The Buddy Holly Story

Director: Steve Rash Steve Rash

Overview

Gary Busey's sterling performance as Buddy Holly graces this entertaining film biography of this pioneering rock and roll performer. The film follows the trajectory of Holly's musical career from his beginnings in Lubbock, Texas, through his troubled recording career, to his national fame after the success of his hit "That'll Be the Day." As Holly struggles up the road to success, the film also chronicles the tension between him and his backup band, The Crickets (Don Stroud and Charles Martin Smith), along with his love for his Puerto Rican bride Maria (Maria Richwine).

Product Details

Release Date:	01/05/2016
UPC:	0043396471757
Original Release:	1978
Rating:	PG
Source:	SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMT
Region Code:	1
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:54:00
Sales rank:	1,993

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Gary Busey	Buddy Holly
Charles Martin Smith	Ray Bob Simmons
William Jordan	Riley,Actor
Maria Richwine	Maria
Conrad Janis	Turner
Dick O'Neill	Sol
Fred Travalena	Madman
Gloria Irizarry	Mrs. Santiago
Albert Popwell	Eddie Foster
Amy Johnston	Jenny Lou
James Beach	Mr. Wilson
John Goff	T.J.,T.J.
Stymie Beard	Luther
M.G. Kelly	M.C.
Bill Phillips Murray	Desk Clerk
Freeman King	Tyrone
Steve Camp	Cook
Jody Berry	Engineer Sam
Bob Christopher	Cadillac Salesman
Arch Johnson	Mr. Holly
Neva Patterson	Mrs. Holly
Steve Rash	Actor
Don Stroud	Jesse
Paul Mooney	Sam Cooke
Ken Wahl	Actor
Joe Renzetti	Composer

Technical Credits

Robert Gittler

Steve Rash	Director
Fred Bauer	Producer
Willie D. Burton	Sound Mixer,Sound/Sound Designer
Edward H. Cohen	Executive Producer
Robby Knott	Special Effects,Special Effects
Fred T. Kuehnert	Executive Producer,Producer
Joel Fein	Sound/Sound Designer
Tex Rudloff	Sound/Sound Designer
Curly Thirlwell	Sound/Sound Designer
Robert Gittler	Screenwriter
Joyce Selznick	Casting

Editorial Reviews

Music that helped pioneer the rock era is at the heart of this biopic of the 1950s American songster whose life was cut short at age 22 in a plane crash. The most remarkable aspect of this film is Gary Busey's dead-on portrayal of Holly. Busey sings Holly's songs himself, and he makes the character his own without trying too hard to match Holly's iconic physical appearance. Busey won the National Society of Film Critics award as best actor of 1978, and he was nominated for an Oscar, but Academy honors went solely to Joe Renzetti for the pulsating score. The movie avoids wallowing in clichés and successfully recaptures the frenzied energy and serendipity of the early years of the rock era. First-time screenwriter Robert Gittler died the same year that the film was released.