Looking for juicy, behind-the-scenes dish on the making of GREASE 2? Keep looking, amigo, because you’re not going to find it in this biography of the late, flamboyant producer Allan Carr. For a book titled PARTY ANIMALS: A HOLLYWOOD TALE OF SEX, DRUGS, AND ROCK ‘N’ ROLL STARRING THE FABULOUS ALLAN CARR, it’s scant on the frivolity and favors, and more about his work.
Throughout, author Robert Hofler beats us over the head with reminders of Carr’s homosexuality, but that was never a secret, and his Hollywood parties were legendary for their excess, so there’s much to qualify as shocking. Carr is, after all, the man who gave us CAN’T STOP THE MUSIC.
That infamous bomb of a disco musical makes for the more entertaining passages, with star Valerie Perrine managing to shock even The Village People and to spar with director/towel pitchwoman Nancy Walker. The biggest revelation is that because Carr didn’t want his leading man, Bruce Jenner, in two movies in release the same season, the former Olympian had to turn down a role in some comedy called AIRPLANE! Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was tapped instead, and the rest is movie history. And don’t call me Shirley.
Surprisingly, there aren’t as many interesting stories about GREASE, even fewer on GREASE 2, and who ever cared — except Carr, of course — about WHERE THE BOYS ARE ’84? All in all, Carr comes out smelling pretty rosy, if prone to fits of fussiness. He’s portrayed as compassionate, generous, giving and — psssst! — if you haven’t heard, gay as a tangerine. —Rod Lott
Related posts:
- Grit, Noise and Revolution: The Birth of Detroit Rock ‘n’ Roll
- Sex, Thugs, and Rock & Roll
- The Fate of Katherine Carr
- The Other Hollywood: The Uncensored Oral History of the Porn Film Industry
- Starstruck: Vintage Movie Posters from Classic Hollywood
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I have seen CAN’T STOP THE MUSIC more times than I’ve seen CITIZEN KANE.
That’s not a joke.
I’m totally buying this book.
And I thought it was universally recognized that kumquats, not tangerines, were the gay fruit.
Dear Rod Lott,
Loved your review of my book. You made it sound real lurid. My only regret is that you didn’t have time or space to write about Carr’s “La Cage aux Folles.” The revelations about that musical in my book ended up in articles in the NY Post and the Advocate. Nor did you mention Carr’s disastrous 1989 Oscars telecast, the revelations of which made People.com, CNN.com, CNN International, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters, Los Angeles Magazine, Cindy Adams, Variety, New York Times.com, Washington Post.com, Chicago Tribune.com and numerous other outlets.
But then, maybe you’re writing a sequel to your original “Party Animals” review.