American Hot Wax

American Hot Wax is a 1978 biopic film directed by Floyd Mutrux and written by John Kaye, telling the story of pioneering disc jockey Alan Freed, who was instrumental in introducing and popularizing rock 'n' roll in the 1950s. Freed is often credited with coining the term "Rock 'n' Roll." The film starred Tim McIntire as Freed, as well as Fran Drescher as Freed's feisty secretary, Laraine Newman as a young aspiring songwriter, Melanie Chartoff as a young singer, Jeff Altman as a sleazy record promoter who is told off by everybody he approaches, Jay Leno as Freed's mischievous limousine driver, Moosie Drier in a warmly reviewed performance as the head of a Buddy Holly fan club with at least 5,000 members, and a walk-on part by a teen-aged Cameron Crowe. It also featured performances by Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Frankie Ford, Screamin' Jay Hawkins and the Brooklyn Dreams performed as "Professor La Plano and The Planotones". The film was never officially released on VHS or DVD, but the full film is currently viewable on YouTube. On theater release, the film did not do well at the box office with critics, which resulted in one of the reasons it didn't gain a wide audience gross worldwide.