Aug, 1983 frankie lymon died of a drug overdose in 1968, age 26. Totally aware that some of this wasnt as it happened, i have to think at least a good deal of it was. In 1955, frankie lymon, herman santiago, jimmy merchant, joe negroni, and sherman garnes were five kids from the bronx who sang streetcorner harmonies and hoped to make a few bucks some day as entertainers. The fast life of frankie lymon a fool for love at just. While it is a fun to watch dramatization of true events, it does not do the job of accurately covering a main point in frankies life. Looking at frankie lymon from the distance of so many years, we were primarily interested in catching the spirit of the times and focusing more on the later and very entertaining story of his. The artists most inspired by frankie lymon and the teenagers style were the jackson 5 and their lead singer and future superstar michael jackson. Teen idol frankie lymons tragic rise and fall tells the truth about. Three women each claim to be the widow of 1950s doowop singer. Both of them were also singers in the gospel group, harlemaires.
So when they found frankie lymon dead at the age of 25 one february morning in 1968, in the. The teenagers are an american doo wop group, most noted for being one of rock musics earliest successes, presented to international audiences by dj alan freed. Even though frankies life was anything but comedic, this movie has moments when youll discover youre smiling. However, after the success of waiting to exhale, the studio decided to focus on the three wives. Its a tribute to the mess frankie lymon left of his life that no filmmaker would touch it for 30 years. The group was composed of five boys, all in their early to midteens. Fool in love the frankie lymon story home facebook. Frankie lymon was when he had his big hit record, and 25 when he died. When pop legend frankie lymon died, he left behind a string of hit records. Jumping from the 50s to the 80s, this film traces the rise and fall of lymon larenz tate in a. The frankie lymon story stage play in silver spring, md.
Why do fools fall in love tells the story of how he married three women at least according to them, got into trouble with drugs and the army. However, frankie lymon was, as cub koda stated in the all music guide, volume 1, the first black teenage star. Presented by live garra theatre at silver spring black box theatre, silver spring md. Emira lymon, who was appointed administrator of his estate in georgia in 1973. He used to be in a doowop group called the teenagers but. What isnt clear in the movie was just how young lymon, a mere when he broke ground with the doowop classic why do fools fall in love, was when he was three timing these women. Lymon was years old when the group erupted from radios and jukeboxes with their 1956 hit, why do fools fall in love. It is frankie lymon s only real legacy, that two minutes and 15 seconds of doowop. Frankie lymon was born on september 30, 1942 in harlem, new york city, new york, usa as franklin lymon. Franklin joseph lymon september 30, 1942 february 27, 1968, known professionally as frankie lymon, was an american rock and rollrhythm and blues singer and songwriter, best known as the boy soprano lead singer of the new york citybased early rock and roll group the teenagers. In 1956, as the teenagers, they scored one of the first major doo wop hits with why do fools fall in love, which went to number six on the billboard charts. Leroy from new york, ny the movie why do fools fall in love is a great hit i recomend it to all the frankie lymon lovers out there god bless you frankie love leroy leroy from new york, ny in the first paraghaph it is said that frankie lymon was a backup singer for the premiers, it is not the premiers he was really part of the group, it was. The record fell like a gift from the sky, hit the top of the charts, and can still be heard on the golden oldies stations.
Micha green special to the afro november 9, 2017 a local nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering crosscultural understanding, increasing awareness and preserving the legacy of black heritage in the black theatre, recently put on a production of fool in love. Lymons story was a sad one, but why do fools fall in love has its share of ribald humor, mostly from fox and little richard, who toured with frankie and zola and plays himself in the present. He was married to emira lymon, zola taylor and elizabeth waters. Find frankie lymon movies, filmography, bio, co stars, photos, news and tweets.
Frankie lymon 19421968 and the teenagers were a new york doo wop group consisting of joe negroni, herman santiago, jimmy merchant, and sherman garnes, but centered around the extraordinary talents of their lead singer, yearold frankie lymon. The trial, a major controversy concerning lymons estate, that also generated the subject of the movie. The fast life of frankie lymon a fool for love at just 14. In musically chronicling the life of a teen legend, fool in love is a performance evening. Frankie and his brothers lewis and howie sang with the harlemaire juniors a fourth brother, timmy, was a singer, though not with the harlemaire juniors. I just like the song, the movie, and especially the true history around frankie lymon. Frankie lymon story is part of channel series the. Selena and that films cleaner, more direct story line, cornball dramaturgy. Cast members lori williams, rayshun lamarr frankie lymon and roz white perform during the fool in love.
The story of frankie lymon and the teenagers is, like so many of the stories were dealing with in this series, a story of heartbreak and early death, a story of young people of colour having their work become massively successful and making no money off it because of wealthy businessmen stealing their work. Dec 25, 2010 the artists most inspired by frankie lymon and the teenagers style were the jackson 5 and their lead singer and future superstar michael jackson. I promise to remember pbs documentary frankie lymon. In 1956, frankie lymon and the teenagers landed a doowop hit with why do fools fall in love. Fox movie hd three women each claim to be the widow of 1950s doowop singer frankie lymon, claiming legal rights to his estate. Mar, 2018 pbs documentary with awesome photos and interviews from actual locations like when the poem was given to the teenagers that later turned into why do fools fall in love. Three women each claim to be the widow of 1950s doowop singer frankie lymon, claiming legal rights to his estate. Lymon was born in harlem, new york on september 30, 1942 to jeanette and howard lymon. The group, which made its most popular recordings with young frankie lymon as lead singer, is also noted for being rocks first allteenaged act.
Before there was michael jackson, jackie wilson, there was frankie lymon, a teenage musical comet that burned too soon. Why do fools fall in love is a fresh, enlightening example of how to take a tragic american showbusiness story. It also gives us a better understandnig on zola taylor 1938 2007, the female member from the platters. Why do fools fall in love with frankie lymon is more like it. All the wives said frankie did treat them like queens in the beginning.
Good show on id channel on the estate of frankie lymon. It showed young little richard when he was starting out. Originally frankie lymon, herman santiago and george goldner were listed as why do fools fall in love composers. Musicbased romantic drama about the late singersongwriter frankie lymon, who was responsible for many hit records but whose selfdestructive life ended early, with many relationships left unresolved. While it is a fun to watch dramatization of true events, it does not do the job of. Apr 27, 2016 the movie involving frankie lymon isnt as bad as the initial reception has permanently labeled it. At age ten, lymon started working as a grocery boy to supplement his family. Franklin joseph lymon september 30, 1942 february 27, 1968 was an american rock and rollrhythm and blues singer and songwriter, best known as the boy soprano lead singer of the new york citybased early rock and roll group the teenagers. The movie never told all about this and the movie should have because it would have presented the true story of frankie and why he did the things he did.
Frankie lymon was when he had his big hit record, and 25 when he. Jun 30 jul 02, 2017 share facebook twitter instagram linkedin print. It is frankie lymons only real legacy, that two minutes and 15 seconds of doowop. Why do fools fall in love 1998 is an american romantic drama, directed by gregory nava. He was a man with many flaws who was suffering and unfortunately found an outlet through heroin but had a good heart. The story never addresses, nor even seems to think about, lymon s complete lack of self. Lymon was credited with their first big hit, why do fools fall in love in the early 90s, a federal judge ruled after a lengthy trial that lymon. Lymon, sometimes called the first black teen idol, overdosed in 1968 at age 25. Rock and roll 1957, lymon started a solo singing career, but it all fell apart.
Frankie lymon may be buried in the bronx, but his tombstone has been relocated from a. Three women all claim to be his surviving spouses and fight over what they believe to be millions in royalties. Teen idol frankie lymons tragic rise and fall tells the. Both of them were also singers in the gospel group. Lymon s story was a sad one, but why do fools fall in love has its share of ribald humor, mostly from fox and little richard, who toured with frankie and zola and plays himself in the present. The story of frankie lymon and the teenagers is a short documentary that chronicles lymon s sudden rise to fame and tragic fall back into obscurity, including classic footage of lymon and the teenagers in their prime, a rare television appearance by lymon from the mid60s, samples of lymon s latterday recordings after. Why do fools fall in love isnt awful and those concert scenes are great but lymon deserves at least a little bit better. Frankie lymon died of a drug overdose in 1968, age 26. However, it is entertaining to see frankies wives interact. Goldner allegedly to pay gambling debts and lymon for money to buy drugs. Lymon s career was over by the time he was 18 years old, and he died of a heroin. The 1998 frankie lymon biographical film concludes with a comical postscript stating that elmira eagle now. Frankie lymon may be buried in the bronx, but his tombstone has been relocated from a clifton record shop to a back yard in elmwood park.
Why do fools fall in love motion picture, 1998 hollywood. Pbs documentary with awesome photos and interviews from actual locations like when the poem was given to the teenagers that later turned into why do fools fall in love. His mother jeanette lymon was a maid and his father howard lymon was a truck driver. The movie involving frankie lymon isnt as bad as the initial reception has permanently labeled it. Why do fools fall in love 1998 official trailer halle berry, vivica. This movie tells a story about frankie lymons life and death. Both also sang in the gospel group the harlemaires. Frankie lymon and the teenagers like hansen, the new kids on the block, the jackson 5, and stevie wonder after them all had smash pop music singles before they could legally drive. Why do fools fall in love boasts four attractive and able actors in berry, tate, fox, and roshon, but they often have no choice but to sink to the level of a paintbythenumbers biopic script that any celebrity on the downswing could be plugged into. So strong was his appeal at this point that the singles bside, baby baby, received separate promotion and outshone the aside by climbing to number 4. Franklin joseph frankie lymon september 30, 1942 february 28, 1968 was an african american rock and rollrhythm and blues singer, best known as the boy soprano lead. Emira lymon, who was appointed administrator of his. Most of the film focuses on the three women he was involved with in his lifetime.
Why do fools fall in love contains bad language, track marks, and a. Parents need to know that why do fools fall in love is a fictionalized look at the meteoric rise and fall of the career of 1950s teen singersongwriter frankie lymon and the court case triggered by his premature death from a heroin overdose. Santiago was an original member of that group and still sings in it today. The trial, a major controversy concerning lymons estate, that also generated the subject of the movie, was caused by diana rosss revival of the hit why do fools fall in love. Frankie lymon was born as franklin joseph lymon on september 30, 1942, in harlem, new york city, new york, the usa. He recorded other songs, alone and with his group the teenagers, but none has inspired the same affection. In love with fools its great pretenders and lively. The soaring im not a juvenile delinquent from the movie rock rock rock hit the uk top 12 and lymon was afforded the honour of appearing at the london palladium.
The story in fools stems from the pioneer mid50s new york vocal group frankie lymon and the teenagers. Frankie lymon was considered one of the first africanamerican teenage pop stars. Frankie lymon biography facts, childhood, family life. Santiagos name was soon dropped and in the midsixties lymon and goldner sold off their rights to the song. Why do fools fall in love is a 1998 american romantic drama film directed by gregory nava. Why do fools fall in love tells the story of how he married three. The story of frankie lymon and the teenagers on channel at 11 tomorrow night.
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