With A Little Help From Their Friends

With A Little Help From Their Friends

CREEMEDIA

Peter and the Bee Gees Put Sgt. Pepper on Film

Linda Barber

So you thought you'd heard the last of the Beatles, 'eh? Think again. In fact, you might want to dig out that dusty old Sgt. Pepper LP to brush up, because this spring it's all coming back.

It's the film we've all been waiting for...maybe! The four mop-topped lads from Liverpool penned and set it to music, and now it's being brought to the screen via Robert Stigwood (RSO), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Universal.

Production recently began at M-G-M Studios in Hollywood featuring something for everyone, from Peter Frarnpton to George Burns. The flick will include a Beatles bonanza; in addition to Sgt. P., 29 tunes from Abbey Road, Rubber Soul and Let It Be.

Cast & Credits

"The one and only BILLY SHEARS," the main man, will be played by the Face Of The Year (and you'll be seeing quite a bit of it), Peter Frarnpton. His manager, Dee Anthony, even gets to playa part«— EXECUTIVE PRODUCER.

THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND will be portrayed by those toothful wonders of pop-rock, soul & disco, "beautiful" Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb (a/k/a the Bee Gees).

1 The role of STRAWBERRY FIELDS (female lead to Peter's Billy) began as a casting director's nightmare: hundreds of girls appeared for the open audition (advertised days in advance on local L. A. radio stations), calling for a blonde, blue-eyed, under 5'5" singer. The set brimmed over with hundreds of young, anxious hopefuls, but to quote a West Coast source: "Isn't there a female in this goddamn town who can sing?" All's well that ends well, however, and that it did—like a scene from an old movie (cf. Judy Garland in the '50s flick A Star Is Born). It all came together one late night in Connecticut when an executive fjom RSO ran out of gas. The story goes that Mr. VIP pulled into a gas station and, after a bit of small talk with the station manager, learned that the lad's girlfriend was not only blonde and blue-eyed and short but—EUREKA—can she sing! Thus Sandra Farina, 18, had her dreams come true when the RSO people informed her that yes, according to her cassette, she could indeed sing, and WOULD SHE LIKE TQ BE IN THE MOVIES? Thank God she is short, too—Peter won't have to stand on a crate!

In the supporting category are Diane Steinberg as LUCY (In The Sky With Diamonds), a black singer from Detroit, discovered in an L.A. nightspot called Smokehouse (home of the Captain and his Tennille in leaner days). Then there's that old stoker George Burns, who'll make his way across the screen in the role of MR. KITE. The "meanest man in town," MEAN MR.

MUSTARD, features yet another show biz veteran, Britisher Frankie Howard.

MUSICAL DIRECTION and ARRANGEMENT is by longtime Beatles producer George Martin (who, if you've forgotten, was responsible for their signing with EMI back in '62). Working with Martin as SOUNDTRACK ENGINEER is Geoff Emerick (who had a heavy part in producing Abbey Road and the last four McCartney LPs).

The rest of the rosjer includes: DIRECTOR—Michael Schultz; PRODUCTION DESIGNER-Brian Eat well; and the SCREENPLAY is by New York Times rock scribe Henry Edwards.

The only question is: CAN THEY PULL IT OFF? What if pretty Peter, those Ultra-Brite brothers and the virtually unknown leading ladies can't hbld their own? BUT WAIT! Maybe this will be the very vehicle on which the boys from Liverpool will ride—reunited —if only to seek revenge.

(Picture this: FLASH! Famous pretty rock star seen entering N. Y. Hospital's psychiatric ward in straight jacket while strains of "I'm In You" echo from his throat. ..FLASH! Well known trio pay secret visit to leading London orthodontist in search of upper plates... The possibilities are endless.)

Suzi Quatro Meets Fonzie

Remember Pinky Tuscadero (Roz Kelly)? £jhe made Fonzie's heart go plippity-plot last TV season and then faded into the armpit of Nancy Walker (who faded into oblivion with her short-lived Blonsky's Beauties).

Well, the Pink wasn't the only rock 'n' roll rosebud at home.. .Her little sister Leather (played by real-life rocker v Suzi Quatro) makes her way to TV's Happy Days home base, Milwaukee, after being released from reform school. She arrives with her band in tow (two little blonde numbers resembling Hollywood has-beens) in the hopes of making the Big Time.

(And check out her hairdo—ever heard of a '70s/shag in the '50s?!)

The plot goes like this: Out of curiosity or obligation to his beloved Pinky or just for a good time, the Fonz decided to take matters into his own hands and manage little Leather and the Suedes. And when one of the blondes split, Joanie (little sister of Richie), deciding that her future lies in the musiq biz, joins up with Leather and friend. The first of two episodes featuring Suzi ends when the new band leaves town... much to the chagrin of Richie and family.

Suzi performs (at times with the help of local boys) Elvis' "Heartbreak Hotel" and "All Shook Up," along with her self-penned "Cat's Eyes" and "Devilgate Drive[Watch for her latest U.S.-recorded LP, available soon.]

Fonzie turns good guy when, along with Richie and Potsy, he tries to persuade Joanie to get out of r 'n' r and go home where she belongs. Of course, we all know that Joanie will see the light, but will the producers? Will Suzi return for a third (or fourth or more) episode? Only ABC knows for sure. But that's what they said about Pinky...

Linda Barber