Jamboree adheres to the usual formula of late-1950s rock & roll films: A plethora of musical numbers linked together by the wispiest of plotlines. Kay Medford heads the cast as manipulative showbiz agent Grace Shaw. Hoping to land pop singer Pete Porter, Grace connives to break up Pete's romance with female vocalist Honey Wynn. But who cares? The audience came to see such musical faves as Fats Domino, Count Basie, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jodie Sands, Ron Coby, Slim Whitman, Carl Perkins, Frankie Avalon, Charlie Gracie and the Four Coins. As a promotional tie-in, Jamboree also features appearances by 21 of North America's top rock-and-roll deejays.
Acting
Jerry Lee Lewis playing piano like his life depends on it.
Production
Cramming 17 legends into 86 minutes of barely coherent joy.
Director
Roy Lockwood
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Frankie Avalon's film debut at age 17, same year 'DeDe Dinah' made him a teen idol.
The film captured rock's first generation at peak chaos—Lewis, Domino, Perkins—months before Elvis got drafted and everything changed.
US
