''Rock, Rock, Rock!'' is a 1956

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

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 ...

film conceived, co-written and co-produced by

Milton Subotsky Milton Subotsky (September 27, 1921 – June 27, 1991) was an American film and television writer and producer. In 1964, he founded Amicus Productions with Max J. Rosenberg. Amicus means "friend" in Latin. The partnership produced low-budget ...

and directed by Will Price. The film is an early

jukebox musical A jukebox musical is a stage musical or musical film in which a majority of the songs are well-known, pre-existing popular music songs, rather than original music composed for the musical. Some jukebox musicals use a wide variety of songs, while ...

featuring performances by established

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

singers of the era, including

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and de ...

LaVern Baker Delores LaVern Baker (born Delores Evans; November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997) was an American rhythm and blues singer who had several hit records on the pop charts in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were " Tweedle Dee" ...

Teddy Randazzo Alessandro Carmelo "Teddy" Randazzo (May 13, 1935 – November 21, 2003) was an American pop songwriter, singer, arranger and producer, who composed hit songs such as " Goin' Out of My Head", "It's Gonna Take a Miracle", " Pretty Blue Eyes", ...

the Moonglows The Moonglows were an American R&B group in the 1950s. Their song " Sincerely" went to number 1 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart and number 20 on the ''Billboard'' Juke Box chart. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. ...

the Flamingos The Flamingos are an American doo-wop group formed in Chicago in 1953. The band became popular in mid-to-late 1950s and are best known for their 1959 cover version of "I Only Have Eyes for You". They have since been hailed as being one of the f ...

, and

the Teenagers The Teenagers were an American music group, most noted for being one of rock music's earliest successes, presented to international audiences by DJ Alan Freed. The group, which made its most popular recordings with young Frankie Lymon as lead ...

with

Frankie Lymon Franklin Joseph Lymon (September 30, 1942 – February 27, 1968) was an American rock and roll/rhythm and blues singer and songwriter, best known as the boy soprano lead singer of the New York City-based early rock and roll doo-wop group the Te ...

as lead singer. Later ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a Musical theatre, musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book (musical theatre), book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo an ...

'' cast member David Winters is also featured. Famed

disc jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music fes ...

Alan Freed Albert James "Alan" Freed (December 15, 1921 – January 20, 1965) was an American disc jockey. He also produced and promoted large traveling concerts with various acts, helping to spread the importance of rock and roll music throughout Nor ...

made an appearance as himself.

Valerie Harper Valerie Kathryn Harper (August 22, 1939 – August 30, 2019) was an American actress. She began her career as a dancer on Broadway, making her debut as a replacement in the musical ''Li'l Abner''. She played Rhoda Morgenstern on ''The Mar ...

made her debut in a brief appearance as an

extra Extra, Xtra, or The Extra may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * The Extra (1962 film), ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film * The Extra (2005 film), ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film Literature * Extra (newspaper), ...

seated at the center table during the performance of "Ever Since I Can Remember" by Cirino and the Bowties and can be seen after the performance of

. This was also Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' film debut. Almost every member of the cast was signed to a

record label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...

at the time, which was credited along with each star. In 1984, the film entered the

public domain in the United States Works are in the public domain if they are not covered by the intellectual property right known as copyright, or if the intellectual property rights to the works have expired. Works automatically enter the public domain when their copyright has ...

because the claimants did not renew its

copyright registration The purpose of copyright registration is to place on record a verifiable account of the date and content of the work in question, so that in the event of a legal claim, or case of infringement or plagiarism, the copyright owner can produce a cop ...

in the 28th year after publication. The film's numerous musical numbers may have been copyrighted separately, however.

Plot

Dori discusses with her friend Arabella that they are planning to attend the school prom. She is in love with an ambitious singer Tommy Rogers, but she rejects his offer to enter a talent contest sponsored by Alan Freed. However, when she sees a new student Gloria Barker who arrives and announces that she will be wearing a strapless

evening gown An evening gown, evening dress or gown is a long dress usually worn at formal occasions. The drop ranges from Ballerina skirt, ballerina (mid-calf to just above the ankles), Tea length, tea (above the ankles), to Skirt length, full-length. S ...

in blue, Dori becomes disappointed. Dori then persuades her father to give her money so she can afford a dress. However, unbeknownst to Dori, her father closes their charge accounts due to his disapproval of the allowance she has spent. When she and Arabella are watching Freed's television show featuring upcoming rock and roll performers that night, Dori is worried that Tommy is attracted by Gloria, especially his newfound fame shortly after he has won the talent contest. Dori attempts to buy a strapless evening dress at Miss Silky's shop, but realizes that the charge account has been already closed. Dori then tries to persuade her father to buy her the new thirty-dollar dress; as long as she earns the rest, Dori's father agrees to give her fifteen dollars. Dori then decides to become a banker and borrows fifteen dollars from Arabella for a primary deposit after asking Mr. Bimble for a loan and providing collateral as a requirement–based on the principles of banking. Mistakenly believing that one percent interest on a dollar equals a dollar, Dori realizes that Gloria is attempting to ruin her by buying more expensive dresses and borrowing all fifteen dollars. On the other hand, Gloria tells Tommy that she is being taken advantage of by Dori after the former pledges her newest dress as collateral. Then Gloria exposes Dori's accounting error after refusing immediate repayment. Already upset, Dori encounters Tommy who cancels their date for the prom after hearing Gloria's warning about the former. Dori asks her father's advice about loans in a coyly manner, and he suggests that bankers can foreclose and take ownership of collateral. As she is on her way to Miss Silky's shop in order to claim ownership, Dori realizes that both the former's and Gloria's fathers are involved, and gets in trouble with Gloria after their schemes are exposed. Dori however convinces both her and Gloria's father that if her father pays Barker thirty dollars for more expensive dress, the former will then have the dress and use the refund to pay Arabella, resulting in Dori getting Gloria's blue dress for the prom. Meanwhile, Dori attends prom with another boy. Tommy, on the other hand, has arranged for Freed to bring his show to the prom. After several performances by various rock and roll artists, Dori and Tommy reconcile and reunite on the dance floor after the latter's apology.

Cast

– himself * Fran Manfred – Arabella *

Tuesday Weld Tuesday Weld (born Susan Ker Weld; August 27, 1943) is a retired American actress. She began acting as a child and progressed to mature roles in the late 1950s. She won a Golden Globe Award, Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Female Newcome ...

– Dori Graham *

Connie Francis Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero ( ; born December 12, 1937), known as Connie Francis, is a retired American Pop music, pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. She is estimated to have sold more th ...

– Dori's Singing Voice *

– Tommy Rogers * Jacqueline Kerr – Gloria Barker * Jack Collins – Mr. Graham, Dori's Father * Carol Moss – Mrs. Graham, Dori's Mother * Eleanor Swayne – Miss Silky * Lester Mack – Mr. Bimble * Bert Conway – Mr. Barker * "Big" Al Sears - himself *

Johnny Burnette John Joseph Burnette (March 25, 1934 – August 14, 1964) was an American singer and songwriter of rockabilly and pop music. In 1952, Johnny, his brother Dorsey Burnette, and their mutual friend Paul Burlison, formed the band that became ...

– himself * David Winters – Melville

Featured songs

*"Rock, Rock, Rock" – Jimmy Cavallo & His House Rockers *"I Never Had A Sweetheart" –

*"The Things Your Heart Needs" –

*"Rock, Pretty Baby" – Ivy Schulman and the Bowties *"Rock & Roll Boogie" –

& His Rock & Roll Band w/ "Big" Al Sears (saxophone) *"I Knew From The Start" –

The Moonglows The Moonglows were an American R&B group in the 1950s. Their song " Sincerely" went to number 1 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart and number 20 on the ''Billboard'' Juke Box chart. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. ...

You Can't Catch Me "You Can't Catch Me" is a song written for 1956 musical drama film '' Rock, Rock, Rock!''. It was recorded by Chuck Berry and released as a single in 1956. Background The song's lyrics describe racing a souped-up "air-mobile" down the New Jerse ...

" –

*"Would I Be Crying" –

The Flamingos The Flamingos are an American doo-wop group formed in Chicago in 1953. The band became popular in mid-to-late 1950s and are best known for their 1959 cover version of "I Only Have Eyes for You". They have since been hailed as being one of the f ...

*"The Big Beat" – Jimmy Cavallo & His House Rockers *"Thanks To You" –

(announced as Tommy Rodgers)from the movie *"We're Gonna Rock Tonight" – The Three Chuckles With Teddy Randazzo *"Little Blue Wren" – Connie Francis *"Rock, Rock, Rock" – Jimmy Cavallo & His House Rockers *"Lonesome Train (On A Lonesome Track)" – Johnny Burnette Trio *"Over and Over Again" –

*"Tra La La" –

*"Ever Since I Can Remember" – Cirino & the Bowties *"Baby Baby" –

Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as st ...

*" I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent" – Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers *"Won't You Give Me A Chance" – Teddy Randazzo *"Right Now, Right Now" – Alan Freed & His Rock & Roll Band with "Big" Al Sears (saxophone)

Soundtrack

The

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 ( ...

, also titled '' Rock, Rock, Rock!'', was released in December 1956 by Chess Records, labeled LP 1425. The soundtrack compilation featured four songs each from only three artists,

, and

. Only four songs on the album ("Over and Over Again", "I Knew From the Stars", "You Can't Catch Me", and "Would I Be Crying") actually appear in the film. ''Rock, Rock, Rock!'' is regarded as the first rock and roll movie to have had a soundtrack album issued. The Connie Francis songs "I Never Had a Sweetheart" and "Little Blue Wren" appeared in the film and were also released by MGM Records in 1956 as a Connie Francis single. "Baby, Baby" and "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent" by The Teenagers also appeared in the film and were subsequently released as a single by Gee Records.

Production

This was the first feature film collaboration between Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg.

Filming location

On August 13, 1956, the movie began filming in Mikaro Studios, near botanical gardens in Bedford Park, Bronx, and was shot over a period of two weeks.

Reception

The film was a success at the box office.

References

Bibliography

Sources

* *

External links

* * {{Internet Archive film, id=rock_rock_rock, name=Rock, Rock, Rock 1956 films 1956 independent films 1950s musical drama films 1950s teen drama films American black-and-white films American musical drama films American rock music films American teen drama films 1950s English-language films Articles containing video clips 1956 drama films Films directed by Will Price 1950s American films English-language independent films The Teenagers Bedford Park, Bronx English-language musical drama films