The Idolmaker

Set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, this drama follows Vincent Vacarri, a songwriter and manager who works as a waiter in his brother's restaurant while chasing his dream of making it in the music business. With help from his friend Gino Pilato, he spots raw talent in unlikely places and sets out to turn ordinary young men into rock-and-roll idols. He builds a career for a singer he discovers in a local club, then tries to repeat the trick with a new face, throwing himself into the work so completely that his girlfriend, Brenda, grows worried about what it is costing him. The story draws on the life of rock promoter and producer Bob Marucci, who was associated with the discovery of Frankie Avalon and Fabian.

Taylor Hackford directed from a screenplay by Edward di Lorenzo. It was Hackford's first feature, arriving two years before An Officer and a Gentleman. Ray Sharkey plays Vincent, with Peter Gallagher, Joe Pantoliano, Paul Land, JoJo D'Amore and Maureen McCormick in supporting roles. The film took about 3 million dollars worldwide against a modest production. On IMDb it holds 6.9/10 from roughly 1,600 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 5.6/10 from 23 votes; a critics' rating of 6.3/10 from 10 reviews places it close to the IMDb figure.