Buddy Holly laid the foundations for a generation of popular music with his ground-breaking combination of country music and rhythm and blues. This film tells his story from it's explosive beginning to its tragic end with Gary Busey giving an electrifying, Oscar nominated performance (Best Actor 1978) as the young genius from Lubbock, Texas, who changed the tune of rock 'n' roll history. Young Buddy's studious appearance gave no hint of the 'new music' which was about to take the world by storm. His unique brand of rock 'n' roll catapulted him and the Crickets to national stardom in just three short years, with hits such as 'That'll Be The Day' and 'Peggy Sue'. Despite opposition from the mainly redneck Texas community, his mother who nagged him to get a proper job and his girlfriend who wanted to tame him - by the age of 22, Holly had it all but the trials and tribulations of fame began to take it's toll and his brilliant career ended in tragedy all too quickly.
Directed by
Steve Rash
Written by
Robert Gittler (screenplay); John Goldrosen (source material "Buddy Holly His Life and Music"); Alan Swyer (story).
Starring
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). Please contact SFC to add other cast members and characters.
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