Copacabana | |
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Genre |
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Based on | Characters from the song "Copacabana" by Barry Manilow, Bruce Sussman and Jack Feldman |
Written by | James Lipton |
Directed by | Waris Hussein |
Starring |
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Music by |
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Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Producer | R.W. Goodwin |
Cinematography | Bobby Byrne |
Editor | Michael Jablow |
Running time | 96 minutes |
Production company | Dick Clark Productions |
Original release | |
Network | CBS |
Release | December 3, 1985 |
Copacabana is a 1985 American made-for-television musical film based on the 1978 song of the same title by Barry Manilow, and starred Manilow himself, in his acting debut, as Tony, an aspiring songwriter, and Annette O'Toole as Lola, an aspiring singer who falls in with the wrong crowd. [1]
The film premiered on CBS on December 3, 1985. At the 38th Primetime Emmy Awards, the film was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography (Grover Dale) and Outstanding Directing in a Variety or Music Program (Hussein), and won for the latter. [2]
A soundtrack album, Copacabana: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Album , was released. The film also inspired a 1990 stage show at Caesars Atlantic City, as well as a 1994 musical of the same name.
The film's story is told in flashbacks from 1978 to 1948, and back again. In 1978, a woman named Lola Lamar patronizes the Copacabana lounge in Manhattan, which in that year was being operated as a discotheque. There, outfitted in worn wardrobe that was new in the middle-to-late 1940s, when she had originally obtained it, she drinks rather heavily and remembers happier days thirty years ago, when she was far younger.
In 1948, wannabe singer Lola meets aspiring songwriter Tony Starr when both are contestants on a radio show. Tony is immediately smitten with Lola and assists her flailing attempts to break into show business. At Manhattan's Copacabana lounge, both start finding fame. However, fate steps in and Lola is swept to Havana to work in a splashy night club act where she is convinced she will find her stardom, while Tony finds his own career gaining speed at the Copa. But Lola's new mentor and boss, Rico Castelli, demands a heavy price for elevating Lola's career, resulting in conflict, drama and eventually Tony's accidental murder at Lola's hands, during a battle for the gun.
The setting returns to 1978 after the depiction of Tony's accidental murder at Lola's hands. The now-aged Lola, thoroughly drunk, has a vision of a younger version of herself and Tony dancing on the dancefloor.
Dick Clark approached Manilow and cowriters Bruce Sussman and Jack Feldman, persuading them to develop a musical film around the song. Directed by Waris Hussein and written by James Lipton, the film features a handful of newly composed songs by Manilow.
The soundtrack album was released by RCA Records.
Nine songs were written specifically for the film. [3]
Melissa Manchester is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Since the 1970s, her songs have been played by adult contemporary radio stations. She has also appeared on television, in films, and on stage.
Annette O'Toole is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She is known for portraying Lisa Bridges in the television series Nash Bridges, adult Beverly Marsh in the 1990 television mini-series adaptation of Stephen King's epic horror novel It, Lana Lang in Superman III, Kathy in the romantic-comedy film Cross My Heart, and Martha Kent on the television series Smallville.
Barry Manilow is an American singer and songwriter with a career that spans six decades. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", "Looks Like We Made It", "Mandy", "I Write the Songs", "Can't Smile Without You", "Weekend in New England", and "Copacabana ".
Lola may refer to:
"Copacabana", also known as "Copacabana (At the Copa)", is a song recorded by Barry Manilow. Written by Manilow, Jack Feldman, and Bruce Sussman, it was released in 1978 as the third single from Manilow's fifth studio album, Even Now (1978). The same year, "Copacabana" appeared in the soundtrack album of the film Foul Play.
The Copacabana is a New York City nightclub that has existed in several locations. In earlier locations, many entertainers, such as Danny Thomas, Pat Cooper, and the comedy team of Martin and Lewis, made their New York debuts at the Copacabana. The Barry Manilow song "Copacabana" (1978) is named after, and set in, the club. The nightclub was used as a setting in the films Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Tootsie, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Carlito's Way, The French Connection, Martin and Lewis, Green Book, Beyond the Sea, The Irishman, and One Night in Miami. It was also used in several plays, including Barry Manilow's Copacabana. Also, the musical film Copacabana (1947), starring Groucho Marx and Carmen Miranda, takes place in the Copacabana, as does the made-for-television film based on the Manilow song, in which Manilow himself starred.
Copacabana most commonly refers to:
Copacabana, also known as Barry Manilow's Copacabana, is a 1994 stage musical with music by Barry Manilow, lyrics by Bruce Sussman and Jack Feldman, and book by Manilow, Sussman and Feldman. The show had its roots in an hour-long stage show, Barry Manilow Presents Copacabana, which played in Atlantic City in 1990 and 1991. The stage show was based on the 1985 musical TV film of the same name, in turn based on Manilow's 1978 hit song of the same title, which was co-written by Manilow, Sussman and Feldman. The full-length musical, which added a present-day framing device and many additional songs, premiered in the United Kingdom in 1994 and later toured the United States. A cast album of the musical was released in 1994, titled Copacabana: Original London Cast Recording.
Even Now is the fifth studio album by singer-songwriter Barry Manilow. It was recorded at A&M Studios in Hollywood, California, and released in 1978. The album reached triple platinum and spun off four hit singles in 1978 and early 1979: the title song, "Can't Smile Without You", "Copacabana" and "Somewhere in the Night". Even Now peaked at No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart on April 8, 1978.
Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits album by singer/songwriter Barry Manilow, released in 1978. The album was certified 3× Platinum in the US, and would be Manilow's last of that certification, as of 2021. It also features the new single, "Ready to Take a Chance Again", which reached #11 in the US the same year. The US CD version has been released in three slightly different incarnations. The first pressing featured the single version of "Copacabana" (3:58), and the non-hit studio version of "Daybreak" (3:09). "Jump Shout Boogie" was omitted from all three versions.
Barry Live in Britain is the eleventh album released by singer and songwriter Barry Manilow. The album was recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall in London in January 1982 with Victor Vanacore as the musical director. It was a huge success in Britain, soaring to number one on the charts, reaching platinum status., but was not issued by Arista in the U.S.
Manilow is the eleventh studio album by singer-songwriter Barry Manilow, released in 1985. It was his first album to miss the Top 40 and fail to earn a gold certification. Many feel it was due to the prominence of synthesizers, a departure from his renowned piano ballads. This album was one of Manilow's two albums with RCA Records.
Scores: Songs from "Copacabana" and "Harmony" is an album by Barry Manilow, released in 2004. It was his third album with Concord Records. It features selections from two musicals that feature original music by Manilow and lyrics by Bruce Sussman.
The Complete Collection and Then Some... is a four-disc and one video greatest hits compilation by American pop singer Barry Manilow. It features 70 tracks including unreleased songs and five new recordings. It was certified RIAA gold. Originally released in 1992 with a VHS cassette, this box set was re-released on September 6, 2005, with a DVD replacing the tape.
Copacabana: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Album is a 1985 soundtrack album by Barry Manilow released by RCA Records to accompany the made-for-television musical film Copacabana. It was Barry Manilow's first soundtrack that contained songs with music by him.
Copacabana: Original London Cast Recording is the original cast album for the London show of Copacabana, a full-length West End musical that opened at the Prince of Wales Theatre on 23 June 1994. It ran for over two years, touring the UK for a further year.
The Songs 1975–1990 is a Barry Manilow compilation album released in 1990, covering 15 years of chart hits.
Jack Feldman is an American lyricist who has written songs for television, film, and Broadway. He has worked on many Disney movies ranging from Oliver & Company to The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, collaborating with Alan Menken on the songs for Newsies. He wrote the lyrics for Barry Manilow's Grammy Award–winning song "Copacabana" and won a Tony along with Alan Menken for the stage musical version of Newsies. Feldman grew up on Long Island.
Bruce Howard Sussman is an American lyricist and librettist. Though he has collaborated with numerous composers, he is probably best known for his work with his long-time collaborator, Barry Manilow. Together, they have written over two hundred songs for numerous recording artists, films, stage musicals and television programs.