Young teenager Dori Graham (a 13-year-old Tuesday Weld) is popular at school and has landed the dreamy Tommy (Teddy Randazzo) as her boyfriend.
Tommy is a singer and plans on entering an upcoming talent contest being held by DJ Alan Freed.
New girl Gloria (Jacqueline Kerr) arrives on the scene and tries to snag Tommy for herself.
Gloria is rich, though, and plans to purchase a fancy new strapless dress for the upcoming prom to lure Tommy away. Dori determines she must also get such a dress for the whopping sum of $30.
Dori decides she must also get such a dress, but they are a massive $30 and her father (Jack Collins) has cut off her line of credit at the dress shop to teach her to appreciate money.
After a visit to the bank, Dori hits upon a plan to raise money by loaning money to other kids and charging interest.
She ends up loaning the money she has to the villainous Gloria, who takes advantage of Dori’s poor numeracy skills to get her branded a schemer in Tommy’s book.
He ends up breaking off their date to the prom as a result.
Dori has a few tricks up her sleeve to turn the tables on Gloria and win back Tommy.
This early rock and roll feature includes performances by Chuck Berry, LaVern Baker, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, The Flamingos, The Moonglows and The Johnny Burnette Trio.
Dori’s singing voice is provided by Connie Francis.
Alan Freed
Himself
Dori Graham
Tuesday Weld
Dori Graham (singing voice)
Connie Francis
Tommy
Teddy Randazzo
Gloria
Jacqueline Kerr
Arabella
Fran Manfred
Father
Jack Collins
Mother
Carol Moss
Baby
Ivy Schulman
Miss Silky
Eleanor Swayne
Mr Bimble
Lester Mack
Mr Barker
Bert Conway
Melville
David Winters
Chuck Berry
Himself
The Moonglows
Themselves
The Flamingos
Themselves
Johnny Burnette Trio
Themselves
La Vern Baker
Herself
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
Themselves
The Coney Island Kids
Themselves
Director
Will Price
