A rich girl from Beverly Hills and a poor boy from Venice Beach become partners to win a roller boogie contest and save a local skating rink from being acquired by the mob.
ROLLER BOOGIE (1979)
Cast: Linda Blair (Terry Barkey), Jim Bray (Bobby James), Beverly Garland (Mrs. Barkley), Roger Perry (Mr. Barkley), Jimmy Van Patten (Hoppy), Kimberly Beck (Lana), Sean McClory (Jammer Delaney), Mark Goddard (Thatcher), Stoney Jackson (Phones), Albert Insinnia (Gordo), M.G. Kelly (D.J.), Chris Nelson (Franklin). Directed by Mark L. Lester. Written by Barry Schneider, from an original story by Irwin Yablans. Cinematography by Dean Cundey.
Showtime: Saturday December 6, 2014, 11:15pm PST/2:15am EST
If you were, as I was, an 18 year-old American in 1979, you had your choice of roller disco movies. Oddly, neither came out during the summer, as might have been expected, but towards the end of the year. Premiering in October, SKATETOWN U.S.A. starred sitcom actors Scott Baio and Maureen McCormick, with a supporting cast that included comedian Flip Wilson, Ron Palillo (whose WELCOME BACK, KOTTER castmate John Travolta had enjoyed meteoric crossover success two years earlier as the star of SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, the GONE WITH THE WIND of disco movies), and a young up-and-c0mer named Patrick Swayze, in his film debut. Unveiled for the Christmas rush, ROLLER BOOGIE tapped Linda Blair, six years out from THE EXORCIST (1973), to play a Beverly Hills trustafarian who falls for a Venice boardwalk roller skate savant and thwarts her parents dreams of Julliard.