USA: " WHY DO FOOLS "THE TRUE STORY OF FRANKIE LYMAN PREMIERES IN LOS ANGELES

Record ID: 387701

  • Title: USA: " WHY DO FOOLS "THE TRUE STORY OF FRANKIE LYMAN PREMIERES IN LOS ANGELES
  • Date: 15th August 1998
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 15, 1998) (RTV -- ACCESS ALL) LARENZ TATE, WHO PORTRAYS FRANKIE LYMON IN "FOOLS" SAYING (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) "ULTIMATELY FRANKIE WAS REALLY A SPECIAL PERSON. HE REALLY WAS GOOD WITH MUSIC, HE REALLY WAS A WONDERFUL SINGER, WONDERFUL WRITER; UNFORTUNATELY, HE JUST WASN'T ABLE TO CAPITALISE WHEN THE WORLD OF MUSIC WAS CHANGING." FILM CO-STAR HALLE BERRY SAYING (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) "I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A FOOL IN LOVE, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO REALLY LOVE SOMEBODY SO MUCH THT IT HURTS; I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LOSE A LOT TO LOVE, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE HAPPY IN LOVE AND WHAT THAT FEELS... FILM CO-STAR VIVICA A. FOX SAYING (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) "NO, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN GONE. VIVICA WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE 'OH, NO YOU'VE GOT TO...' I'VE BEEN A FOOL FOR LOVE DEFINITELY, BUT THAT HAPPENED IN THE LATE TEENS, EARLY TWENTIES, WHEN YOU'VE JUST GOT ON THOSE BLINDERS -- YOU'RE JUST LIKE 'I JUST LOVE HIM SO MUCH, I'D DO ANYTHING, BUT HE LOVES ME AND I LOVE HIM,' -- YOU GET IN YOUR THIRTIES THAT DON'T HAPPEN NO MORE, YOU'RE LIKE 'GET OUT, TRY THE DOOR, SEE YA.'" DIRECTOR OF FILM GREGORY NAVA SAYING (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) "THESE FOLKS IN 'WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE,' FRANKIE LYMON AND LITTLE RICHARD, ARE THE PEOPLE WHO STARTED ROCK AND ROLL. RIGHT? ROCK AND ROLL IS UNIVERSAL, IT'S ALL OVER THE WORLD, IT WENT TO BRITAIN, WE GOT THE BEATLES, YOU'VE GOT ROCK & ROLLERS FROM EVERYWHERE. WHAT COULD BE MORE UNIVERSAL THAN THAT?" LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 26, 1998) (RTV -- ACCESS ALL) EXTERIOR CINEPLEX ODEON, CENTURY PLAZA, LOS ANGELES C/U "WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE" BILLBOARD CUTAWAY CROWD ON RED CARPET LARENZ TATE SAYING (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) "FRANKIE LYMAN HAD THREE WIVES - THREE VERY SPECIAL WOMEN - ..I WAS HAVING FUN (ON FILM SET)" STARS OF FILM ( THIS PART OF SHOTLIST ADDED 2014( VIVICA A. FOX SPEAKING MEDIA FILMING HALLE BERRY SPEAKING " SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) SAYING " THAT THE STAR SUPPORTED EACH OTHER (ON SET ) "there's only one role and 50 black actresses auditioning for it" - "this time they each had their own part and their own character in the SAME movie and could support one another" UNIDENTIFIED ACTORESS SPEAKING MORE CELEBRITIES UNIDENTIFIED MAN ? FRANKIE LYMON TALKING ABOUT WORRY ABOUT FILM STEALING HIS LIFE STORY
  • Embargoed: 30th August 1998 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVA2S93P60RAG3OD6NE333IAD3OV
  • Story Text: The true story of Frankie Lyman - who had a number of hit songs in the 50's and 60's - premiered in Los Angeles on Wednesday (August 26) night."Why Do Fools Fall In Love" focusses on the three women in Frankie's life...and their bitter fight over his legacy.
    "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" is the true-life story of Frankie Lyman (Larenz Tate)- and the three women who fell in love with him.Known to millions in the fifties and sixties Frankie Lyman was unable to capatilise on his success after selling the rights to his music to Morris Levy, who owned the record company "Roulette".Halle Berry and Vivica Fox have both been fools in love - and could relate to their characters and the undying devotion each had for Frankie Lyman.
    When Zola Taylor - a singer with the Platters sees Frankie on stage she falls in love with him - and the two get married.Zola's career is on the up and Frankie is on a downward spiral - they part and the next woman in his life is Elizabeth Waters (Vivica A Fox) a welfare mum who subsidises her life by shoplifting.They get married and with her we see the down side of Frankie Lyman as he gives in to alcohol and drugs.By the time he meets wife number three, Emira Eagle, a demure Southern schoolteacher (Lela Rochon) - his career is all but over - he's changed - he's polite and gentle and wants a family - but he still plays small town clubs.
    When Diana Ross re-recorded "Why Do Fools Fall In Love"
    Lyman's three wives went to court to determine what music royalties were theirs - neither knew about the other two wives and through their recollections in the courtroom we discover the life of Frankie Lyman.The relationship between the three women is crucial to the film and each one learns a little more about the husband they thought they knew through the memories of the other two.Despite their differences and Frankie's flaws they agree that he was one of a kind and they all loved him.
    At Wednesday's premiere of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love"
    Larenz Tate had nothing but praise for his co-stars - having three beautiful women right there with him every day had him "on set every day, just to see them come to the makeup trailer" - he even "wanted to help out with their hair and makeup it was so much fun" having them around.The girls themselves were "a little nervous" and "excited" but were thrilled to "have the chance to reconnect without being in competition with one another".Usually "there's only one role and 50 black actresses auditioning for it" - "this time they each had their own part and their own character in the SAME movie and could support one another".Other celebrities who turned out to support the movie were Magic Johnson - new "Baywatch" babe Brooke Burns and actor Julian McMahon.Little Richard - who knew the real Frankie Lyman very well has a cameo role in the film - although when he was first offered the part he "thought Warner Brothers was trying to steal his life story without paying" him any money for the privilege - but then he just fell in love with the idea.
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