Go, Johnny Go!

Go, Johnny Go!

Theatrical release poster by Tom Jung
Directed by Paul Landres
Produced by Hal Roach, Jr.
Written by Gary Alexander
Starring Alan Freed
Jimmy Clanton
Sandy Stewart
Chuck Berry
Music by Leon Klatzkin
Cinematography Jack Etra
Edited by Walter A. Hannemann
Production
company
Hal Roach Studios
Distributed by Valiant Films
Release dates
  • June 1959
Running time
75 minutes
Country United States
Language English

Go, Johnny Go! is a 1959 rock and roll film starring Alan Freed as a talent scout searching for a future rock and roll star. Co-starring in the film are Jimmy Clanton, Sandy Stewart, and Chuck Berry. The film has also been released as Johnny Melody, The Swinging Story and The Swinging Story of Johnny Melody.[1]

Plot summary

This is a fiction account of a young singer Johnny Melody who gets discovered by Alan Freed. It starts with Chuck Berry and Alan discussing the young Melody with Barry intimating that he nearly ended in the slammer. Alan relays the story of how Johnny went from being a orphan with no last name to becoming a major singer.

Cast

  • Joe Cranston as Band leader
  • Martha Wentworth as Mrs. McGillacudy, Johnny's landlady
  • Robert Foulk as Policeman at jewelry store
  • Phil Arnold as Stagehand
  • William Fawcett as Janitor at radio station
  • Dick Elliott as Man waiting for the telephone
  • Inga Boling as Secretary
  • Joe Flynn as Usher who fires Johnny

Cast notes

Songs

  1. "Go, Johnny Go!" (Johnny B Goode)- Chuck Berry
  2. "I'll Take A Long Time" - Jimmy Clanton
  3. "Jump Children" - The Flamingos
  4. "Angel Face" - Jimmy Clanton
  5. "Don't Be Afraid To Love" - Harvey
  6. "Mama Can I Go Out" - Jo Ann Campbell
  7. "Teenage Heaven" - Eddie Cochran
  8. "Playmates" - Sandy Stewart
  9. "My Love Is Strong" - Jimmy Clanton

  1. "Memphis Tennessee" - Chuck Berry
  2. "Jay Walker" - The Cadillacs
  3. "You Better Know It" - Jackie Wilson
  4. "Please Mr. Johnson" - Cadillacs
  5. "Heavenly Father" - Sandy Stewart
  6. "Little Queenie" - Chuck Berry
  7. "Ooh My Head" - Ritchie Valens
  8. "Ship On A Stormy Sea" - Jimmy Clanton

Production

Go, Johnny Go! was filmed in five days at the Culver City, California studios of Hal Roach Productions.[2]

References

Notes
  1. Go, Johnny Go! at the TCM Movie Database
  2. 2.0 2.1 Stafford, Jeff. "Go, Johnny Go!" on TCM.com
  3. Osborne, Robert. Outro to the Turner Classic Movie showing of Go, Johnny Go! on May 19, 2012

External links