The Buddy Holly Story (1978)

Director:

Steve Rash

Writers:

Robert Gittler (screenplay)
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:

Affection | Snowstorm | Plane Crash | Price Of Fame | Song

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Gary Busey	...	Buddy Holly
Don Stroud	...	Jesse Charles
Charles Martin Smith	...	Ray Bob Simmons
Conrad Janis	...	Ross Turner
William Jordan	...	Riley Randolph
Maria Richwine	...	Maria Elena Holly
Amy Johnston	...	Cindy Lou
Dick O'Neill	...	Sol Gittler
Fred Travalena	...	Madman Mancuso
Neva Patterson	...	Mrs. Ella Holly
John F. Goff	...	T J
Gloria Irizarry	...	Mrs. Santiago
Jody Berry	...	Sam
Richard Kennedy	...	Preacher
Jim Beach	...	Waylon
Gailard Sartain	...	The Big Bopper
Albert Popwell	...	Eddie Foster
Paul Mooney	...	Sam Cooke
Freeman King	...	Apollo M.C
Matthew 'Stymie' Beard	...	Luthor
Bill Phillips Murry	...	Desk clerk at black hotel
Joe Renzetti	...	Violinist #1
Rajah Bergman	...	Schwartz (violinist #2)
Alan Peterson	...	Eight-year-old
Craig White	...	King Curtis
John Walden	...	Six-year-old
M.G. Kelly	...	Lenny Lawrence
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	...	Alderson Cadillac salesman
Jack Jozefson	...	Ed Sullivan Show stage manager
Buddy Miles	...	Tour musician
Loutz Gage	...	Ed Sullivan Show producer
Peter Griffen	...	Ed Sullivan Show director
Gilbert Melgar	...	Richie Valens
John Fisher	...	Man in theater
Will Jordan	...	Ed Sullivan (voice)
Bill Lytle	...	Delbert
Roulle	...	Barking Dog
Cora	...	Ruby
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Arch Johnson	...	Lawrence O. Holly
Mags Kavanaugh	...	Sissy Lou (uncredited)
Hope Sage	...	Fan (uncredited)
Eric Voge	...	Groupie (uncredited)

Directed by
Steve Rash

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

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)

Costume Design by
Michael Butler

Makeup Department
Doris Alexander	....	makeup artist
Marvin G. Westmore	....	makeup artist (as Marvin Westmore)

Production Management
Don Goldman	....	production manager

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

Sound Department
Willie D. Burton	....	sound mixer (as Willie Burton)
Joel Fein	....	sound recording mixer
Joel Fein	....	special audio
Walter A. Gest	....	sound re-recordist (as Walter Guest)
Robert W. Harris	....	assistant sound mixer (as Bob Harris)
Marvin E. Lewis	....	assistant sound mixer (as Marvin Lewis)
Tex Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Curly Thirlwell	....	sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Tom Bookout	....	grip
Garrett Brown	....	steadicam operator
David Dalzell	....	camera operator
Allen Facemire	....	photography: second unit
Calvin Maehl	....	gaffer
Steve Peterson	....	first assistant camera
Randall Robinson	....	first assistant camera
Randall Robinson	....	steadicam assistant
Steve Stafford	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
James Seidelman	....	assistant editor

Transportation Department
Darwin Joston	....	driver

Other crew
Douglas Dean III	....	production assistant
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)
• Columbia TriStar (USA) (DVD)
• Concorde Film (1979) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Fabulous Films (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Roadshow Home Video (Australia) (VHS) (1980s)

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | West Germany:o.Al. | Australia:PG | 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:

Also according to Busey and Director Steve Rash, the scene at the roller rink after the band's first rock number in which the extras clapped and cheered was an unexpected reaction to their performance. As you can see in the film, Busey, Smith, and Stroud sort of lose their place and start nervously laughing.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: At the roller rink, Buddy plays a Fender "Bronco" guitar. The Bronco was not manufactured by Fender until the early 1970s.

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

A great biopic.

The Buddy Holly Story is a great biography with a super performance from Gary Busey. Busey did his own singing for this film and he does a great job.