''The Idolmaker'' is a 1980 American

musical Musical is the adjective of music Music is generally defined as the The arts, art of arranging sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Exact def ...

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

starring Ray Sharkey,

Peter Gallagher Peter Killian Gallagher (born August 19, 1955) is an American actor. Since 1980, he has played roles in numerous Hollywood films. He is best known for starring as Sandy Cohen in the television drama series '' The O.C.'' from 2003 to 2007, recu ...

, Paul Land,

Tovah Feldshuh Terri Sue "Tovah" Feldshuh (born December 27, 1948) is an American actress, singer, and playwright. She has been a Broadway star for more than four decades, earning four Tony Award nominations. She has also received two Emmy Award nominations f ...

and

Joe Pantoliano Joseph Peter Pantoliano (born September 12, 1951) is an American character actor who has appeared in over 150 films, television and stage productions. After his early roles in the television series ''M*A*S*H'' and the 1983 comedy '' Risky Bus ...

. The film is loosely based on the life of rock promoter/producer Bob Marcucci who discovered, among others,

Frankie Avalon Francis Thomas Avallone (born September 18, 1940), better known as Frankie Avalon, is an American actor, singer, and former teen idol. He had 31 charting U.S. ''Billboard'' singles from 1958 to late 1962, including number one hits, "Venus" a ...

and Fabian. Directed by

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment in ...

winning filmmaker

Taylor Hackford Taylor Edwin Hackford (born December 31, 1944) is an American film director and former president of the Directors Guild of America. He won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for ''Teenage Father'' (1979). Hackford went on to direc ...

and written by Edward di Lorenzo, The Idolmaker was the feature film debut of Peter Gallagher, Joe Pantoliano, and Paul Land. Bob Marcucci served as a

technical advisor In film production, a technical advisor is someone who advises the director on the convincing portrayal of a subject. The advisor's expertise adds realism both to the acting and to the setting of a movie. Nipo T. Strongheart was a noted technica ...

for the production.

Plot

Set in 1959, Vincent "Vinnie" Vacarri ( Ray Sharkey), a Brooklyn-based songwriter pursues success in the fledgling rock 'n' roll music business, along with his best friend and piano accompanist Gino "G.G." Pilato (

). After being impressed by a charismatic local saxophone player, Tomaso DeLorusso ( Paul Land), Vinnie convinces him to trade his instrument for a microphone and over the next few months, under Vinnie's strict guidance, the newly named "Tommy Dee" becomes a rock 'n' roll sensation. Searching for continued success, Vinnie prepares another act in the form of Guido (

), a local teen

busboy In North America, a busser, more commonly known as a busboy or busgirl, is a person who works in the restaurant and catering industry clearing tables, taking dirty dishes to the dishwasher, setting tables, refilling and otherwise assisting t ...

, prompting a jealous and arrogant Tommy Dee to abandon him for a new manager. With even more gusto and single-mindedness, Vinnie embarks on a destructive journey to control every aspect of his new act's image. Despite his obvious flair for creating teen idols, Vinnie's girlfriend, Brenda (

), a successful teen magazine editor, is concerned that his obsession is destroying everyone around him, including himself.

Cast

* Ray Sharkey as Vincent "Vinnie" Vacarri *

as Guido/Caesare *

as Brenda Roberts *

as Gino "G.G." Pilato * Paul Land as Tomaso "Tommy Dee" DeLorusso *

Maureen McCormick Maureen Denise McCormick (born August 5, 1956) is an American actress. She portrayed Marcia Brady on the ABC television sitcom ''The Brady Bunch'', which ran from 1969 to 1974, and reprised the role in several of the numerous ''Brady Bunch'' ...

as Ellen Fields *

Olympia Dukakis Olympia Dukakis (June 20, 1931 – May 1, 2021) was an American actress. She performed in more than 130 stage productions, more than 60 films and in 50 television series. Best known as a screen actress, she started her career in theater. Not lon ...

as Mrs. Vacarri * John Aprea as Pani Vacarri

Production

Marcucci approached producer Gene Kirkwood with the idea for the film. In the original script, the singers were more sympathetic and the producer less so.

Soundtrack

The film features an original music score by

Jeff Barry Jeff Barry (born Joel Adelberg; April 3, 1938) is an American pop music songwriter, singer, and record producer. Among the most successful songs that he has co-written in his career are " Do Wah Diddy Diddy", " Da Doo Ron Ron", " Then He Kiss ...

and choreography by

Deney Terrio Denis George Mahan (born June 15, 1950), better known as Deney Terrio, is an American choreographer and hosted the television musical variety series ''Dance Fever'' from 1979 to 1985. Early life and career Raised in Titusville, Florida, Terrio ...

. ;Track listing for the soundtrack # "Here Is My Love" ( Jesse Frederick) # "Ooo-Wee Baby" (

Darlene Love Darlene Wright (born July 26, 1941), known professionally as Darlene Love, is an American singer and actress. She was the lead singer of the girl group the Blossoms and she also recorded as a solo artist. She began singing as a child with he ...

) # "Come and Get It" (

Nino Tempo Nino Tempo (born Antonino LoTempio; January 6, 1935) is an American musician, singer, and actor. He was a duet partner with his older sister April Stevens as well as the frontman for a 1970s funk band, 5th Ave. Sax. Career Antonino LoTempio w ...

) # "Sweet Little Lover" ( Jesse Frederick) # "I Can't Tell" (Colleen Fitzpatrick) # "However Dark the Night" (

) # "Baby" (

) # "I Know Where You're Going" (

) # "A Boy and a Girl" (

The Sweet Inspirations The Sweet Inspirations were an American R&B girl group mostly known for their work as backup singers on studio recordings for other R&B and rock artists. A founding member of the group was Dionne Warwick, who was later replaced by her aunt, C ...

and The London Fog) # "I Believe It Can Be Done" ( Ray Sharkey) # "I Believe It Can Be Done" (Instrumental) (

)

Charts

Home media

On August 27, 2013,

Shout! Factory Shout! Factory is an American home video and music company founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases include previously released feature films, classic and contemporary television series, animation, live music, and comedy ...

released ''The Idolmaker'' on Blu-ray.

Lawsuit

Fabian Forte Fabian Forte (born Fabiano Anthony Forte, February 6, 1943), professionally known as Fabian, is an American singer and actor. Forte rose to national prominence after performing several times on ''American Bandstand''. He became a teen idol o ...

filed a $64 million lawsuit against the film, alleging defamation and invasion of privacy. Forte, a teen idol of the late 1950s and early 1960s, had been managed by Bob Marcucci. Having served as the inspiration for the character of Guido/Caesare, Forte claimed the film made him look like "a totally manufactured singer, a mere pretty face without any singing ability or acting talent." He went on to say they settled out of court, requiring he, his wife, and family receive apologies in ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...

'' and ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', and Marcucci's 7.5% ownership of the film passed to Forte. Hopper, Hedda.

Plans for remake

In 2014, ''

'' reported that a remake of the film was in the works, with

Craig Brewer Craig Brewer (born December 6, 1971) is an American filmmaker. His 2005 movie ''Hustle & Flow'' won the Audience Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and achieved commercial success, along with an Academy Award for Best Original Song, " It' ...

to direct, and Justin Timberlake to produce (along with the two producers of the original film, Hawk Koch and Gene Kirkwood). The remake never materialized.

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* *
TCM.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Idolmaker 1980 films 1980s musical films American musical films Films directed by Taylor Hackford Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe winning performance United Artists films Films à clef 1980 directorial debut films 1980s English-language films 1980s American films