ABC SUNDAY NIGHT MOVIE: BYE BYE BIRDIE (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television production is an adaptation of the 1960 stage musical about a rock and roll singer’s entrance into the military and his agent’s preparations for his farewell concert.
The production opens as the title song is heard over the screams of teenage girls watching the country's biggest rock star and teen idol, Conrad Birdie, at a concert. In New York City, Albert J. Peterson, Conrad's agent, laments that his star is going into the army, leaving him with a massive debt. Albert's long-suffering secretary, Rose Alvarez, is frustrated by Albert’s reluctance to propose to her. She's also annoyed by Albert's allegiance to his overbearing mother, Doris, who is part-owner of the record company.
Rose reminds Albert that he gave up his dream of becoming “An English Teacher” to pursue a career in the music business to please Doris. Albert promises to dissolve the record company and return to academia if he can pay off his Conrad-induced debt. And to that end Rose devises a plan: Albert will write one last hit song for Conrad and allow him a televised farewell kiss to one fan, chosen at random. Kim MacAfee from Sweet Apple, Ohio, is the girl arbitrarily selected from Conrad's fan club to capitalize on Rose's plan.
Meanwhile, in Sweet Apple, Ohio, every teenager is abuzz with excitement during “The Telephone Hour,” as word spreads that Kim is “going steady” with local boy Hugo Peabody. Kim notes that she’s “swearing off” Conrad Birdie, telling how she’s now grown up in “How Lovely to be a Woman.” However, Kim is overjoyed to receive the news that Conrad is coming to Sweet Apple to kiss her. When her pals hear of the development, they prepare to wish him “Bye Bye Birdie.”
Back in New York, Albert is trying to rally Conrad’s groupies for his arrival at Penn Station; Albert then notices that one of them is downcast. Trying to cheer her up, Albert encourages her to “Put on a Happy Face.” Rose arrives to discover that Albert’s mother Mae will be accompanying them to Sweet Apple, and he has yet to tell her about his plans to dissolve the record company. Mae appears and Albert tries to reveal the news, but she gets upset and leaves the station. Meanwhile, Conrad arrives and goes to board the train to Sweet Apple, even as he's swarmed by fans and reporters; when questioned about his scandal-filled private life, Albert and Rose step in, proclaiming him to be “A Healthy, Normal American Boy.” To help drown out the persistent journalists' queries, Albert encourages the fans to sing "We Love You, Conrad!"
Conrad, Albert, and Rose soon arrive in Sweet Apple, where Conrad receives a hero’s welcome from Kim and her pals. Before she joins the celebrations, Kim is confronted by Hugo, who voices his concerns about Conrad kissing her. She assures him that he is her “One Boy.” Rose watches, and is moved by Kim’s display of devotion. She wishes Albert would return her affections and fulfill her dream, singing “Let’s Settle Down.”
At the Sweet Apple town hall, Conrad is given the key to the city and speaks at the behest of his screaming fans. Singing and gyrating about how he's “Honestly Sincere,” every teen in the square faints from excitement. Afterward, Rose, Albert, and Conrad go the MacAfee home, where they will stay until the big event. Family patriarch Harry quickly becomes fed up with wife Doris and young son Randolph's preferential treatment of Conrad. However, Harry relents upon discovering that he and his family will appear on “The Ed Sullivan Show” when it covers Conrad's Sweet Apple appearance via remote hookup. The clan sums up their awe and wonder over national television exposure as they sing “Hymn to a Sunday Evening.”
During preparations for the Ed Sullivan segment in Sweet Apple's Vogue Theater, Albert confides in Rose that he wrote to his mother, telling her that he’s dissolving their company. Just then, Mae bursts in and berates Albert for upsetting her, then tries to set him up with a girl she met on the bus to Sweet Apple: tap-dancing would-be typist Gloria Rasputin. As Albert comforts Mae and deals with Gloria, Rose runs into Hugo, who's determined to prevent Conrad from kissing Kim on national television. Having been pushed too far by Mae, Rose decides to help Hugo.
As the disembodied voice of Ed Sullivan booms throughout the Vogue, the entire town gathers in the auditorium when the MacAfees take the stage. Conrad performs his farewell song, “One Last Kiss,” as a prelude to kissing Kim, but Hugo interrupts, knocking Conrad unconscious and sending Kim off in a fury. Albert angrily demands to know who is responsible, and Rose comes forward, proudly taking the blame before bidding him a bittersweet farewell. An embarrassed Albert reprises "A Healthy, Normal American Boy" as the cameras continue to roll.
As Rose packs her belongings in Kim’s room, they both express anger at their respective love interests, asking “What Did I Ever See in Him?” Kim also says she's leaving Sweet Apple. Rose runs into Albert and Mae as they bring Conrad back to the MacAfee’s house. Albert announces that Conrad’s good-bye kiss will take place just before he leaves the next day for the army. Harry, Doris, and Randolph then come home and Harry sends the outspoken Kim to her room. Albert tries to justify Rose’s departure, asking himself "What Did I Ever See in Her?” However, he soon changes his mind and decides to find her. Mae then delivers a message from Conrad: He’s going out and may not be back in time to kiss Kim. As he’s leaving, Conrad voices his need to have fun before his stint in the army; he is joined by Kim, as both proclaim that they have “A Lot of Livin’ to Do” while beginning a night on the town.
The MacAfees discover that Kim is missing and try to find her. As Harry prepares to chase after Kim, he and Doris lament the foolhardy actions of “Kids.” Meanwhile, Rose heads into a local bar, singing to the bartender of her irritation at being thought of as “Spanish Rose” by her prospective mother-in-law. She glories in the fact that other patrons have begun to leer. Albert calls Rose at the bar, tunefully pleading with her: “Baby, Talk to Me.” She hangs up the phone and intrudes upon a private Shriners meeting in a room behind the bar, performing the “Shriners' Ballet” for her mesmerized audience. Afterward, she meets Hugo and discovers Kim and Conrad have run off together; they decide to pursue the pair of would-be lovers.
As Albert leaves to find Rose, he finally stands up to his mother, saying he's tired of her meddling, after which Mae suffers an emotional breakdown, lamenting that “A Mother Doesn’t Matter Anymore.” Albert runs into a mob of adults on the street, headed by Harry and Doris. Arriving on the scene, Rose and Hugo reveal that Kim and Conrad have gone to the old ice house, prompting the assembled parties to march there immediately.
Meanwhile, at the ice house, Conrad attempts to make out with Kim, but she resists. Before Conrad gets too far, they are interrupted by Kim’s friends as they pounce on Conrad. Hugo arrives and Kim leaps into his arms, relieved. As Conrad is dog-piled by lovestruck teenagers, a police officer arrests the singer, after which his overheated fans jump into the nearby lake.
Albert proudly announces to Rose that he took "A Giant Step” by telling his mother to go home. He tells her that he’s headed to the courthouse to retrieve Conrad, after which he'll put him on the train in the morning. For the first time, Albert also declares his love to Rose. Albert's show of ardor rekindles Rose’s dream as she reprises “Let’s Settle Down.” Mae then emerges from the lake by the ice house, hoping to get Rose to leave Albert, but to no avail.
The next morning, Albert arrives at the train station with Conrad, who is disguised as a woman. In gratitude for his freedom, Conrad annuls Albert’s debt. Mae arrives and Albert gets her on the train with Conrad. But to their surprise, Albert stays behind. Rose arrives and Albert reveals that he deliberately missed the train. He then states that he has accepted a teaching position in Pumpkin Falls, Iowa, and wants Rose to join him as his wife. Finally, he reveals his true feelings about “Rosie" in song, culminating in a passionate kiss. A montage of musical highlights from the show concludes the production.
Also includes an “ABC News Brief” with Carole Simpson. Cataloging of this program has been made possible by Verizon Communications.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: December 3, 1995 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 2:52:35
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:41355
- GENRE: Musical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Musical
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 1995
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "Sabrina" motion picture
- TV - Commercials - Ballatore champagne
- TV - Commercials - Burger King restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Calvin Klein Eternity perfume
- TV - Commercials - Children First mentoring hotline
- TV - Commercials - Continental airlines
- TV - Commercials - Cover Girl lipstick
- TV - Commercials - Discover credit cards
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- TV - Commercials - Hallmark Christmas ornaments
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- TV - Commercials - Ocean Spray cranberry juice
- TV - Commercials - Orudis KT headache medicine
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- TV - Commercials - Robitussin cough drops
- TV - Commercials - Scattergories board game
- TV - Commercials - Sears department stores
- TV - Commercials - Sprint wireless
- TV - Commercials - Stetson Sierra cologne
- TV - Commercials - Sudafed sinus medicine
- TV - Commercials - Target department stores
- TV - Commercials - Tavist-D cold medicine
- TV - Commercials - The Olive Garden restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Tylenol Flu medicine
- TV - Commercials - Visa credit cards
- TV - Commercials - Wendy's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - White Diamonds perfume
- TV - Promos - "Hudson Street"
- TV – Promos – "ABC News: Primetime Live"
- TV – Promos – "Barbara Walters Presents the Ten Most Fascinating People of 1995"
- TV – Promos – "Coach"
- TV – Promos – "Ellen"
- TV – Promos – "Grace Under Fire"
- TV – Promos – "Home Improvement"
- TV – Promos – "Hook"
- TV – Promos – "Never Say Never: The Diedre Hall Story"
- TV – Promos – "Peter and the Wolf"
- TV – Promos – "Roseanne"
- TV – Promos – "Sinatra: 80 Years My Way"
- TV – Promos – "Spenser: Pale Kings & Princes"
- TV – Promos – "The Commish"
- TV – Promos – "The Drew Carey Show"
- TV – Promos – "The Marshal"
- TV – Promos – "The Naked Truth"
- TV – Promos – “Monday Night Football”
CREDITS
- Robert Halmi, Sr. … Executive Producer
- J. Boyce Harman, Jr. … Producer
- Gene Saks … Director
- Michael Stewart … Writer
- Charles Strouse … Music by
- Lee Adams … Lyrics
- Ann Reinking … Choreographer
- Catherine Oppenheimer … Choreographer
- Maddalena Acconci (Van) … Choreographer
- Irwin Fisch … Music Produced and Adapted by
- Jason Alexander … Cast, Albert J. Peterson
- Vanessa Williams … Cast, Rose Alvarez
- Chynna Phillips … Cast, Kim MacAfee
- George Wendt … Cast, Harry MacAfee
- Marc Kudisch … Cast, Conrad Birdie
- Sally Mayes … Cast, Doris MacAfee
- Jason Gaffney … Cast, Hugo F. Peabody
- Blair Slater … Cast, Randolph MacAfee
- Tyne Daly … Cast, Mae Peterson
- Vicki Lewis … Cast, Gloria Rasputin
- Brigitta Dau … Cast, Ursula Merkle
- Angela Brydon … Cast, Sad-Faced Girl
- Shelley S. Hunt … Cast, Alice
- Marlowe Windsor-Menard … Cast, Suzie
- Brenna Quan … Cast, Penelope-Ann
- Angela Quinn … Cast, Debra Sue
- Debbie Timuss … Cast, Nancy
- Julie Tomaino … Cast, Margie
- Chiara Zanni … Cast, Helen
- Kristian Ayre … Cast, Harvey
- Duane Keogh … Cast, Freddie
- Chancz Perry … Cast, Karl
- Tim Santos … Cast, Bowling Boy #1
- Kenneth Overbey … Cast, Bowling Boy #2
- Jackson Cole … Cast, Bowling Boy #3
- Gregor Trpin … Cast, Bowling Boy #4
- Jay Brazeau … Cast, Mayor
- Nicole Robert … Cast, Mayor's Wife
- Gary Chalk … Cast, Maude
- Capper McIntyre … Cast, Mr. Johnson
- Sheelah Megill … Cast, Mrs. Merkle
- Andrew Johnson … Cast, Policeman
- John Payne … Cast, Shriner #1
- Alec Willows … Cast, Shriner #2
- Robert Rozen … Cast, Shriner #3
- Ari Solomon … Cast, Shriner #4
- Andrew Wheeler … Cast, Shriner #5
- Gerard Theoret … Cast, Shriner #6
- Bill Whitener … Cast, Shriner #7
- Karen Austin … Cast, Parent #1
- Sandra Timuss … Cast, Parent #2
- Pat Waldron … Cast, Older Woman
- Tim Dixon … Cast, Conductor
- Suzanne Ristic … Cast, Mary
- Jocelyn Peden … Cast, Train Girl #1
- Tara-Leigh Popp … Cast, Train Girl #2
- Lalainia Lindbjerg … Cast, Train Girl #3
- Rochelle Greenwood … Cast, Train Girl #4
- Bruce Harwood … Cast, Reporter #1
- Frank Cassini … Cast, Reporter #2
- Gary Jones … Cast, Reporter #3
- for ABC News Brief
- Carole Simpson … Anchor