''Copacabana'' is a 1985 American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serv ...

based on the 1978 song of the same title by

Barry Manilow Barry Manilow ( ; born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer with a career that spans over sixty years. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", "Looks Like We Made It", "Brandy (Scott ...

, and starred Manilow himself, in his acting debut, as Tony, an aspiring songwriter, and

Annette O'Toole Annette O'Toole (born Annette Toole; April 1, 1952) is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She has received nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. She is known for portraying Lisa Bridges in t ...

as Lola, an aspiring singer who falls in with the wrong crowd. The film premiered on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

on December 3, 1985. At the

38th Primetime Emmy Awards The 38th Primetime Emmy Awards were presented on September 21, 1986, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The Emmy ceremony was cohosted by David Letterman and Shelley Long. During the ceremony, Letterman saluted Grant Tinke ...

, the film was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography ( Grover Dale) and Outstanding Directing in a Variety or Music Program (Hussein), and won for the latter. A

soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( ...

, '' Copacabana: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Album'', was released. The film also inspired a 1990 stage show at

Caesars Atlantic City Caesars Atlantic City is a luxury hotel, casino, and destination spa, spa resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Like Caesars Palace in Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas, it has an ancient Roman and Classical Greece, ancient Greek theme. Atlantic City' ...

, as well as a 1994 musical of the same name.

Plot

The film's story is told in flashbacks from 1978 to 1948, and back again. In 1978, a woman named Lola Lamar patronizes the Copacabana lounge in Manhattan, which in that year was being operated as a discotheque. There, outfitted in worn wardrobe that was new in the middle-to-late 1940s, when she had originally obtained it, she drinks rather heavily and remembers happier days thirty years ago, when she was far younger. In 1948, wannabe singer Lola meets aspiring songwriter Tony Starr when both are contestants on a radio show. Tony is immediately smitten with Lola and assists her flailing attempts to break into

show business Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz or showbiz (since 1945), is a vernacular term for all aspects of the entertainment industry.''Oxford English Dictionary'' 2nd Ed. (1989) From the business side (including managers, agents, produce ...

. At Manhattan's Copacabana lounge, both start finding fame. However, fate steps in and Lola is swept to

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Barry Manilow Barry Manilow ( ; born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer with a career that spans over sixty years. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", "Looks Like We Made It", "Brandy (Scott ...

as Tony Starr *

as Lola Lamar * Estelle Getty as Bella Stern * James T. Callahan as Dennis Riley *

Andra Akers Andra Akers (September 16, 1943 – March 20, 2002) was an American actress and philanthropist. A character actress, she appeared in films, theater and television, usually in tough or brassy roles. Early life and education Akers was born in Ne ...

as Pamela Devereaux * Silvana Gallardo as Conchita Alverez * Joseph Bologna as Rico Castelli *

Ernie Sabella Ernest Sabella (born September 19, 1949) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Pumbaa from '' The Lion King'' franchise, voicing the character in all media except the 2019 and 2024 films. Sabella's TV roles include Mr. Donald ...

as Sam Silver * Cliff Osmond as Algelo *

Dwier Brown Dwier Brown (born January 30, 1959) is an American actor. In the 1989 film ''Field of Dreams'' he played John Kinsella, the father of Kevin Costner's character, and he played Henry Mitchell in '' Dennis the Menace Strikes Again'' in 1998. Brown ...

as Bibi Sutton *

Hamilton Camp Hamilton Camp (born Robin S. Camp; 30 October 1934 – 2 October 2005) was a British-born actor and singer, who relocated to the United States with his family when he was a young child. He is known for his work as a folk singer during the 1960s ...

as Nicky Richards *

Stanley Brock Stanley Eis (July 7, 1931 – January 25, 1991), known professionally as Stanley Brock, was an American film and television actor. Biography Brock was born in Brooklyn, New York. He played Howie Hoffstedder in 78 episodes of the American ...

as 2nd Publisher * Clarence Felder as Nick Panotis *

Artie Butler Arthur Butler (born December 2, 1942) is an American arranger, composer, songwriter, and session musician. In a long career, he has been involved in numerous hit records and other recordings, and has been awarded over 60 gold and platinum album ...

as Nightclub Piano Player

Production

Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...

approached Manilow and cowriters Bruce Sussman and Jack Feldman, persuading them to develop a musical film around the song. Directed by

Waris Hussein Waris Hussein (''né'' Habibullah; born 9 December 1938) is a British-Indian television and film director. At the beginning of his career he was employed by the BBC as its youngest drama director. He directed early episodes of ''Doctor Who'', inc ...

and written by

James Lipton Louis James Lipton (September 19, 1926 – March 2, 2020) was an American writer, actor, talk show host, and dean emeritus of the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in New York City. He was the executive producer, writer, and host of ...

, the film features a handful of newly composed songs by Manilow.

Music

The

was released by

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic R ...

. Nine songs were written specifically for the film. * "Sweet Heaven (I'm in Love Again)" - Tony * "Changing My Tune" - Tony * "Let's Go Steppin'" - Copa Girls * "Man Wanted" - Lola * "Call Me Mr. Lucky" - Tony * "Lola" - Tony * "Who Needs to Dream?" - Tony * "¡Aye Caramba!" - Copa Girls * "El Bravo" - Lola

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Copacabana (Musical) Barry Manilow 1985 television films 1985 films American musical films 1980s American films Films based on songs Films set in 1948 Films set in New York City Films directed by Waris Hussein CBS films 1985 musical films