principally youthful Craig and sultry Oliver) are welcome distractions from the musical numbers (which are superbly choreographed and not over represented). Darren isn't bad as his trumpet-playing concerned friend and future "Love Boat" captain Gavin McLeod is on deck in a small role as Krupa's brother.

      The subject matter is handled with conservatism and the drug dependency issue isn't really explored in any detail (the scene in which he rejects Oliver's offer of a doobie is a little cheesy, surely even by the contemporary standards). Still it's a bit more than a casual theme, and this is more than just a string of musical numbers loosely bound in a biopic melodrama. Mineo's performance is well balanced, while Kohner is appropriately understated and the musical numbers more than compensate for any particular lack of dramatic intensity. Worth a look.
      helpful•4
      0
      • Chase_Witherspoon
      • May 10, 2011

      FAQ5

      • What is 'The Gene Krupa Story' about?
      • Is 'The Gene Krupa Story' based on a book?
      • How does the movie end?

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • December 1959 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • United States
      • Language
        • English
      • Also known as
        • The Drummer Man
      • Filming locations
        • Hollywood, California, USA
      • Production company
        • Columbia Pictures
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Technical specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 41 minutes
      • Color
        • Black and White
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.66 : 1

      Related news

      Actress Yvonne Craig Dead at 78 – TV’s Batgirl
      Aug 19WeAreMovieGeeks.com
      Happy Birthday to Sal Mineo! Let's Revisit His Bumpy, But Beautiful Work
      Jan 10The Backlot

      Contribute to this page

      Suggest an edit or add missing content
      The Gene Krupa Story (1959)
      Top Gap
      By what name was The Gene Krupa Story (1959) officially released in India in English?
      Answer
      • See more gaps
      • Learn more about contributing
      Edit page

      More to explore

      View list
      List
      The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in May
      See the full list
      Image caption not available
      2:14
      The Most Anticipated Movies and Shows to Watch in May
      Watch the video

      Recently viewed

      Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
      Get the IMDb App
      • Get the IMDb App
      • Help
      • Site Index
      • IMDbPro
      • Box Office Mojo
      • IMDb Developer
      • Press Room
      • Advertising
      • Jobs
      • Conditions of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interest-Based Ads

      © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.