Hot Rod Gang

1958 film

Hot Rod Gang

Theatrical poster, 1958

Directed by| Lew Landers
Written by| Lou Rusoff
Based on| story by Rusoff
Produced by| Lou Rusoff
executive
Charles Buddy Rogers
associate
Lou Kimzey
Starring| John Ashley
Jody Fair
Cinematography| Floyd Crosby
Music by| Ronald Stein

Production
company

Indigo Productions

Distributed by| American International Pictures (US)
Anglo-Amalgamated (UK)

Release date

* August 1958 (1958-08)

Running time

| 72 minutes
Country| United States
Language| English
Budget| $100,000 est.[1]

Hot Rod Gang is a 1958 drama film directed by Lew Landers and starring John Ashley. The working title was Hot Rod Rock[2] with the film also released under the title Fury Unleashed. American International Pictures released the film as a double feature with High School Hellcats.[3] The production includes performances by rock and roll musician Gene Vincent,[4] and was the final theatrical feature directed by the incredibly prolific Landers, whose career dated to the mid-1930s.

## Plot

[edit]

John Abernathy III needs to lead a blameless life to inherit his father's estate, but he also engages in hot rod car racing.

## Cast

[edit]

* John Ashley as John Abernathy III
* Jody Fair as Lois Cavendish
* Steve Drexel as Mark
* Scott Peters as Jack
* Helen Spring as Abigail Abernathy
* Lester Dorr as Dryden Philpott
* Doodles Weaver as Wesley Cavendish
* Dub Taylor as Al Berrywhiff
* Gloria Grant as Tammy
* Maureen Arthur as Marley
* Dorothy Neumann as Anastasia Abernathy (as Dorothy Newman)
* Russ Bender as Motorcycle cop
* Claire Du Brey as Agatha

## Production

[edit]

The film was known during production as Hot Rod Rock.[5]

## Soundtrack

[edit]

* "Hit and Run Lover", performed by John Ashley
* "Annie Laurie", performed by John Ashley
* "Dance in the Street", performed by Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps
* "Baby Blue", performed by Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps
* "Lovely Loretta", performed by Gene Vincent
* "Dance to the Bop", performed by Gene Vincent
* "Choo Choo Cha Poochie", performed by Maureen Arthur

## Reception

[edit]

The Los Angeles Times called it "a film of juvenile violence."[6]

The Monthly Film Bulletin said "the comedy misfires woefully, the performances are overstated to the point of caricature and the general level is decidedly moronic."[7]

Diabolique magazine wrote that "Ashley's limitations are exposed a little in this film – I don’t think he was a great comic actor – but it is entertaining and good-hearted."[8]

## See also

[edit]

* List of American films of 1958

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Lamont, John (1990). "The John Ashley Filmography". Trash Compactor (Volume 2 No. 5 ed.). p. 26.
2. ^ http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/78447/Hot-Rod-Gang/notes.html [bare URL]
3. ^ Sanders, Don and Susan (1997). The American Drive-In Movie Theatre. Motorbooks International. p. 127\. ISBN 0-7603-0425-4.
4. ^ "Gene Vincent's rock' Hot Rod Gang", The Astounding B Monster Archive accessed 14 December 2012
5. ^ "Pat suzuki paged for broadway". Los Angeles Times. Mar 27, 1958. ProQuest 167265849.
6. ^ Warren, G. (Aug 22, 1958). "Teen-age problem 'solved'". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 167353103.
7. ^ "FURY UNLEASHED". Monthly Film Bulletin. Vol. 26\. 1959. p. 18\. ProQuest 1305824181.
8. ^ Vagg, Stephen (December 2019). "A Hell of a Life: The Nine Lives of John Ashley". Diabolique Magazine. [permanent dead link‍]

## External links

[edit]

* Hot Rod Gang at IMDb
* Review of film at Variety
* Hot Rod Gang at the TCM Movie Database
* Review of film at Harrison Reports

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Lew Landers

1930s|

* The Vanishing Shadow (1934)
* The Red Rider (1934)
* Tailspin Tommy (1934)
* Rustlers of Red Dog (1935)
* The Call of the Savage (1935)
* The Raven (1935)
* Stormy (1935)
* Parole! (1936)
* Night Waitress (1936)
* You Can't Buy Luck (1937)
* Border Cafe (1937)
* Danger Patrol (1937)
* Flight from Glory (1937)
* The Man Who Found Himself (1937)
* They Wanted to Marry (1937)
* Crashing Hollywood (1938)
* Condemned Women (1938)
* Law of the Underworld (1938)
* Blind Alibi (1938)
* Smashing the Rackets (1938)
* Annabel Takes a Tour (1938)
* Double Danger (1938)
* Twelve Crowded Hours (1939)
* Bad Lands (1939)
* Fixer Dugan (1939)
* The Girl and the Gambler (1939)
* Conspiracy (1939)

1940s|

* Enemy Agent (1940)
* Honeymoon Deferred (1940)
* Ski Patrol (1940)
* La Conga Nights (1940)
* Wagons Westward (1940)
* Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot (1940)
* Girl from Havana (1940)
* Slightly Tempted (1940)
* Ridin' on a Rainbow (1941)
* The Singing Hill (1941)
* Lucky Devils (1941)
* I Was a Prisoner on Devil's Island (1941)
* Mystery Ship (1941)
* The Stork Pays Off (1941)
* Harvard, Here I Come (1941)
* Cadets on Parade (1942)
* Canal Zone (1942)
* Alias Boston Blackie (1942)
* Stand By All Networks (1942)
* Junior Army (1942)
* Not a Ladies' Man (1942)
* Atlantic Convoy (1942)
* The Man Who Returned to Life (1942)
* Sabotage Squad (1942)
* Smith of Minnesota (1942)
* The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942)
* Submarine Raider (1942)
* Doughboys in Ireland (1943)
* Murder in Times Square (1943)
* Power of the Press (1943)
* After Midnight with Boston Blackie (1943)
* Redhead from Manhattan (1943)
* The Return of the Vampire (1943)
* U-Boat Prisoner (1944)
* Cowboy Canteen (1944)
* The Ghost That Walks Alone (1944)
* Two-Man Submarine (1944)
* Swing in the Saddle (1944)
* Black Arrow (1944)
* I'm from Arkansas (1944)
* The Black Parachute (1944)
* Stars on Parade (1944)
* Crime, Inc. (1945)
* Secrets of a Sorority Girl (1945)
* Arson Squad (1945)
* Shadow of Terror (1945)
* The Enchanted Forest (1945)
* Follow That Woman (1945)
* Death Valley (1946)
* The Mask of Diijon (1946)
* Hot Cargo (1946)
* The Truth About Murder (1946)
* Devil Ship (1947)
* The Son of Rusty (1947)
* Danger Street (1947)
* Seven Keys to Baldpate (1947)
* Inner Sanctum (1948)
* My Dog Rusty (1948)
* Law of the Barbary Coast (1949)
* Air Hostess (1949)
* Stagecoach Kid (1949)

1950s|

* Tyrant of the Sea (1950)
* Beauty on Parade (1950)
* Blue Blood (1951)
* Jungle Manhunt (1951)
* The Big Gusher (1951)
* When the Redskins Rode (1951)
* A Yank in Korea (1951)
* The Magic Carpet (1951)
* Aladdin and His Lamp (1952)
* Adventures of Gallant Bess (1952)
* Arctic Flight (1952)
* Jungle Jim in the Forbidden Land (1952)
* California Conquest (1952)
* Torpedo Alley (1952)
* Man in the Dark (1953)
* Run for the Hills (1953)
* Tangier Incident (1953)
* Captain John Smith and Pocahontas (1953)
* Captain Kidd and the Slave Girl (1954)
* The Cruel Tower (1956)
* Hot Rod Gang (1958)

* v
* t
* e

Gene Vincent

Studio albums|

* Bluejean Bop!
* Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps

Singles|

* "Be-Bop-a-Lula"
* "Lotta Lovin'"
* "Lucky Star"
* "Crazy Beat"
* "Lonely Street"

Other songs|

* "Right Now"

Film appearances|

* The Girl Can't Help It
* Hot Rod Gang
* Live It Up!
* It's Trad, Dad!

Related|

* The Blue Caps
* "Sweet Gene Vincent"

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