| Rock, Pretty Baby | |
| Director: | Richard Bartlett |
| Producer: | Edmond Chevie |
| Starring: | Sal Mineo John Saxon Luana Patten Shelley Fabares Fay Wray Edward C. Platt |
| Music: | Henry Mancini |
| Cinematography: | George Robinson |
| Editing: | Fredrick Y. Smith |
| Studio: | Universal Pictures |
| Distributor: | Universal Pictures |
| Runtime: | 89 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Budget: | "just under $1,000,000"[1] |
| Gross: | $1,430,000 (US)[2] |
Rock, Pretty Baby is a 1956 American comedy musical film directed by Richard Bartlett and starring Sal Mineo, John Saxon and Luana Patten.[3]
Young musician Jimmy Daley (Saxon) needs to come up with $300 to purchase the electric guitar he wants. He pawns his law books, to the disappointment of his father (Platt), a doctor whose goal is for Jimmy to become a lawyer.
Jimmy's jealous nature results in a ruckus at a party and $150 in damage to a neighbor, which Dr. Daley insists his son pay. His girlfriend Joan Wright (Patten) learns that a battle of the bands has a cash prize. Jimmy and his group end up losing the contest, but he earns the respect of his dad.
The film was announced in June 1956, under the title Crazy Love.[4]
Luana Patten had been a child actor then stopped working at age 14 to concentrate on school. After several years she told her agent she wanted to act again and she was cast in Rock Pretty Baby.[5] She signed at $650 a week. The contract had options for another seven years. Universal tried to exercise it and Patten sued to get out of it.[6]
Filming started July 1956. It was also known as The Living End before being titled Rock Pretty Baby.[7]
Before the film came out, Al Daff of Universal said the movie "is not an important picture but it will gross more than many multi million dollar pictures."[1]
Sal Mineo and John Saxon were sent out on a promotional tour on the launch of the film.[8]
Universal signed George Winslow to a two picture a year deal over five years on the basis of his performance in the movie.[9]
Variety said it "should emerge a box office winner."[10]
Filmink called it "a jaunty, energetic teen film, with a surprisingly hot late-night beach kissing scene between Saxon and co-star Luana Patten. It became a sleeper hit for Universal."[11]
In May 1957 Universal announced they would make a sequel Summer Love.[12]