American Hot Wax

"1959. New York City. The battleground was Rock and Roll. It was the beginning of an era. You shoulda been there."

This is the story loosely based on Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed, who introduced rock'n'roll to teenage American radio audiences in the 1950s. Freed was a source of great controversy: criticized by conservatives for corrupting youth with the "devil's music"; hated by racists for promoting African American music for white consumption; persecuted by law enforcement officials and finally brought down by the "payola" scandals.

Release Date

March 17, 1978

Status

Released

Original Title

American Hot Wax

Runtime

1h 31min

Budget

Revenue

$11,000,000

Language

English, Italian

Production Companies

Paramount Pictures