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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1980s
    Movies - 1980s Movies - I 2 Mins Read

    Idolmaker, The (1980)

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    Vincent Vacari (Ray Sharkey playing a role loosely based on Bob Marcucci, who discovered and managed Frankie Avalon and Fabian) is a waiter at his brother’s Italian restaurant in Brooklyn.

    He is also a passionate songwriter and works in partnership with his best friend, pianist Gino Pilato (Joe Pantoliano).

    idolmaker

    But Vinnie doesn’t believe he has the looks to pursue a career as a singer so decides to groom Tomaso DeLorusso (Paul Land) as a star instead.

    Using Vinnie’s songs and moves, the now renamed ‘Tommy Dee’ becomes a pop sensation. But he is uncontrollable and his fame goes to his head and he leaves to do a cowboy TV series.

    Vinnie finds his next protege in a shy busboy named Guido (Peter Gallagher) who he renames Caesare and grooms into another big star.

    Unfortunately, Caesare is busted for drunk driving and has an affair with a reporter (Maureen McCormick), bringing about Vinnie’s painful downward spiral back to the dismal obscurity he started from.

    The anachronistic musical score was criticised upon the film’s release, with Jeff Barry’s compositions sounding far more like slick 1980s pop than the 50s and 60s music of the period in which the movie is set.

    Ray Sharkey scored a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Vincent Vacarri but within a couple of years, he was playing fifth-bill to Lorenzo Lamas in Body Rock and had no other films of any significance.

    Sharkey was busted for possession of heroin and cocaine at a Canadian airport and ended up broke and living with his mother in New York City before dying of AIDS in 1993, aged just 41.

    Vincent Vacarri
    Ray Sharkey
    Brenda Roberts
    Tovah Feldshuh
    Caesare (Guido)
    Peter Gallagher
    Tommy Dee (Tomaso DeLorusso)
    Paul Land
    Gino Pilato
    Joe Pantoliano
    Ellen Fields
    Maureen McCormick
    Paul Vacarri
    John Aprea
    Uncle Tony
    Richard Bright
    Mrs Vacarri
    Olympia Dukakis
    Frank Vacarri
    Steve Peck
    Luchetti
    Leonard Gaines
    Jerry Martin
    Deney Terrio
    Jesse
    Charles Guardino
    Ed Sharp
    Michael Mislove
    Walt Bennett
    Kenneth O’Brien
    Carlo
    Michael Perrotta
    Delano
    Jeffrey Tanner
    Mrs Sevaloope
    Renata Vanni
    Scapio
    Howard Gordon
    Sheila
    Tammy Alverson
    Alfredo
    Frank Bongiorno
    Jimmy Ryan
    Jimmy Carter
    Harmon
    Jojo D’amore
    Janet
    Malli Jackson
    Gigi
    Anthony Marciona

    Director
    Taylor Hackford

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